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On our way to Kastos and after we had left the narrow channel across the lagoon-swamp, we followed closely the north eastern cost of Nisis Petala. The younger son that had lead us left us to land at a stone house standing along the shore and that they seemed to own. It was much stronger and safer than the cabin in the lagoon!
Photo 2 is a close up that shows the younger son, the one that danced so much in the evening.
Written Sep 4, 2008
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Time to leave! We are now sailing to Kastos and we had to leave our friend, the fishermen (and women) at Petala lagoon. We had really a great time and an unexpected evening in an unexpected place!
If we had followed the sailing charts, we would have sailed south, turned the southern end of Nisis Petalas and then sailed northwards to Kastos. Passing northwards was impossible given that there was not enough drought. Our friends told us that we cold follow the channel winding across the northern lagoon, which would save a lot of miles (see map on the intro page). The younger son lead us along the meanders of the channel. And that worked, we passed across the swamps!
Written Sep 4, 2008
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Early morning, the water was as still as it was in the evening. The sea looked like oil!
If you look closely to the boats shown on photo 1 and 2, you will notice that the are very low and sharp. They would be unsafe in the open sea but fit perfectly with Petala lagoon, with very little drought.
The third photo shows our boats moored on the cabin
Written Sep 4, 2008
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If you have enlarged the photos of the previous tip, you have certainly noticed that the 2 liters bottle of retsina wine was never at the same place! It was frequently used to pour a series of glasses.
On the first photo, one of our companions clinks glasses with the father.
On the second photo, the younger son rests after many dances, by the side of his wife.
On the third photo, the mother and her daughter smoking.
That was really an amazing evening … and we had only a few paces to get on our boats and in our beds!
Written Sep 4, 2008
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After dinner, they showed Greek dances (photo 1) with the music playing on a cassette recorder but that was not only to look at the dances. We had to try to dance too!
There was not enough space for all of us and some of us revealed to be very good at these dance (photos 2 and 3) and anyway, the younger son could not stop dancing, even alone (photos 4 and 5)
Written Sep 4, 2008
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The cabin was very basic with a single room and curtains that made several chambers for the different members of the family. Altogether, they were seven: three couples, the parents and two married children with two young girls. We ere ten, which made 18 persons in that small cabin!
In the middle of the cabin was a fireplace burning on a rough pavement. On top a metal hood allowed the exhaust of the fumes.
We were all sat around the fireplace where delicious fish was cooked on the ashes.
Written Sep 4, 2008
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The sunset on Petala lagoon was gorgeous! As the sailing guide had said, given that there was so little water, the surface was perfectly still, as well as a mirror.
As there were clouds along the horizon, we had actually several “almost sunset”, one after the other, each time that the sun disappeared behind a layer of clouds and came back under it.
Written Sep 4, 2008
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The guys insisted and said that there was enough water for our small boats if we followed the (unmarked!) channel that was 1 meter deep and about the same wide! There was no room for any mistake! They proposed to come to our yachts with their small boat and show us the way. We had to follow exactly them. Actually, they did not tow us but were leading as a pilot would do. Several times, I heard the soft noise of the kiln rubbing the mud or an underwater tuft but we finally reached their place and moor directly at the house!
Written Sep 4, 2008
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Apart from the main part of the fishing settlement, at some distance, there was a single cabin standing alone. Apparently, we could not reach it with our boats though one had a draught of 0.95m and the two others, with removable kiln, only 0,60m. There did not seem to be anybody around and we decided to have a closer look, rowing on a small tender.
When we came closer (second photo), there were two young fishermen that told us that we should come in and moor our boats at their house-island.
Written Sep 4, 2008
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Photo 1 shows the approach of Ormos Petala (Petala bay) under a cloudy sky and a choppy sea.
Photo 2 is inside Ormos Petala. The sky was still cloudy but the sea in the lagoon was absolutely flat. On the right, the
continent and on the left Nisis Petala (Petala Island)
Photo 3 shows the fishing settlement standing low over the water, with a few scattered houses.
Written Sep 4, 2008
Petala lagoon was the most amazing anchorage that we had in Greece. Why did we went to this “off the beaten path” place while we were sailing around Ithaka and Cephalonia ? The easiest explanation is...
Build your own Nisida Petalas page
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