Ring, ring. Somewhere mid-April, I receive a phone call from my dear childhood friend Christophe, asking if I would like to go on a sailing trip in September together with three other sailors; Marc, Richard and Chommie. His question made my body sing. My first reaction was, ‘of course, let me check with my wife,’ and after comparing my calendar with my wife’s, we were good to go.
It had been 20 years since I had been on a sailing boat, but luckily there were two seasoned sailors among us. My task would be limited to being the boat’s mate and cooking. Marc spontaneously took on the task of renting the boat and paperwork, and we began dreaming about taming the sea and sailing in wind force 10. The countdown to September could begin.
The first couple of days we had beautiful holiday weather but almost no wind. This gave me time to slowly get used to the boat and familiarise myself with the electronics. There was a comprehensive manual on the boat, that helps. And, of course, extra time to get to know Richard & Chommie a little better. I hadn’t seen Marc for several years.
True Friendship is a skill, not a piece of divine inspiration. Those who find it are not simply lucky: they understand certain crucial ideas; they are guided by specific insights into themselves and other people.
Alain De Botton
Fortunately, we had done some shopping in Gouvia Marina before setting sail, or more precise switch on the engine, so we could get the conversation flowing with a few glasses of wine and snacks. The atmosphere was great right from the start.
Due to the lack of wind, we decided to take it easy and sail to Kalami beach, a pleasant bay north of Gouvia, and spend the night there on the boat. But first, we put on our swimming trunks and took a refreshing dip.
It would be the first of six nights with my childhood friend in the same cabin. I had completely forgotten that he is a master at imitating a 2-stroke engine at night. Mindfulness to the rescue ;-)
Fortunately, the temperature dropped and the wind picked up so we could hoist the sails. After a deliberation and reviewing the route, we had the compass point towards Paxos and Antipaxos, both small islands south of Corfu. From a distance, they look like they are covered with broccoli bushes, with a strip of silver beach here and there.
During the sailing trip, Richard and I cooked our lunch. But as the wind gained strength and the waves grew higher and higher, it was a challenge to stay behind the galley. He managed it wonderfully, but I had to drag myself upstairs to see the horizon and calm my stomach.
Paxos was wonderful in its simplicity and ambiance. We moored in Gaios Marina, a picturesque little harbour protected by two small islands in front of it. After a long day at sea, it can be nice to have solid ground under your feet. The marina has a vibrant atmosphere with inviting terraces. Of course, it didn’t take long before we settled down on one of them. The perfect opportunity start the evening with an apéro.
And, of course, it should come as no surprise that we also enjoyed some delicious food. In fact, everywhere we ate the food was absolutely delicious. From grilled meat to grilled fish.
The following days were unstable. Sun with hardly any wind, sun and wind, cloudy with little wind and cloudy with lots of wind. We preferred the latter type of weather, to a certain extent.
Living to the rhythm of nature and the waves is simply a wonderful experience. And a sailing boat offers you that freedom.
Hair in the wind, the salty foam of the waves on your lips, the sun on your skin and, above all, the power with which your boat is blown forward and carried on the waves. Despite all the fun and the experience, we eventually decided to cut our sailing trip short. We decided to return early to Madraki harbour, in the shade and shelter of the old fortress and town of Corfu.
And luckily we made the right decision because less than an hour after we landed, a storm broke out.
The sun may glorify the heavens, but he never sees the weight of dark clouds form the sea.
Koenraad
The next morning, the weather cleared up a bit and we took our time sailing the boat back to Gouvia marina. It was with a heavy heart that we returned to shore because our sailing trip was over. But I was also happy because a few hours later my wife would land in Corfu for an extra week of holiday.