In this series, Lukas and Toni recount their long voyage through the Gulf of Corinth. In In Part 1, they travel from Patras via Nafpaktos and Trizonia and in Part 2: On to Galaxidi We sailed there and visited the oracle at Delphi.
Galaxidi – Corinth | 38 sm
At 8 o’clock, we cast off the stern lines in Galaxidi and haul in our anchor. Wind speeds of over 30 knots are forecast for the afternoon, and we want to get ahead of them. We unfurl only two-thirds of the sails. Whilst we set sail in a moderate 13-knot breeze, the gusts soon reach a forceful 24 knots.
With every gust, the ‘Eleanor’ leans a little more to one side and picks up speed noticeably. We keep an eye on the sky as it grows darker, whilst at the same time enjoying one of the fastest days of sailing on our journey so far. With the sails reefed, we’re travelling at nearly our hull speed of seven knots. The waves pushing us from astern do the rest. After months of Mediterranean sunshine, today we’re sailing under a thick blanket of clouds for the first time. The mood is gloomy; storm clouds are gathering on the horizon. At what feel like astronomical speeds to us, it almost feels as though we’re flying to Corinth.
We reach the harbour early in the afternoon. We moor alongside here, even before the wind really picks up.
Modern Corinth is a well-kept town with wide pedestrian zones and a lovely town beach. In the evening, the heavy downpour that had been threatening all day finally breaks.
Corinth – Saronic Gulf | 5 sm
As we do every week, we spend Monday and Tuesday in the harbour getting on with our work, which we are fortunate enough to be able to do online, wherever we are. Rosi has time for some sightseeing and returns delighted from a visit to ancient Corinth.
We’ll be continuing on Tuesday evening: we’re due to pass through the Corinth Canal. We register the passage online. As well as providing details of the boat, we have to specify the date and time of the crossing. It takes several attempts before we manage to complete the registration and make the payment. Anyone who prefers not to use the cumbersome online portal can also pay the fees in person at the customer service desk.
With the wind completely still, we approach the canal entrance and radio the control tower right on time. We are instructed to wait outside the entrance area. After 45 minutes at anchor, we are called and prepare to pass through. Slowly, the hydraulic road bridge at the entrance lowers until it has completely disappeared beneath the water’s surface. The canal is navigable in a single lane. Five vessels come towards us and continue on their way westwards.
Through the rock
Now it’s our turn. The entrance still looks rather unremarkable, but with every metre we travel through the man-made gorge, our view narrows and our surroundings change. The gentle coastlines give way to almost vertical rock faces of reddish and yellowish stone, towering above us on both sides. We examine the rock strata and the tenacious plants clinging to them. The water is about eight metres deep, very clear and appears turquoise today.
At their highest points, the walls tower up to 80 metres beside us. Our ‘Eleanor’ suddenly seems tiny in this confined space. Someone waves to us from one of the bridges spanning the dead-straight canal. The evening sun bathes the upper rock layers in golden light, whilst the blue of the sky forms just a narrow strip above us. At water level, the canal is about 25 metres wide. It feels as though we could reach out and touch the cool, rugged rock faces.
The Corinth Canal is a technical masterpiece. People had been dreaming of its construction since ancient times, but it was not built until the 19th century. After twelve years of construction, it was opened in 1893 and shortens the sea route between Patras and Piraeus by around 200 nautical miles. Previously, ships had to sail round the Peloponnese peninsula. However, the canal was only able to fulfil its originally anticipated economic potential for a short time. Today, it is used predominantly by private yachts and passenger ships. Its dimensions are too small for the ever-larger cargo ships of the 20th and 21st centuries.
After about 40 minutes, we had passed through the 3.4 nautical miles of rocky passage. As we emerged from the channel, a sweeping view of the Saronic Gulf opened up before us, whilst behind us the sun was setting in vibrant colours. An exciting stage of the journey was drawing to a close.
Rosi will be flying home from Athens in two days’ time, whilst we continue our journey towards the Aegean. We were thrilled by the variety in the Gulf of Corinth: you sail through both calm bays and challenging stretches. Thermal winds and gusts from the surrounding mountains make for an exciting change of pace at the helm.
There is plenty to discover on land too: charming little towns, beautiful walking trails and traces of the region’s rich cultural history. Another advantage of the Gulf of Corinth as a sailing destination is that, even in the height of summer, the waters here are considerably more peaceful than in many other Greek sailing areas.
See also:
Antonia von Lamezan
Volontärin