Mesolónghion

It is about 35nm from Kastos to Mesolónghion. We wanted to arrive before dark as it’s so much easier to work out where to moor if you can see clearly and, ideally, we wanted to get some sailing in, rather than just motoring. We therefore planned to leave shortly after midday; if we had to motor all the way we would expect to arrive at about 1800 but we had a couple of hours flex to allow us to sail slowly if there was sufficient wind.

From our relatively short experience of the Ionian we knew not to expect much, if any wind before about 1500 but it was over an hour later than this before there was enough wind for us to dispense with the engine and drift along gently under full mainsail and poled out genoa. In fact, we did little more than drift along gently and it took us 2 hours to cover the final 6nm before we entered the 3nm canal from the sea up to Mesolónghion port itself.

One of the reasons for visiting Mesolónghion, other than the fact that it is a convenient distance from Kastos, is that our pilot book says that at the entrance to the canal are some interesting fishermen’s houses standing on stilts in the shallow water, somewhat reminiscent of parts of SE Asia.

Most of the houses seem now to be holiday homes and rather more extended than a basic fisherman’s cottage. There are plenty of small boats moored outside the houses and the owners and their families swim around the piles and out into the canal, chatting as they go and almost oblivious to the passing traffic.

 

At the top end, the canal opens up into a tear shaped port area. There is a marina but we decided to moor to the town quay. Quite unexpectedly we were met by a couple of Port Police in a small boat, who indicated that we could moor where we wanted on the eastern side of the harbour. We assumed that this was because the small freighter anchored at the entrance to the canal was due to come in later that evening but in the event it stayed where it was. The harbour area is surprisingly large and empty. By chance we ended up moored next to one of the few water points, under a sign that said ‘Mooring access yachts’ but right next to the painted lettering on the quay (only visible when actually alongside) which read ‘No Mooring’. We moved so that we were just clear of the ‘No Mooring’ paintwork, and reasoned that it meant that the water point would be kept clear for anyone to use.

Since we had already met the Port Police, Nicky thought it best that she visit their office promptly to formally report our arrival. They were somewhat surprised to see her but took all the standard photocopies of documents, double stamped the Transit Log in 2 places and then said that there was no charge to stay for the night. Result!

So far, Mesolónghion had seemed a quiet, half-asleep sort of place but as dusk fell this all changed. The sleepy hollow tavernas near to our mooring suddenly became busy and as we hit the sack their staffs hit the volume knob and a resounding bass beat filled the night skies until well past 3am. It was not a good night’s sleep!

Unlike much of the population of Mesolónghion, we got up relatively early for an exploratory run. It was the morning of 15 August, Assumption Day, so we did not see the place at its best – most of the shops were closed and those people who were out and about were looking unusually quiet in the coffee shops.

However, after chatting to a Danish couple from a yacht further along the quay from us, we decided to give the town another go. Though most of the town is now covered in reinforced concrete, at a walking pace [Ed – not that my running pace is much faster than a walking pace at present!] it was obvious that there are some much older parts, notably the churches.

Kípos Iróön

We also found the Kípos Iróön (the Garden of Heroes, containing monuments to those who died in the war against the Turks, including Byron and other Philhellenes) at the north end of the town, which we had narrowly missed on our run, and the Gate of the Sortie.

The Gate of the Sortie

The gate is named after the 12^th April 1826 break-out from the town of 9000 Greek, which ended the Ottomans’ year-long siege. They left a small group of defenders, and some civilians who were incapable of leaving, to destroy the town by blowing up powder magazines. However, someone betrayed the escapees and they were ambushed and massacred on Mount Zygós with fewer than 2000 surviving.

There is now a new monument just outside the gate that commemorates this event. It looks so new that the area around it has not yet been properly landscaped.

So, having seen all the major sights of Mesalonghion, we made our now standard lunchtime departure heading east further into the Gulf of Patras and on into the Gulf of Corith.

Mesolónghion