Corfu, April 2025

Maybe it’s the tail wagging the dog, but that’s how it usually goes with us — we find a good, affordable boat, and it ends up deciding where we’ll be sailing next. The search often starts long in advance — sometimes a year ahead — a second nature at this point: casually googling boats in the background of everyday life.

This time was no different. We found a yacht in Corfu, in Marina Gouvia. Familiar waters — we sailed here for two weeks on a catamaran back in 2022 (more on that in a future post). The boat? A modest Bavaria Cruiser 37 — almost 20 years old but in great shape, judging by the photos and reviews. Small, simple, perfect for the two of us. Let’s go.

Day 1 – Marina Gouvia (Corfu)

Corfu is easy to get to — low-cost flights, a short ride from the airport by local bus (or even a scenic walk along the coast, though next to a noisy road). Marina Gouvia is large, modern, and well-equipped. No shops inside, but plenty around. The fairways between pontoons can be tight — not an issue on departure, but watch out for taut mooring lines when docking in strong winds.

We checked in, stocked up on groceries (buy any exotic ingredients now — the small islands have poor selection), and set off. A light southerly breeze was forecast, so we headed for a scenic anchorage near the village of Lakka, on northern Paxos. Great shelter from all winds except N/NE, with good holding — although it took us two tries to set anchor.

Day 2 – Lakka (Paxos)

30 miles motoring into a light headwind. The bay is wide and stunning — expect it to be packed in season. Lots of picturesque walking trails along the shore with perfect spots to take a picture of your boat. Lakka is a tiny, cozy village. Stock up on Malamatina retsina — you'll miss it later. We swam for the first time — the water was a brisk 16–17°C, but warming by the day. April isn’t ideal for warm-water lovers, but it’s peaceful.

A cyclone was building near Sicily, but we really wanted to visit the Greek gem: Parga. So we went.

Day 3 – Parga (Mainland)

14 miles brought us to Parga — an unforgettable place. A wide bay sliced by a rocky promontory with a Venetian castle on top and breathtaking views all around. As the cyclone drew closer, swell and wind picked up. We dropped anchor in the western bay, away from the rock — the only boat tucked in there was rolling hard. We spent the night alone at anchor. Uncomfortable swell, but tolerable. Tomorrow: Gaios, under sail.

Day 4 – Gaios (Paxos)

We had tried to visit Gaios once during the summer, but even with its wide channel and big town quay, we found no room for our catamaran and had to retreat south to Mongonisi. This time, in April, it was empty. A few brave sailors dropped anchor at the main quay despite the growing swell. We opted for peace of mind — mooring alongside at a private pontoon near the entrance. Pro tip: the walk from Gaios to Mongonisi along the coast is a must-do.

Day 5 – Plataria (Mainland)

A 20-mile crossing to Plataria. We med-moored — stern to the quay with anchor — in strong side winds. A sheltered marina, though not all berths have laid moorings. Beautiful valley and sea views from the hills.

Day 6 – Sagaida (Mainland)

The cyclone peaked. We tacked into strong wind toward Sagaida and hit 8.1 knots — likely this boat’s max speed. The port was shallow with a narrow entrance — unsafe to enter in these conditions. Anchoring west of the breakwater was out of the question due to heavy swell.

Plan B: we diverted to the ultra-protected bay of Pagania, near the Albanian border. The area is full of fish farms, so avoid navigating here at night. Pagania was eerily calm — no wind, no swell — a natural hurricane hole. Only downside: no mobile signal. Heading back to Sagaida the next morning, we spotted dolphins — again.

Day 7 – Marina Gouvia

After exploring the ghost town near Sagaida, we returned to home base. There’s a fuel dock on the west side of the bay — side mooring only. With an offshore wind, we simply let go of the lines and drifted off cleanly. We logged 142 nautical miles and burned 58 liters of diesel.

As mentioned earlier, be mindful of mooring lines when docking in tight fairways. We handed over the boat and completed our logbooks without a hitch.

Final Thoughts

• Old boats ≠ bad boats. Don’t fear age — just rent from trusted charter companies.
• April was perfect for us. Easy mooring, no tourist crowds, yet many places were already open. (Avoid this area in fall — it turns rainy fast.)
• The sailing area is rich. Even after a second visit, we discovered so much more.
• Geography matters. With Corfu shielding from the west and the mainland from the east, it’s a safe cruising ground — even when storms roll in.

Smooth sailing!