Navpaktos - Not to be missed

10:25 on the 23^rd June we cast off, once again with enthusiastic assistance and made the short 14 mile trip on glassy seas to Navpaktos. 

This is one of Europe’s oldest and best preserved ports and forts, a place where the Turks refitted their fleet in 1571 for the battle of Lapanto. Up against the league of Catholic states, financed by the Pope the Turks got their butts handed to them, lost their navel superiority in the Med and it halted their westward annexation of Europe. 

Lapanto was the last European navel battle fought entirely between galleys before the arrival of steam engines.

End of history lesson, the really important part is that this port is tiny, can accommodate two yachts or one catamaran or you anchor outside. 

On arrival we noted an anchored yacht and took this to mean the Inn was full but we went in for a look anyway. 

Tiny! The entrance is just wide enough for us to squeeze through, the port just big enough for us to pirouette but there it was… 

A spot just big enough to accommodate the Summer Amy! Wooohooo. Talk about prime position, but do not screw up the mooring… Surrounded by restaurants, we were the entertainment but give us an audience and hey, we’ve got this!

A brilliant meal in the number 3 rated restaurant on Trip Adviser, earlyish night for a very early morning climb to the top of the fort. It is a long way up and not to be attempted in the heat of the day.

Great views of the town, the harbour and the Gulf from up there and a good look at the Rion Bridge. We had thought about staying another day given we'd jagged the king parking spot, but having done that, the meal and the fort there was no real need to stay and so at 10:15 on the 24th we cast off and headed for Mesolongion.

En Route we passed beneath the Rion Bridge. This is the longest cable suspension bridge on the planet. 2,252 meters long with three navigable channels each 560 meters wide.

Mesolongion Marina sits three miles inland and is accessed via a dredged canal along which are fisherman's shacks on stilts (Pelades) with long jetties. Most of these have been converted into holiday houses with a very leisurely feel about the place.

The marina is big, quite new and very hot. We slime lined on a quay with power and water and first thing up was the aircon!

A long dusty slog from town, but I would recommend this as a good place to winter a boat. It is very reasonably priced, has good facilities and geographically a great place to access any part of Greece the following season.

The kids soon found a wifi cafe and it wasn't long before the owner was at the boat offering a free return ride into town that evening as long as we ate at his restaurant. 

Given the heat we were easy prey and I have to say, fortunately so. Good meal and no hot dusty walk.