Storms over Koroni & its Castle

by Chantal & David · September 3, 2022

Having worked out that it would be easier to get a bus back to Kalamata, and with a favourable forecast, hahaha, for the next couple of days, we decided to continue on with our journey to Koroni, so on the 23rd August, we did just that, motoring the 11 miles as there wasn’t a breath of wind. We actually quite enjoyed it as this really was beginning to feel like a novelty to us!

We dropped our pick tucked in behind the harbour wall (filled with mooring for local boats so far too hazardous to go in) at about 11 in the morning.

The Spectacular View from Seaclusion

We then dropped the dinghy and went ashore to explore the town and the castle before it got too hot.

Koroni “New” Town & Harbour

Having been given directions, we then headed up to and inside the walls of the castle where there are churches and houses with people still living there. Sadly we didn’t have the time to fully explore it as within 15 minutes to getting there, we could see the dark clouds bubbling up and heading our way and didn’t want to leave Seclusion unattended being so close to the outside of the harbour wall.

Life within the Castle Walls

View from the Top

We quickly headed back down to the shore, which still seemed calm, so stopped for a quick freddo cappucino.

Harbour after, perhaps not such a wise idea, it wasn’t going to be a dry journey home!

So glad we got back on board though…. the forecasted north west winds turned north, removing our protection from the harbour wall, and hit us full frontal, gusting 26 knots. Not a pleasant experience, but our anchor was holding so it was safer to stay put than move, even if our snubber (the line that connects to the anchor chain to take the pressure of the windlass), snapped with what sounded like a gunshot, frightening us half to death, taking our nice new (and not cheap) stainless steal clip and rubber dampener into the depths of the sea. 😱 We posted a video on Facebook and the universal response was 🤢🤢🤢!!!

Excuse the pun but we weathered it out for the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening, giving up on even trying to cook dinner, padded all the bottles, pots, pans, plates etc with cloths to stop the chink chink all night as we readied ourselves for our first proper rolly polly night of the season.

But just as the sun started to set, things began to die down and the boat stablished enough to take a shot of the fabulous moody sunset.

By the time we crashed, the conditions were bearable with some peace of mind. In fact the night was far better than we feared.

Morning came, and as ever we checked the forecast on multiple sites to make sure Seaclusion and David, (not in that order) would be safe for the day, as today was the day I was disappearing off by bus to Kalamata, and the times were such I wouldn’t be back before 8:30 in the evening! They all said South West winds so we were in the perfect place for protection from the wind and swell.

So at 1pm, David duly deposited me off at the shore and I headed off to the bus station, mask in hand, to not only collect my Mac but also a new snubber!

First my bus journey, I made the mistake of sitting at the front just behind & across from the driver. All I can say was it was terrifying, just clock the pics!!…

Second, David’s story, if not more terrifying…. So with Chantal being entertained by a Greek stunt man, come bus driver, I was alone on Seaclusion looking forward to a nice chilled out day reading a book, knowing that the only issue I would have to be worried about would be a south westerly breeze, happy days! But at about 3pm I looked out to see a massive storm approaching, from yes you guessed it, the south-east…Absolutely no protection from that where we were! Over the next 2 hours, the winds got up to over 30 knots, the swell was throwing the boat up and down like something at the horse of the year show, the lightning and thunder, like I have never heard the likes of before, would have impressed a storm chaser, and all the while, I had the engine on in the pouring rain, ready to move the yacht, in case the anchor slipped, as she was about 15 meters away from the harbour wall. Anyway, all I can say is that it won’t go down as one of my favourite days, but no harm was done to either me or Seaclusion….

To cap it all, the sea, by the time Chantal got back to Koroni, was very lumpy to say the least, and oh did I mention that it was also pitch black when I got the call to come and get her… I guess at this point it was the perfect end to a bad day.. The good news was that the new MacBook that Chantal had picked from Kalamata, got back to the yacht dry and safe, although the same can’t be said for the two of us..

But luckily, as before the wind started to drop, followed by the sea, and the night passed without incident, and a definite plus some sleep!

The following morning, despite not really having seen all of the town within the castle walls, but with more dark clouds bubbling up, we decide to get the hell out of dodge, and set sail to clear the next headland and head north to hopefully a calmer spot.

However before this, we noticed a beautiful yacht had come into moor off our stern, good luck to her, but the camera had to come out for her, and the south side of the castle.