We are on our way to Preveza. Sailing from Sivota you sail through the ‘street of Meganisi’. Oh man, this is such a beautiful part of Greece. It’s called the Ionian Islands. It’s made up of the six archipelago’s: Corfu, Zakynthos, Paxi, Lefkada, Kefalonia, and Ithaki. The Ionian Islands lie off Greece’s western coast in a line from Zakynthos in the south to Corfu in the north. Click via this link to find out all about these beautiful islands!

https://www.nautilia-yachting.com/images/guides/ENG_ionian.pdf

 

It was a beautiful day and once we were in the “street of Maganisi” we also could fly the spinnaker! The colors of the water are magnificent. The rugged coastline is beautiful. The atmosphere around, and when sailing in between the islands, is truly beautiful. One of the islands you pass is the island of Skorpios. The 2011 census reported a population of five inhabitants.

The story of the island of Scorpios
Scorpios is primarily known as the private island of the late Greek shipping billionaire Aristotle Onassis. It was bought in 1963 and believed to have cost him the equivalent of about €11,000. Numerous high profile parties were hosted during the time of Aristotle Onassis, who is buried there, along with his daughter and son, Alexander. Skorpios was also the site of his wedding to former United States First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy on October 20, 1968. In 1971, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was photographed nude by an Italian paparazzo on a Skorpios beach. Upon Onassis death, the island was passed to his daughter Christina, and then in turn to her daughter Athina Onassis Roussel, the only surviving heir. Onassis, his son Alexander, and his daughter Christina are all buried on the island.

In April 2013 through her trust, Ekaterina Rybolovleva, the 24-year-old daughter of Dmitry Rybolovlev, bought a group of companies from Athina Onassis Roussel for $153 million. The assets included a long term lease to Scorpios and its smaller islet, Sparti. Beginning of October 2018 and with a completion date of 2020, Rybolovleva began developing a 10,000 square meters (110,000 sq ft) luxury resort on Scorpios for a total investment estimated at €184 million. The island is a Natura with no more than 5% of its area to be developed. The Greek government is yet to confirm the legality of the purchase. An investigation is underway, as Giannis Mihelakis raised the question in the Greek parliament. Specifically, Onassis stated in his will that the island would remain in the family as long as they could afford to cover its maintenance expenses. According to the will, if his descendants could not cover the expenses, the island would be donated either to Olympic Airways or to the state.

We were going to an anchorage which was on the mainland again. It’s said that it’s not the best anchorage but I can certainly recommend this place. It is so different than all the anchorage we have been! The water is crystal clear and the view is magnificent! It’s called Bathyabali or in Greek, I think Vathiavale Beach. Its located in Palairos. A beautiful beach and a peaceful and relaxing place to stay for the night. The water here is clear and perfect for swimming. A couple of taverns are nearby to cater for any refreshment needs. It is true that its spectacular scenery with its breathtakingly beautiful sunsets has been a rich source of inspiration for painters and photographers.