Mooring: Epidavros

Epidavros: Bay seen from the fishing quay, port and starboard marks in the background

Epidavros: Bay seen from the fishing quay, port and starboard marks in the background

There are in fact two Epidavros’s (or should that be Epidavri) – you want Palaia (old) Epidavros, not Nea (new) Epidavros. To add to the confusion you may also find the name spelt Ephidavros, Ephidvaro, Epidauro or Epidaurus.  So make sure you go to the right place.

The bay is not easy to spot from a distance but look out for the scar running along the hillside south of the town from the modernised road. As you get closer, the road can be seen heading down into the town.  Head in to the bay between the two marks (the starboard one previously demolished by a drunken skipper). There is a light structure on the end of the jetty, though I don’t recall ever seeing it lit.

First choice for moorings is to go stern to on the quay to the south of the jetty, between the fishing boats on the jetty side and those further south down the quay. A painted area marks the space for yachts.

Note there is a lot of junk on the sea bed just south of the  jetty so try to avoid laying your anchor too close to the fishing boats there and if you’ve a choice, take a berth further down the quay.

Epidavros: Quay and jetty. The main yacht moorings are just out of shot, left.

Epidavros: Quay and jetty. The main yacht moorings are just out of shot, left.

The other two mooring options are stern to on the end of the jetty or alongside the north side of the jetty. If using the end of the jetty, you’ll need plenty of anchor chain out – it’s deep here.

The north side of the jetty used to be the hydrofoil berth though the town hasn’t had a service for some years now, despite the quay markings being repainted in recent times!  Keep close to the quay as you come in as it’s shallow further off, and larger yachts may find insufficient depth at the inner end.

Anchoring enthusiasts can find a spot on the south side of the bay, from where it is only a short paddle ashore.

The bay can experience some uncomfortable swells in the afternoon but these generally die away in the evening. In jellyfish season (the area seems to suffer a plague of these about every three years) the water near the quay is packed with unfortunates that have washed in to the bay, never to depart. I once had and unusual engine failure here when one was sucked in to the water inlet, blocking the cooling system and destroying the impeller. I spend a none too pleasant morning purging the system of bits of impeller and lots of slimy pulped jellyfish! Just my luck – I’ve never heard of anyone else having a similar problem.

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