Good News: Corfu is (Sort of) Kayakable!

Yesterday we flew into sunny Corfu, Greece, which is the real launch point for our semester-long trip through the Balkans. Upon arrival, we were very much not disappointed by the weather or the scenery.

We are staying in a hotel near Paleokastritsa: the part of the island most known for water-based adventure sports like scuba diving, cliff jumping, etc.

After getting settled, I decided to hike into town. On route, I was rewarded with one stunning vista after the next.

But as I gazed at the foreboding Ionian Sea and watched the waves slam against the rocks, I was haunted with a single, persistent question: Is it kayakable?

So you can imagine my joy when, the very next day, James and I came across these:

Now, we have rented sea kayaks before, and these ain’t those. Still, we couldn’t turn our backs on fate. We left our backpacks with the beach staff, said a prayer for our phones, and embarked.

Within the bay of Palaiokastritsa Beach, things were pleasantly calm. We had to avoid a snorkeler or two, but otherwise it was an easy paddle.

There was even a neat little cave to explore.

But as we continued toward the mouth of the bay, things became increasingly dicey.

Outside the protection of the inlet, the waves were intimidating. We concluded that we were likely to capsize if we kept going, and so we turned around and went back to shore.

Overall, we enjoyed this short, beautiful paddle. But, a more serious exploration of the area would require a proper sit-inside.