Zante

Zakynthos is the last of the Ionian islands, in the sense of the most southerly, the least known, perhaps, to the “worldly” chronicles but not for that reason little traveled by the flow of tourism. Among the islands of the archipelago, it is the one that offers the best chance of finding a good anchorage or a place in the only available ports on the island (that of Zakynthos, precisely). Certainly, then, it offers the most beautiful natural spectacles of this sea area.

Known to us Italians primarily for the sonnet that the poet Ugo Foscolo dedicated to it(A Zakynthos, a celebration of the history and beauty of his native island), Zakynthos is a place laden with mythology and suggestion. Mythology tells us that it was discovered by Zakynthos, son of Dardanus, and was later part of the kingdom of Odysseus (Odysseus); history tells us that over the centuries it underwent a long Ottoman and then Venetian domination, then passed into the hands of the French and British until it achieved its longed-for independence.
Not much trace remains of this troubled history as the devastating earthquake of 1953 destroyed much of the island. That was rebuilt, however, and today it is a favorite destination for summer tourism in Greece.

Credit to nature, first and foremost. Zakynthos counts some of the most beautiful beaches in Greece, first and foremost that of the Wreck, accessible only by sea, a small paradise on earth, a very white beach squeezed tr ade cliffs and bathed by a turquoise sea.
Zakynthos is also the island of turtles(Caretta Caretta), which in summer lay their eggs on the very white beaches of the Gulf of Laganas, to the south, where there is a national marine park that also aims at their protection and preservation. The monk seal also lives and breeds in the north.

On the northwest coast of the island, however, are the Blue Caves, renowned for the spectacle they offer and which can also be visited by own boat. One can anchor in the vicinity and enjoy them by swimming, or by tender.
There is no shortage of social life on Zakynthos: Laganas, a medium-sized village, has over the years become the hotspot for nightlife entertainment, a “little Las Vegas,” as some call it, full of clubs, nightclubs, restaurants and geared mainly to youth tourism.

Getting to Zakynthos by sea presents no difficulties whatsoever. Easily reached from both the Peloponnese peninsula and from the very nearby Kefalonia and Ithaca, it holds no pitfalls or dangers for those who approach.
The island’s only ports are located in the capital Zakynthos, on the island’s east coast. It offers excellent shelter from northwesterly winds, but if the wind blows hard from the south, a troublesome current also enters the ports.

The port hosts mainly ferries and boats; it is, or perhaps it would be better to say … was, under construction a marina just south of the port, but as is often the case in Greece everything has come to a standstill, the marina is incomplete and it is not known when or if it will be completed.
In any case, the port of Zakynthos offers a fair number of berths and essential services.

Entering the ports is not a problem. Just pay attention to the rocks to the east of the entrance, not far away, marked by a buoy anyway. Inside, the depths are not exciting: in the center we are in the 6-7 meters range, but near the western pier (the place for pleasure boats) and the breakwater (the second choice, but you are often diverted there) the depths also drop below a meter. Pay special attention to prominent rocks sticking out of the breakwater.

Berths are located along the west pier, a quay bank right on the town’s waterfront, and inside the breakwater at its northern end. Zakynthos is not a quiet little town–it goes without saying that if you plan to rest, you should avoid mooring on the waterfront if possible. The nightlife is lively; you may be kept up late into the night.
Also beware of security: not a few cases of theft on boats.

The port police are located on the north dock, near the ferry terminal,go there for information about the (possible) tourist tax. At the dock you will also find water, electricity, and fueling facilities, although some boaters have reported that the columns were not working. There are toilets, modest, showers are not working.
The tavern at the end of the dock provides toilets and showers, ask for information locally.

Let us now look at alternatives to a port stop in noisy Zakynthos. Continuing south, the bay of Lagana would be an excellent anchorage but in summer it may not be possible to stop due, as mentioned earlier, to the fact that turtles lay their eggs on the beaches of the bay. You then head for Keri, a little further south, which offers beautiful caves and excellent shelter from the prevailing winds (north and northwest; only fair from those from the south and east). There is mooring inside or outside the stone pier, in water depths of 2-4 meters. A few good waterfront taverns, nothing more.

On the west coast of the island is Ormos Vroma, a long, narrow natural bay that offers good shelter from prevailing winds but bad shelter in southerly winds (in which case the anchor will not hold, probably best avoided). The bottom, however, is not good, and the anchor has a hard time catching; the advice is to approach one of the two small Caribbean beaches at the bottom of the bay and ports some lines ashore.

A little further north is the wreck bay. Open to the northwest, so not always a smart choice. Beyond the natural spectacle it offers, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the comings and goings of taxi-boats are continuous: it’s not really a good place for a quiet stop, but with no wind and late afternoon, you might think about it.

We conclude the overview with Agios Nikolaos, to the northeast, where there is room for 10-12 boats along the quay at the foot of the little village: you pay an almost symbolic tourist tax (about 10-15 euros) and there is water, electricity and wi-fi, kindly offered by the manager of the tavern La Storia located on the waterfront.
If there is no room at the dock you can anchor near the islet, depth 5-10 meters and mediocre bottom for holding. Watch out for rocks north of the islet.