After every week of crusing across the South Ionian, we discovered ourselves spending just a few days in Vasiliki within the south of the Greek island of Lefkada. This is a spot that does watersports in model – it isn’t loud or lavish in the way in which some Mediterranean hotspots may be. Instead, there’s an understated magic right here and a reliability within the climate due to a day wind identified affectionately as Eric.
Why Vasilki?
There’s a purpose seasoned windsurfers, Olympic sailors, and wide-eyed first-timers preserve returning to Vasiliki. It isn’t simply the beneficial circumstances – somewhat, it affords all of the requisite circumstances for various watersports fans, spaced out all through the day.
Mornings are quiet, with barely a breeze – excellent for paddleboarding, kayaking or e-foiling – in a bay that’s sheltered and shallow.
But then the tempo modifications.
By early afternoon, the air shifts. The wind comes cross-shore, daring and unrelenting, and identical to that, the water turns into alive—dancing below the agency grip of Eric. It’s a constant, clear wind and one which brings out skilled sailors and windsurfers of their lots of.
It’s oddly reassuring because it’s a sample that occurs daily and, not like different coastal spots the place watersports really feel like an add-on, Vasiliki pulses with aquatic power.
The season runs lengthy—from April by means of October—with peak winds and social buzz cresting in July and August. But even outdoors these months, the circumstances are enviable. It’s the form of place the place you’ll meet individuals who got here for every week and quietly by no means left.
E-foiling with E-VASS
Some experiences defy enough description. Flying, as an example. Not within the seatbelted, pressurised cabin form of manner—however actually flying. On water. On a board. Our sons had lengthy needed to strive their hand at e-foiling and this was our probability to present it a go.
At E-VASS, a glossy little outfit that sits halfway alongside the bay, we met May—our teacher— although she mentioned that if we forgot her title, “any month would do”. She made e-foiling look easy, however was additionally affected person and inspiring once we tried our hand at it and made it look rather more tough.
We went out a brief manner into the bay with an outsized paddleboard that was anchored and used as a floating island, so we might take turns at studying to grasp our steadiness. The course of begins humbly with you on all fours initially, familiarising your self together with your steadiness on the e-foil. As you speed up utilizing a handheld motor, you are feeling the board begin to elevate up and out of the water – it’s an unbelievable sensation, as if you’re defying physics.
Thanks to May’s tuition, we had been in a position to progress and get some success in standing and foiling in simply our first lesson, even when it was solely temporary and invariably adopted by some spectacular falls. Every wipe-out was met with raucous laughter and renewed dedication.
If it’s best to occur to seek out your self in Vasiliki, that is an exercise we might throoughly advocate, particularly for anybody who enjoys an excellent dose of adrenaline. And with E-VASS’s meticulous steering and encouragement, perhaps you can also fly.
Sailing with Wildwind Holidays
Whilst e-foiling was a wholly new expertise for us, crusing with Wildwind Holidays was a return to extra acquainted territory. For our boys, each seasoned sailors, it was much less a lesson and extra a homecoming—albeit with boats they’ve hardly ever sailed.
The morning started with a Hobie Cat—swift and agile, even in comparatively light winds. The gentle breeze was excellent for some playful tacking and strategic bursts of velocity. The bay, nonetheless waking up, supplied the perfect stage.
By afternoon, as Eric took the reins, they opted for one thing a little bit extra acquainted – the RS500, a lean, quick and exquisite boat that had them racing throughout the bay. The key distinction between this and the boat they often race (the RS200) is that it has a single trapeze for the crew, enabling larger speeds in stronger winds, and a bigger spinnaker (which means quicker downwind speeds).
Wildwind Holidays isn’t any novice operation. With many years of expertise, world-class instructors, and a variety of boats that may make any yacht membership blush, they cater to each the curious and the dedicated. Whether you’re new to crusing or trying to refine your racing strategies, they have you ever coated—suncream not included, however extremely suggested.
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Windsurfing and different watersports
Of course, no point out of Vasiliki can be full with out windsurfing. It’s the game that put the village on the map and continues to outline its soul. From youngsters studying their first waterstart to grey-haired veterans carving elegant jibes, the bay is a canvas of windsurfing tales in movement.
But the palette right here is broad. You’ll discover wingfoiling in addition to sea kayaking alongside the rugged shoreline, stand-up paddleboarding by means of the calmer coves, scuba diving within the depths, and extra. So, it doesn’t matter what your watersport of alternative is, there’s one thing for everybody.
And with locations like E-VASS and Wildwind peppered alongside the shoreline, you’re by no means in need of professional steering, high-quality equipment, and a heat, enthusiastic welcome from like-minded fans.
The remaining verdict
Vasiliki is a watersports paradise.
It’s a spot the place even the wind has a reputation and the circumstances are near-perfect, if not excellent.
So sure—come for the sports activities. Come for the circumstances. But don’t be shocked if you happen to keep a little bit longer than you deliberate, or end up coming again earlier than you’d imagined.
Disclosure: Our experiences had been sponsored by E-VASS and Wildwind Holidays. Our journey was sponsored by AEGEAN Airlines.
Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has labored within the journey business for greater than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED journal. In addition to different awards, the weblog has additionally been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.
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