Ionian Islands Adventure

Ionian Island Adventure
Ionian Sea
3rd April – 14th April 2024
Start and ends in Kefalonia Island – Greece

Expedition Outline

Crystal clear, aqua blue waters which lie below lush green mountains and limestone cliffs, deserted beaches, hidden coves, hospitable locals with a rich culture. This is what awaits you on this 10 day multi day Ionian island hopping expedition, Greece.

Sea kayaking these coast lines and discovering the cultures and history has been done by sea going adventures for thousands of years.

We will be paddling in remote areas and wild camping on pristine beaches and coves. A large part of the coast line is not inhabited, making you feel you are in the wilderness. There are caves and tiny coves to explore . The paddling will take you around rocky headlands, you will do open sea crossings between islands and enjoying long paddling days.

This is a true expedition going in whatever direction and to whatever island the elements allows us to go.

Distances are variable, depending on weather and availability of landing spots! You will feel you have achieved 10 days of real expedition paddling, living out of a boat and leaving only footprints while making memories and experiencing an ancient coastline and culture.

The trip is a unique blend of wilderness paddling combined with civilisation, when you want it. Many of the towns are idyllic. Arriving into any port via a kayak is always a great experience. These towns are here because of seafarers, not car-driving tourists!

The Ionian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea, lying between Albania (northeast), Greece (east), Sicily (southwest), and Italy (west and northwest). Though considered by ancient authors to be part of the Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea is now seen as a separate body of water. In the Ionian Sea, south of Greece, the Mediterranean reaches its greatest depth (16,000 feet [4,900 metres]).The Ionian is connected with the Tyrrhenian Sea by the Strait of Messina and with the Adriatic Sea by the Strait of Otranto. The Ionian Sea includes the gulfs of Squillace and Taranto (Italy) and Árta, Patras, and Corinth (Greece).The Ionian Islands lie off the western coast of Greece.

The Ionian Islands are located on the western side of the Greece, historically and culturally these islands are strongly connected to Italy. The architecture of the capital towns, including Corfu Town, Zakynthos Town, and Argostoli, resembles a lot to the Venetian style as these islands were occupied by the Venetians. With similar architecture another characteristic the Ionian islands are lush green nature and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Ithaca, Kefalonia, Lefkáda, Paxos, Zakynthos, Kythira, Corfu and Meganisi have some amazing coastline to explore.

Some interesting facts on the Ionian islands geography and landscapes :

Ithaca consists of two limestone masses connected by a narrow, peninsula that curves to form the head of a gulf facing the Greek mainland. The island is separated from the island of Kefalonia to the west by the Ithákis Channel, approximately 2.5 miles (4 km) in width.The island was devastated by the earthquake of 1953 but was rebuilt. Itháki (Vathý), the chief place and port of the island, is well protected at the head of a narrow, deep, horseshoe-shaped inlet of the gulf.

Kefalonia, with an area of 302 square miles (781 square km), is mountainous, and Mount Aínos (ancient Mount Aenos; 5,341 feet [1,628 metres]) is often snowcapped for months. Except for the Raki, there are few permanent streams, and springs can fail in the summer. In the west a gulf penetrates the island from the south; on its east side is the capital and port of Argostólion, on its west side is the town of Lixoúrion. In 1953 an earthquake devastated the island, destroying Argostólion and other villages. Close to Argostólion are the ruins of Cranii and the Venetian castle of St George.

Lefkáda, the 117-square-mile (303-square-km) island is a hilly mass of limestone and bituminous shales culminating in the centre in Mount Eláti (3,799 feet [1,158 metres]). The chief town, Levkás, lies at the northeastern corner, which in antiquity was separated by a marshy isthmus. It was formerly called Amaxíkhi or Santa Maura; the latter is also the Venetian name for the island. Most of the population inhabit the wooded east coast and its valleys. Cape Leucatas at the southwestern tip of the island has fragments of the ruined temple of Apollo Leucatas; nearby are the 200-foot white cliffs that give the island its Greek name

Paxos, the smallest of the seven major Ionian Islands, about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Párga on the coast of Epirus. A hilly mass of limestone covered with olive groves, Paxos rises to about 750 feet (230 m). Gáïos on the east coast is the chief village and port.

Zákynthos, southernmost and third largest of the Ionian Islands, lying off the west coast of the Peloponnese. Zákynthos is indented by a deep bay with high cliffs on its south coast. The centre of Zákynthos is a fertile plain bounded on the west by barren limestone hills, 700 to 1,600 feet (200 to 500 metres) high, with many sinkholes and steep sea cliffs. The hills culminate in the 2,480-foot- (756-metre-) high Mount Vrakhiónas.

Kíthira, island, southernmost and easternmost of the Ionian Islands, off the southern Pelopónnisos.

Corfu, lying just off the coast of Epirus, it is about 36 miles (58 km) long, while its greatest breadth is about 17 miles (27 km) and its area 229 square miles (593 square km). Of limestone structure, the island is mountainous in the north and low in the south. Its northeastern protrusion, close to the Albanian coast, trends east-west and reaches a peak in Pantokrator Mountain (2,972 feet [906 metres]); the other range, in the island’s centre, is lower. In 2007 the Old Town of Kérkyra was named a UNESCO world heritage site.

Looking forward to sharing our
“DEVOTION TO THE OCEAN”
with you!

 – Sea Kayaking Cornwall Team