Montigne sailed from the Gouvia Marina, north of Corfu town early this morning, heading North for the narrow gap that divides the island from the mysterious country of Albania still a tricky place to charter.
The Albanian coast is shrouded in mist, giving it an almost sinister feel that merely adds to secrecy that has surrounded the country for so very long.
The wind is sadly missing and the three tall and elegant masts of this 57 metre yacht stand tall and barren as we make our way round the top of Corfu and pass the off lying islands of Erikoussa, Mathraki and Othoni. Then leaving Matraki to port we moved south eastwards down the western coast of Corfu.
The breeze picks up, the sails are unfurled, the fully batterned Mizzen first, then the two furling mainsails, followed by three headsails. With all six sails set, the engines are shut down. Suddenly, we are at one with nature. The skies are blue, the Ionian, a deep azure topped with creamy crest lets and the wind is in our sails. This is luxury yachting at it was intended to be.
After a stop for lunch we went in the tender to take pictures of the yacht under way. Once they were captured we returned to the yacht and she made her way to Apila on the west coast of Corfu which is to be our over night anchorage.
Montigne carries up to 12 guests and is available to charter through Ocean Independence this summer in the Mediterranean from 140,000 euros per week