On the move to find a swimming spot, we head South & wait out the front of Lefkas for the bridge to open. We are near the front of the pack and pass so many boats coming from the opposite direction. Lilah and I paddle over the the beach where goats have gathered and Hugh is surrounded by hundreds of fish off the back of the boat. A little hop to the next spot for some minor boat maintenance, ending with the kids celebrating Shane for Fathers Day. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

We left one of my favourite anchorages (with the bluest water) as storm on the way & into the safe holding of Preveza to enjoy the lightning show. The following evening we go to a local sardine festival, only to find our dinghy fuel has been pinched while we were away. Shane has an accident in the stinky waters here, while Amy & Oliver have a good belly laugh at his expense. We head more inland to a little town called Vonitsa with our friends Melusina where we go for a wander amongst the gum trees and have a few quiet days. Back to Preveza, water pump work and one more storm, ready to move on to enjoy our final month of Season One. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

We check out of Corfu and head to Albania for our visa (as we arrived a few days earlier than predicted to Greece). This anchorage quickly turned to one of my least favourites... As soon as we could, we left the chaos and made our way South. Stop 1 - a fish farm, but a protected scenic anchorage Stop 2 - we had a Blue Cave on our doorstep Stop 3 - the Bluest water I have ever swam in, and possibly one of my favourite spots to date. Nothing flashy but a huge feeling of contentment. I only wish we could have stayed longer... Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

We cross a shallow channel, and tie up to rocks at Syvota. We relax by day, and once it cools off a little we visit town by night. It has a relaxed, holiday vibe to the town and a beautiful outlook for sunset. We leaving our anchor gets caught on another boats chain; we manage to release it then set sail for Corfu island. We spend one day far South, the following at Notos and Kez has her last swim in the Mediterranean. We head for Corfu itself next and anchor just below the Old Town. We wander the streets, take in the atmosphere and get lost amongst the stall and streets. We farewell Nanny who heads home to Australia, while we catch up with our friends from Montenegro before we set sail for Albania in the next episode. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

We leave Preveza before the sun is up to head approximately 30 knm to a Greek paradise island; Paxos. First we moor up to the dock in Gaios, the islands capital & main harbour. Known for it's scenic sheltered river-like bay, it's colorful architecture, water-front cafes & restaurants, and it's mazes of narrow streets full of boutiques and shops. Our next stop was Lakka; crystal clear swimming, relaxed town but still plenty of atmosphere. Two nights here is never enough but we enjoy it while we are here. Next episode we head to Syvota, Notos & Corfu before farewelling Nanny off who is heading back to Australia. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

Since arriving in Greece the bridge (barge that moves out of the way at set times to allow boats through) has been closed due to maintenance. The fix? Send down a car ferry to sit between the island and mainland. With the re-opening scheduled for today, we planned our last nights stay for closer. Unfortunately for us, it did not go as planned which meant we had to take the long way round. Fortunately though, we were met with some beautiful scenes and had a safe passage up. We make it to Preveza and stayed 2 nights, before we move to the beautiful Paxos in our next episode. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

After a windy, sleepless night, we make a move at first light, arriving at Kioni just as other boats were leaving, which gave us great position in the bay - opposite the main dock and in shallow water to tie up and make for a perfect swimming space. Our friends 'Topo' (who we first met in Dubrovnik, Croatia) joined us and after spending the day catching up & swimming, we headed into town for dinner. What a delightful, character-filled town it was! From little stores, hand-made jewellery, local children fishing, to music and dining by the water. We shared a meal and laughs. After a few days and a deadline to be further North we set sail for an anchorage with high cliffs and crystal clear water. Unfortunately, being mid peak season, we couldn't find a space for us to tie-up and had to make a call where we would spend the night; either Vasiliki which is known for its wind, but a closer route for tomorrows trip, or the safe bet Nydri, with the bridge at Lefkas due to re-open tomorrow which would make for a shorter more protected journey. We opted for the later but found a spot on the way back for a swim to cool off. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

We leave the dock at Lefkas and head straight for a swim spot, after not being able to for a few days. The water and full moon did not disappoint, and Kez finally swims in the Med. We have a special birthday party we wouldn't dare miss, then farewell our friends for a few weeks to go on our own adventures. The following morning we aren't sure exactly where we will end up, but pull into a bay called Filiantro, where we spend the day. Unfortunately the sea bed wasn't favourable, especially with the predicted winds, so with darkness approaching and out second option not a good choice, we settle for the third... In our next episode we go to one of our Top 10 villages in Greece =) Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

After pulling into Lefkas in side wind, the rest of our stay was really nice. There is a stark contrast between morning & night in Lefkas Village and a real locals holiday feel to the town. Our friends from Kaya join us the following day and we spend some quality time with them, before I hire a care and pick up my mum - the kids Nanny, which is super wholesome and made the kids so happy! Following this stay we have a bit of an itinerary trying to show her a lot of the Ionian including places we are yet to see ourselves. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

Leaving Nydri we hop across to a beach anchorage at Vathiavali. It is a busy little spot but we get in nice and close. The water a little fresher, but super clear, plus lots of friends to swim with! Our friends Simon Hendricks & Topo are close by and we spend an evening on the beach watching the sun go down together. Moving on we head towards Lefkas, where we have our first visitor arriving any day =) Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

Following on from a blissful week of meeting new boat families & enjoying everyones company, things took a turn of events... Following this we move on to a popular tourist town Nydri, where we spent the following days swimming in the pool, eating out and some land time. Which also meant we made the most of being near a chandlery & ticked off a few things from the 'to do' list that we had put on the backburner while we were too busy enjoying ourselves.

We quickly check out a cool little town Vasiliki that we would like to spend more time in one day. But for now, we are continuing on to meet up with our new friends' friends; more family boats! A four or so passage between islands we pull into the bay. We start with four family boats lined up and by the end of the week there are almost a dozen! We are in the middle of a heat wave. We swim all day, get to know one-another, have movie nights, sun-downers and make some great memories together. This week filled the kids' (and our) cups up more than we can say. We are thankful for the friendships we made this week, that last well beyond just this period. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

We leave the stunning Lakka, Paxos before the swell increases, with Vasiliki in sight. About 12 nautical miles from land the fishing line starts singing & the excitement on the boat is high when Hugh lands the biggest fish of his life! You could not wipe the smile of this kids face. This mixed in with some unbelievable drone imagery, a windy destination & travelling with friends, this was a day to remember.

First light and we are on the move to the well-known Paxos which is famous for its stunning waters & atmospheric little village. Being very popular, we are leaving early to hopefully get a spot, with Anti Paxos as our back-up destination. We arrive and although busy, we find a good spot to med moor - our first time! We pull it off pretty well and enjoy what med mooring has to offer. We swim, wander town and get dinner with our newly made friends. We spend a few days here, later joined by another boat friend before heading to our next location & catching Hugh's fish of a lifetime... Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

With check in complete, we are now free to roam and enjoy what Greece has to offer. After a 3 hour motor-sail we arrive at a relaxing little area called Notos. We drop anchor in just a few metres of water and head to the beach. Our buddy boat The Responsible Choice join us here and we have dinner at.a local restaurant trying traditional Greek dishes and admiring the view. Here we meet new boat friends who also have children onboard and he kids hit it off. It was so nice to see them playing and happy. Following this we merge plans and spend the following weeks together. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

Last episode we commenced our overnight passage from Montenegro to Greece. Along the way we saw some stunning scenes and were joined by wildlife which was a dream of Hugh's. In this episode we are in Greek waters. We have to change course form the initial plan of Preveza and head towards Corfu to find a protected anchorage ahead of some upcoming winds. Due to limited anchorages where you don't have to be Med-moored, Shane goes to the chandlery gets floating line so that we don't get caught out where we can safely stay again. While he is out customs/police stop by Smile & want to see paperwork. We were given struct instructions that to check in at Corfu now (not Preveza) and by 12pm. We engage an agent and get it done, although not a quick process - or cheap. Back to our initial anchorage, Shane replaces our dinghy propella & now we can all relax and enjoy the Greek waters. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

This would have to be one of the most memorable moments during our first season; something new and unknown met with beautiful scenes, ocean life and a lot of quiet time to reflect. We leave the Southernmost checkout point of Montenegro, Bar and begin the journey south, following our Buddy Boat @SailingTheResponsibleChoice sailing throughout the night and into the next day. Greece was the main goal for us this season and to be finally getting there feels both amazing and a sigh of relief. From this point on our sailing journey really looks up and we can't wait to share with you what is still yet to come. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

After 12 weeks of boat upgrades and waiting out our visa time in Montenegro, it is finally time to leave - and we need this! We head South and have about a 6 hour sail to get to Bar, the Southern-most checkout point in Montenegro. Here we spend the night, stumble across a carnival and get a good nights rest before we begin our overnight passage the following morning. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

We are spending one final night at Porto Montenegro Marina to get everything in order before we depart for Greece. Shane is doing engine checks, we finally get the front roller replaced now that we aren't on anchor, the electric winch button fixed, we provision and of course, get ice-cream. I had a visitor from home and we are wondering whether our AIS will arrive in time or not... Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)

As the time for our departure to Greece approaches, we do some last fine-tuning to Smile & knock some jobs off the list, which involves Shane's head in the toilet, a bildge pump and smaller little prep things. Want early access to our videos? We now have Patreon... - https://www.patreon.com/c/SailingSmile If not, a simple Like, Comment on Subscribe is greatly appreciated! =)