Paddle power across the Ionian Sea
From the Daily Mail
You'll be singing Kumbayah round the camp fire, the bugs'll bite and there's bound to be an argument about who steers the canoe, prophesied my companion of 14 years when the subject of a sea-kayaking holiday around the Ionian Isles was first broached.
'You go. I'll book into a small hotel and see you when you get back.' And, of course, she was right. Within hours of setting off from the beach south of Nidri on the island of Levkas, my old friend Mike, who'd agreed to join me on the trip, was complaining about pains in muscles he never knew he had.
Cooped up in the front cockpit of our double-kayak, knees chafing, feet scrabbling for the rudder pedals, he kept up a running commentary on his discomfort. And as he did so, the prow of our bright red plastic kayak swung like a drunken compass needle. 'Right, that's it,' I snapped. 'As soon as we reach camp, I steer, or it's separate kayaks from now on.'
But that evening, as the flames licked heavenwards and the blue Ionian slipped into darkness, all animosity was forgotten. In the distance, the lights of the island of Meganisi twinkled.
Later, the first prophecy came true: we did indeed sing Kumbayah - but only to say we had. No one had a guitar (let alone a harmonica) by Adrian Morgan and none of us knew the words.
Sea-kayaking, provided you keep up a steady rhythm and avoid overexertion, can be very relaxing, although it's worth remembering that your accommodation is a tent each night, so you can get fairly grubby along the way. Although the kayaks are slender, there's still room for little watertight compartments fore and aft to store provisions and keep your sleeping gear.
And if you go in an organised group, like ours, a sailing boat with outboard motor follows behind to provide support and encouragement. Not that we needed it. The Ionian in May was glassy calm, and it was hard to envy the charter yachts motoring idly through those oily swells, even if they did carry iceboxes and cool drinks. The drum of an engine was no match for the swish of our paddles, which attracted an unexpected bonus.
Travel Guide: Greece