The Ionian Sea is one of the clearest stretches of water in the Mediterranean — visibility past 30 metres in places. That clarity is why sailors keep coming back to these islands, and why the anchorages emptied of engine noise feel almost unreal.

Meganisi is a small island across the Lefkas Canal with a sea cave you can actually sail into — the water inside glows electric blue and the roof is limestone. There is no road to it. You do not visit Meganisi, you anchor beside it, swim off the transom and watch the sun drop behind the cliffs. That is the whole itinerary.

The Ionian has its own wind rhythm: the maestral arrives almost like clockwork after lunch, gives you four hours of perfect sailing, then dies at sunset. Plan your hops around it and you look like a genius. Your skipper already knows — that is why he is not in a hurry.

A catamaran does not heel, does not roll and does not rush. Your morning coffee stays in the cup, your guests stay in a good mood, and the skipper gets to look like the calmest man in the Ionian. That is the whole point of a week on the water.

Lefkas Marina sits on a narrow channel that connects the island to the mainland — a swing bridge opens on the hour so yachts can pass through. Sailors call it the gateway to the Ionian. Once you are through, the whole southern archipelago opens up in front of you.