Leg 89 of 97 · Passage plan · RYA Yachtmaster standard
Paxos to Lefkas
The last leg: south-east across the open Ionian from Paxos to the north end of Lefkas, through the canal and the floating swing bridge to Lefkas Marina, the end of the voyage.
08:30 EEST from Paxos. 1 hour 25 minutes after sunrise (07:03 EEST).
Arrive
About 14:52 EEST at Lefkas. In the afternoon, with about 5 hours 25 minutes of daylight in hand (sunset 20:15 EEST). The end of the voyage.
Tides
Range about 0.2 m: no practical effect
Wind
The afternoon north-westerly is behind the yacht
Boat
35 to 38 ft sailing yacht, 1.9 m draught, 6 kn under sail, 5.5 kn under engine
Crew
Skipper and 3 crew, 2 watches of 2
Track and waypoints 1 to 4, with ports of refuge as squares.
Go or no-go
Decide at 07:30 EEST. Go only if all of these hold:
No wind above force 5.
Lefkas Marina berth confirmed and the bridge opening times known.
Visibility 2 nm or more.
If the weather is wrong, stay on Paxos. Preveza, at the mouth of the Ambracian gulf, is the alternative.
Route and waypoints
Waypoints are planning positions in open water, checked against a 1:10m coastline to be at least 1 nm off land except at the harbour ends. Distances and courses are calculated from them. Plot every one on the current chart before use. Courses are true.
#
Waypoint
Latitude
Longitude
Course
Leg nm
Total nm
ETA
Notes
0
Gaios
39°11.9′N
020°11.2′E
08:30 EEST
Depart.
1
Gaios south approach
39°11.1′N
020°12.6′E
126°T
1.3
1.3
08:50 EEST
Out by the southern entrance.
2
Open Ionian
39°05.0′N
020°25.0′E
122°T
11.4
12.7
10:44 EEST
Across to Lefkas.
3
North of Lefkas
38°53.0′N
020°40.0′E
136°T
16.7
29.5
13:32 EEST
Off the Gyra spit at the north end of the canal. Check on the chart
4
Lefkas canal, north entrance
38°51.0′N
020°42.5′E
136°T
2.8
32.3
14:27 EEST
Wait for the bridge. Position approximate. Check on the chart
5
Lefkas Marina
38°49.8′N
020°42.8′E
169°T
1.2
33.5
14:52 EEST
Through the bridge to the marina. Position from the marina.
Tides and time
Paxos · Fri 27 Aug · EEST (UTC+3)
LW
02:16
0.2 m
HW
07:41
0.2 m
LW
14:17
0.1 m
HW
21:14
0.3 m
From the Kerkyra station.
Lefkas · Fri 27 Aug · EEST (UTC+3)
LW
02:16
0.2 m
HW
07:41
0.2 m
LW
14:17
0.1 m
HW
21:14
0.3 m
From the Kerkyra station.
Friday 27 August 2027. Tides. The range here is 0.1 to 0.3 m: tides make no practical difference. Wind and air pressure move the sea level more than the tide does.
Lefkas uses the Kerkyra station, about 70 nm away. Treat the times as a guide only.
Tide times are predictions made for this plan from the TICON-4 harmonic constants (DGFI-TUM) with the Neaps tide predictor, because the official 2027 tables were not yet published when it was written. Tested against the official APDL table for Leixões on 23 July 2026, the predicted times were within 8 minutes and the heights 0.1 to 0.2 m lower. Heights are above lowest astronomical tide. Check every time against the official 2027 table before sailing.
Daylight. Sunrise at Paxos 07:03 EEST. Sunset at Lefkas 20:15 EEST.
Weather
Open water for 25 nm.
The canal is sheltered, but cross-winds at the bridge can make waiting awkward.
Forecasts to check
Hellenic National Meteorological Service (emy.gr): marine forecast for the North Ionian.
NAVTEX Kerkyra: station K on 518 kHz in English, at 01:40, 05:40, 09:40, 13:40, 17:40 and 21:40 UTC, with weather at 05:40, 09:40, 17:40 and 21:40.
Kerkyra Radio covers the Ionian Sea east to 22°30'E; urgent warnings go out first on DSC 70, then on VHF 16.
Hazards
Lefkas canal and bridge. The island is joined to the mainland by a causeway and a floating swing bridge that opens at set times. The opening times, the canal depth and the port police contact could not be checked: ask the marina before sailing.
Shallow water on both sides of the canal approach off the Gyra spit. Keep to the buoyed channel.
Ports of refuge
Port
From the route
Use it when
Notes
Paxos
Start
Within the first hour
Gaios or Lakka.
Preveza
5 nm north-east of the canal
Bridge delay or weather
Marina. Check the pilot book
Lefkas Marina
Destination
First choice
VHF 69, 620 berths, up to 3.30 m draught.
Pilotage
Leaving Paxos
Leave Gaios by the southern entrance and head south-east.
Into Lefkas
Approach the north entrance of the canal off the Gyra spit, in the buoyed channel.
Wait for the bridge opening, then go through slowly to the marina. Call Lefkas Marina on VHF 69 (+30 2645 026645).
Lights on the way
Paxos lights
Check on the chart
Lefkas, Santa Maura fort
17 m; characteristic: Check on the chart
Communications
Lefkas Marina (D-Marin)
VHF 69 · +30 2645 026645
Lefkas port police
Check on the chart
Hellenic Coast Guard
VHF 16 · 108
Emergency
112
Coast Guard working channel
VHF 12
Contingencies
Bridge not opening. Anchor off the north entrance in settled weather or go to Preveza.
Person overboard. Shout, point, throw the danger buoy, press MOB, DSC distress alert, Mayday on 16.
Before leaving
Forecasts read and logged before the go or no-go time
Greek notices to mariners checked for the route
Waypoints entered and checked against the chart
Ship's log started in UTC
Crew briefing: route, watches, safety gear, MOB, fog
Lefkas Marina berth booked
Bridge opening times confirmed
Fuel for 7 hours under engine, plus a reserve
Water, food and hot drinks for 8 hours
Lifejackets with crotch straps, jackstays rigged, harnesses
NAVTEX and Kerkyra Radio: Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service, hnhs.gr.
Lefkas Marina: d-marin.com.
Tides: predictions from TICON-4 harmonic constants (Hart-Davis, Dettmering and Seitz, DGFI-TUM, 2025, doi 10.17882/109129) with Neaps (openwaters.io). Check against the Instituto Hidrográfico 2027 tables.
Sunrise and sunset: calculated (NOAA method).
Lights: The Lighthouse Directory (Rowlett), ibiblio.org/lighthouse, Portugal pages revised August 2024. Cross-check with the IH List of Lights, volume I.