Transiting the Corinth Canal…Hub of Ancient Greece @Sailing Adventures with Grandad E 11

Transiting the Corinth Canal…hub of an ancient world…Ep 11

As we approach the Corinth Canal we are drawn from the Ionian on the Western side of the Canal to the Aegean on the Eastern Side. The transit is only half an hour but the history of the place takes us back 3000 years to Ancient Corinth.

In this episode we leave Nafpaktos, that city of the Battle of Lepanto of 1571 and Don Quixote! We sail cross the Gulf of Corinth and take and easy and enlightening transit through the Corinth Canal with reflections of the amazing history of this crossroads of the ancient world.

Ancient Corinth became one of the worlds most important trading centres at that time. The Greeks and then the Romans who ruled this magnificently rich city worshiped a pantheon of Gods from Apollo, to Athena, Poseidon and many more. The crossing of the Isthmus of Corinth was so important that in the early years of the first century AD the Roman Emperors dreamt of digging a canal to cross the Isthmus. Sailing around the Penepolese was so dangerous for the ships of the time, that for centuries ships were dragged across for a fee to avoid having to round the Penepolese. The fees chaged for this crossing adn the trade it attracted all made Corinth a wealthy and bustling city. And then in that first century AD the Apostle Paul came founding the first Church of Corinth that would bring Christianity to slowly replace the worship of the ancient Gods.

This Episode is a reflection of this history as we transit the Canal and enter the Aegean with all the Islands of Greece laid out before us.

Traveling by sailboat can be many things. Beautiful without a doubt, challenging with unwelcome surprises, and also wonderfully enlightening. Coming to Greece from the Ionian and entering through the Corinth is definitely enlightening. Historically fascinating. In the next episode its the beauty of the East Coast of the Penepolese.

In SAILING ADVENTURES WITH GRANDAD ,I share with my amateur creations my travels and experiences on Vayu my 44 ft X-yacht. The people I travel with, the places we go, the times we have and my reflections all the wonders I experience every day.

I am Michael, the grandad of this adventure, a lifetime sailor, practicing yogi, father of 4, grandad of 5, amateur chef, and thankful man. I live between Palma de Mallorca, Vayu my sailboat, and also Mexico, the country of my heart.

This journey is a celebration of life and dedicated to taking one day at a time, living spontaneously and gratefully as long as I can. And a living prayer for peace.

This channel was launched at the beginning of the Ukrainian invasion. I make monthly contributions to Save the Children-Ukraine, in the hope that my small bit added to millions of other small bits can in a small way help ease the suffering caused by this horrific war.