CORINTH CANAL
The Corinth canal is 3.2 miles long and it links the Aegean and the Ionian seas. According to the pilot it is one of the most expensive canals per mile in the world. This we can confirm – for a 45ft boat it was 200 euros It is the first time in the Mediterranean where we haven’t been discriminated against being a catamaran where we usually get charged not only by length but breadth as well.
The canal is still a major engineering feat being 25m wide, 8 m deep and cuts through a limestone escarpment over 75m high. The excavation was started by a French company and finished by the Greeks in 1893. At either end of the canal there is a road bridge and instead of it lifting up they are lowered into the water, which is a little strange as you are hoping that they have been lowered enough for your boat to clear it.
Once through the canal we headed for Itea, which is only about 20 minute bus ride to Delphi. We were able to leave the boat in the half built marina and visit the ancient wonders of the Oracles of Delphi, which is set in the mountainous massifs of Parnassus and Ciphi.
Of all the Greek marinas we have stayed in I think there have only been two that have been completed. For some reason they seem unable to finish them off, which is good for us as it means they are usually free or the worst case a small levy may be charged.
