Cruising Log of Greek Islands - June 2007

Contributed By: Greg McGarvey
"Vitamin Sea" M-352 - Tortola - Email

Friday, June 8

The day started very early, from Fishers, IN, so we could get to the Indianapolis airport, for a NWA flight to Detroit and on to Newark, NJ where we would catch an Air France flight to Athens, by way of Paris.

Saturday, June 9

Arrived in Athens at 3:30 p.m. and taxi, as Moorings suggested, to the Moorings base at Kalamiki Alimos Marina where we were warmly welcomed and driven to our Jenneau 35’ “Serres”. We were very pleased with the order and cleanliness of the yacht. Everything was in order. Within a few minutes we had been briefed on the boat, did an inventory, and scheduled a chart briefing for Sunday morning. The few groceries we had ordered were delivered.In the middle of the night, I began to have some anxiety. I had heard all about “Med. Docking—‘Stern docking”. But having never done it, I was having some second thoughts. It occurred to me, since I had not invested in extra insurance on the vessel, I might just hire a skipper for a couple of days to show us the nuances of the Mediterranean. 

Monday, June 11

Since our bags were lost in transit, we stayed in Athens another day.
We did most of our own provisioning at a wonderful grocery, just a few hundred yards from the base. Lots of olive oil, olives, tomatoes, onions and bread!! (These were the staples for lunch through the entire cruise)
A little beach time, just a short walk from the base.
A nice walk and dinner in the Plaka!! Glad we didn’t miss this beautiful part of the old city!!

Tuesday, June 12

Waking early, to beautiful weather was great each morning of the entire trip. We never saw any clouds. UV was so high you could get a suntan sitting in the salon. (Just kidding!)
We were introduced to “Thrassos,” our skipper. He was an incredible fellow. He talked and walked us through an inventory of the boat, and very quickly had us underway toward the island of Kea. With the help of our chart briefing crewmember, we had planned to stay away from most of the tourist spots, and spend more time in fishing villages and the less traveled ports.
We motored, and soon pulled out the genoa for a little assist. We were making about 6.5 kt. Everyone bored quickly of steering, since we were primarily motoring. Thrassos showed us how to rig the autopilot. (By the way, according to Thrassos the autopilot is 50% more efficient than the human skipper) We stopped at noon for a lovely lunch within sight of the Temple of Poseidon, at Sunio, the last part of the mainland, before sailing out toward the Agean Sea and the islands. A short snorkel. Water is very beautiful, clear, and deep royal blue. It is so different from the beautiful waters of the Caribbean. The water is 300-600’ deep in the Agean. That means it is also very, very cool. It really got your breath when you dove in. The air temperature was 85+ but the water was 72! The boys saw some beautiful coral and a few fish. It was lovely, but I didn’t stay long…too cool!
Delicious lunch of olives, onions, tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar and bread!! (Became the order of the day, every day. After our short snorkel and lunch, we were on our way to Kea. (Still motor, assisted by genoa.)
The port we chose in Kea is a beautiful fishing village. We dropped anchor, backed toward the Quay and settled in for the evening. We had made about 43 miles for the day…and still docked by 4:30.
Thrassos showed us a nice taverna and ate with us. We were responsible for his food, but didn’t expect that he would want to dine with us. We were delighted. He helped us order an outstanding dinner. We all enjoyed the food, relaxation and camaraderie. He was a really fine gentleman.

Wednesday, June 13

I awoke to the sound of something being pounded…or slapped on a hard surface. I couldn’t seem to get awake, but could hear this strange sound…over and over and over. Finally, I was awake enough to look out and saw an older gentleman beating a small octopus on the steps of the dock. We discovered that this is the way they clean an octopus. They catch them by casting a line with a grappling hook on the end, just dragging it slowly along the floor of the harbor. Finally, the successful fisherman finished cleaning his octopus and headed home.
We were in the middle of a few fishing boats, and one 60’ sailing vessel. The fishing boats were all local. The 60’er was from Portugal. A young man who was a member of the crew was trying to visit with one of the fishermen who was cleaning and straightening his nets. They had caught a few fish. One fisherman took the largest fish in a cooler to one of the restaurants on the quay. (I figured he must have a contract with one or more of the restaurants.) Others placed their edible fish on a box for display and potential purchase. We were informed that fresh fish costs between 25-50 E/kilo.
The trip to Syros passed the gun-shelling island of Geros. We had no wind at all, so “Uncle Otto” was at the helm all morning. The sea was absolutely calm…like royal blue glass!! Thrassos told us the Aegean is never like this!
We saw some fish feeding just a few yards off the port bow. They were really moving the water. That was the most the water moved all day!
About 2:30 p.m. we arrived in Finikas, a small port on the S.W. of Syros. We had motored about 34 miles. We dropped anchor and backed in by motor to tie up to the quay. Thrassos was very good at allowing us to do most of the work, so we would feel comfortable when he headed back to Athens. He was one of the highlights of our Greek Island experience!
At the dock, as we had been told by staff at Moorings, we were met by a young man who said he would return later to collect the mooring fee. Moorings staff discouraged “going in search of someone to receive mooring fees. They will come and get you! Or, you don’t need to pay.” Mooring fee was about 2 E for the night.
Christopher was our snorkel fanatic—“Captain Snorkel”. At every stop, he did his best to find the nearest and best snorkeling. Short walking distance from our boat, he found a lovely beach. Josh and I walked the road above him, while he snorkeled. He told us he got caught up in the midst of a large school of beautiful fish. He just swam with them, along the coastline. Josh and I got to the top of the hill, and discovered a way to jump out onto a pinnacle overlooking Christopher’s snorkel spot. Peggy was yelling at all of us!! It was a very pleasant afternoon!!
All the islands have subsidized bus service. Usually it costs about 1.70 E each way. We traveled to the other side of the island to the capital of Syros, which is also the capital of the Cyclades: Ermoupolis. It is the major port, and was full of cruise ships, tourists, etc.
We had a wonderful walk through the streets. Candy shops were a real treat. We tried some chocolate. It was so good we purchased more. One shop featured a sweet, gummy treat with sesame seeds. Really unique and good. We had enough chocolate to have a treat several times during the cruise.

Thursday, June 14

With a lengthy passage awaiting us, we headed out early for our next stop, Naxos. It took us about 7 hours to motor the 33 mile passage. (Used main sail to assist, speed about 6.5 kts.)
Our first Med-docking experience could be described as “ugly, painful, and noisy” but as I put it later…“nobody was killed, no boat damage. All in all…it could have been a lot worse!” We were assisted by fellow sailors, who always seemed to be willing to help those who called out for assistance. We have discovered in our many travels that if you acknowledge your novice status that sailors will do everything they can to help. If you attempt to bluff your way through, they will watch you fail!! 
We learned that the skipper needed to communicate better and more in advance. He could not assume that crew members understood what they were expected to do.
Mythology suggests that Zeus was raised on Naxos. The most photographed sight on Naxos is the Portara, doorway, just outside the Chora.

Friday, June 15

Another beautiful day in paradise…except, again, no wind. We motored with jib assistance south about 30 miles, in 5 hours to the island of Ios.
Ios is reputed to be the burial place for Homer’s remains. Legend indicates he died on a voyage, nearby, and was buried at sea. But the people of Ios have erected a statue to his honor and claim that his remains washed ashore on Ios and were buried there!
Throssos had told us that if we wanted to take a trip to Santorini, we would need to leave the boat moored someplace else. There are no transient sailboat accommodations on Santorini. He suggested that Ios would be a good choice, since in that harbor, you don’t drop an anchor, you catch a mooring line that connects the bow of the boat to a stable anchor in the middle of the harbor. 
I talked to neighbor boaters about mooring fees. They indicated that the harbor police station was the place to go. They pointed me in the right direction. The officers were very nice, and indicated that it would be 3.50 E for the 3 nights we would be moored there. (A far cry from the 15 E at Naxos. I began to smell a “rat” regarding the harbor official at Naxos. Perhaps he charged above the regular fee, hoping nobody would go to the officials, not wanting the “extra paperwork!” Guess we’ll never know, unless we return…which would be a good reason to make this trip again! You can justify anything, if you work hard enough at it!)

Saturday, June 16

The fast ferry is “FAST!” They aren’t kidding. In just 45 minutes we made the 45 mile journey. But water…that’s incredible. And we found a shuttle to take us to our hotel in Fira. Everything was as promised by the travel agent at Ios. We had a great time with a little kitty: Julia. She loved Chris, but scratched him to pieces.
To our dismay, we were too late for any of the bus tours. We were lamenting our plight, out loud, standing outside the travel agency. A young man stepped up. “Are you from America?” he asked. “Why, yes we are.” “I spent a year there as an exchange student. I hope to go back someday.” 
We had a pleasant conversation. He and his girlfriend were traveling from the Netherlands. He gave us instructions how we could see the island, walk just a few blocks to the major shopping district, take a cable car to the bottom of the mountain and get to the harbor.
We made our way to the top of the hill. The view was breath taking…probably the most beautiful scene in all our experience in the Cyclade Islands. We were looking for a place for lunch. It was magnificent in every way—food—view—cool breezes!! It was the most “unforgettable” experience of the trip for Josh, Peggy and me.
The cable car trip down the mountain was spectacular. At the bottom, we discovered travel agencies, advertising island sailing ventures. Can you imagine, we are on a 2-week sail and we paid to take a “sunset cruise” on a 50’ power schooner. 135 E for the 4 of us.
The sunset trip included a stop at the live volcano, 11⁄2 hours to walk to the top. Josh and I had a great trip to the top. Very hot, tiring, and long!! But beautiful sights!! And, yes, a few tiny wisps of smoke coming from a hole in the mountain, surrounded by rocks stained with sulfur. 
Second stop: a “hot spring” that was fueled by the volcano. The boat tied up long enough for strong swimmers to get to the warm water and back. 
Finally, just before sunset, we pulled up anchor to head toward the last island. For over an hour, the captain pulled in and out of coves, and caught glimpses of the sun going down over the island, with other sailboats in our pictures, etc. It was nothing short of spectacular! Only other things that have lived up to billing in my life are my wife, and Dixon lawnmower! This cruise was worth the time and price!!

Sunday, June 17

I got up early and did some shopping and searching for the bus stop. We were on our way to the ferry, with plenty of time to spare. It was the only ferry, and not a “FAST” ferry. It took a bit over an hour to make the trip. Still not slow by any definition!!
We took the bus to a nude beach a few miles down the island…great sight seeing!

Monday, June 18

We got an early start, as the trip to our next island, Sifnos would be in excess of 46 miles. But there was some hope for wind. We motored out of the harbor, without incident, and crossed the wake of a ferry. As we did so, the bow of the boat pounded into the surf. Josh came out of his bunk! “What’s going on? What did we hit?” “Nothing, go back to sleep!! Everything is fine!”I attempted to motor as close to true north as I could, in hopes that if the wind did fill, as it looked like it might, it would allow us a reaching leg of about 35 miles to Sifnos! About 10 in the morning, the wind came up. We had a powerful sail, on port tack, making about 6.8 kts. Seas began to build just a little, from the totally slick to probably 4-5 footers. It was exquisite!! We all took a turn at the wheel. This was what we had been awaiting for a week!! We didn’t come to motor from island to island. We wanted to sail!! Today, we would truly sail!! The wind was a little fluky in the morning, but by noon was building. It built ultimately to about 30-35 kts. We were flying, but Chris complained that the wheel was unmanageable. We had too much sail up. We shortened sail, and speed was not diminished. And, the wheel was balanced once again, and it was a joy to be at the helm!!We had predetermined to rent motor scooters on Sifnos and explore the island in this way. Very reasonable rental 12E each, and each scooter would hold 2 of us.The scooters were like new. They went about 45 kph with 2 of us aboard. We all had a wonderful time. We went all the way to the north end of the island. It was made up of agricultural lands. There was a small harbor at the north end of the island. The views on the island highway were wonderful. We stopped several times along the way for pictures. The pictures of the royal blue water had picture postcard potential!!
This is really the way to experience an island. We discovered that on most islands, you have to have international drivers’ licenses to use vehicles. Next trip we will get these special licenses.

Tuesday, June 19

We had a nice leisurely morning, with purchase of bread and preparation for the day’s sail to Serifos, just 15 miles away. This would be one of our shortest trips.
The winds were in the 25 kt. range. It was wonderful. We should be able to sail all the way to Serifos. It appeared it would be a “beat” but actually only needed one tack. It was no problem, since it was only about 15 miles.
We were in the bay at Serifos by 12:30. Docking was without incident.

Wednesday, June 20

I wanted to get an early start, so Peggy and I were up before 6:00 a.m. and Chris joined us to get underway. We were in the bay before 6:30. It was a 54 mile journey to Hydra. Everyone with whom we talked said we should make every effort to visit Hydra. (pronounced EEdra) There are no motor vehicles on Hydra. It is the Beverly Hills of Greece. Lots of movie stars live or visit Hydra. It is an artists’ haven too!It was a long, long day, with just a little helping wind in the genoa. We were making 6.7 kts and “Uncle Otto” did a great job. I was the only one on deck most of the morning. It was very enjoyable!! We would be out of sight of land for 3-4 hours. That GPS is a real blessing!! With my handheld backing up and assuring the primary was on target, we didn’t have to be anxious.Docking in Hydra is an adventure. We had been told to expect that there would be many, many boats there. We would likely be docking our stern to the bows of two other boats in the first “tier” of the “raft-up”. Great docking. Less shouting than ever!! (Chris says. “You can always tell when we are 11⁄2 hours from port, Dad starts getting edgy!” I’m sure he is correct!) By evening, there was a boat docked to our bow. Peggy decided she wanted to take a donkey ride. They are the only mode of transportation on this non-motorized island. We negotiated with the donkey handlers! But still, the cost was exorbitant! 60 E for the 4 of us. And, the handlers argued the entire trip, which was only about 15-20 minutes.
We walked the old paths to the top of the hill. The tile roofs on the houses were beautiful. The views were, again, outstanding! Many beautiful flowers. One shop had signs: “Bush wanted, dead or alive. Bush supporters not welcome. Other Americans welcome!”

Thursday, June 21

We sailed out of the bay from Hydra toward the island of Aigina. It was about 30 miles, but we attempted to sail, even though it was a beat. It was a beautiful day among several small islands.
Docking at Aigina was best yet. The harbor was a very busy place. 
We found a rental agency that would rent us 4X4’s. We didn’t need international licenses. We had a wonderful tour of the entire island on the bikes. They didn’t work very well, but we still traveled all the way around the island and had some great views of the sea.

Friday, June 22

Our last day before returning to the USA. We had a nice, leisurely sail, in moderate wind (6-10 kts) making 3.5 kts. It was a broad reach, and we covered the 18 miles in a little over 4 hours.
The Moorings Crew took over the boat as we entered the harbor, and our responsibilities were over. 
Nice dinner and watching the sunset at a taverna on the beach.

All in all, a fantastic 2 weeks!