Astypalea

The remoteness here in this completely deserted region is puzzling as we can see the evidence of past habitation. We have the whole planet to ourselves....it seems!


8 August 2009

Kos is sizzling hot and we have to vacate the marina berth we have been on for 2 days because there is a charter fleet coming in. We are full of water, reasonably well provisioned again and so sail out to our favourite destination close to Kos Island - Pserimos and enjoy a refreshing swim before dinner. As usual the wind howls during the night but we are confident our holding is good here.

The morning brings fine sunny weather and plenty of wind. We are feeling adventurous and agree a visit to the interesting looking island of Astypalea would be a good idea today. Little do we realise that the sea we will encounter will be 3-4 metre, close-together breaking waves. On slightly cracked sheets we lay across in a westerly direction to this Island, making a good time of 6 hours. It is with some relief that we sail into the lee of Astypalea and flat water, to the sheltered anchorage of Agrilithi, a deserted bay which has at some time in history been home to quite a population of people, evidenced by the many ruined stone buildings. The holding here is good and we anchor right up in the head of the bay, swinging free in the fresh wind coming over the barren hills in front of us.

The next morning we take the dinghy ashore and go for a walk.




Pippy has spied some fig trees through the binocs and takes a plastic bag in case there are some to pick. (There aren't!) Close up the ruins are obviously in places very old and similar to other ruins we have seen which were Byzantium. The total desertion is a little unsettling. All we see are goats and an old broken down tractor, as though the people have just dropped their tools and walked off the land. Tucked into one bay is an old factory with an impressive brick chimney reminiscent of the Copper Mine Bay chimney on Kawau Island. It may have been a cannery at some time? The old church on the hill is being nudged at the foot of the short slope by a rusted out wreck which looks like an old barge that has been run up onto the land bows first.

We leave this anchorage under motor and take the short trip further west along the southern end of the island. It is barren looking but very pretty. There are some lovely looking anchorages and some very dangerous reefs. We are now in the more inhabited part of the island and can see the town of Scala Astypalea in the distance.

As we approach it we can make out the magnificent castle ruins on the hill top above the Chora

The Pilot Book is not quite up to date here, as the groin has recently been developed for visiting yachts and we go stern to using our anchor. It is a pleasant surprise to find a (relatively) sheltered protected place here, right opposite a very inviting small beach which forms part of the main town of the island. We are expecting some big winds here over the next few days so like to be well tucked up. There are some interesting antics later in the day as several charter boats arrive and demonstrate their varying degrees of skill reversing into spaces with wind gusting off their bows!

Some excitement ensues as a Beneteau First 47.7 called Mad Cow does not get it at all right and ends up spronged on the end of a bowsprit of the lovely classic boat in the foreground...He gets his anchor wrapped around their starboard shroud and almost pulls that off, as well. Not a good day in paradise for that skipper!


The next morning we take a brisk walk to the top of the hill. Life on board Matelot does not afford many opportunities for aerobic exercise, but we are still pretty fit and enjoy the stretch. It is quite a climb and the steep narrow winding streets of the old town (chora) are a mixture of renovated and very old run down buildings probably left over from the earthquake of 1956 which decimated the site.



The views from the castle are just stunning!






The old walls with some of the partially restored buildings and bell tower... this was once the haunt of pirates.


We potter around inside the castle walls for a while then walk back down through the chora, feeling our way carefully down the steep streets punctuated by stairs every so often. The bouganvillea is an intense pink against the blue Mediterranean sky. We come across a row of very old windmills, now being used as various other functional buildings. We see Matelot way below us tied up on the groin, fortunately near the outside, where we have taken an additional line off to one side. We are expecting a big blow later today.


Matelot lined up with other boats on the town wall in Scala Astypalea...

Tuesday 11 August 2009

Well we have survived a very windy night with 7 mooring lines in total going off in different directions, including a main line to the groin 50 metres away! We actually slept well and expect more wind today. Not to worry, we can sit here using the internet cafe in full view of Matelot, shop in the cute shops here in the town or take a walk up the hill again. All good as we don't often have the time and facility to connect in the same place! If anything there is more wind this morning than yesterday! It is laden with dust - probably all the topsoil off the island. It would be tough trying to grow anything here.