Out Into the Agean

Sunday 24 July 2011

Its good to get away from the mainland because the heat and humidity is very disabling, but it takes us all of the morning to clear the paperwork and into the afternoon before we finally depart at around 2.30 pm. This is goodbye to Turkey as we check out for the final time.

While in the supermarket doing our last minute provisioning, we run into a young Kiwi family who are on a four month trip around Europe by campervan. With their two young sons, Tim and Lisa from Omaha were stocking up their van and looking for the next suitable place to have a swim then park for the night. They look like they are having a great time, suntanned and relaxed.

It is too late for us to expect to make much distance so we drop anchor in Posidonion Bay on Samos in the pass between mainland Turkey and Greece. It is a huge relief to jump over the side and cool off. We have another go at firing up the barbecue, with perfect conditions for it – this time using charcoal which burns fiercely but for too short a time then fades quickly. Nope – the food finally gets whipped off and into the frying pan to be finished off before we eat. We really do have to get this thing going properly. Maybe next time we will use more charcoal.

By 6.50 am we are up and away, stopping in Samos marina for a fuel top up. We are half empty but not sure how much motoring we have ahead of us. Conditions are very still with a light southerly. The wind Gods are laughing at us. They know that we have made our way so far north up the Turkish coast just so that we will be able to take advantage of the north westerly prevailing winds and now we have a southerly – almost unheard of at this time of year.

We are reluctant to pass by Pythagorian on Samos again without stopping. There is so much to see there and we could not get into the harbour last time. However we succumb to the urge to move ourselves on out into the Agean and pay for it with wind on and off all day and plenty of motoring.

We are off Fournio Island too early to stop and take the decision to keep moving on - it is such a beautiful day. Arriving in Dhenoussa at 1910h we are delighted to find our friends Uisga Beatha at anchor there.

This is one of the really nice things about this life. One minute you are on your own, then suddenly you are enjoying the company of familiar faces. We all go ashore for dinner at the local Taverna which is a very simple affair. Starters of Greek salad, cooked beans and a sort of chick pea paste – very tasty. Main course a large platter of grilled pork chops and chips. Goat was on offer but we declined on that.

Tuesday 26 July

After a mixed and not so restful night because the wind howled and we swung a lot at anchor - but our new anchor held fast – we take a lovely long walk up the hill. It is important to keep up the aerobic exercise and so very nice to finally be out in the Greek Islands at last! Some lovely photographs follow: (when we can find an internet connection that will download more than one photograph per half hour!)

The weather appears to be threatening a touch of Meltemi , the prevailing wind which can be quite strong, but maybe we have another day or so before we need to find a place to hole up. After farewells to our friends we sail south towards the scatter of islands just south east of Naxos... Koufonisia, Karos, Skhinousa and Iraklia. There are some inviting anchorages around these islands. However, it is not to be as we come out of the lee of Dhenoussa into the teeth of a very fresh southerly. Being in cruising mode these days we turn and take it on the stern and head for the northern tip of Naxos, rounding it some hours later, enjoying the company of a lone dolphin for a small part of the way. At one point we are blanketed by Naxos and have to motor, but once around the top point the southerly intensifies and suddenly the northern part of Paros – Ormos Naousis - looks very inviting. We arrive Ormos Naousis at 1900h and 50 NM later. Drop anchor in 7m of flat calm water - straight over the side into the turquoise water for a swim.

This delightful anchorage is to be our home for the next few days as we familiarise ourselves with the island.

Pippy: “Something warm and soft brushes my leg and I look down, momentarily forgetting my anxiety about my knees which are protruding further out than anything else as I ride pillion on the hired motor scooter. I glance down then realise it is the warm wind that brushes my leg and stops as we round a corner, leaving me with a feeling of something having touched me.” We are taking a day trip around the island of Paros. Fifty km and our first stop is Levkas Village high up in the hills. The Venetian influence on this island is very obvious in the tasteful, historic buildings and narrow lanes which are delightful to explore.

It is hot though, and soon we are sheltering under a spreading tree in the town square and ordering food and cool drinks.

“Golden Beach”: The intense heat is relieved only by the breeze we create as we follow the coast road, spotting some windsurfers in the distance, flying across the bay. This is the signal for us to find the next turnoff. It is time for a swim. We park the scooter, extract our heads from the hot black helmets and find a spot on the beach where we can change into our swim togs. In seconds we are stripped and changed (we would never do that in NZ!) and diving into the crystal clear turquoise water. We plunge gratefully under and feel our body temperatures dropping to something more comfortable.

What a relief!

Soon we are back on the bike and heading for the main town of Paroika to see the Holy Shrine of Panaya Ekatontapiliani of Paros, and if you can pronounce that you are doing very well. One of the oldest and best maintained Christian Temples in the whole of Greece, we are truly awed by the ancient church and surrounding buildings. It has a style and quality which is quite unique and the museum is filled with the most spectacular examples of ancient icons and garments. The interior of the church is very plain and not given to large wall murals, but a spiritual atmosphere pervades and flows through every space with its ancient memories. This is definitely the highlight of our day.

Each morning in this delightful place, we fall out of bed and over the side into the turquoise waters for several laps around the boat. The meltemi comes with one night of howling wind but our anchor is well dug in and it does not bother us.

Friday 29 July 2011





On our last day we take a 2 hour afternoon walk to the lighthouse on the north western point and branch off to the highest point which overlooks the bay below.




We think we spot our friends on Uisge Beatha anchored below and not far from us. The rugged rock faces on this hillside are broken open in places to show seams of snow white marble and sparkly material which glitters like diamonds in the hot afternoon sun. The pathway is also strewn with pebbles which glitter and sparkle as we pass by. (How we wish we could share these photographs with you)

Back on the water we catch up with our friends on Uisga Beatha (pronounced Ushka Bay) Henk, Liz, daughter and son Katy and Shaun, plus other visiting family members. Richard is invited to join in and have a go on the water skis and he proves that there are some things you never forget. Good on you Cap’n Buck.




Just to top off our time in Paros, we hear there is a jazz concern ashore later this evening. It is a bit of a mission finding the concrete landing pier in the darkness, but we manage to get ashore with torches and some determination and along the rocky pathway. Sitting down in the outside amphitheatre, we are entertained by the jazz quartet called “Agean Jazz”.





Musical instruments comprise double bass, electric guitar, trumpet, French Horn and maybe Cornet with also an electric piano.
Pippy “ I lean back against the warm welcoming rock and look up at the sky. The music wafts around me as I play a game and name each star after one of our family and/or friends. I run out of stars...we are not in the southern hemisphere”.

Patmos, Samos, Kusadasi, Cannakale, Kusudasi

Our budget is tight but we still find a few Euros to purchase a new radio for the boat so that we can plug in our Ipod. Its a good price and a good brand and we make the decision to get it. However, naughty Richard also breaks out and buys a 'present' for the boat and here are his 'not sorry now' photos.




Motoring out to an anchorage near the edge of Patmos we have a little sing song up on deck and attract some swimmers to see what the racket is all about! On the song list is "Amee My girl....!"









Pippy does not sleep well on our last night in Patmos. The wind is howling and moaning all night as though all the Greek Gods are having a huge party. The forecast says we will have more wind for our sail today so perhaps a little anxiety is causing this and we all know how small anxieties are enhanced in the wee small hours of the morning. Anyway, nothing to worry about because while writing this we have had to turn on the engine to clear the top end of Arki as there is not enough wind to lift us over.

We have so many fond memories of Pip and Jess Milne on the boat on Arki Island, we sit and reminisce as we clear past the northern point and look back. We are sailing in light breezes mostly and it is delightful under the canopy of the bimini which is now strengthened with an additional bar going back to the solar panel arch. The cool sea breeze flows freely through and on some days it is possible to feel too cool. It is only when approaching land that the wind suddenly takes on the heat as though it is coming from a furnace. Needless to say we love the sailing most, passaging our home from place to place. There is a distinct absence of other yachts at sea this year. Sometimes we have to really try hard to see another sail in the distance. It doesn't seem possible that we are so close to densely populated places.

At around 10.15 am and just past Arki Island, we are astonished to first of all hear, and then see, 4 fighter jets, flying so low to the water at top speed, across our bows. They disappear off to the south and we wonder what mission or exercise they are on. It makes us realise that we have not been checking in on the news lately, so perhaps its time!

We take a brief overnight stop in Samos Harbour of Pithagorion where we get blown and howled about all night, except for a brief break when we go ashore for an hour around 9 pm. The town wall is packed with yachts racing on the Agean Regatta and they look just like boats on the Coastal Classic - after the race! We just manage to download a weather forecast and discover the NZD has been on a bit of a lift lately. The next morning we are off towards Kusadasi and back to Turkey to check out properly.

We have been blown a little off-shore on the way north from Bodrum, but it has been a lovely experience nevertheless.

It is an 8 hour bus trip, but we take one last sight seeing trip further north to visit Cannakale, Troy and Gallipoli. What an experience it is visiting Gallipoli and standing on the place where it happened. We stand there in the heat (39 degrees) and try to imagine what it would have been like for the soldiers in this battle at this time of year.





Chunuk Bair is particularly important for New Zealand because the NZ Expeditionary Force managed to capture hold it for two days, but this whole area is also a very important Turkish Memorial because it was Ataturk who led the forces who recaptured it.







Back in Kusadasi, Sunday morning and we are leaving as soon as this is published. Today we check out of Turkey for the last time and head out into the Agean for a Greek Island adventure.

Pippy makes the most of the coolness before the sun gets up and goes for a brisk walk up the hill. On her return there is a small booth on wheels parked at the marina gates with people crowding around it. Of course this calls for an investigation and it turns out that this booth is selling the 'best' simits in the whole of Turkey. Pippy finds out that they are supposed to be eaten with a special kind of cheese, so buys two plus the cheese and presents Capn Buck with his breakfast. Nothing doing he says as he gets out his Kellogs Bran Flakes, you can have both of them thanks! mmmm yummy Pippy does not mind at all, they are delicious!

The Last of the Goodbye Cruise

This will have to do for photos as have given up on the time it takes to get them to load up.


The feeling of saying goodbye continues as we sail onwards, and northwards so that we can then cut out across the Agean with a good wind angle.

The Thursday market is just setting up as we wake up in Palamut so we linger until late morning, finally departing loaded with fresh fruit,olive oil, bread and vegetables and a cotton sun dress for Pippy.




On we go to wonderful Knidos for a lunch stop. This site never fails to astound and seeing it for the last time brings a special kind of appreciation for the bustling hub of a port it was in ancient times. The water here is a crisp cool swim and very refreshing. It is easy to imagine the ancient marble columns and grand nature of the surroundings as they once were. The ghosts of past civilisations are very evident here in the atmosphere.

The afternoon breeze fills in as expected and we have a fresh 25 knot breeze for our sail to Kos... nooo ... Bodrum overnight, where we anchor close to the castle as the sun goes down.

Friday morning we call in to Kos Island hoping to find a spot to stay overnight, but unfortunately the old town harbour is full and so is the Marina. Thank you to Thomas, our favourite marinara who comes to the rescue and puts us into a berth for a couple of hours while Pierre assists Richard with the fitting of a new Rocna anchor we have had couriered from Lefkas (a good Kiwi brand).

Pippy rushes off to get some Euro out of the hole in the wall and to organise a Greek sim card. She is also mysteriously spotted coming out of the ice cream shop on the waterfront with one of those cherry and yoghurt monsters which instantly melt and dribble down the side of the waffle cone!

It is so nice to be back to this familiar place with so many familiar faces. Before the two hours are up, Thomas has found us a berth so we can stay overnight which is fortuitous because we really want to catch up with Werner and Hannalore on board Zaijan and they are up on deck waving to us as we relocate the boat and take our lines as we berth. It is just like old times and even more so later on as we walk along to the Yacht Cafe for happy hour cocktails, then get ‘finished off’ with some peach schnaps on board Zaijan. Auf Wiedersein indeed ha ha!! We do hope we will meet again one day.

Saturday morning is busy with no time for hangovers and lots of last minute little jobs to be done – cannot recall what they were now as we have moved on and now find ourselves in magical Patmos and its Monday morning!

The sailing is superb – all uphill at the moment with a brisk and very long sail on Saturday, when we finally give up on our goal of making it into Emporio on the western side of Kalymnos, and stop to anchor overnight in southern Leros. We choose the inside route and that is our mistake. Maybe if we had motored and gone outside Kalymnos we would have been tucked up into Emporio earlier. As it is, the wind howls around us and Richard is on anchor watch until 11pm when it all quietens down. Our new Rocna is doing the trick.

Saturday brings a magical 18 knot north westerly and as Patmos approaches we enjoy sandwiches made with Prosciuttu from Italy, Cheese from Turkey and fresh bread from Greece.

From now on we are in ‘new’ territory. Patmos is gorgeous. We are anchored and reversed on to the town wall. Yesterday we explored the chora on top of the hill which is delightful. Maybe we will go back today and try to see the monastery and museum which was closed yesterday.

It is hot again - very hot and the weather forecast is threatening a big bit of wind on the way.

Teapots and Palamatbuku

Nothing tastes quite as good as that first cup of tea in the morning on board Matelot, especially since the purchase of a Turkish white porcelain teapot. It took quite a bit of thought to decide on this teapot. Not too big or too small, not too tall or too short or fat or thin. It was the second choice before another more contemporary model, but on being told she would have to buy 12, Pippy settled for the more traditional shape of the second choice. The Turkish porcelain is white, solid and somehow comforting. Whilst one has to treat it with reasonable respect, it does not chip easily.

It takes real discipline though, to drink it while it is hot and steaming fresh from the pot. This morning it was cold by the time yesterday’s shorts and shirt were hung out to dry – they took a full frontal hit from a wave over the boat. They will be dry in 20 minutes in the 9.30am already roasting, morning sun. Yes, we did rather sleep in this morning – such a sound and untroubled sleep – delicious!

Then there was the broken (off the deck and lying in the gunnel) dorade to repair and screw back into place. It was knocked off its perch by a flapping genoa sheet. We are astounded by the flimsy fixings and put a note on our maintenance list to modify these two deck vents.

Yesterday’s passage from Marmaris to Simi starts at 5.55am, with us motoring out through the narrow entrance, looking backwards to say farewell forever to this familiar place. The engine sounds great as she hums along. We do wonder how the boat will sail with the added stainless steel arch and solar panels and look forward to the day ahead, our first of this year’s cruising.

Dirsek is our destination, north of Bozburun. We have heard it is a truly lovely spot. By around 1.30pm the small harbour opens up in front of us – blue blue water and rocky ground with ancient olive trees growing close to the water’s edge. We swing at anchor for 3 hours but decide the holding does not reassure us enough here as the afternoon north westerly blow begins to push its way into the bay. Many boats are anchored and tied stern-to ashore but we decide to more on to Pethi on Simi Island where we can be sure of an anchorage with flat water.

A very boisterous sail awaits us and Matelot does not feel any different according to Richard. In fact if anything, she is sailing better than before due to adjustments made to the rig.

Suddenly we are back in time to 2008/2009 and it feels like no time at all has passed in between. Our time in NZ happened in another life... how strange.

Just over one hour later as we motor in to Pethi we spot SY Fabiola and are invited by Alistair and Pam for ‘drinks’ at 6 pm, where we are introduced to Chris and Elaine on SY Pacific Blue, and Bruno and Judy on ‘Ginny’. The meeting and networking has begun again.
By 8.30 pm we have to make a hasty departure as the wind is up with fierce gusts coming over the hill. Several boats have dragged their anchors. One heart-stopping moment earlier we watch helplessly as a large out of control yacht flies towards SY Ginny while its sole occupant frantically tries to get the engine going. Just in time he motors away. Now SY Matelot looks as though she is on the move so we get back on board, re-anchor and settle down to dinner with Richard on anchor watch and the gusts screaming through.

By 10pm all is quiet and calm again... its been a busy day!




Today Wed 13 July, its difficult to imagine more perfect conditions. We have motored out through the north passage from Simi Island and set sails for another favourite spot, Palamutbuku. We are slipping along on a beam reach, very flat sea and gentle breeze... wonderful. Richard is writing up the log while Pippy enjoys the luxury of writing. Lunch of egg, cheese and tomato lettuce sandwiches glued together with home made humus, on village flat bread, awaits us when our appetite calls. The fridge is packed full of good food and cold beer.




Palamutbuku slowly draws closer.




...and here we are in this magical place again. We do love it. We speculate that one day it will be the site of a huge marina, but at this stage it is still the unspoilt fishing village, popular resort for Turkish people in the summer.

On arrival, within a short time, a woman arrives offering items for sale. Pippy stocks up on dried oregano, sage (for tea), chamomile flowers and tea, mint and bay leaves.

It is hot... so very hot. We swim and Richard sleeps while Pippy potters. At 6.30 pm we start to talk about going for a walk to see our old friend Altan at Merhaba Restaurant. We sit outside under the trees on the water's edge and enjoy a cold ....? yes you got it "water". Before we know it we are feeling hungry and we order some food. Altan wants to know how Richard wants his steak. Quickly Richard quips back.... "Medium rare like you Altan" there is a moment of pause and Altan replies... "I am well done Richard...!" It is a true 'you had to be there moment'.

We must close this blog now and send love and thoughts to all of our family and friends in NZ. We miss you and think of you every day. We want to share our joy with you. xxxx

Our last night in Marmaris

Photos to follow....

Goodbye to Paul, Sima and Alexander on Leander... for now - we hope to see you again soon!

On Wednesday 6 July we depart Marmaris Yacht Marina and have been anchored just outside the marina waiting for one courier from NZ and one letter from the UK while we attend to a few small last minute jobs and build up the provisions on the boat. It has been much more pleasant out here on anchor... the marina is just too stifling hot. It has seemed like a holiday actually. We have slept in late and spent time reading and swimming. Its been lovely actually.

The new barbecue is christened... It doesn't taste that good so we need a bit of practice on this front.









Tonight we eat a simple pasta dinner out on deck, savouring the warm wind blowing through the cockpit from the north west. We watch the skyline turn from pink to black as the sun goes down. It has been 39 degrees in Marmaris today and we have spent the morning in town literally gasping and dodging from one air conditioned space to another. We catch the worker's ferry from the marina at 8.30am, determined that today we will'extract' our mail and get moving.

Beginning at the post office, Pippy knows the way to the mail sorting room... up the stairs, around a few corners, nobody stopping us, and we find ourselves at the counter sorting through the pile of mail for the marina and finding the one we are looking for... yayyy. A great start. Next is the courier company. We walk the streets asking, asking, until finally we find the agent for DHL in Marmaris. It is surreal as we quote the tracking number and the Clerk reaches into a basket behind his desk (filled with other packages) and pulls out our one. We can't help wondering how long it was going to sit there for, but pretty quickly move on.

Just one more thing. Pippy had a little woopsie with the computer yesterday and had to do a full 'recovery' on the C Drive. Now we need to reload our virus software so visit the tech specialists in town for assistance and a checkover. We leave there about an hour later with a 100% bill of health and head for the boat, stopping to stock up on some last minute provisions on the way at the huge Tansas supermarket.

The Dolmish is baking hot inside and we are grateful 30 mins later to jump into the dinghy to return to Matelot. It is at least 10 degrees cooler on Matelot at anchor and a swim is always an option.

Later this afternoon we visit the laundry ashore, and swim in the pool while we wait for the wash to be ready. A cold beer up on the foredeck at 6.30 pm while the washing dries tastes wonderful as we watch the sun head westwards!



Slowly it sinks in that we are leaving this place which has been so much a part of our lives. Richard says it is 'Day 37' since we arrived here and it is not hard to believe it!

Tomorrow morning first light we leave this anchorage and start on our journey westwards. We plan to be in the achorage of Dirsek 47 miles away, by this time tomorrow.