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”.