Part 3
May 2016
Wednesday 18th
May
Having arrived back fro Kazakhstan on Tuesday afternoon and after a
hectic day spent visiting family attending a dentist appointment and sorting
out a few bits and pieces to take back out to Tra Bhui with us Kathleen and I
caught the evening Easyjet flight from Glasgow to London Gatwick. As our flight
to Greece left at 05.55hrs. on Thursday morning we spent a short night at the
Bloc Hotel in the airport terminal
Thursday 19th
May
Our Easy Jet flight from Gatwick to Thessonaliki left at 05.55 hrs. and
saw us leaving Thessonaliki airport at 11.00 hrs. (Greece is 2 hrs. ahead of
the UK), After a wait of just 20 minutes or so we caught the No 78 bus across
Thessonaliki to the bus terminal from where we would catch one of the regular
coaches south to Volos.
As we were in no particular rush, after buying our tickets from on
of the many ticket booths we took time out for lunch at the bus station restaurant
(coffee and sandwiches).
It appears that virtually every bus route has its own booth, which
is staffed full time by at least one member of staff. Only in Greece could the
ticket staff out number the bus drivers!
The scope for cost saving is there for all to see – perhaps Greece does
need some austerity measures!
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The room itself was basic and could lay claim to one of the worst
ensuite bathrooms on the planet. The long and narrow bathroom had the WC
positioned at an angle mid way along it necessitating one to actually climb
over it to reach the shower.
The shower consisted of a small shower tray and a curtain on a
flexible track, which failed miserably to contain the plentiful supply of hot
water. Rather than carry out a sensible repair to the shower curtain, the
hotel’s answer was to put the toilet roll in a polythene bag to keep it dry! We
assume that the bathroom will be part of the planned refurbishment next year.
Other than the eccentricity of the bathroom the hotel was superb and great
value for money.
After checking in and collecting the replacement VHF aerial that Kathleen had posted there for our collection – I did not fancy our chances of taking a 34” stainless steel rod through two sets of airport security in our hand luggage we dumped our bags and went to see if we could change our ferry ticket to Skiathos on Friday. We had a ticket for the high-speed afternoon ferry but we had found out that there was an earlier (slower) ferry in the morning which would get us there earlier.
We were unsure whether we could use our existing ticket or not but after
finding the nearby ferry office and having paid 10 Euros to change our ticket
we were all set to catch the earlier ferry and so we set out to see a bit of
Volos.
With a population of circa 150,000, Volos is the only outlet to the
sea from Thessaly, the country's largest agricultural region. It’s port which is the third largest in Greece provides
a bridge between Europe, the Middle East and Asia as well as providing a much
needed daily connection to the nearby Sporades Islands via a number of high speed ferries which
operate from it.
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| The view of the harbour from our balcony |
As well as being a successful commercial port Volos also has a
lively tourist industry and numerous seaside bars and restaurants, which
stretch along it’s well-presented seafront cater for both locals and visitors
to the city.
After a pre dinner drink at a nearby bar we walked out along the
impressive breakwater that protects the port from southerly winds and seas.
Although the water on either side of the breakwater is relatively shallow the
breakwater itself is certainly an impressive structure.
Rather than eat on the sea front Kathleen wanted to see a bit more
of the town itself and find somewhere less touristy to eat. The town itself was
lively and full of bars and cafes, but relatively few restaurants, but
eventually we found one that looked promising.
Friday 20th
May
After a great buffet breakfast at the Aegli Hotel we wandered across
the road to catch the 9.00 hrs. ferry to Skiathos.
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| Ferry to Skiathos |
The ferry, which is a large catamaran, left on time and from our
seats outside on the upper deck we enjoyed the passing scenery during the 3-hour
passage over mirror flat seas.
Arriving at Skiathos just after 12.00hrs. we set out to walk the
mile or so around the harbor front to the yard where Tra Bhui was being stored.
I had e-mailed to let the owner know when we would be arriving but I had not
had a reply. Not wanting to arrive un announced we had asked the manager at the
Aegil Hotel to call the yard on our behalf
after 9.00 hrs. when we hoped the office would be open.
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| We arrived in a much busier Skiathos this time! |
Arriving at the yard we found the gate closed and locked – this did
not look promising, but our fears of being kept waiting – something the Greeks
excel at!- were quickly allayed when we spotted one of the yard workers working
on Tra Bhui beside the workshop. After attracting his attention we were let in
and he confirmed that we were expected and that the owner would be along in 30
minutes or so to arrange Tra Bhui’s relaunching.
In the meanwhile he was just finishing up the oil service on our
10hp Honda outboard – 40 Euros to change filters, engine and gearbox oils –
after which he wanted to start the engine and run it up in a freshwater tank to
make sure it was still working. While it was great that the yard was taking so
much time and paying such attention to Tra Bhui, I was confident that the
outboard would start OK and after persuading the yard worker that flush muffs
were all that were needed I started the engine – started first turn – and after
running it for 30 seconds switched it off again.
I think that the ease of starting was a bit of an anticlimax for the
yard as a battery charger had been brought out to charge the battery which they
had presumed would have gone flat after being left for 5 weeks. Whether having fitted a battery
isolator switch over the winter had helped preserve the battery or not I cannot
say, but to date – touch wood we have never had any difficulty starting the
outboard.
30 Greek minutes later – nearly an hour in world time – the owner
appeared to supervise the relaunch. While we were waiting we had taken the
cover off Tra Bhui and make her ready for launching. The onset of a heavy
shower and with the forecast of more rain to come had persuaded Kathleen to put
on her foul weather clothing. The warm temperature persuaded me that getting
wet from rain rather from sweat was the preferred option so I stayed with the
shorts and T-shirt approach.
With the shower over and with Tra Bhui and trailer coupled to the
front of the yards truck we set off along the road to the slipway at the head
of the inlet, stopping on the way to
allow a jet to take off from the runway that abuts the road.
Jets taking off are something of a local attraction especially if
the wind is from the north and the jet starts from the end of the runway next
to the road. At this point the road is closed to traffic, but pedestrians line
up along the perimeter fence. When cleared for take off the jet runs up its
engines and the jet wash blasts across the road sending dirt, dust and the
unwary pedestrian flying – yes Kathleen you are an unwary pedestrian, despite
my warnings!
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| You can see how this will end! |
After the jet had taken off and Kathleen had been recovered from the
road verge we continued to the slip way and Tra Bhui was gently put back into
the sea.
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| In she goes |
Motoring a short distance to some moorings owned by the storage yard
we re-erected Tra Bhui’s masts and made her ready to continue her voyage.
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| Incoming jets fly over our mooring. |
A run ashore to the supermarket allowed us to restock with basic
provisions and with more rain imminent we secured the tent and headed ashore
for dinner just as the heavy rain that was forecast started to fall.
Saturday 21st
May
We woke to a very wet morning. Leaving Kathleen who was reluctant to
get out of her sleeping bag I went ashore for fresh bread. The overnight rain
had been impressively heavy and deep puddles lay everywhere. As it was still raining heavily I put on my
offshore jacket which although a bit of an overkill turned out to be just the
thing for going to the bakers!
After breakfast the rain stopped – for how long we were unsure- so
making the most of this brief dry spell we took the tent down and made ready
for sea (sounds like we have a big boat!)
Over the next week we had given ourselves a bit of a challenge!
Kathleen’s Grandmother would shortly be 100 years old and a family party had
been arranged for Saturday the 28th of May in Glasgow. The
arrangements had been made after we had planned our own itinerary which
complicated things a bit for us as had we known before hand we would have
arranged our trip accordingly.
Kathleen wanted to attend the party and the only practical way she
could do so was to fly home from Athens on the 27th and fly back out
on the 29th. This meant we had to get to Artemis (small harbour near
the airport) some 150 miles further south west over the course of the next 6
days an average of 25 miles per day not allowing for any delays due to weather etc.
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| Skiathos to Ay Kiriaki |
Departing Skiathos at 9.40 hrs. we planned to head westwards to Ay
Kiriaki . With 8 knots of wind blowing from the east and the sky clearing a bit
we hoped to sail most if not all of the 23 miles that lay ahead of us. Leaving
the bay at Scathes we were surprised at the size of the sea that was running
from the east, given that yesterday it had been mirror calm and overnight there
had been little if any wind. The mirror calm had been replaced by a 2 meter
swell and breaking waves. Conditions well within the capability of the Gig but
the easterly wind would be directly behind us, giving us not ideal sailing
conditions as we would need to bear off a direct course as I did not want to
run with the wind directly behind us.
The 8 knot wind was fairly constant and gave us just enough speed to
maintain steerage in the conditions. 5 miles into our passage while gybing to
pass around a headland the snap shackle which connects the mainsheet to the
horse (traveller) sprang open disconnecting the mainsheets from the boat. This
abrupt loss of propulsion and the waves that were at this point on our port
quarter caused us to perform a not too graceful pirouette of 360 degrees before
I got the outboard started and Kathleen headed us into what was now a dropping
wind.
With the wind dropping we were forced to start motoring as there was
simply insufficient wind to allow us to maintain boat speed and steerage under
sail alone. The remaining 18 miles or so
to Ay Kiriaki while under motor, were still
exciting enough as we had the sea behind us and breaking waves
frequently sent waters into the cockpit via the outboard well as we surfed
westwards at up to 8.5 knots.
Approaching Ay Kiriaki the wind having moved around to the north
east started to rise again and as we rounded the final headland we were being
buffeted by gusts of up to 17 knots.
Soon we were in the relative shelter of Ay Kiriaki which the pilot
book describes as “ An open bay on the east side of the entrance to the Gulf of
Volos. The village of Ayia KIiriaki on the hill above is conspicuous from
seaward.”
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| Local fishing boats |
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| Ay Kiriaki |
After erecting Tra Bhui’s tent we set off to walk up to the village
high on the hillside above the harbor, but cut our walk short as I was still
suffering from a chest infection that I had picked up in Kazakhstan and
Kathleen having continued upwards alone decided to turn back having attracted
the attention of a large number of village dogs.
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| Climbing up towards the village above the harbour - view to the south |
Returning to the harbor together, I went in search of an Internet
connection to get an updated weather forecast while Kathleen set out for a walk
along the road leading out the other side of the harbour.
While sat at a nearby bar looking at the weather forecast on line
and catching up on e-mails the rain started again. The shower that came was
short but heavy and after it had passed I could only marvel on her return at
Kathleen’s ability to yet again remain
dry despite having been caught in a downpour it miles from anywhere.
With more heavy rain looking likely we decided to stay in the bar
for dinner moving indoors as the temperature dropped.
The rain certainly did come back and with it came spectacular
thunder and lightening which watched from the shelter of Tra Bhui’s tent as it
gradually passed over from east. Despite a phenomenal amount of rain falling
overnight we remained totally dry on board.
Miles today 23
Total Trip 140
Sunday 22nd
May
A walk out to a nearby headland confirmed that the sea state had
dropped to away to a relative calm overnight so we departed Ay Kiriaki at 11.10
hrs. for Achladi a passage of circa 20 miles . Although the sea had moderated
since yesterday and the wind had as forecasted swung around to the north
blowing 15 knots. Being wary of the fact
that we were leaving the shelter of land we decided to be prudent and set just
the genoa until we found out what conditions further out were like. The lugsail
on the Gig is a large sail and is a handful to raise and lower / reef in windy
conditions.
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| Ay Kiriaki to Achlid |
The weather was however definitely improving and the overcast skies
were gradually clearing to expose blue skies above. Motoring westwards there
was not a boat in sight although earlier we had spotted a few yachts motoring
east towards the Sporades.
By mid afternoon the wind had returned albeit very variable. With
hindsight we could have and should have raised our sails, but at the time being
unsure of how long the wind would last and what it would do we opted to keep
motoring . The wind stayed in the north
and varied between 15 and 23 knots which would have meant reefing and unreefing
a number of times.
We arrived at Achladi at 16.10 hrs. The small harbor was mainly full
of fishing boats and not really suitable to berth a yacht in, but then again we
are not a yacht and so we were able to find a suitable berth at the end of the
harbor wall without any problem, anchoring stern too in parallel with the local
boats.
As usual, Kathleen went to explore while I set up the tent on Tra
Bhui.
Achladi has not a lot to recommend it. A seaside village it has a
couple of bars, no shops and no garage (we needed fuel). Having been sitting on
board for most of the day we spend a couple of hours exploring the area on foot
including taking in some very wet and muddy back roads which necessitated
making use of the local vegetation to get around the large puddles which spanned the width of the track.
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| Moored stern to in Achladi |
In search of an internet connection we went out for coffee after
diner. The cost of coffee added to the cost of eating on board probably equated
to what we would have spent eating out, so eating on board is not much of a
saving.
Miles 20
Total Trip 160
Monday 23rd
May
Today we would turn south as Achladi
although on the mainland, represented the western extent of the island
of Evia (Evvoia) and we could now head down its west coast.
Before we left however we needed petrol or as the Greeks refer to it
Benzene.
There is no local garage in Achladi. We had consulted Google and
found that the nearest garage was in Karavomilos about 2 miles away. For our
morning exercise we gathered up our 3
number 5 liter fuel cans and set off in search of fuel. The walk while not
exactly unpleasant was not particularly pleasant as we simply walked one way
along the side of a main road and returned pretty much the same way although we
did complete a little loop of Karavomilos stopping at the villages supermarket
for a cold bottle of water after buying fuel.
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| Achlid to Limni |
After rounding the western tip of Evia our passage was simply a
straight line to Limni a small fishing
harbor 24 miles further south. The
passage while not particularly exciting was pleasant enough as we enjoyed
watching the scenery passing under clear blue skies and bright sunshine.
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| Approaching Limni |
Just short of Limni we were headed by a southerly wind that came from nothing to 16 knots in a matter of minutes, an example of just how quickly sailing conditions can change.
We entered the small harbor at Limni at 16.15hrs. and found a berth
alongside just behind an elderly catamaran. Limni has made some concessions to
visiting yachts. The end of the outer
breakwater has been set aside for visiting yachts, the extent of which demarked
by red paint liberally applied to the concrete dock edge and by a number of
electrical hook up points set plastic housings.
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| Limnos's small but perfectly formed harbour |
Whether there is any real standing to this concession to visiting
yachts is debatable as large local workboat from a fish farm was occupying over
25% of the available space. We noted with interest an elderly yacht which was
sporting a large St Andrews cross flag
and had P.Y.C across it’s stern (Perth Yacht Club?). Despite keeping an eye out
for anyone on board we did not see anyone associated with the yacht so we never
did find out if it was really Scottish and if it came from Perth.
Limni was a marked improvement on Achladi and was a pleasant little
town to visit.
After a drink at a sea front café we did a bit of exploring before
ending up at a local pizza place for dinner. I use the term place as it was a
corner shop which appeared to mainly cater for carry out food, but Kathleen
having found it earlier when I was on domestic duties (putting up the tent) had
seen the pizzas being made and was keen to see if they offered a sit in option.
The sit in option was indeed on offer and we squeezed ourselves in
to an empty table. The reason we squeezed ourselves in was not because the
place was full as it was in fact empty, but the floor space had twice as many
tables and chairs as could be sensibly accommodated.
It looked as though to cope with the carry out market floor space
had been given over to expanding the kitchen. Rather than reduce the number of
tables and chairs they had simply been re arranged into the available space.
During the evening as more customers arrived it was impossible to tell what
table they were actually sitting at!
Apart from the food which for a Greek pizza was very good, the other
memorable feature was the presence of a large ornamental carp that was swimming
around in side a food container on an adjacent table. It turned out that a fish tank in the window
had been cracked and the owners had simply put the fish into plastic food
containers on some of the tables – the owner proudly showed me another
container with 4 other fish in it on a table occupied by a local family.
Miles 28
Total trip 188
Tuesday 24th
May
Awaking to a perfect blue sky and after a walk along the sea front
and breakfast at a local café (the bakers was not yet open) we departed Limni
at 08.30 hrs. heading south to our first real navigational challenge the
opening bridge across the tidal race at Khakis some 23 miles away.
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| Sea front breakfast |
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The bridge at Khakis stands on the site of previous bridges going as
far back as 414 BC spans the 130-foot narrows between Evia and the mainland.
Depending on the state of the tide a current of up to 5 knots can flow through
the narrows in either direction. Our Pilot Book advised that the bridge which
has a very restricted headroom opened nightly after mid night to allow the
passage of yachts and other vessels.
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| Limni to Khalkis |
To be part of the nightly passage through the open bridge it was
necessary to register with the bridge authority and pay a 20 Euro fee. Not only
did we not want to wait until midnight to pass through but also we were keen to
avoid the 20-euro fee.
We had we had an alternative plan which involved getting to Khalkis
at mid day looking at the bridge and if the state of the tide was suitable to unship
both masts and pass under the bridge when it was still closed. If we could do
this we could enter the Khalkis Yacht Club marina some time in the afternoon
and spend the evening in Khalkis after we hoped using the marina’s showers!
The wind was blowing 14 knots from the south as we left Limni. This
was directly on our nose and as we had a distance to go and a time to get there
in we set off under motor. A few miles into our passage the wind died to
nothing so even if we had set out under sail we would still have ended up motoring.
Our passage was another straight line from point A to point B so
with the steering left to our Raymarine Tiller Pilot we sat in the sun and
watched the land go past at a steady 5 knots.
Arriving at Khalkis just after 12.30 we could see the bridge about a
mile away. Instead of tying up to the town quay as the Pilot Guide recommended
we hove to (well we would have hove to if there had been any wind – we stopped)
and dropped both masts.
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| Both masts down and we are ready for action! |
On Tra Bhui the mizzen mast simply unsteps as per the standard Gig,
however our main mast has been fitted with a tabernacle to make it easier for
me to raise and lower it on my own.
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| Approaching the bridge |
With both masts down Kathleen decided to squat in the stern of the
boat on the deck beside the outboard as she wanted to take some photos of our
transit through the narrows.
Approaching the bridge it was obvious that the tide was against
us as we passed a number of local
fishing boats riding the eddies crossing
back and forth across the tidal stream trailing their lines behind them.
The closer we got to the bridge the stronger the current became so
we made the best use of a back eddy to accelerate us towards the bridge,
breaking out into the tidal stream just before the bridge itself.
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| Approaching the bridge - current flowing towards us and over to the left |
Many years of white water kayaking experience paid off as with out
Honda at near maximum revs we crept under the bridge with our speed dropping
until it was a bare 1 knot. After a few
minutes of keeping Tra Bhui pointed perfectly upstream our forward momentum
gradually increased and our speed log started to show 1.2 knots. 1.3. 1.4, and
so on until we were clear of the bridge. On flat water flat out, Tra Bhui can
reach over 7 knots so the tide race must have been a good 5 knots.
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| Through - complete with tender |
Pulling into the marina at 13.15 hrs. we were directed by a person
unknown to an empty berth which eventually turned out to be someone’s private
berth. The access gate at the end of the pontoon was locked, but thanks to
Kathleen’s ability to chat up a Belgian who had a yacht at the marina the gate
was opened for us and we were told we could stay overnight free of charge and
also that we could use the toilets and showers while we were in the marina.
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| Khakis Marina - Kathleen talked us into a free berth |
With Tra Bhui secured stern to using a lazy line which had more
marine life growing on it than most shell fish farms we made good use of the
showers to wash off the past few days
salt and grime.
Once clean we set out to see Khalkis or Chalkis as it is also
referred to as
The
earliest recorded mention of Chalcis is in the Iliad (2.537), where it is
mentioned in the same line as its rival Eretria. It is also documented that the
ships set for the Trojan War gathered at Avlis, the south bank of the strait
nearby the city.
In
the 8th and 7th centuries BC, colonists from Chalcis founded thirty townships
on the peninsula of Chalcidice and several important cities in Magna Graecia,
such as Naxos, Rhegion and Cumae. Its mineral produce, metal-work, purple and
pottery not only found markets among these settlements, but were distributed
over the Mediterranean in the ships of Corinth and Samos.
With
the help of these allies, Chalcis engaged the rival league of its neighbour
Eretria in the so-called Lelantine War, by which it acquired the best
agricultural district of Euboea and became the chief city of the island. Early
in the 6th century BC, its prosperity was broken by a disastrous war with the
Athenians, who expelled the ruling aristocracy and settled a cleruchy on the
site. Chalcis subsequently became a member of both the Delian Leagues.
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| Khalkis at night |
In
the Hellenistic period, it gained importance as a fortress by which the
Macedonian rulers controlled central Greece. It was used by kings Antiochus III
of Syria (192 BC) and Mithradates VI of Pontus (88 BC) as a base for invading
Greece.
Promenade
of Chalkis.
The
city is recorded as a city in the 6th-century Synecdemus and mentioned by the
contemporary historian Procopius of Caesarea, who recorded that a movable
bridge linked the two shores of the strait. In Byzantine times, Chalcis was
usually called Euripos, a name also applied to the entire island of Euboea,
although the ancient name survived in administrative and ecclesiastical usage
until the 9th century.
By
the 12th century, the town featured a Jewish community and a Venetian trading
station, being attacked by the Venetian fleet in 1171 and eventually seized by
Venice in 1209, in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade.[Known by the Westerners
as Negroponte ("black bridge" in Italian, having arisen as a
folk-etymological corruption of the medieval Greek name of Euripus Strait, Egripos),
the town was a condominium between Venice and the Veronese barons of the rest
of Euboea, known as the "triarchs", who resided there. Chalcis or
Negroponte became a Latin Church diocese, the first bishop being Theodorus, the
Greek bishop of the see, who entered communion with the see of Rome. In 1314,
the Latin see was united with the Latin Patriarchate of Constantinople, so that
the patriarch, excluded from Constantinople itself since the Byzantine
reconquest of the city, could have actual jurisdiction on Greek soil and
exercise a direct role as head of the Latin clergy in what remained of Latin
Greece.A large hoard of late medieval jewellery dating from Venetian times was
found in Chalcis Castle in the nineteenth century and is now in the British
Museum. – why
does Britain have this – should it not be in Greece!
The
modern town[
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| Main pedestrian precinct |
The
Euripus Strait which separates the city and the island from the mainland was
bridged in 411 BC with a wooden bridge. In the time of Justinian the fixed
bridge was replaced with a movable structure. The Turks replaced this once
again with a fixed bridge. In 1856, a wooden swing bridge was built; in 1896,
an iron swing bridge, and in 1962, the existing "sliding bridge"; the
construction works of the 19th century destroyed the most part of the medieval
castle built across the bridge. The cable stay suspension bridge which joins
Chalcis to the mainland to the south was opened in 1993.
Despite it’s massive history our visit to Khalkis was very shallow
and consisted of wandering along the sea front, looking at the yachts who could
not make like a Drascombe and drop their masts and therefore were waiting on
the nightly bridge opening, and enjoying a cold drink while catching up on the
weather forecast and our e-mails.
Later we had to find fuel which luckily was a lot nearer than it had
been in Karvalomilos and we had only to
walk about half a mile each way into town and back.
Miles 23
Total trip 211
Wednesday 25th
May
Before setting sail today we had to find an internet connection as I
needed to pick up some e-mails relating to future gainful employment and
Kathleen wanted to again luxuriate in a hot shower while I made Tra Bhui ready
for sea, so we did not leave Khakis until 10.30 hrs.
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| Khalkis to Panavia |
We wanted to get as far down towards Artemis as we could today so we
set our destination as Panayia some 32 miles south but still on Evia.
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| Passing the local cement works |
After leaving the marina we had to negotiate the remaining narrows
south of Khakis which were not as onerous or impressive as those approaching
the marina from the north.
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| Leaving the second set of narrows at Khakis behind |
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| A power station adds some local colour |
With 15 knots of wind blowing from the north we initially motor
sailed under engine and genoa until we were through the narrows whereupon we raised
our mainsail and cut the outboard to enjoy a decent 9 miles of sailing until we
eventually lost the wind mid afternoon.
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| Boats waiting repair at a yard outside Kalkis |
Completing the final section of the passage under motor we arrived
in Panayia at 17.40 hrs. after a passage of 32 miles – one of our longest to
date.
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| The crew at work |
Parayia lies at the head of a 2 mile long inlet surrounded on three sides by fairly impressive hills. With few other yachts about we found plenty of space to tie up alongside the town’s quayside near the local fishing boats.
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| Local fishermen mend their nets |
The town itself was one of the quietest that we had been in. A lot
of the houses and apartments appear to be holiday homes or holiday lets, there
were a number of sea front bars, a bakers and a small supermarket, but only one
place offering an evening meal. Kathleen went
to explore the town while I erected the tent and sorted Tra Bhui out for
the evening.
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| Alongside in Panayia |
Having everything sorted out I had time to go snorkeling from Tra
Bhui before Kathleen returned, swimming a good way along the adjacent beach while
chasing numerous small brightly coloured fish.
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| "Chickens" |
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| Some local colour |
Our meal was surprisingly good. Rather than being given a menu we were
simply told what they had. Taking this as a sign that the food was being
prepared freshly we both opted for meatballs – yes they could have been frozen
but they were we were promised home made! The meatballs were excellent and our
host / chef decided that he should sit with us to tell us all about his life and
how he had not only sailed the seas as a yacht skipper but that he had catered
for the starts in Hollywood naming George Clooney and Madonna as some of his
previous employers. All of this we took with a pinch of salt as we should have
his assurance that we had moored alongside in a good spot, despite later being
told by another local that we should move Tra Bhui around the corner.
The accuracy of this latter advice proved itself at 03.00 hrs. the next morning when we had to walk Tra Bhui around the corner of the quay as a westerly wind was buffeting the town and Tra Bhui was taking the brunt of it as she was bounced against the quay wall.
Miles 32
Total Trip 243
Thursday 26th
May
With only 21 miles to go to reach Artemis we decided that we could
leave a bit later than normal and planned to walk up a nearby hill to the wind
turbines that overlooked the bay. My original plan to set out before 7.00 hrs.
and thus avoid the heat of the day fell flat as we both slept longer than
normal having been up during the night to move Tra Bhui. Leaving for a walk at
9.00 hrs.
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| The race to the top! |
I expressed my desire to depart at 12.00 hrs. giving us 2 hrs. or so
to have a good walk. Kathleen however had reaching the turbines in mind so
despite the blazing sunshine and mid day heat we walked around the bay and
climbed up the steep hillside for over an hour, passing on the way a fairly
large tortoise who obviously also wanted to see the view from the turbines.
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| Some beetles hard at work |
The view from the top was worth the effort and potential years that
it took of my lifespan, and more importantly Kathleen had had her daily exercise!
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| On top - the photographer had melted in the heat! |
The walk down hill was obviously easier than the walk up! On
reaching sea level again we stopped at the first beach front bar that we came
to for a large glass of fresh orange juice each and a large bottle of water to
share.
It was after 13.00 hrs. before we reached Tra Bhui where we decided
that there was time for lunch and a swim before we departed if we delayed our
departure until 14.00 hrs. Spotting that our host from the restaurant last
night was on his way to see us we decided that lunch would be nicer at anchor
off a nearby beach rather than alongside, especially if we were to be regaled
with more of his life story – he was actually a very nice guy, but just a bit
“in your face”.
 |
| Panayia |
When we left the quayside there was not a breath of wind but 10
minutes later just as we had dropped anchor there was nearly 30 knots of wind,
which again just shows how quickly condition scan change.
I went for a snorkel and used part of my time in the water to clean
off the brown crud that had attached itself to Tra Bhui in Achladi a few days
earlier. Kathleen decided that the wind made it too cold to swim – chicken! - so
she stayed on board.
 |
| Panavia to Artemis |
After my swim we ate a quick lunch before taking down the tent that
was still up from the night before. With everything stowed away we raised our
anchor and sailed out of Panayia under Genoa alone at 14.00hrs heading for
Artimis.
 |
| Looking west towards the far off mainland - Artemis is just out of sight - further south |
Our crossing to Artymis was very pleasant. The very strong winds
that we had experienced while eating lunch quickly dropped to become a 15 knot
northerly allowing us to raise the mainsail once we neared the mainland giving
us 9 miles under mainsail and genoa and 6 miles under genoa and genoa / engine,
before the wind dropped all together again forcing us to complete our passage
under motor.
Our destination was the Artemis Yacht Club where we had been invited
to spend the night by Athan a fellow Drascombe owner with whom I had made
contact via the Drascombe Forum. Unfortunately due to other commitments Athan
was unable to meet us that evening but had arranged for us to be met by the
Clubs Commodore Vassillis Dinas.
 |
| Approaching Artemis |
Vassillis and his fellow club members were great hosts making sure
we did not need water or anything else and handing us cans of ice cold beer
after we had made fast our lines. A great thanks to Vassillis and the other
members of the Club for making us so welcome and of course to Athan who
arranged things for us.
With Tra Bhui secured alongside the Club members left to go about
their evening’s business and Kathleen and I went to explore the town. A busy
coastal town Artimis is not really a tourist resort but more of a local service
centre. After exploring the main streets and some shady side streets we
eventually came across a beach and windsurfing club that was open for drinks
and food. Here we both enjoyed very good salads before heading back to the
yacht club.
 |
| Alongside in Artemis |
Reaching Artimis meant that we had managed the 125 miles we needed
to do in the six days since setting out from Scathes. Tomorrow Kathleen would
take a taxi to the airport and I would continue southwards.
Miles today 21
Total trip 264
Friday 27th May
The crew jumps ship!!!
Despite Kathleen’s initial thoughts that she would take a bus to the
airport I persuaded her that as we did not really know where the buses left
from or how long they took to reach Athens Airport she would be better spending
the 15 Euros on a taxi. So at 9.30 hrs. I said goodbye to my crew as she set
out on her three day journey to Scotland and back in order to attend her
Grandmother’s 100th Birthday Party.
 |
| The crew jumps ship |
With Kathleen safely away I set out to buy some more petrol, picking
up another two 5 litre cans on the way. With the extra cans we could carry a
further 25 litres of fuel in addition to the 12 litres in the main tank. 37
litres would be enough for somewhere between 130 and 160 miles depending on how
hard we motored and what the sea state was. Having an extra 10 litres on board
would give us more flexibility and a larger reserve when we tackled the remoter
coast of the Southern Peloponnese.
 |
| The Artemis Yacht Club launches their boats just as I was leaving |
By 10.00 hrs. I was back at the boat and ready to go, but as I had
arranged to meet Athan at the harbor sometime before 11.00 hrs. I sat in the
sun and read until 11.00 hrs. when having not heard from or seen Athan I said
my good byes to Vassillis and the other club members who were relaunching some
of their yachts nearby.
 |
| Artemis to Sounion |
In a very nice gesture Vassillis as Club Commodore presented me with
an Artimis Sailing Club pendant just before I left. When I get home this will
go up on our study wall as a reminder of our time in Artemis and of the
splendid hospitality shown to us by the members of the sailing club there.
I was disappointed not to meet up with Athan after all he had done
for us. If he is ever in Scotland we would be pleased to reciprocate his
hospitality.
From Artemis I motored south as there was no wind at all but it was
pleasant just pottering along watching the much more developed coast line pass
by. It was evident that we were now passing the outlying commuter towns related
to Athens as there were shoreline developments everywhere.
 |
| Approaching Cape Sounion |
With the weather over the next few days looking settled I decided
that rather than head into the Saronic Gulf – the main sea inlet which has Piraeus
(Athens’s Port) at it head, I would head straight across opting for the longer
crossing but reduced mileage as I turned westwards towards the Peloponnese.
There area number of large
marinas at the southern extent of the Attica coast, but they were not in the
least appealing to me so I opted to anchor
after rounding Cape Sounion
which 43 miles south of Athens forms the
southernmost tip of the Attica peninsula.
The anchorage that I chose was certainly spectacular, just below Poseidon’s
Temple where I arrived at 15.20 hrs.
 |
| Anchored below Poseidon's temple |
Dropping anchor is 20 feet of water I quickly changed into my swim
shorts and donning flippers, facemask and snorkel I spent a pleasant 30 minutes
snorkeling around the bay, checking the set of Tra Bhui’s anchor in the
process.
Refreshed and back on board I changed back into shorts and T shirt before taking the tender ashore and walking around the coast line to visit the temple itself.
The 8 Euro entry fee was well worth it as the temple although small
was well preserved and sat dramatically on the cliffs surrounding the headland.
 |
| The temple |
Cape Sounion is noted as the site of ruins of an ancient Greek
temple of Poseidon, the god of the sea in classical mythology. The remains are
perched on the headland, surrounded on three sides by the sea. The ruins bear
the deeply engraved name of English Romantic poet Lord Byron (1788–1823).
According to Greek Mythology, Cape Sounion is the spot where Aegeus,
king of Athens, leapt to his death off the cliff, thus giving his name to the
Aegean Sea.
The story goes that Aegeus, anxiously looking out from Sounion,
despaired when he saw a black sail on his son Theseus's ship, returning from
Crete. This led him to believe that his son had been killed in his contest with
the dreaded Minotaur, a monster that was half man and half bull.
 |
| The anchorage at Sounion as viewed from the temple |
The Minotaur was confined by its owner, King Minos of Crete, in a
specially designed labyrinth. Every year, according to the myth, the Athenians
were forced to send seven men and seven women to Minos as tribute. These youths
were placed in the labyrinth to be devoured by the Minotaur. Theseus had
volunteered to go with the third tribute and attempt to slay the beast. He had
agreed with his father that if he survived the contest, he would hoist a white
sail on his return. In fact, Theseus had successfully overcome and slain the
Minotaur, but tragically had simply forgotten about the white sail.
The original, Archaic-period temple of Poseidon on the site, which
was built of tufa, was probably destroyed in 480 BC by Persian troops during
Xerxes I's invasion of Greece. Although there is no direct evidence for
Sounion, Xerxes certainly had the temple of Athena, and everything else on the
Acropolis of Athens, razed as punishment for the Athenians' defiance. After
they defeated Xerxes in the naval Battle of Salamis, the Athenians placed an entire
captured enemy trireme (warship with three banks of oars) at Sounion as a
trophy dedicated to Poseidon.
The later temple at Sounion, whose columns I visited was probably built in ca. 440 BC.
This was during the ascendancy of the Athenian statesman Pericles, who also
rebuilt the Parthenon in Athens.
 |
| Part of the fortified wall that surrounded the temple |
In 413 BC, during the Peloponnesian War against the Spartans, the
Athenians fortified the site with a wall and towers to prevent it from falling
into Spartan hands. This would have threatened Athens' seaborne grain supply
route from Euboea. Athens' supply situation had become critical since the
city's land supply lines had been cut by the Spartan fortification of Dekeleia,
in north Attica. However, not long after, the Sounion fortress was seized from
the Athenians by a force of rebel slaves from the nearby silver mines of
Laurium.
The temple at Cape Sounion, Attica, therefore, was a venue where
mariners, and also entire cities or states, could propitiate Poseidon by making
animal sacrifice or leaving gifts.
 |
| Luckily for these guys animal sacrifices are no longer in fashion |
Byron's name is allegedly carved into temple of Poseidon and possibly dates
from his first visit to Greece, on his Grand Tour of Europe before he acquired his
fame. Byron spent several months in 1810–11 in Athens, including two documented
visits to Sounion. There is, however, no direct evidence that the inscription
was made by Byron himself. Byron mentions Sounion in his poem Isles of Greece:
Place me on Sunium's marbled steep,
Where nothing, save the waves and I,
May hear our mutual murmurs sweep..
Having filled my appetite for ancient Greek history, I returned to Tra Bui and forgoing the tent fell asleep under a magnificently clear sky.
Miles 23
Total Trip 287
Saturday 28th
May
 |
| Sounion to Ermioni |
With no tent to put away or breakfast to prepare I raised Tra Bhui’s
anchor at 07.30 hrs. to head directly westwards across the Saronic Gulf and up the
Gulf of Hydra to the small harbour at Ermioni.
 |
| One of the many boats that passed by while we sailed across the Saronic Gulf |
 |
| And another one - note the fantail of water behind it! |
With no wind forecast I was in for a long day’s motoring. To be
honest it was probably better to have no wind than have too much as the total
passage would be over 40 miles with the crossing of the Saronic Gulf accounting
for over 25 of them.
For most of the day I had nothing to look at apart from the slowly
disappearing Attic Coast and then the slowly appearing shape of the island of Idra,
which gradually emerged from the heat haze as the coastline around Soumion disappeared.
 |
| Ay Yeorios - uninhabited apart from a wind farm |
About half way across the gulf I passed the uninhabited island of Ay
Yeorios, which boasted an fine looking array of wind turbines. Other than that
apart from a few passing high speed ferries the occasional yacht and a Greek
Navy Gunboat which carried out some impressive live firing practice off my
starboard bow there was not a lot to see.
 |
| The island of Idra slips slowly by |
Just before arriving in Ermioni the wind picked up and the winless
flat calm became a lively and choppy sea buffeted by a 17-knot southerly wind.
With only a mile or so to go it was not worth considering putting any sails up.
 |
| Approaching Ermioni |
My arrival at the mouth of the harbour coincided with the arrival of
the Fast Cat 6 ferry which was making it’s way back to Athens from Spetses. Rather
than relying on the navigation rules set out in the Collision Regs I decided to
play safe and headed well inshore of the ferry’s route into port. Knowing that
the ferry would turn around quickly after it had disembarked and embarked passengers
I waited outside the harbour area before heading in to find a berth.
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| Fast Cat 6 on approach |
The harbour at Ermioni has a breakwater and two quays. One of the
quays and the breakwater are used mainly for fishing and local vessels leaving
the second quay predominantly for visiting yachts.
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| Outer quay - Tra Bhui surrounded by yachts - Sunday night |
 |
| Ermioni at sunset |
Miles 42
Total Trip 329
Sunday 29th
May
Today is a day or rest, a chance to get fuel, do my laundry
(Kathleen took hers home with her), restock the boat, go swimming and write
this blog update. The weather has been cloudy but very warm, and after 3 hrs.
spent in a bar drinking frappes I have managed to write about half of this
post. The rest has been written sitting in the sunshine on board Tra Bhui.
Miles today 0
Trip Total 264
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| To be continued!!!! |
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