Woke early, to a dog barking! The Small Cyclades ferry was just pulling into Donoussa, he loaded up and was gone again in the blink of an eye, possibly to Amorgos. We had stowed our belongings and managed to untie by 09.00 hrs, with only 6 knots of wind, we won't be sailing quite yet! Over the next hour or so the escalating wind gently allowed us to unfurl our sleep sails, but not for long. Motor sailing most of this journey at least allowed for a reduction in the revs, saving fuel a little. Fortunately our little 29 hp Yanmar engine seems to aknowledge our need for saving money, about as much as we do, pity the wind hasn't cottoned on! The sea swell is persistent which when coming onto our bow, adds to the power required to push Kejstral through the waves, had it been coming onto our stern......It would have aided our journey. Passing the large Island of Naxos we begin to see more of those fast, jet ferries which tear through the water at an almighty 27 knots! They must consume so much fuel, yet must make enough profit from ticket sales to continue the service. Naxos is one of the backpacker Islands, 18-30 year olds taking time from studies to tour this beautiful section of Greece, they cause chaos, however, they clearly add to the tourist trade which as we all know is very valuable here. Passing this island, we begin to see the green foliage and bust bay of Naoussa, Paros. This harbour is large enough to accommodate quite a few boats, and lazy lines are dotted around everywhere. We realised that the only space left for us, had no lazy line. This meant dropping the anchor into a harbour filled with chain and ropes on the seabed, not a great idea. Knowing that the winds were expected to be high over the next day or so, we felt safer within a harbour rather than bobbing around in an open bay. So, drop the anchor we did. Reversed back onto the jetty and tied nicely secure. Having arrived at 4pm, we decided it surely must be beer o'clock, therefore, shoes on, and ashore we headed. What a really well presented town, clean, tidy and a little more commercial than our last few moorings. Geese waddled alongside our feet, while children scurried past with bikes and balls. The harbour is set out beautifully with bars and restaurants, each building beginning their seasonal restoration. New cushions and painted chairs, stand idly waiting for their position within these freshly cleaned and titivated eateries. Plant pots and tubs indicate each sectioned area, while coloured awnings and tableware depict where each restaurant starts and ends. Pretty linens are unpacked, with nautical themes and schemes highlighting their client and customer base. We find ourselves settling into lovely plump chairs, wedged between canvas cushions with navy stripes and anchor patterns. The beer is cold, however so are our fingers but that lovely refreshing taste signifies our new Island, it also seems to be the acknowledgement that sailors have completed their passage! Having enjoyed the afternoon relaxing in the sunshine which was gloriously warm, so much so that our thick jackets had been discarded as soon as we sat down. We ate lunch onboard Kejstral, before an evening stroll through this pretty town All of which comes to life at night, shops opening, people emerging from their homes and children playing everywhere. Easter holidays have just begun, so children are free to play until they are exhausted as clearly school is out of their minds for a week or two. Through this town we find the usual gift shops, a beautifully stocked bakery, fuel station and plenty of supermarkets, we use our afternoon to restock both Kejstral and ourselves with bacon and cheese pastries for tea. The harbour Kejstral is situated within is a rather deep bay facing north, however, the fleet of fishing vessels which moor in Naoussa are tucked away in a pretty little town quay slightly further around the bay. These small boats are painted beautifully in white with stripes of bright blue, red and yellow, the workmen diligently redecorate their pride and joy each year and manage to maintain the amazing paintwork, despite the hard work carried out onboard throughout the season. Bobbing around in the gentle swell within this small harbour, these vessels look fabulous against the pristine white church on the quay side, traditional fish restaurants and quaint little bars, encourage tourists into this lovely setting. We saunter through chequered tablecloths and yellow nets, lobster pots and dining tables, while the aroma of fabulously presented platefuls of yumminess are transported from stove to stomach. What an amazing atmosphere to end our first day in Paros. The warm orange glow of sunset, replaces the fiery sunshine which we embraced this afternoon. Even in the sunshine, this afternoon, the chilly air reminds us that April is still with us and that the evenings are best spent indoors.
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We set off from Levitha in good time, by 08.00 hrs, we had wind of 10-12 knots on the beam, perfect sailing conditions for three hours with wind onto our starboard side. Then of course the wind subsided, leaving us bobbing harshly on the 2 meter swell. 7 hours travelling, 5 tankers, and not one fish! No fishing boats to be seen either. One other yacht drifted by in the distance, her tightly wrapped sails indicating a windless passage for its crew. At 3pm we made our way into this very pretty Island. With its harbour on the south west edge, it gave reasonable protection from the wind, but a swell still managed to sneak it's way in. Kejstral was moored stern to, in 4 meters of water, with a nice sand/ mud seabed which ensured a good hold for our stay. The fishing harbour lies on one side of us with busy men attending to nets and ropes. Their worn hands work with endless reams of yellow woven string, meticulously examining each inch and every weight. Scraps of seaweed and driftwood are discarded while small crustaceans are tossed into the sea. These fishermen talk, almost without stopping for breath, I cannot imagine what discussions they can make last an entire afternoon. The ferry dock lay on our other side, as on each of these small Islands, supplies are transported from possibly the larger Island of Naxos, most mornings and evenings. A few locals chattered in a bar above this quay, white painted steps led towards their voices and laughter. We have lunch onboard then decide to explore our new land, flower beds line this pretty little harbour, bright pink and yellow petals surrounded by healthy green foliage. The road is little more than a dust track, but must carry vehicles regularly to and from this port. Cottage style houses sit untidily behind rather wobbly stone walls, their occupants happy to exchange a greeting as we wander past. As the long expanse of beach comes into view, the house styles change, holiday apartments creep into view from behind mature bushes and palm trees, big canopies of green fronds, flicker in the breeze creating stripey shadows on our pathway. White painted stonework with vivid blue shutters and doors, replace the worn unruly homely cottages and their tumbling stone garden walls. These colours reflect their countries flag, which adorns most of the government and community buildings, the colours make a truly beautiful combination which give Greece that holiday, summery feel. Grass replaces the dusty pathways and hosepipes spray a fine mist of nourishment to maintain the perfect garden around which various workmen can be seen, if not heard. Busily restoring and repairing this accommodation for the coming seasons guests. The aroma of flowers and fresh paint fills our nostrils until the salty air takes over, as these apartments are beautifully situated just beyond the beach. The air is still cool as we sink into soft sand, while skimming stones and watching the repetitive wave formations. Silky smooth sand reaches the waters edge where gentle bubbling waves lap over. Shiny pebbles loosely scattered across the sand, glisten in the bright sun, glinting as the water recedes once again. We gather pebbles and create our own artwork, an anchor design is our little contribution to this lovely peaceful village and beach. On our walk back towards the port, we are acknowledged by every cat and local, this friendly community openly show their appreciation for visitors, which is a great relief to us. There are occasions when we feel our arrival is almost an intrusion in the town, fortunately those experiences are few and far between. I suppose these small islands, rely on the holiday trade possibly more so than the larger Islands. The roads winds up towards the chattering people that we heard on our arrival. A small, but pretty well stocked shop stands above the harbour, inside, the dusty shelves are filled with old tins and contraptions, bottles and packets. The more regularly used items are fortunately, dust free and within date, which is always good to see. As well as being the local grocery, this store has also taken on the task of being the meeting place of this town. The elders have taken their position under a bamboo shaded balcony, blue wooden chairs hold their weary bodies, whiles their worn elbows rest on untreated wooden tables. Coffee cups emptied many hours before, sit abandoned alongside the island newspaper. The atmosphere is brilliant, laughter and gossip ( we can only assume) fills their afternoon, banter and teasing keep them coming back for more each day. They all smile and greet us as we sit on the edge of their gathering, trying not to intrude on their community spirit. We have a drink while imagining their discussion, one elderly man with wrinkled hands, tips out his purchase for all to see. Four window/ door hinges clatter onto the wooden surface, two looked to be brass the others chrome looking. We gather from their body language facial expressions and voices that this man's audience were deciding which hinge would be the most appropriate for the task. Clearly the discussion was for everyone's opinion, as that is how the afternoon passed for this village. What a fabulous spirited bunch and what an amazing sense of family and friendship these people express. We couldn't take our eyes from their crinkled smiles, cheeky banter and their signals and cues, we actually felt a part of their little community in the short time spent here. Our evening is complete with our meal cooked on board, then snuggled up below decks from the chilly breeze, despite a beautiful sunset....It is still only April! Breakfast washed up then the tasks of cleaning begin. Like any home, it accumulates dust and fluff on the inside, while the outside developed scuffs from fenders and marks from bird poo and wet ropes. As ever I tackle the inside, working from the bow forward cabin, backwards I damp dust sweep, polish and put away all of those bits that we forget to normally. I am amazed at the fingerprints found on walls and doors, gathered over only a few days, they occur from suncreams, moisturising creams and eating! I have also planned to hand wash the clothes used till now, this can use a huge amount of water, which we cannot afford to waste. Bedding is by far the hardest to wash, literally too large to even attempt, and as you know, it requires very hot water. For this reason at some point on our travels, we must locate a laundry service. I have brought four weeks worth of clean linen fortunately! Kevin has absorbed himself in cleaning the marks on deck, again we must limit our water usage, sea water can at least be used for scrubbing, fresh water to rinse. His next task will involve climbing into Zoe, having secured her to Kejstral, then slowly making his way around the hull, cleaning and polishing. Not an easy job, worse today with a cold harsh wind to irritate him. By 2 pm we are sparkling, well Kejstral is, we are hot sticky and tired. Siesta time, then off for a walk on this lovely little Island. Zoe carries us to the jetty, where we then takes path up towards a probably unused building. The gate is open but freshly painted, strange, as the building seems unoccupied and run down. The path within is slightly overgrown, with the amount of goat droppings filling this garden, we assume they have munched their way through most of the greenery! The stone building is really old, the once white paint has an orangy brown tinged weathered look. Each window is secured with shutters fitted for protection, the green paint colour reflects the colours of the Taverna building we visited last evening, this building must belong to the same family, yet apparently barely used. The entire garden which covers a few acres, is edged with a dry stone wall, topped with a very prickly layer of spikey branches, clearly in an attempt to keep animals or people out.....Oops! We leave and make our way back through the painted gate, snapping shut the bolt behind us. The only visible path is the stony route towards the taverna, we follow it through the bushes and hedges, clambering over rocks and bumping into goats and sheep. They soon let us know of our intrusion, bleating and calling loudly, no doubt warning each of their herd members. As we near the buildings, we begin to climb larger grey rocks in an attempt to see the stunning views from a higher piece of land. From the top the scene is amazing, on the west coastline we watch waves crashing ferocious against the untouched rocky shore, the dark angry sea sends walls of white water smashing over the rock face, hardly surprising these Islands shrink gradually over the many years of their existence. From the southern edge, the swell created by wind and current, rolls into the little bay where Kejstral floats, the sea is calmer and clearer here, less angry looking too. Up here we have a perfect view of the taverna and the family home, there are three outbuildings nearby and the whole area is surrounded by lush green fields. Goats, sheep and the family donkey coexist on this farmstead, chickens graze and cluck their way around a fenced coup, I wonder if the goats are a little too playful for them! We have spotted a sparrow hawk, gliding and skimming the Island, possibly one of the threats to these chattering poultry. A red tractor with the elder man of this household, splutters it's way through the lanes between each field. A plume of sandy dust following every turn he makes, occasionally he whistles and shouts out towards those mischievous goats, they get everywhere. The two younger men of the family seem to be engrossed in the repair of some piece of farm equipment, an occasional burst of smoky engine noise creates a buzz of excitement, before it coughs and splutters to an abrupt halt, in yet another cloud of grey overwhelming smoke. Up on this hill we manage to locate a signal for our phone, giving us the opportunity to not only let everyone know where we are, but to check on the coming days weather report. With tomorrow seeing sunshine and a diminishing wind, we will take this window of good weather to depart from Levitha and travel north westerly to the next Island, Donoussa.
Our trail back towards Kejstral was somewhat easier than the route up here, mainly due to the lack of goat participation! Once back on board the wind gradually reared its untimely head, this time of the evening can be beautiful to watch the setting sun and enjoy the last few hours of a day. At the moment, it appears to be the favourite time for the wind to escalate, bringing a cold uncomfortable feel to the evening. We head indoors for a few hours of reading and writing. By six we were awake and taking our first sips of tea, frazzled from the lack of sleep and irritable from the hassle of trying to problem solve in the windy dark night. We did however manage to pack up and untie from the troublesome buoy by 07.30. The passage today will cover around 23.9 n.m Fortunately we have some wind to drive us there. Once away from our pesky buoy, we take a westerly direction, and it is a straight run from there. The wind came onto our starboard beam, which was a perfect position, having unfurled the genoa we bring out the mainsail. A reef in both sails early in the journey, gives us lee way to open them fully if the wind maintains its current 12-14 knots, we are used to the wind suddenly gusting sharply when rounding these Islands. Our speed hits a maximum of 6.2 knots, sitting comfortably at 5 knots mainly, no additional adjustment required in the whole passage. Very few boats join us in the ocean today, two heavily laden tankers push their way through each swelling wave, they show no sign of discomfort as those huge white foaming splashes smash into their bow. No fishing boats to be seen, this is unusual as the sea is no worse than normal, however, it it Sunday, perhaps they have a rest day. The Island of Levitha is a stepping stone to many of these Islands. Patmos sits to our starboard side, Lipsi and Leros slightly behind us and Kalymnos, the Island we have departed from, lies directly behind us. On our port side sits Telendos and just ahead of that, we see the three peaks of Rhodes with Astipolea coming into view A tight archipelago of Dhodecanes Islands, all within reaching distance, and Levitha bridges the gap between these Islands and the next group, known as the Cyclides. We have visited Levitha previously and have absolutely loved the experience. When choosing Levitha last year, we saw this small almost crown shaped Island as a remote, barren anchorage on our chart, great for a sleepover, then onwards to our next stop. When we turned into the southern bay, we were shocked to see around 10 other yachts squeezed in this perfectly protected inlet. Anchor buoys are placed specifically for our safe anchorage, and each yacht was attached to their own little buoy. As we neared the jetty, a small motor boat came out to assist us with our buoy. To our amazement, the guy on his motor boat asked us if we would be attending the evening meal at the taverna, what taverna? All we could see was a rocky shrub filled landscape with a small concrete jetty! It was an evening to remember, amazing people, fabulous food and to top it all a brilliant atmosphere. This season, we learned that this Island may no longer be available for the sailing community, this would be a terrible blow as, it really is a stepping stone bridging the gap which minimises the distance for our journeys. From here, the closest Island is 35 n.m away, therefore missing this stop will entail a journey of around 70 n.m! The apparent reason for the change is the construction of a wind farm, massive wind turbines sitting on this very quaint little Island, not good. Of course, we had little choice on our route towards the Islands in our itinerary, and we thought it was the perfect opportunity to check out the developments. Levitha is opening in front of us, the bay we are going to is a little tricky to see until we are almost on top of its hidden entrance. The wind is escalating as we come round the shoreline, our sails are taken in and the engine is fired up. As we enter the bay, only two small fishing boats sit on anchor at the far east end. There are still a few anchor buoys, but not the quantity we had found before. Unsure whether we will be allowed to stay, we decide to just grab a buoy and sit tight until someone tells us otherwise. Kevin readied himself with the boat hook, I take the wheel. Steering us into the wind and bringing Kejstral around so that the buoy sits snuggly against our port side, Kevin managed to grab the buoy and tie us temporarily. A little more rope tying will be required later. The bay is quiet, no other yachts at this time, I keep forgetting that it's only April. We have lunch as it is now 13.30, and ever hungry Kevin is wilting! We hear an engine start up nearby and notice the guy on his motor boat is the taverna man from last year, he greets us like old friends and asks if we would like to come for dinner this evening! Our confusion must have been quite obvious, he explained that it would be no problem at all. Within a few moments we had grasped the Island story, apparently the Greek government had authorised the building of a wind farm, however, the army who clearly have a voice in the situation, have said no, due to the strategic location of this Island. So, the family, the only family here, will remain. Fabulous news, they will also be replacing the extra anchor buoys within the next week or so for us boatie visitors. We thank him and let him know that we will be attending dinner later that evening. We spend a few hours reading and writing, then shower in anticipation of the evening ahead. Zoe is prepared, her sparkling clean, refurbished engine is attached and we set off The jetty takes two minutes to motor to, once tied, we leave Zoe bobbing in the breezy swell as we make our way to the taverna. The route is along a path of stone and concrete which very quickly degenerates into a dirt track, ascending this hillside we turn to see the stunning views over the little bay. Goat bells can be heard all around this Island, they nimbly step over the rough terrain followed by their respective offspring, only the little kids bounce from rock to rock. Amazing creatures which we have seen on almost all the Islands so far, on one occasion there were a group of around ten goats literally clinging to a sheer rock face, which was directly above the sea! They scurry hurriedly from our oncoming steps, staring us out from afar, the kids are slightly more inquisitive and linger in our path, that is until mum urgently calls them to her. Our path is now taking us through shrubs and tall flowering weeds, rocks and goat poo, lining this rough path are rocks daubed with white paint. On our previous visit to this taverna, we hadn't realised just how unruly the walkway was going to be, we also hadn't thought of the return trip ....in darkness! Fortunately our friends had brought torches to guide us back. (we still managed to get lost) The night air is cold, the wind taking our breath away as we reach the highest part of this hillside. The white painted wall and green wooden slatted gate signify our destination, smells of cooking and happy voices greet us as we step inside. Within minutes the elder of the ladies scurries out to see us, "Kalispera", we return our good evening greeting. Busily she dashes for a chequered table cover and rounds up another family member to arrange the seating. We just begin to seat ourselves at this outdoor table when our taverna man calls us to come inside, it is much too cold. Rapidly gathering our now neatly placed tablecloth, the elder lady rushes to the door to open her home to us. We are guided into the family dining room, a dark wooden dresser stands proudly in a corner, in another, a long wooden sideboard adorned with the family photos. We are seated at a large wooden kitchen table which is now being hastily covered with the blue chequered cloth again. Soon we have met two middle aged ladies, two men presumably the husbands, and now two children appear with baskets of fresh crusty bread and cutlery. They are so determined to make our visit a memorable one, wine arrives deep red in colour, poured from a tin carafe. Our meal choice is fish, or perhaps fish! However the fish brought out is amazing, a silver almost Barracuda type, he did call it a spinera. They asked if we would like to join them in a Greek salad and perhaps try some fried cheese, sagonaki. Our fish would be barbequed and served with fried potatoes. Each of the family members comes for a chat, they explain in their amazing English, that they live permanently in this house, but that the children attend school on the Island of Patmos, nearly 40 n.m away. They stay in Patmos until the school holidays, then come back to Levitha and help in their farm. The family grow most of their food, any provisions they require come from Patmos, and are brought by the family boat. Solar energy provides electricity and hot water, we assume there is a well for their continuous water supply. Their lifestyle is fabulous, two elders, their two sons and their wives all manage this land, fishing on a Sunday and farming through the days. Our food is brought out and looks sumptuous, goats cheese on a bed of tomato, cucumber, peppers and onions, topped with a dash of olive oil. Crusty bread to soak up the sweet juice and oily mixture, perfect. Baked cheese we have never tasted, it looks like a chunky slice of fried bread, and tasted divine, again goats cheese fried in a batter of some kind, just not sure what. Our fish is sending a beautiful aroma to us from somewhere in the garden, I go in search for the barbecue. Behind a dry stone wall stands a metal cooker large enough to feed numerous people, smokey charcoal sends plumes of grey cloud, billowing into the now darkened sky. The chef explains that in the season he can feed 20 yachties from this barbecue, he takes great delight in telling me of his catch today, this fish was the biggest. We chat about this family and their life here, he seems so proud and fulfilled by this simple yet brilliant way of living. He says, "you ask what I do", well "I just live, it is my home and they (the family and animals) are my life" He carries our fish with pride, his chest puffed out at this huge offering for his first taverna guests this year. We are humbled by this family and their generosity, they seem so content yet they must work so hard to achieve this little perfect haven. We pay for our evening, which included the €7 for the buoy. A great evening for the total price of €50. We bid them all goodnight and leave their happy home. We are met by the cold harsh night air, the breeze encourages us to pull our thick jackets tightly around us. The wine enjoyed just a few minutes ago, now sends us faltering over the uneven stony ground. Our torch sends it's bright beam far ahead to illuminate the bushes and white painted stones, we manage to keep to this unlit path, with an occasional stumble and trip as we go. Soon our mast light can be seen in they bay below, aiding our direction once again. The track becomes solid concrete and we know the jetty is upon us, just need to locate the few steps down before we can step into a bobbing Zoe. Back on board we are still discussing this wonderful Island and it's lovely family, we find it hard to fathom how, we live such technical busy stressful lives when this lifestyle could be so rewarding, yet not many of us would actually choose it.
Sleep, much catch up from our previous few nights! Well sleep was certainly not on the menu last night, the wind whipped around our apparently protected little bay, sending us rocking and rolling noisily. This also meant that despite the great buoy and ropes, we heard creaking, groaning and rope rubbing, which meant Kevin the lightest sleeper in the world, spent all night redressing and retying. By morning we were exhausted, so much for a good anchorage! Bacon sandwiches will help, and they did, yummy scrummy salty bacon. Remember we spend a good part of the year in Turkey where bacon is not readily available, therefore, at the first chance of a descent supermarket, we bought our precious stock, together with corned beef, salt and vinegar crisps and of course feta cheese. We have our tasty treat, then following a quick tidy around. Zoe our tender is gently lowered into the water for her first trip of the season, that is, provided the engine fires up. Our little 2.5 hp, engine was accidentally submerged last summer, she was not happy. Of course neither were we! On the day of the incident, we had taken her ashore for an outing, she behaved impeccably. On returning to our boat, Zoe and her engine were left bobbing around attached to Kejstral, all quite a normal chain of events. Until suddenly the calm, still sea turned into a violent swirling whirlpool with a wind gust of 35 knots. Zoe was flipped superbly upside down to land back on the sea, this of course meant that our little Yamaha 2.5 hp engine was now upside down in the swirling sea! A mad dash rescue was carried out, Zoe reverted to her natural position and the engine, well .....Dripped, salty streams of watery ooze from each little orifice, she was sodden. Kevin opened the casing, washed out as much salt as was possible and allowed it to dry. It didn't work again for the rest of our journey. Once back on dry land the engine was oiled, flushed and recleaned until Kevin could properly take it to pieces. Eventually the expert mechanical service had it working and we had a functional little engine again It did require a full service from the Yamaha service team for this years workload as Kevin does not have every tool required for the more intricate parts, we haven't tried her properly since. Today having lifted the engine onto Zoe, with a slight cough, it sprung to life. We decided this year, that we must spend more time walking on these little Islands, we have no other means of transportation once on land, but have tended to hire scooters and catch an occasional bus. This year we plan to investigate more of these remote little villages, that is, of course until the weather warms to a point of exhaustion and perspiration overflow! Then we may use local bus services or go back to the scooter idea. The wind was still cool and our duck down jackets are perfect, light enough in weight yet snug and warm, especially during our sailing trips. We carry a flask and biscuits and set off across the bay to a concrete pontoon. Zoe is discarded at this point, and we set foot on this new Island, ok not entirely new... We came here two years ago in our little motor boat, it was fabulous. The height of the season, sun baking down on us, boats milling around in all of these beautiful coves and inlets, and the restaurants and bars were all open for business. We had a great few days here and even rented a bed and breakfast room for one night of comfort. Well, we had travelled for a full three weeks on a 6.6 meter motor boat, no proper showering facility, no charging power for equipment and very limited water storage. Today on our return, the village is very different, the once buzzing restaurant near the pontoon is closed until the season begins, there are no sunbeds lying awaiting their guests. The sea is empty of tourist vessels and only fishermen travel these cold waters. What a total transformation, yet it is still a beautiful place, the view from the shore is stunning. Goats roam freely over the hillsides, kids bouncing over the rocks and gorse, in search of their wandering parents. Chickens can be heard from everywhere, with turkeys chattering and the bleating goats, it feels such a natural and healthy lifestyle out here. We walk for a couple of hours and follow the road until it discintigrates into a track, it takes us around the coast north towards the tip of this Island. What spectacular views from this track high on the hillside, bays nestle between folds of rocky land, and the waves crash harshly over the black shiny stone. The sea colours are perfect, azure turquoise and a white bubbling splash, as the sea meets land. Goats scurry as we encroach on their space, stone ruins, abandoned many years previously, look out over this grassy hillside. Who would have built this simple home, why was it abandoned as the walls stand stubbornly in these windy conditions? Three yachts can be seen from this hill, all heading in differing directions, seemingly all have come from the Island of Leros just north of Kalymnos. As we sip our coffee we watch them drift by, each using just their foresails as the wind is blowing in a perfect direction for their journeys. Taking the track back down to where Zoe waits patiently, we watch one of these boats come around into 'our' bay. An older style yacht with a very busy, deck full of belongings, it heads towards one of these anchor buoys, their position is adjusted for this gusty winds and they manage to hook their prey beautifully. We take a seat on a stone doorstep, this house sits a mere 10 feet from the waters edge, it is closed up presumably, again for the winter season. The stone walls are amazingly thick, slate grey and a very attractive build. Each window is covered by bright blue shutters, tightly shut until the owner returns, the door in that same vivid blue looks a little weathered, I have no doubt it takes a battering each winter and probably has a fresh coat of paint each spring to cover the ageing and weather damage. In this sheltered doorway the midday sun is hot, warming our bodies beautifully, our coats are discarded as we soak up the heat. Only our hungry tummies tell us to head back for refreshments, we take Zoe back towards Kejstral for lunch and an afternoon nap, well, we do need to catch up! We watch our neighbours take shelter in the corner of this bay, clearly anticipating a rough night ahead. Now that we were secure, we did not fancy the prospect of moving Kejstral, or fiddling with ropes to maintain a squeak free sleep. As it was, we probably should have moved. The evening became very windy and the afternoon swell grew in vigour, comfort is what we would like when relaxing onboard, this was much too lively. Over the course of the next few hours, Kejstral swung back and forward, and not in a gentle motion, soon we realised that the mooring buoy we had latched onto, was becoming another huge issue. As the wind carried us in an appropriate direction, it consequently pushed us into the buoy, after all, it was rather large. This constant chafing and knocking caused Kevin to leap up almost every hour, in an attempt to stop any damage and minimise the noise. I therefore was awake too, grumpy is an understatement when I cannot sleep, this could lead to a stressful days sailing tomorrow! Pserimos to Kos again, then onwards to the beautiful bay of Emporious, Kalymnos....eventually!5/4/2017 Pretty quiet night's sleep, still rolling a little. Woke to the sound of fishing boats diesel engines chugging across the bay. Kevin on waking noticed that our solar was not charging the batteries as it normally does, by daylight, the batteries generally receive their first few sunrays from our panels. Today they are not, the energy is coming from the panels, it is just not being sent to the needy batteries. This indicates that the controller is not functioning correctly, or that the batteries are already full, which they are clearly not at 11.8 volts instead of 13.5v! This could be a huge issue as the next few planned anchorages are small remote Islands, with no chance of power or shops/ mechanics or other assistance. We have breakfast while deliberating our options, coming to a unanimous decision to head back to the larger Island of Kos. Feeling deflated at the prospect of going essentially backwards instead of forwards, we hauled up the anchor and set off. There was no wind, on this occasion we actually were happy as the batteries still required some charging therefore the engine needed to be started. The two hour journey although disappointing, was reassuring, knowing that at least we hadn't travelled too far before our issue came to light, it would have been a long trek back from our next planned stops! The journey was uneventful, managed to open our sails for a short period but mainly travelled on the engine. The controller miraculously switched on again a short distance into our passage, however, our decision to head back was a good one. Once back in Kos harbour, the controller stopped again and refused to come back to life regardless of our coaxing. When secure to the harbour wall, we walked into town collecting a gyros on the way. Our internet search found a solar shop somewhere on the Island, we thought we should check out an electrical shop first. None of the local shops dealt with solar, however we luckily met up with a couple in a yacht near us. They suggested a great little shop near the marina, just as well we like walking and were wearing descent shoes! Eventually we came to the shop opposite the marina. The owner knew exactly what we wanted, just didn't have one in stock, he did offer to order one from Athens......Which would be brilliant but will take time and lots of hanging around for us. On that note he told us to return after Siesta time, 6pm when he should have sorted something out. We left there feeling a little bit hopeful, to return a few hours later. Walked back into town had a beer, worried about the hundreds of euros that our purchase could cost. At 18.00hrs we strolled trying to look confident into this packed electricians haven. The helpful man would be back in a few minutes, "could we wait please", as if we had anything else to do. Minutes later this controller arrived wrapped in plastic, looking a bit expensive but all the same, our excitement grew. He explained that his friend had this new one which had a little sun damage to the outer cover, and it looked very unused, €100, we snapped his offer from his hands, it may turn out to be a cheap make/ model, but if it works...... Having handed over our precious pennies, we raced out back towards Kejstral, the sun was slowly dropping therefore we would need to rush. We wouldn't know whether it works unless the sun was detected by the meter. Racing back past leisurely walkers and cyclists avoiding the ambling walkers and children on their tricycles, we hurried to catch those last diminishing rays. With seconds to spare, Kevin managed to unscrew the cabling and attach the controller temporarily and yes lights appeared, where they had been missing only moments before. Success, and a very speedy one, we had had visions of staying in Kos for a few nights waiting for a shiny new package, but the electrical shop helped us enormously, an added bonus was, when we looked up the make and model, it was a recent make, costing $300 ! Very happy. This called for tea on board then a celebratory beer in town. Chilly breeze replaced the warm April sun, coats wrapped around us as we walked briskly to the bar which served us well on a previous visit. What a day, but a successful one too. To bed in the hope of waking to a working solar system. Tomorrow onwards, only this time we should not return to Kos. Well our solar is working, so far! Therefore, a quick breakfast, wash up and get going. By 09.00 we were heading out of the harbour to that big open sea. With yet again very little sign of wind, our motor was carrying us onwards. A few ferries to play dodgems with, trying to guess which direction they are heading is always tricky. From a distance we can judge whether there will be an issue, if we think we are heading towards one another, there is usually a standoff until one of us makes that decision to alter course. One this occasion the ferry heading straight for us, had limited movement due to the sea depth, we took a different heading, he also was carrying gas, a very good reason for avoiding him! Few other boats graced us with their presence, unless of course you count the numerous fishing vessels on the horizon or tucked into tiny coves. The wind gradually moved from our now onto our port side but with only 8 knots of breeze, we couldn't quite turn off the engine. We headed west past Pserimos then took a bearing north as we rounded the southern edge of Kalymnos. A cool breeze kept us wrapped in our jumpers, when in a sheltered spot, the sun hit us fiercely, seeing us strip from our layers of protection and warmth. A rolling swell tipped us from side to side with a swaying motion lulling us into a sleepy state. The Island of Kalymnos is quite large in comparison to Pserimos, yet smaller than Kos. Goats perch high on the steepest ledges and most vulnerable rocks. They also graze from the foliage around the church yards, ambling past those pretty white stone buildings with blue painted roofs. As we steer past cliff faces, great caves have been worn into the massive solid walls like huge holes in cheese produced by the bubbles. A swell has developed from the west pushing us back, yet the light wind has improved to around 10-14 knots. We finally managed to maintain enough wind for our lazy sails to unwrap and embrace the force of nature. It was however, short lived, at least for our genoa. With the gusts now coming from our stern, we could open the main fully to drive us forward, this leaves the genoa redundant as the wind is stolen by the main, preventing our forward sail from experiencing even a puff! Taking a more northerly direction now, we curl around the west edge of Kalymnos through a channel with the Island of Telendos on our port side, Kalymnos on our starboard. It is a breathtaking scene, misty mountains reach high into the gathering plumes of cloud. Healthy bright green foliage covering the lower inhabited areas, show a stark contrast to the sandy towering cliff tops and crevices high above our heads. This area is used in the summer months for rock climbing, spotting these brightly dressed tiny bodies making their painstaking way towards the unseen peaks, now hidden by the low clouds is awesome. My feet prefer to be firmly placed on solid ground, or at least a deck way below those staggering heights. Emporious is a large well protected bay, set into a south facing curve in the landscape, with the prevailing northerly wind, it should give us a safe holding in the next day or so as the winds begin to strengthen and show gusts of 30 knots. (3 hours motor sailing) Ahead of us is a tiny unnamed Island, which in fact is the wind stopper for the bay we intend to anchor. Emporious is a very small village housing a few quaint restaurants and bars all of which do gorgeous meals at reasonable prices, they are situated in a very picturesque setting with those stunning mountains as an amazing backdrop. For the yachties there are around 15 good solid anchor buoys, giving that added security should the winds escalate and cause concern. We are aiming to catch hold of one, for the upcoming winds on our weather forecast look pretty gusty. I take the helm, turn us slowly into the oncoming wind which will act as a brake to slow us a little, but we should (should!) Just slip gently towards this huge orange obtsacle which Kevin has every intention of grappling with. He reaches out with the boathook and manages to grab hold of the ring at the upper end, he then pulls it towards him, allowing him to slip a sturdy rope through it ready to secure Kejstral for a perfect anchorage. With little difficulty, we both manage our tasks, me steering close enough, yet not ramming our intended target, and Kevin hooking the beast successfully. What a team! As we finish our task and ensure the ropes are secure, we hear an alarm sounding from the control panel below deck, assuming it will be the batteries, we inspect our equipment, only to find the panel displaying' high voltage' oh no, not again.... Memories of last year came flooding back rather abruptly. During our collection of Kejstral, we suffered a problem with the alternator, it was malfunctioning which led to an overcharging of the batteries, not a good issue. The outcome, a refurbished alternator having sat in a marina for two days while awaiting a mechanic, certainly not what we need now. Our thoughts are of needing to backtrack once again to Kos, which would be infuriating, common sense prevails, the new controller is regulating the power to our batteries, therefore, it must be the problem. Kevin searched for the assistance we required to indicate that the power will in fact elevate past the normal 14v, however as the power is distributed between the batteries, the charge will then cut out once the least charged battery, reaches its potential. For this procedure, the voltage may rise to perhaps 15v but this should be short lived, then the voltage will settle. Great, we have an answer, only problem is, Kejstrals own control panel does not tolerate this unusual behaviour, and we haven't worked out if there is a recalibration and alarm limitor. So each afternoon this will probably drive us mad until the sunrays disappear for the evening......Hmm not helpful. The swell still managed to creep into our secure mooring, meaning that we spent a lively night bobbing around and listening to the creaks and groans of our boat (at least the alarm had stopped!) We had tea onboard then settled to read/ write for the sunset. That breeze remained rather chilly, so by 20.00 hours we were snuggled below decks with our glass of wine, or two, till bedtime came up one us.
Woke to lovely Church bells what a sweet sound to hear in the morning, clearly something we don't have in Turkey. Dressed and breakfast early as we must go to meet the Port Police! We arrive at the office 09.00 am as instructed and meet the team, still dressed in their civilian clothing as they literally walked through the doors. The man is jovial friendly and very helpful, more importantly he stamped the paperwork...Yay! We are now to head back to the harbour masters office for our final stamp into Greece. We appear at 09.30, are met by two different faces from yesterday, just as friendly as the previous day's lady. As we have come from another country, we must pay €15 for the admin fee. Our old Greek transit log, or depka is valid until Sept this year, so don't need to pay for a new one yet. Yippee we are legally in Greece for €15. On some of the Islands the authorities have insisted that the newly published depka are exchanged for the old ones. At a cost of €50, we are not in a rush for that to happen, however, at some point on this journey we know it will happen! Back on board to collect cameras and walking shoes, we are ready to see Kos. First task is to locate the Cosmote Internet shop for a sim card for internet data whilst on the more remote Islands, for 2.2 GB we paid €15 which expires in a month. It is expensive but this company apparently provide the best coverage which will be brilliant. That is the one thing I struggled most with last year while away, being unable to contact family and friends. Now that we are in communication, we can relax. Our plan for the day was to either catch a bus or walk for a while, try and see more of this town, as it is such a good weather day, walk it is. We did walk a few miles trying to find the Cosmote shop, then of course we had to have coffee in the town square, therefore and an hour or so around town has been completed already. Lunch is a gyros from the local eatery, gorgeous filled with pork slices, chips and salad, this garlic sauce or tzasiki filled pitta is perfect €2.50 each!. We head out along the coast north, it has an amazing beach but most of the bars and hotels remain closed, it is only April! For a few hours we take in the scenery, it is quiet and the buildings are in need of some serious refurbishment and care before any tourists arrive. Closer to the town square and seafront work has already begun, the winter clear up has started to take shape. Leaves are swept, trees trimmed, chairs spread out and tables dusted off. Fresh paint smells begin to fill the air, while cushions and fresh new tablecloths are unwrapped for the season ahead. These Greek Islands had a poor tourist year in 2016 due partly to the refugee issues, fortunately the signs are a bit more uplifting for this coming year. At 3pm we are walked out, and in need of a rest, back on board we nap. Kevin tries fishing, within minutes he calls....Get me the ........By the time I work out the end of his sentence, his fish, the biggest one ever, got away, it was a huge bream. I guess I will be cooking again! We ate tea, not fish of course, then wandered out towards the town marina. People line the harbour, fishing rods in hand, women children and men, all striving for that family meal and prized trophy, let's hope they have more luck than us! The evenings are pretty cold, warm coats wrapped around each and every evening walker. The town sparkles with streetlights and illuminated shopfronts, people ooze from their homes into this lively evening. It seems that all townsfolk take to the seafront for their exercise and social life following their working day, it does have a lovely atmosphere. The ferry port becomes a hive of activity, lorries arrive one after another, cars form uniform lines in preparation for this huge ferry's arrival. In the dimming evening light we see a silhouette gradually grow in size, tiny lights begin to glimmer from this huge vessel as it slowly crawls closer on the sea. Soon the outline clearly demonstrates this massive ships size, we watch in awe as it blocks the horizon and fills our vision. Before long it has perfectly aligned itself with this quayside and ropes have been secured, seconds later it's enormous doors have opened like a gaping mouth. Cars stream out, lorries and trucks follow, headlights glare as they flash past our faces, it is hard to imagine this quantity of vehicles can fit into a ferry. Just as quickly, they awaiting vehicles, board this huge vessel, the speed of the changeover from outgoing and incoming is unbelievable. Minutes later this ship sounds three horns to indicate his intentions to reverse, then is gone, slipping into the night to wherever he came from, amazing. We make our way back to Kejstral for bed and a good sleep. We woke again to the church bells. Had breakfast and tidied around. I wanted to see the fortress and call into a market for a few yummy bits before we journey onwards. The island has a 14th century fortress at the entrance to the harbour this construction dating back to 1315 was built by the Knights of Hospilalier. The ruins of a substantial marketplace in the harbour area, was known to be one of the largest in ancient history, became a commercial trading ground for silks and wine due to its close proximity to Egypt. This fantastic structure was demolished during an earthquake many years later. The new municipal market construction built in 1934, stands proudly in the town square opposite a Turkish mosque. Turkish speaking residents continue to live in this now, very Greek town. Now that the fortress and ruins of Kos harbour had been investigated. It is time for us to leave this lovely town and sail the two hours across to Pserimos Island Having stowed our belongings and tidied we pulled up anchor ready to go, we motor past the ferry port out to the north coast of Kos, then west to our new anchorage. Pserimos Island is only 10 n.m away, we manage to put out our sails capturing some of that lovely breeze, until we round the headland. At this point the wind is coming onto our stern, in this direction, our genoa receives no wind at all as it is virtually shielded by our mainsail. Our genoa is pulled in, but the wind continues to cause problems, in dropping to only 4 knots, we might as well be stationery. Both sails now tightly wrapped again, we motor the rest of this journey. Pserimos is tiny, very quaint and not a lot to see, but it is lovely quiet and perfect for anchorage. We pull into the empty bay where the harbour wall sits snugly on our left and a jetty on our right. Two small fishing boats tied onto the harbour are having their daily clean, seaweed, bits of debris and an occasional starfish are tossed back into this little bay. Very few buildings look inhabited shutters tightly closed from their winter season, presumably most residents occupy this town from spring until autumn, then head to the larger Islands for the wet windy period. Supplies must be hard to replenish over winter therefore sustaining this town is pretty difficult when the ferries only restart in May. Our anchor is dropped in a small cove to the right, but the swell seemed to be coming directly towards us, we therefore bring Kejstral across towards the harbour for a more settled evening
The wind is a very slight 5-6 knots, but the swell keeps up its force until we settled into bed much later that evening. For the remainder of the day, we read, write, eat and relax, tomorrow we should do a little exploring before moving onwards. Now that we are ready to head off into that big sea once again, our bags are packed, provisions sought and ourselves mentally and physically prepared, we leave our local harbour in Akbuk Turkey. Our first stop keeps us within the local area and Didim is our destination. Having spent a couple of weeks repairing and replacing, especially engine parts, we needed to be happy that Kejstral would run smoothly whilst travelling relatively close to a port. In addition, we must have our dirty a water tank emptied. Turkey expect all boats have a blue card, this card is issued by the port authority and stamped on each emptying occasion, therefore, the coastguards are able to check whether you are dumping waste out at sea. The rules do state that at a certain distance from shore, tanks can safely be opened out into the sea. For this reason, we decided to have this procedure documented at the beginning of our travelling, ensuring that if stopped at anytime by anyone, we have proof of adhering to the rules. It is a relatively straightforward thing to do, it just takes time and of course a little money. We radio ahead as this is the normal procedure, clarifying that the quay is empty, before mooring against the fuel / pumping station. Our money is taken, whilst our tank is hoovered, with no mess and no smell..... Luckily! Now that we are clean and empty, and our engine sounds perfect, we travel south to Yalikavak, sailing half of the four hour journey. On a broad reach, we travelled happily at 5.5 knots. Yalikavak is one of our favourite locations, it is a busy town with a lovely atmosphere. A fantastic marina sits on its south banks, however, we chose to anchor in one of its three bays. Usually a good night of calm and quiet follows. Spent the evening on board relaxing as temperatures were good to chill in the cockpit. Made chilli, had free WiFi from xuma beach club then early to bed. Good sleep for first night onboard, no dogs just the usual Mosque alarm at 06.00 sunrise. Today our journey takes us south into the busy port of Bodrum, we leave early as the sea can be rather lively around a this south western tip of Turkey. At 06.45 in perfectly calm water we motor 2.5 hours on the engine bring us to Akyalar, where a huge shiny cruiser following us, it soon overtook us leaving his enormous lumpy wake behind! A further 1.5 hours to bring us into Bodrum, motoring the whole way, as the wind sat at a lazy 5 knots on our bow mostly, how annoying. We had to travel from Didim Marina, to Bodrum, as Didim do not have Customs officers or port police until May, the start of the holiday season, pretty inconvenient if you would like to leave in April, as unlike a car which will take us to Bodrum in around an hour, Kejstral is a boat, a floaty, go slow, which must travel around the outside edge of the land. The entrance to customs and the port police is easily identifiable, huge flags and guys in uniform milling around. We drop our anchor ready to moor stern to, there is no-one around at this moment to take our ropes. Always a bit tricky jumping onto shore from a moving boat, but we cope well bringing Kejstral to a gentle stop close to the jetty, stopping the anchor chain at an appropriate moment to ensure we stay just far enough away, before Kevin leaps across with one rope. I race to catch it as he tosses it back on board, having pulled it through the ring on shore. I then throw out our second stern line to be secured. Success, with no injuries and no stress, all skills we have become accustomed to, there are of course the occasions where the procedure goes totally wrong, high winds being one of those. We had planned to arrive in the harbour before 12 midday, hoping to catch the staff before lunch, but failed! As soon as Kejstral was secure we launched ourselves traight into customs office with our pile of papers. A young woman in uniform jobs worth greeted us with a particularly miserable face, she sent us to harbour masters office, we knew that is where we must begin the paperwork , we just couldn't get through the gate without her sullen authority. The harbour master, a perfectly nice guy, required our details to be entered into 'the system', he was not allowed to do it for us any longer as the regs had changed. This means that we need the assistance of an agent (money) we dutifully sought out a helpful guy who asked the same questions that we had actually answered on the document he was reading! Anyhow, all on 'the system' took him 3 minutes. How much ........Our grimacing faces anticipated the final balance of .....20tl =£4.80, oh ok. Run, before he changes his mind! Quickly back to harbour masters office, as he had mentioned earlier, be quick, it is almost lunchtime. He instantly stamped our papers and said, have a good trip. Wow that was less complicated than previously. Now to the Port Police, they are responsible for stamping our passports out of Turkey. As we reached the office, the security man said they are at lunch. They were in the cafe that we just ran past when we attended the harbour masters office on the first instance. We were informed that lunch ended at 1.30pm the were eating at 11.50am , I want that job! We sat behind the table full of Port Police in the local cafe, just to ensure that when they finally moved from their reclining positions, we wouldn't miss them. At 1.30pm they ambled towards their building on the harbour, overlooking the array of Gulets and yachts. As we approached the office we were told, 10 minutes please, ok so lunch begins at around 11.50 and didn't actually end until 2pm......Nice. Eventually they dragged themselves back to a working state. The first Police woman scanned my handbag, nothing else. (My handbag is barely big enough to hold a full purse). She then asked us to attend customs. I asked, "no stamp for passport?" She replied, "no, customs first then stamp". Unusual but they are in charge, we squeeze through the Police gate to sullen customs officer. Immediately she asked for our papers then said, "where is your passport stamp?" She explained in her more than grumpy tone, "you need to go to Police". We said, "we know, but they sent us here". She then walked away, handed our papers to some random guy next to us without another word. He clearly was a yacht agent, one of the guys we should really employ, to complete these formalities on our behalf (at a very high cost) He explained that we require the Police stamp first. We agreed and said, "we know". So, back to Police woman..... Eventually we had a police stamp on our documents. Back to Mrs happy Customs, she finally decided that all was in order and gave us that final stamp. It is not that we mind the 2 hour wait for the correct procedures to be carried out, it is the lack of importance these professionals put on their very professional jobs that scares us. We scuttled through the steel doors as fast as our flip flops could carry us, kind of anticipating Mrs happy to come bounding out after us for some misdemeanour that we had performed. Quickly we readied our ropes and hurriedly pulled free the anchor, before scarpering to the safety of the water. They couldn't possibly come after us now, could they? (with their speed boat and massive engine!) Once out and free from the stress of the procedure, we began to relax and enjoy the journey. The Greek Island of Kos is two hours or 10 n.m away, barely a stone's throw. The wind was negligible for the initial hour, gradually building for our final hour enough to put out our sails in 15 knots of wind. The sails are out, enjoying this wonderful opportunity to flap wildly as the wind chops and changes direction according to the land mass. We watched a black silhouette develop from the horizon into an oddly shaped tanker, being towed by a robust tug. On closer inspection, it had another boat on top of the tanker too! Behind these two huge hulls stacked like bunk beds, was a second tug doing its best to assist. What engines do the have on tugs, which will allow them to tow and assist these great ships for quite some distance. It had travelled from our port side, possibly Rhodes and past Kos towards Kalymnos on our starboard side. The approach to Kos was breezy therefore calm enough to wind in our sails without too much problem, on some occasions the sails can be pretty tricky to bring in, especially when the wind takes hold. The aim is to turn the boat into the wind, therefore taking pressure off of the canvas, allowing for movement. But, as you can imagine, the wind then has its own agenda, occasionally grasping the opportunity to gust from a slightly different direction, just as you begin to winch the sail. At this point the sail will billow around like a hosepipe let loose! Today our challenge was straight forward, the sails wound away with ease. Kos harbour is a municipal or council run affair, we have no idea of the cost out of season, but know that in season people have paid €21 per night. Reversed, tied stern to, with no issues. Onto Greek soil and straight to the harbour masters office, almost the reverse of our Bodrum escapades (just without the lunch intermission) The harbour master was great really friendly lady who pointed us to the Port Police, well that is what we thought....Her directions were "down the road". So, we walked, down the road. Found the Customs office which was tightly locked. No port Police, we are not too shy to ask and ask we did, four perhaps five different shops. They all directed us to the harbour masters office from which we departed almost an hour ago! We even found the normal town Police Station, who directed us back to the same harbour masters office. Confused, yes we were. We went back to friendly lady, explained that we could not find a Port Police office. She came outside and pointed to the ferry port across the bay, therefore nowhere near "down the road" we apologise for being so dumb, while noticing that her uniform shirt clearly stated Port Police in lovely gold embroidery, What! We have since decided that the only person allowed to stamp out paperwork is the one person carrying the little plastic stamp device, today it was not this lady's turn evidently. The port police person we required, was at the ferry port meeting the arriving ferries. Ahh ok, now what, it is 5 pm hometime for these guys. She very kindly said "I will phone them for you to check whether they are still working" how very helpful. They appeared to have gone home, as there was no answer. Please return tomorrow morning at the ferry port at 09.00 hours. Other than that you can go and enjoy Kos. Great, done for the evening. We came back to Kejstral, had tea then came out for a walk. The temperature was a fabulous 20 degrees, slight breeze tickled our necks and bare arms as we sauntered to the castle and busy ferry port. Following a drink in the nearest bar, we settled for tea on board then an early night. |
Sailing Kejstral AdventuresRetired and following our dream of sailing around the world Archives
April 2019
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