LEAVING FOURNOI TO MYKONOS
MONDAY, 7 JULY 2008
The weather forecast encourages us to leave Fournoi after breakfast before the winds increase. A large fishing boat comes in and it takes 6 men a long time to clean out and organize their nets.
Leaving Port Fournoi we head straight into 25kt winds and 2 metre waves. We travel along the northern side of Ikaria to avoid the fierce gusts you would experience coming down off the mountains to the south. This only adds 6 n.miles and, hopefully, we will get a good sail. And we do, sailing up to 8kts. in a north of west direction close into the coast, and watching the sun sparkle on the blue water.
I shouldn't have written this now - the wind has dropped out and we are motor-sailing to Evdilhos about half way along the northern coast, which looks precipitous. This village is a quiet fishing village with high mountains behind it and a large bluff to the seaward side.
Our first impressions are disappointing. There seems to be a great deal of heavy road works development happening, and the coast guard official appears to be very unwelcoming. The latter is because he is getting excited trying to make us understand a huge ferry is coming in to berth near where we are trying to anchor. We then try to tie up stern-to on a concrete jetty which has a large piece broken off it on the port side. With the strong swell here this is difficult, and there is a sense of unease amongst the team, especially when Ross asks Phil to jump from the dinghy at the stern of the yacht to the jetty. He manages a very impressive leap. We laugh about this later as we had a similar situation when Phil crewed with us circumnavigating Australia, and he justifiably went on strike. There is not much said, but a better option is not readily apparent.
Finally, the decision is made to anchor and use a flopper stopper on the port side. This piece of equipment is attached from the boom which hangs from the port side down several metres into the sea and acts to steady the boat. This is very successful and we are comfortably settled for the night. It is lovely to hear the cicadas chirping from the shore. The water here is idyllic for swimming - clear, turquoise and bracing.
We all go ashore to do a drawing before dinner. We try the local Retsina (wine flavoured with resin) and decide it's not for our palettes. Ross pays his respects to the coast guard, who is welcoming after all, and suggests two local places for dinner. We enjoy a candlelight dinner on the waterfront and watch as the night lights of the town come on and leave their reflection across the water. The town softens at night and is gradually growing on us. We end up having a really lovely time here.
THURSDAY, 8 JULY 2008After an early morning swim we leave to explore the island by car. Some of the interior of the island is very green with dry stone wall terracing, many oleanders, cacti of various types and Pencil Cyprus.
Karestos is a delightful small seaside town with a slate roofed church and without even a shop. Nobody appears to be up and about yet.
Driving through one of these mountain top villages a middle aged Greek woman waves us down outside her home. Sue asks for a lift to Therma, the seaside town known for its hot springs. This detour isn't very far and we all enjoy coming here.
Along the way we see many goat herds. They are able to survive in the most rugged countryside. From the n.east tip of the island there is a spectacular view back across the last few islands and their surrounding seas where we have just sailed by.
Argios Kirykos on the southern coast is the main port. It is large and is not protected from the prevailing winds as we are at Endhilos.
We up anchor at 11am to get underway before the wind comes up as forecast. We have a great sail of up to 8kts across the north coast listening to Beethoven's 9th symphony. Our destination is 50n.miles south west to Mykonos (about 7 hours). We are very fortunate it is a very calm evening and an excellent weather forecast so we can anchor off-shore a short dinghy ride to the old town. It is very unusual to be able to do this with the prevailing winds at this time of the year.
None of us have great expectations of Mykonos, especially after reading negative reports in some of the guide books. We all have a wonderful time here.
MORE GREEK ISLANDS
We're now alone,bound for Niseros
We moor at Mandraki port
There are motor bikes on the harbour front
We hire one for some sport.
The road winds up high to Nikea
The village seems barely alive
It has narrow lanes and colourful doors
Population: 35.
We relax on the cafe verandah
With the Icelanders we'd met before
Then the wind's in our face and the sun's in our eyes
And we're 19 years old once more.
We find Kos a bit disappointing
Like Rhodes but without the flair
We move on to Bodrum where Robbie and Phil
Have plenty of news to share.
We head out today towards Leros
Going Greek is the thing to do
But the wind comes up hard on the nose(again)
So we pull into Akyar Koyu.
Next day we drop anchor at Leros
At Pandeli,just off the beach
We eat with our feet in the pebbles tonight
These Greeks still have something to teach.
We set off again on the motor bikes
The castle's high up on the rock
The museum curator regales us with tales
(He has a plentiful stock).
We sail into Agathonisi(yippee!)
We must anchor in sixty feet
But it still offers six tavernas
And the view of the port's hard to beat.
Now it's Samos.We dock at Pythagorian
We're right in the centre of town
We've just tied up tight when Wendy and Phil
And their bags come sauntering down.
From Samos it's only a hypotenuse
To the ancient Ephesus site
There's a ferry to Kusadasi
The library's my favourite sight.
Now we're off on those powerful road bikes again
Exploring secluded towns
Psilli Ammos, Posidon and Kervelli Bay
With some swims and some rough ups and downs.
We sail west to Marathokambos
On Samos'south-western coast
We tie up beside a gulet here
We swim and have sketches to boast.
Fournoi,perhaps,is the pick of our spots
It's almost a never-ender
We sketch again, we walk to the church
We explore in the high speed tender.
The man who makes paint does very well here
Especially shades of blue
They paint the shutters and doors and sills
And the boats compete for it too.
Like the rest of the islands we've seen so far
They like Australians here
Nearly all claim Aussie relations
(Though the test of "relation's"unclear).
When Icarus flew a bit close to the sun
The wax melted out of his wings
He fell in the ocean just where we are now
Zeus said:"Just one of those things".
We anchor today at Evdhilos
On Icarus'northern shore
The swell settles down and the town comes alive
As we sit and sketch some more.
We leap up at dawn for the hill climb
Jack Brabham is at the wheel
Now we're sailing across to Mykonos
You would doubt that the blue is real.
We get here to find that the sea is so calm
We can anchor just off the town stage
We're not sure if anyone notices
We're not quite the average age.
July 2008
We moor at Mandraki port
There are motor bikes on the harbour front
We hire one for some sport.
The road winds up high to Nikea
The village seems barely alive
It has narrow lanes and colourful doors
Population: 35.
We relax on the cafe verandah
With the Icelanders we'd met before
Then the wind's in our face and the sun's in our eyes
And we're 19 years old once more.
We find Kos a bit disappointing
Like Rhodes but without the flair
We move on to Bodrum where Robbie and Phil
Have plenty of news to share.
We head out today towards Leros
Going Greek is the thing to do
But the wind comes up hard on the nose(again)
So we pull into Akyar Koyu.
Next day we drop anchor at Leros
At Pandeli,just off the beach
We eat with our feet in the pebbles tonight
These Greeks still have something to teach.
We set off again on the motor bikes
The castle's high up on the rock
The museum curator regales us with tales
(He has a plentiful stock).
We sail into Agathonisi(yippee!)
We must anchor in sixty feet
But it still offers six tavernas
And the view of the port's hard to beat.
Now it's Samos.We dock at Pythagorian
We're right in the centre of town
We've just tied up tight when Wendy and Phil
And their bags come sauntering down.
From Samos it's only a hypotenuse
To the ancient Ephesus site
There's a ferry to Kusadasi
The library's my favourite sight.
Now we're off on those powerful road bikes again
Exploring secluded towns
Psilli Ammos, Posidon and Kervelli Bay
With some swims and some rough ups and downs.
We sail west to Marathokambos
On Samos'south-western coast
We tie up beside a gulet here
We swim and have sketches to boast.
Fournoi,perhaps,is the pick of our spots
It's almost a never-ender
We sketch again, we walk to the church
We explore in the high speed tender.
The man who makes paint does very well here
Especially shades of blue
They paint the shutters and doors and sills
And the boats compete for it too.
Like the rest of the islands we've seen so far
They like Australians here
Nearly all claim Aussie relations
(Though the test of "relation's"unclear).
When Icarus flew a bit close to the sun
The wax melted out of his wings
He fell in the ocean just where we are now
Zeus said:"Just one of those things".
We anchor today at Evdhilos
On Icarus'northern shore
The swell settles down and the town comes alive
As we sit and sketch some more.
We leap up at dawn for the hill climb
Jack Brabham is at the wheel
Now we're sailing across to Mykonos
You would doubt that the blue is real.
We get here to find that the sea is so calm
We can anchor just off the town stage
We're not sure if anyone notices
We're not quite the average age.
July 2008
