Patmos and back to Samos

We left Leros on 12 August  for Patmos with a NW wind blowing at 30 kts, it was a motor job given the wind direction. Very uncomfortable with 1.5 m waves slowing us to about 3 kts sometimes. Spent two days in Ayios Yeoryios before setting off for Samos again.

Louise’s morning swim & excercise regime in Ay Yeoryios
As we left Ay Yeorios we were about to put one reef in the main until I saw a yacht further out practically on it’s side and another coming in with little more than a hanky out for sail.
We thought about going back but decided to put two reef in the main and a tiny bit of genoa out. We are so glad we did, it was very windy out there but what a sail we had, getting up to 7 kts even with reefed sails. At times we had waves breaking over us into the cockpit but it was a brilliant sail.
We went into Pythagorion bay which has great holding and normally fine. That’s till a twat arrives! We have seen a lot of things which are not good practice but this guy was unreal. We knew he was going to be a problem as he was trying to set his anchor. It took him about 4/5 attempts, not sure why as its a very good anchorage, but anyway he comes beside us. Lucky white heather! We indicated to him that he was a bit close but it didn’t  discourage him. Anyway, the wind changed and he was close but we decided to leave it. Next morning, he lets out more chain, I told him he would hit us  if the wind changed but he carried on regardless, to the poiint we had to fend him off with the boat hook. A few chioce words were exchanged but for the safety of Camira we moved. What a diddy!
 
Everyone in the bay was up watching him trying to anchor and then again when he let out more chain. Didn’t seem to bother him that people were laughing at him. A couple on a Belgian boat came over that night and asked us ashore fro a beer, I think they felt sorry for us that we had to move.
From here we went to Posidonia, we only did a fly by here before so it was nice to stay for a few days. We had a nice wee spot and had been there about three days by the weekend.
  
Posidonia before the weekend

The weekend is when all the Turkish pop over for a couple of days. Chaos descends! They come in with their fenders out, drop their anchor anywhere and generally create havoc. Once again we had to move as we had one guy already pretty close to us when another two boats came in and shared the one anchor, that was till they got the wash off the coastguard boat passing out in the Strait. I asked them if they were staying the night, which they were, so I just said it’s very friendly but a bit too close for comfort and moved on further out and reset the anchor

Weekend parking, lol
 
Ashore
We met a guy Daniel, from Switzerland in the taverna one night. We had been admiring his boat, an  Amel Santorini, the day before.  He invited us over for coffee the next morning to have a look, it was beautiful. I couldn’t believe it was twenty five years old. First time I’ve been on a boat and had my coffee served with china cups and saucers, sugar bowl and lovely coffee pot. Very nice indeed.
We left Posidonia and did a wee reccy of the bays further on, then went back into Klima bay. Had dinner ashore in the taverna, fantastic linguini marinara recommended by Nicolas.

 
We returned to Pythagorion harbour where we met up with Nicolas who was dropping off his latest guests Ann and Paul.
Diamontes, the harbour master asked us out for Shouma, a drink not unlike Raki. He is quite a character,  Gordon thinks he is like Ernest Hemmingway and it turns out he was a Greek Orthodox priest in the past. Next morning he appears at the boat with a litre of Shouma as a present for Gordon, who he has now named Baby because when he passes in the morning, Gordon is always in bed, sleeping like a baby.

Diamontes
 
Pythagorion castle & town
The local priest is trying to raise funds for the church so they were having a “do” in the carpark at the end of the ferry pier, as you do. Nicolas, Gordon and I headed along, bought some souvlaki, cheese pies, although we are yet to find the cheese and some wine which we enjoyed sitting on the wall while watching the locals dancing to the live music. We finished off the nighwith a cocktail in the rooftop bar Beyond.

Today, Nicolas left for Klima bay for a few days and Gordon has hired a scooter and set off round the island again. I’m taking the chance of updating this which hasn’t been done for quite a while.
It’s now 16.30 and I’m off to the bay for a nice swim.