We decided to spend a couple of days off the long sandy beach at Ormos Sikias (Sikias Bay), which is in the Singtikos Kolpos (Singtikos Gulf) the middle finger of the Khalkidhiki Peninsula.

The yellow star just below Sarti is Skias Bay

The beaches around the bay are composed of fine golden sand shaded by pine and poplar, the stuff tour operators’ dreams are made of. However most of the area has camp and caravan sites.

We like it. It can be a bit rolly depending on the wind direction and strength but all in all a lovely spot.

 

Mount Athos can be seen from almost everywhere, even Limnos where we have just come from over 60 miles away.

 

It’s a hard life but someones got to do it

Provisioning and getting water can pose a bit of an issue as it means lugging three 25L containers ashore in the dingy across to the camp site where there is a limited but adequate minimarket and the man lets us fill out jerry cans. As I said it’s a hard life, lol.

Next to the camp site there is a pizzeria. We were not really expecting anything grand but it was great. All the pizzas were made fresh, fantastic.

  

Ashore there are some buildings now abandoned that the girl in the pizzeria told us were originally stores for the wheat.

 

Presumably the “Mills “ for the wheat

    

Views of the bay with Camira in the distance at anchor

Bad parking or what?

We had been to Limnos many years ago on a Neilson RYA training holiday (they were great fun & great company) and had planned to revisit the main village of Mirina. However after we set off and transited the south end of Limnos the winds were favourable for an overnighter north all the way to Khersonissos. So that was the game plan – a 21 hour sail would get us there at dawn. It would be tiring on top of the previous two days but then we would be at our cruising area for the early part of the summer and could relax a wee bit.

  

Mount Athos at dusk before our overnight stint.

The holy moutain (Athos) is on the third finger and the whole peninsula is treated as a monastery. No females are allowed to set foot on it and no vessel containing females (including animals) may sail within a mile of the coast

We had left at 09:00 on the Wednesday and arrived in Ormos Sikias where we anchored off a long sandy beach, had  bacon sandwiches and sleep.

  

Dawn arrival

Lily had seemed far more at ease too – her 1st long passage & night sail

  

Monday morning required an early dive under the boat to clean the speed log impellor. That doe we set off for Sigri, still on Lesbos, heading along the south coast past the next big lagoon and Erresos, famous for womankind, courtesy of Sapho the Greek poetess whose leanings were of that inclination. It is a lovely resort we visited it by car last October I am sure it would be even lovelier in the summer but alas the wind direction would not facilitate an anchor stopover. Perhaps later in the season on our return?

It was a bit of a slog into the wind and swell, motor sailing a good part of the nine hours plus underway. We were rewarded with a lovely anchorage just South of Sigri. 46 miles under our belt that day, settled down for a swim, dinner & of course some wine!

 

Ormos Lafri  SW of Sigri, Lesbos

Tuesday was a planned longish one 50 odd miles north to the island of Limnos. At 08:00 it was calm and we feared another long motor sail, boo. However that was not to be the case and had the full rig up for most of the day with the engine being called for on entering Tarrant Cove, Ormos Moudhrou on the island of Limnos. Underway for ten and a half hours today.

      

On passage and arrival in Limnos

Well that’s the season finally underway. Yeeehah!

On 2^nd June we paid our dues and said good bye to our winter home. Our 1^st stop was Scala Loutra, Lesbos, just for a change, lol.

However the main reason was it’s only a couple of hours away and giving us a days opportunity to refit the “Lily Netting” in calm weather before our bigger passages northwards.

Last year the Meltemi (Prevailing NE / NW summer wind) arrived early so thoughts were it would be best to try and head the 200 miles NW towards the Khalkidhiki peninsula before it sets in permanently . Indeed the forecast was showing Northerlies in the near future.

Our route and planned passages are as shown roughly on the charts below,  and similarly the places we stopped are starred on the Google Map. (This is as a result of requests from our multitude of followers …. er well eh ….Fifi.

The plan was to sail NW to the next Island, Limnos and from there to the middle finger of the Khalkidhiki Peninsula. Roughly the black line from bottom right to top left ending at the red triangle.

Unfortunately dspite having the hull cleaned by a diver, the speed log was still fouled, so that would mean a dive under the boat  to clear before heading on. Hope the water has warmed up?

Lily was a wee bit stressed with the engine again but better moving about the boat. Feeling positive.