Tuesday 26th July 06:30
Up with the larks – well at least with George, Barbara, Fiona & Peter who were also heading off back south again to Sigri on Lesvos on route to their eventual winter base on Crete.
We were sailing back up north to Halkidiki where we had been a few years earlier. Our initial destination was Ormos Sikia, a large open bay near the bottom of the 2nd finger (waypoint #1).
The trip was just under 50 miles and the wind strength and direction was looking favourable for a large part of the way but we were expecting it to die about three quarters of the way across.
As it happens we managed to sail (& on one tack) for all but the last 3 hours of a 12 hour journey and about 40 minutes of that engine time was faffing about not being able to get our anchor to hold in Skala Sikia (too much weed) before eventually moving across to just off the beach in sand at the other side of the bay where we had anchored securely before.
Our final stopping place in Ormos Sikia
Skala Sikia in the distance across the bay where we couldn’t the anchor to hold
Mount Athos – the holy mountain at the foot of the 3rd finger
Sunset at anchor
This was the spot a few years back Lily came ashore in the dinghy and made a break for freedom into the campsite across from the beach – disaster only being averted by a rugby tackle and the carry out pizzas being covered in sand!, lol.
We ate on board this time. A nice guy from Bulgaria swam out to chat to us. Not all the way from Bulgaria you understand, just from the beach.
We stayed a further night and the following day a biggish swell had crept in and we were bouncing wildly – but Louise had a video call with a “pain management physiotherapist” (and she was a pain – a right one!) all part of the process for her to get her back problem seen to. She has to be willing to go through all the steps and this was one of them. We put an anchor rode on to steady the boat a wee bit into the waves.
The consultation finally finished about 11:00. Louise was sea sick and the swell was worse, also the engine temp gauge had been ominously climbing on the last few uses so the motor out of the bay now a lee shore with shoal reefs either side was interesting.
It was not a pleasant 3 hour trip around to Porto Koufo which was the opposite direction from our intended destination further to the north but that’s sailing.
Again we couldn’t get the anchor to hold at the northern end of the landlocked bay so we moved to the quieter and more scenic end at the south where the swimming would be better anyhow. There was only one other nice couple on an Austrian yacht for company.
You can get water at the root of the quay at the northern end in the village, so we usually combined dumping the rubbish, filling up our water jerry cans and provisioning at the minimarket with our dinner in the taverna. We have visited a couple so far but these are pictures of the Dolphin which has a landing platform for the dinghy.
Picture #1
You can see the distance we had to come in, that’s about half way in picture #1 There was no way we would have risked the old two stroke engine and Avon dinghy. The platform, new dinghy & motor have been a game changer.
