On Friday the 30th June we moved 24 miles to the last of the Sporades that we would visit. We are missing the national marine park’s smaller islands this time Peristeri, Kiri Panayia, Yioura, Skantzoura & Piperi and confining our visit to Alonisos the biggest island in the park.
In ancient times called Ilkos. This hilly wooded island relies on donkeys as much as cars as a means of transport. The old capital Alonisos on a hill in the south of the island was destroyed by a catastrophic earthquake in 1965 and the islanders moved to Patitiri & Votsi but have eventually returned and most of the houses on the hill have been restored.
The 1st night we anchored in Ormos Chrissi Mili a beautiful bay with an amazing blue oasis to swim in.
On route and Limonari cove on Skopolos for a quick look to decide if we wanted to stop there for that night – in the end we didn’t
Approaching Alonisos
look at that water
The next day we moved just under 4 miles to an equally lovely bay just around the corner from Stenni Vala. You can moor at Stenni Vala but we preferred to anchor to be able to swim and it also means we don’t have to worry about Lily wandering off and getting into scraps with the locals!
In the afternoon I walked over to Stenni Vala to have a look and that night we took the dinghy around to visit one of the Tavenas on the quayside. We met the Russian lady from Loutraki again. What a difference having a decent dinghy & outboard makes we should have replaced old faithful much earlier.
Our anchorage the 2nd night in the cove just south of Stenni Vala
A walk over in the afternoon decided me on the dinghy for the coming evening !
Kalo Orexi
Well that was the end of our visit to the Sporades and on Monday the 2nd July we were up early at 05:30 for the longish sail to Lemnos where we had a few days in old faithful Myrina before Diane headed back home.
Our route through the Sporades
Anchored in Myrina harbour at sunset having managed to sail a good bit of the passage at 6.0 knots
