Thursday 26th June
After so much variable weather it looked like, for a few days at least, which is about all you can realistically rely on, some settled winds from the NW direction were forecast.
Today’s plan was to head down to Pserimos, an island just north of Kos.
We normally head for a sandy bay at the east end with clear water and good holding. Its nearness to Kos means that during the day you have numerous little motorboats hired by visiting holidaymakers. Some of the seas around here can really fetch up. It can be quite a windy spot off Kos and although as I say its only about 8-10 miles to Kos town I wouldn’t fancy being in one of these wee things and trying to get back if the weather changed.
Like today !
We set off in a steady 10 knots around 10:00. I see from the logbook by 11:00 it was up to 15 knots. We were having a nicely balanced sail downwind & just before 13:00 it was a steady 20 knots gusting more. By the time we reached our planned anchorage it was over 25 knots. We had to gybe twice to to clear a couple of tankers before continuing into a very windy bay. It was a fast approach and needed some thought to get the sails down & pick a spot. There were a couple of boats in close in to capitalise on the shelter but we managed to find a reasonable spot too.
It was a great sail and in the just over 4 hours underway only 30 minutes on engine at the start & 15 at the end laying the anchor.
Unfortunately no pictures but if you imagine a brisk, blowy, dull Clyde day you won’t be too far wrong.
However I was. We had expected favourable winds to get us southwards but instead the next day we woke up to blue skies and no wind at all!
Friday 27th June.
50 miles to go to reach Panormitis, a landlocked bay on Symi.
We set off at 07:30 fingers crossed for some wind. It was not to be.
At 09:00 we were motor sailing abeam of Kos town approaching the marina. (Wpt 1). After rounding the SE of Kos at AK Fokas, (Wpt2) we headed for the end of the Datcha peninsula. (Wpt 3) Now strictly speaking we shouldn’t be doing this but we fancied a close look at the Turkish coast. At 12:00 we were almost in the little harbour around the corner at Devboynu point. (Wpt4)
Thankfully no approach from the Turkish Coastguard, if they had seen the Greek courtesy flag they might have come for a look.
Turkish waters
Still no wind and it was a further long hot 36 miles to Symi. The alternator is playing up. It’s not charging for some reason until I fiddle with the connections. It may be the extreme heat ? will need to investigate.
At 17:15 we finally reached Panormitis and dropped anchor. It had been a long hot day, time for a dip.
Panormitis is a lovely place but there’s not much ashore other than the monastery , a café, bakery and one taverna. It’s more or less owned by the monastery. During the day the ferry and trip boats come around from Symi town crammed full of visitors for the Monastery, which is well worth a visit. We have been in years past.
Ferry boat and a panoramic picture of the bay
There are small basic cell like rooms along the cloisters that we think you can rent for a retreat sort of thing.
Sleepy quiet place when the visitors have gone.
In the late in the afternoon during the siesta I sneak ashore to fill my jerry cans with water from behind the monastery from a very ornate tap. I’ll be going to the bad fire. That said I’m sure if I was caught by the head monk they would surely be be charitable no ? It’s in the teachings after all.
Isn’t it amazing that the light from the moon reaches all the way to reflect off the top of that boat’s mast eh? LOL
At night the lighting on the monastery is quite spectacular
