Friday 17^th May.

Now heading around to Paroika Bay, Paros. It’s all of just over 10 miles so we towed the dinghy behind us for the short trip. We don’t do that a lot. I must be getting lazy! The entrance to the bay boasts some ferocious rocks and a number of shipwrecks have happened here in the past with a lot of lives lost on one particular ferry disaster.

Our Navman equipment is giving up the ghost bit by bit. I had installed the whole suite of instruments shortly after buying the boat, comprising chart plotter, VHF radio, depth, wind & speed instruments and the proprietary Navbus which allowed all the readouts to be shown on the chart plotter. Now we are reduced to the chart-plotter, speed & depth on the Navman front.

Further, on the way around to Paroika the Navman depth instrument also headed for Davy Jone’s locker. We had replaced the Navman wind with a Clipper one previously. Clipper is a basic but adequate UK brand. Being my usual OCD self I wanted at least some conformity and so was lucky to source a Greek supplier of the Clipper instrument I wanted. He arranged to send the replacement by ferry to Paros.

So looks like we will be here until it arrives and I swap the old one out.

Its not a bad place to be stuck. Its very chic and again plenty of pics the last time so only a few this time around.

…..and Louise managed to find an acceptable hairdressers.

Turned out to be a week exactly to have completed the installation & be ready to leave.

This is where we would split from Nicolas who was heading back northwards to Siros to pick up his “GM” holidaymakers.

Leaving Paroika bay

The infamous rocks easily visible , today !

Thursday 9^th May sees Syeni & Camira heading back to Siros for the onward passage to Paros a few days later whenever the fancy takes us. A bit overcast today , motor sailing with the full main, I gambled rounding the North of Kithnos instead of the South which was a mistake and it became a bit of a motor slog for us , much to the amusement of the French contingent who DID go South.

Tuesday 14^th May. After more visits into Ermopoulis, Siros and local explorative walks ashore at Fikkiada we set off South 28 nm to Naousa on Paros . From the log I see we were underway for 6 ours arriving at 14:00 in the afternoon with an hour and a half of engine so a reasonable amount of sailing today.

Passage Siros to Paros

Anchorage at Plastira Bay a few rocks and shoals to watch for

We had been to Naousa before but further north in the big bay way too far out of town! This time on the recommendation of Nicolas we were anchored in Ormos Plastira just SW of Naousa Town .There are a couple of tavernas and bars ashore and a ferry or bus into  town. Very peaceful except for the peacocks!.

Still a bit overcast but it’s to clear up later.

Nicolas on Syeni behind us

Naoussa town in the distance

A couple of days here saw us taking the ferry into Naousa proper for a day out.

Think I’ll maybe start up a ferry business it wasn’t cheap but still a fun way to arrive.

The ferry arriving to pick us up

Note the ever-present rubbish bag being taken ashore

Awaiting our return trip

I’ve purposefully not included a lot more scenic shots from the town as we have loads in a previous blog but just enough to flavour the taste buds again! It is a lovely place, and we really like the anchorage though not sure how good it would be in a major northerly.

Yet another cracking sail today under way just over 6 hours and only 40 minutes on the engine. A consistent 18 to 20 kts which meant that the forecast 0.6 m waves were more like 1.0 m .

Ormos Fikhiada is a beautiful isthmus on Kithnos and you can anchor either side depending on wind direction. There is also a protected area just east off the beach that we have used in the past. This year though the three of us are in the south bay (right hand side below)

I have a beautiful dawn video of the three boats in the anchorage but it has been vastly surpassed by the “Spielberg” production from Danny using his drone for flyby shots and beautifully edited. Yet again I can only show stills from the visit.

Sunset from the south

While here both Nicolas, myself & Danny took turns wearing his diving hose apparatus and cleaning his hull. He had recently got it copper coated in Samos but isn’t happy about the performance. The water was still cold but between us we managed to complete the whole underwater section in an afternoon.

This was where the plan was for us to split. Danny & Stella off to Kea on route to Athens to meet some friends before returning their normal summer sailing in Turkey. Nicolas and ourselves were heading south to Paros via a return stop in Siros. Thereafter he would returning to Siros to pick up GM people who were coming for a week or so’s paid holiday on his boat, and we would continue south.

Well, it’s probably been coming for a while ……………………….

Everyone has been considering their respective naval navels, LOL. We are all of the opinion that we have been lucky to have seen the best of Greece what with massive rental catamarans now regularly taking up all the space and the busyness and heat of July & August we are all thinking it’s coming to the end. Nicolas in particular has just about made up his mind this is his last season and will put Syeni up for sale. He is wistfully visiting his favourite haunts in preparation and getting me to take pictures of him with Syeni in the background.

Anyway it’s not over yet ! & its nice to be spending these days in good company that we will look back on and cherish.

Danny is the only man I know that can eat ice cream at any time of the day, this is before we got the morning bus into Ermopouli, the main city & capital of Siros for some shopping, sightseeing & lunch.

Ermopouli

Easter eggs painted red for easter for you to smash together

Lunch in Ermopouli to finish off.

…………..  followed a few days later by Easter Lunch in Posidhonio. ………

I have no recollection what the faces are for in the 2nd picture , lol

Well what a cracking day’s sail today !

Again a sharp 07:00 departure into a brisk 18 knots, interspersed with bigger gusts. Both the main and Genoa sails had 2 reefs . Today’s distance was about the same, if a little less than yesterday’s, but taking an hour & a half less with our log frequently hitting 6 knots. There was a further bit of excitement and great opportunities for pictures as Nicolas on Syeni, who had left after us, began to catch up and overtake us.

Its not often you get some good action shots of your boat performing well. Its just unfortunate that our version of WordPress does not support video as we have a cracking clip of Camira making way nicely. Just have to make do with the stills. The engine was only used for 15 minutes in the morning and a little more on arrival at Finikas bay, Posidhinio, Siros

Syeni passing us & Nicolas getting some pics

Camira sailing well balanced and quicker than it looks in the still pics

After the partly cloudy passage the day before we awoke to a beautiful sunny day and the 1^st swim of the season – still a bit on the cold side.

Then ashore to introduce Dany & Stella to Posidhonio and the inevitable aperitifs.

The cat was happy to have a lazy day bunting in the sun

We were all up for an early 07:00 start for the 36 mile across the mid Aegean to Mykonos . From the log I see it was 7.5 hours with 3 of them requiring engine assistance. We anchored in Ormos Kalafitas one of the big southerly bays that would no doubt be jumping later on in the summer, but I have to say, I wasn’t overly impressed by the shoreline. Nice enough, but after all the hype about Mykonos, nothing to write home about.

This year 3 friends were heading in the same direction as us across the Aegean.

Dany & Stella on Etioile Fillant and Nicolas on Syeni.

It looked like we could be in company along the way possibly as far as Kithnos .

The plan was for short one night stops at Ikaria & Mykonos then we would head on to Siros & a bit later Kithnos.

Danny had originally planned stopping at Nisos Renia which is beautiful & deserted but with some heavy weather coming in and our description of the anchorage & lack of facilities he decided to head on with us to Siros – which in hindsight was a good move.

Ikaria was a 1^st for us.

Normally we would pass to the south of its massive mountainous bulk without stopping to get some protection from the prevailing northerly winds when heading westwards. This time being early in the season and having southerly winds we sailed past the Fourni islands and then around to the north of Ikaria towards a bay at the NW. The 1^st sail of the season in SW 12 knots.

7 hours & 33 miles saw all three boats anchored in Armenistas bay. The last hour was a bit turbulent but the rest of the passage was good & it was calm in the anchorage.

Having passed Fourni & approaching NE Ikaria

Almost there

At anchor & a peaceful night stil too cold for a dip though !

As per our normal start options due to the unfortunate dog pack still at Samos Marina we either head to Posidonio at one end of Samos or Ormos Marina at the other end at Marathokampos.

This year it’s Ormos. It’s only 15 miles or so along to the west and from the log book I see it was a motor sail in relative calm.

It’s a nice wee place & the facilities & the staff are good. There are a few tavernas ashore but only the pizzeria is open at the moment for food. So no problem there folks !

Lily also gets to go ashore, which may be her last for some while so nice to break her back into the boat life gently after 6 months of freedom.

This year although I made a rod for my back.

By mistake I fed a wee stray with our “stray cat feed” left over from the winter and each night & morning she would totter along & “ask” for her breakfast and dinner. Lily sort of tolerated her so no major clashes.

Stephan the guy who runs the marina for Aris regularly organises a BBQ and invites all the crews along. For a small fee he arranges the food. As it was early in the season only 4 boat crew were at this early offering but very good it was as usual.

They ARE happier than they all look ! lol

A nice hassle free start to 2024-2025

As well as refitting the rigging, sails, bimini, summer spray hood, cushions, mattresses and the never ending paraphernalia that it’s hard to imagine a small 31 ft boat can hold, we had the house to contend with.

Now, Louise being Louise, likes to leave the house better than she finds it and this year into the bargain we had to cut at least the immediate  grass as Christos who is a bit unwell would not be around for his last minute tart up of the garden and general maintenance of the pool etc.

So we were quite busy each day but had time for a few final extracurricular activities as well.

Nicolas arrived back on the 29^th March and we usually arrange to have a BBQ but his & our timescales this year dictated it was not possible before he launched in Vathi & went to Ormos Marina.

We had the usual Tepai party whereby he would visit the house for dinner & I would complete his Greek boat tax application for him on line, and we found time to visit our “new” Greek taverna in Pythagorio for lunch.

As part of our boat clear out I had, not before time, replaced our lifejackets and Louise did a health & safety test of the old one by jumping in the pool. The video is great but we aren’t able post it on the blog.

It worked though even after all that time so the remaining one that was in better condition was donated to Nicolas who had none !

She also used the last of her spa days getting a pedicure.

Danni & Stella had invited us all to a Swiss Fondue afternoon on their boat in Samos Marina. It coincided with my birthday that I hoped I had managed to keep under the radar, but unfortunately not!

Fondue, birthday cake & my present – a new torch that fits perfectly

Finally, Mark & his friend Mike arrived 2 days before we left and we arranged to meet for some beers in Marcos both nights. They are only here for a quick fit out but hopefully we will meet up later in the season.

Think that’s about it so …….

End of blog 2023-2024

We had originally been scheduled to launch around the 9^th April, hence our placement on the hard standing in front of Grey Hippo who was scheduled for early May. However for whatever reason he changed his mind and wanted in earlier. That meant we would have to be moved to another spot prior to us launching.

I did try, and almost succeeded, in being ready for the same day Grey Hippo was going in but just couldn’t make it.

So for a couple of days we were moved just adjacent to the lifting bay to do the antifouling.

In the end we launched on the 18^th March, about 3 weeks earlier than planned.

The upsides were we could start loading the boat a bit more leisurely than usual.

Normally you are allowed 5 days free in the water after launching but because we had been forced into launching earlier this wasn’t enforced and even in the end the marina didn’t charge for 4 days extra out with our contract on the day we left the marina.