The next day we headed back to Nisiros. We had got up at silly o clock 05:30 to let Diane see the dawn at sea but it was overcast ! Lucky white heather eh?

We arrived back and berthed next to Rob who we had met on our 1st visit a few days before.

 

Diane managed to attract Noel , a Belgian who took it upon himself to help in every boat that arrived . He either cycled round on his bike in his swimmers  or got his dinghy out . Rob reckoned he did it in  the hope of a bottle of wine etc as payment. It gave rise to a new saying  “Doing a Noel” He was well smitten by Miss Diane, and having figured out she was unattached, kept giving her the eye.

That night we booked a table at Ellenis restaurant in Palon. Noel wasn’t invited, lol.

    

Nisiros is famous for having a live volcano. It appeared in James Bond’s Moonraker.

“Tell M little Nelliie’s met with a warm resshepsion” said Sean.

We hired a car to see the volcano and tour the island, little did we now we were going to have a Bond adventure as well. We were the only ones at the crater early in the morning, In the last 3 pics you can just see Louise & Diane in the middle of the volcano.

        

We then went to Nikia a UNESCO heritage site for coffees and a view of the volcano we had been down into earlier.

    

The lunch stop was in Emborios having 1st visted a geothermal fissure in a cave which was like a natural sauna.

The taverna we ate in was one of the best mezes we have ever had and the view from the hill top village was magnificent down the valley to the volcano.

       

After lunch the adventure really took off . We hadn’t intended off roading but that’s what happened . We took a track which seemed to head down to the coast but it just kept getting smaller and steeper, whre Diane got out to clear the rocks and “ Throwing the discuss” .Eventually we were sliding down cinders and the car was up to its bonnet in them. We were stuck half way down a mountain track. We tried to reverse the car out, push the car out, but the wheels just kept spinning and burrowing deeper. Eventually we decided no option but to continue downwards! It was steeper and hairpin after hairpin on these slippery cinders. We managed some how to edge the car out and Louise ran ahead while I drove the car. I couldn’t even feather the brakes. After what seems like an eternity we hit a “better” road – if you imagine a really bad Forresrty Commission track you won’t be  to far wrong. By now the disk brakes where solid with cinders and the pads were whining like jet engines. It was a brand new car!!

 

Diane rock clearing and throwing the discuss.

We limped back into Palon turning heads all the way and explained we were having a bit of trouble with our brakes. The people were lovely told us not to worry it would be easily fixed. We all felt really bad.

Later that afternoon we drove the 4 Km to Mandraki the main town but it was spoiled a bit by our earlier adventure and the damage we had caused not to mention the embarrasment of driving  a squealing machine.

         

Giving up for the day we returned to Palon & gave the car back. Time for a beer.

We arrived in Kos Marina mid afternoon and Miss Diane was arriving later that night about 9:00 PM.

We were much impressed with her luggage as she was only allowed 6 kilos carry on allowance and no hold baggage. She managed 3 pairs of shoes in it as well ,lol.

We decided just to eat locally that night and head into Kos Town the next day

  

1st night taverna.

Breakfast on board and then a walk into Kos Town to explore. We visited  the old Hammam, Socrates Plane Tree, saw the damage caused by last year’s earth quake, the old town.

             

Lunch was a massive Gyros in the old town just off the harbour

  

And so to bed

We had booked Kos Marina for the 25th to meet Diane, but the marina is notoriously hard to get into as it is a charter base and very busy, especially at the weekend. So we headed from Nisos (Island) Tilos to Nisos Nisiros. A lot of “os’s” around the Aegean. It was only 18 miles but a very nice sail with full Main and Genoa , a rare occurrence.

We didn’t do much exploring as we thought we might come back this way once we picked Diane up.

So we spent a few days just chilling on the boat & at the nearby beach at Palon Harbour.

 

And on the Monday we headed over to Kos.

Well, it’s good to be on the move again, this time we’re going to the island of Tilos about 42 miles away, so an early start of 06.30. Tilos lies between Nisiros and Khalki and is kind of off the beaten track.

We anchored off in the north of the island in Ormos  Playiou, a quiet little place with not much going on.

   

So, next morning we decided to head round to Ormos Livadhi which is the main village and has a bit more going on. However, it was “full at the inn” when we got there the little harbour’s was full so we anchored out in the bay. We were not happy with the holding so we beetled back round to the bay we were in the night before.

Next morning we went ashore and as we thought, not much happening in this small village, a cafe bar and one taverna which was kind of on the end of the owners house. Anyway, we jumped on the bus which gave us a wee tour of the island and took us round to Livadhi. While buying some bread we met an English couple who were in the harbour and were leaving the next morning so we though we’d try our luck next day. Bingo! we got in, tucked in nicely at the far end. Just as well,we were badly needing water. So once filled up and plugged into the shore power we headed out for a nosey around.

         

Nice place, long pebble beach lined with small pensions, tavernas and quiet bars. We did notice there were a lot of Brits there which I thought strange as it is not a particularly large island and I wouldn’t have thought that well known. Anyway, it’s a lovely wee place and perfect for chilling for a few days. We found a nice restaurant, I think called Michalis’ and a couple of very good Giros Tavernas which kept us satiated while we were there.

       

The island has a lot of cats on it which reminded us of our wee Tiger in Kalamata. One in particular took to lying on the dock in front of our boat. Not sure if it was us it took a shine to or Gordons flip flops.

 

We’ve been liasing with Diane and we were hoping Harry and her would make it out for a visit.  We are close to Kos which has a marina and would be fine to lay up there for a week and have some time with them. Unfortunately, accommodation is limited for Harry so he’s staying at home and Diane is coming out for four or five days on 26 June. Next time Harry!      

We left Ios at dawn for Astipalaia which was about fifty-four miles.

   

We managed about four hours of good sailing, the wind was coming and going so had to motor sail the biggest chunk of the passage, hey-ho. Approaching Skala the wind got up round the cape and we had a bit of a race with another yacht, as it turned out he went into one of the bays just before Skala making the whole race a waste of time, but adding a bit of excitement.

Entering the harbour there was a fair wind blowing making the stern too mooring very difficult with the cross wind. Didn’t help that another yacht, which was lying across the bows of some boats at the other end of the harbour was screaming something at us as I was dropping the anchor leaving us wondering if there was some reason we shouldn’t be going in where we were. As it turns out, he was seemingly asking us if we had a long line to tow him off the other boats. Why wait till we had dropped the anchor?? Duh?? Anyway, we got in beside a nice French couple and were tucked up safely watching the antics of others mooring with the cross wind.

 

Skala is a lovely place, all wee sugar cube houses rising up the hillside to the Chora and the castle at the top. The architecture is very typical of the Cyclades albeit we have now left the Cyclades and are in the Dodecanese Islands. There is no charge for the harbour or the electricity but they charge ten Euros for the water which unfortunately was limited to one hundred and fifty litres per boat. They haven’t had rain for two years and the water is very scarce. Camira was looking decidedly grubby as this has been the case in a few places and she hasn’t been washed since Milos which was nearly a month ago.

        

While in Skala we hired a moped for a couple of days to see a bit of the island. It’s a volcanic island and very beige as I would say, no vegetation and to be honest not a particularly pretty island but it does have some beautiful bays for anchoring in. We more or less did the island on day one of the moped, getting to most places except Panormous which we followed the signs for on both days but just seemed to run out of road. I don’t think there is actually a place called Panormous or if there is, we certainly didn’t find it. The other place we almost got to was Vathi until the road ran out and turned to dirt track and was really hard going, so we passed and just took some pictures from a distance.

         

We stopped for lunch in Skinhouda, the bay immediately East of Maltezana and ended up in a fantastic tavern doing the usual Greek food but with just a bit of difference, attention to detail as they say. We decided there and then we would come and anchor in the bay and go for dinner one night. 

     

While we had the moped we went up to the Chora and visited the castle and had a meander around. Some quite dangerous drop offs.

               

Day two of the moped we just used it for a bit of shopping to stock up and for a trip to the beach which we don’t actually do very often.

Wherever we go, Camira is the smallest boat; however it has never been as obvious as it was while we were in Skala. After the French people left we moved into their spot which was next to a sixty foot yacht and gave us good cover from the prevailing winds and then a seventy-six foot Grand Banks motor boat came in at the other side of us. We looked like the tender to either one of them, so much so, a couple came round and asked us if we were not feeling just a bit overwhelmed. It was quite funny looking.

 

When a big boat comes in my inquisitiveness gets the better of me and I like to find out who the people are. I sat for about three hours one night waiting to see who was on the Grand Banks but they never came out. Probably knew there was some nosey bint on the wee boat next to them just dying to strike up a conversation. As it turns out, we did get talking to the “boy”, gosh he was only about twenty something, it was his family’s boat and he and his wife were out on it for four months, The boat is actually up for sale just now, a cool 2.6 million Euros. The guy, George, was really nice, we exchanged flags, we got an All Blacks flag, brand new and he got our old Saltire which was hanging in shreds but he was really chuffed with it. Unfortunately they were leaving that day but we have an invite on for a beer if we bump into each other again……What shall I wear???? 

  

We left Skala on 10 June and headed round to Ormos Skinhouda for four days and for dinner in the lovely tavern, which didn’t disappoint. It took us three goes at setting the anchor which is unusual for us, the Rocna has been a great anchor and usually sets first time. However, once in it set fine and we enjoyed our four days swimming, eating and relaxing. We enjoyed Astipalaia, as I said, not the prettiest island but we enjoyed it very much and Skala is a lovely place to visit.

            

Looks like the Meltemi is about to start blowing. This is a bit unusual at this time of year, it’s not really meant to start blowing so strong until July.  There were a few Islands in between where we left and Ios that we would have liked to visit, but with the wind about to start we were looking for a safe place to hold up.

Ios is claimed to be the burial place of Homer, on a voyage from Samos to Athens the old blind bard died and his body was thrown overboard and washed up on Ios where the sea buried him on the beach. His body is now meant to be  buried on the slopes of Mt Pirgos in the middle of the island.  This is not Ios only notable thing. It is a very popular island with young people and backpacker hippy types…….who like to sunbath nude, so much so that there is a sign painted on a cliff saying “clothes  are prohibited” Just our sort of place, Ha ha ha  ha!

A bit Monty Python eh?

Actually, Port Ios and the Chora were very nice, and out of season it was very quiet. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the port quay, it was horrendous! The wash from the ferries was positively dangerous and you had to be pulled so far off the quay it mad it difficult getting on and off the boat. However, we had one night in here to stock up on water, food and the essentials of life. Thank goodness we did!

We made our way to Manganari Bay on the south of Ios to take shelter from the Meltemi for what we thought was going to be four or five days…….twelve! A lovely bay with great holding on a clear sandy bottom. Thank goodness, we had general winds of about 20-30 knots with gusts from between 35- 47 knots, being one of the highest we managed to record, but in actual fact, think some were higher.

  

Anyway, we managed to get ashore a few times to the two tavernas.

We even thought at one point there was a shop somewhere in the small village there. However, that turned out to be a mis translation between Greek and English, I think the lady thought we were asking where the taverna was. Here was me, armed with my shopping list and two rucksacs, what a disappointment! But the Cafe Fredo was good.

       

By day eight the supplies were running very low, in fact we were at the end of our wine, except for the wee sneaky bottle I had forgotten about (Editor’s Note: “ Forgotten”  – My Arse) and we also managed to buy a litre at the taverna. We only did this once as they were charging 9 euros for what you can buy in the supermarket for 3 euros. Our water tank only takes 120 litres so we have plastic containers that we had filled as well giving us another 75 litres, but for twelve days thats not a huge amount, but we did manage. Food was another thing. I normally stock up for three or four days re fresh foods like  meat  and veg etc. again because we only have a small fridge. Can I say, if we don’t see pasta again for a while it will be too soon. But it does go to show you what you can stretch basic store cupboard things to, although I wouldn’t like to have to do it too often.(Editor’s Note: Mama Mia me neither!) 

We did have a brief interlude of hope – a large charter yacht arrived and I sent a tongue in cheek message to their agent on line ( charter prices start at £120,000 minimum per week!) requesting supplies if their chef could see his way to sending over a red cross parcel, unfortunately it seemed to fall on deaf ears. No Krystal or Caviar this time.

On our last night in the Bay, we decided to go to one of the tavernas for dinner. We used to take the dinghy to the nearest cove and walk along to the taverna. On our return the wind had whipped up and let me just say, there was no paddeling necessary, we careered back to the boat using the oars for steerage only. Not one of our better plans but we mad it safely back anyway.  

    

We are going a different route to Nicolas, he’s heading round the same way we did last year but we’ve decided to have a look at some of the Southern Cyclades so our first stop is the island of Milos.

Arriving Milos

We had an early start of 0600 as its about 60 miles to Milos. Unfortunately, we only got sailing for about two hours as there wasn’t much wind. We arrived at the marina (pontoon) in Adhamas where we moored up on the inside . It was a long day, so had a quiet, early night before exploring.

 

Next morning we were visited by Renate & Wolfgang from Kalamata. They had been over anchoring in a bay when they were approached by the coastguard in the middle of the night.  Somehow, they had some SOS light going and didn’t know, so the coastguard had been alerted to this and paid them a visit to see what was wrong. They were asked to follow them into harbour and go to the office in the morning with all their papers etc. Good that the SOS light was acted upon but not so good for Renate and Wolfgang having to follow them into harbour in their pyjamas in the middle of the night with a big spotlight on them to guide them in.

Dr Wolfie & Renate

We met an English couple here who were out on a trial sail on an Oyster 57 for a week to see if the were going to buy it. They did and are now the proud owners of Ultima. Jon and Angie, the new owners, have only started sailing and just done their Comp Crew and Day Skipper…..wow, a big boat for two newbies. They seem like a nice couple and we’ve exchanged details to find out how they get on. They’ve sold up everything at home to do this, I hope it works out for them.

Adhamas is a nice place, it has a wee buzz about it, plenty cafes, nice bars and restaurants along the waterfront and when we were there, not too busy. The bay Adhamas is a volcanic crater glad it didn’t erupt when we where there.

We met a French lady who was feeding the stray cats. She was telling us she came to Milos two years before that on holiday and ended up staying there. She has set up a wee feeding station for the cats. I told her I had seen a wee kitten there the day before and it looked quite distressed. While we were talking, we heard the kitten and she went over to it. The poor wee things eyes were all crusted over and it couldn’t see. The lady put it in her car and took it home. She already has forty cats, now she has forty-one.

The Cat Sanctuary – Tiger has a lot to answer for !

We left Adhamas Bay on 19 May and went across to Rivari Bay to anchor.

Rivari Anchorage

It says it’s sheltered from Southerlies!!! We had gusts of 35-40 knots and a sleepless night so we upped anchor and made our way to Pirgonisi Bay on the south side of Kimolos Island about 13 miles away. We anchored here for one night with only us and one other German boat, another Moody. We didn’t bother going ashore as the place didn’t really grab us, a good enough anchorage but that was about it. Other than I was looking like Qusimodo with an eye infection, Dr Wolfgang reckoned if you can still see then its OK.

Our next stop was altogether a different story. The barren Island of Poliagos, close SE of Kimolos is connected by a reef and sand bar to a little islet called Manolonisi Island. You can tuck in behind Manolonisi and drop anchor there. The place is lovely, totally secluded and has Caribean type water and good shelter. We had a lovely two days here swimming in the beautiful clear water. We also had an interesting four hours watching a German charter boat trying to anchor????  3 metres and a sandy bottom….I have no idea what their problem was. If I had been them, I would have given up and moved on with embarassment. Wait till you see, I’ll get my come uppance for that comment. 

 

Whilst I was in Scotland Gordon had been “On holiday”. He hired a bike, well bought a bike then would sell it back, cost him 30 Euros for 6 weeks or so.

 

The rented bike & Miki holding Holly’s Kittens

He also did his rounds for dinner on Bob & Andrea’s boat, Penny & Sandy’s boat and tried out Paul’s new BBQ. He didn’t starve.

Back home Iain helped me power hose the decking on the house before we went for lunch up town in Glasgow.

Harry, Diane & I went to Largs and I had a day out with the girls & Billy & Jayne

 

When I returned to Kalamata there were a round of final farewells with a lovely night on Claudio and Connies boat where we were treated to delicious Italian meats, cheeses and wine. Such a nice change from the Greek food and wine.

We were also treated to dinner and drinks on Penny and Sandy’s boat. Poor souls, they can’t get going till Sandy gets test results from the hospital so they don’t know when they’ll get away. Penny also gave me one of her lovely necklaces she makes, I can’t remember what it’s called but it all done with tiny beads and is very intricate work, a really nice gift.

Next on the list before leaving was waiting for Nicolas to arrive. He had given us gas last year and one of his diesel jerry cans which we were to return to him in Siracuse….however, as you know, we didn’t get there. He is coming up to Kalamata to drop off his cousin Olivier who has been out for a holiday & to check out Kalamata for the winter, so we can return them then.

We had a nice night and were treated to dinner again on Nicolas’s boat this time we had Confit Duck…yummy!

Having said all our goodbyes we left with very heavy hearts after putting wee Tiger off the boat and feeding him one last time. It broke our hearts.

Camira and Syeni left on 10 May for the first sail of the season to Porto Kaio where we anchored for the night. Next morning we left for Frangos Bay on Elafonisos. We are having a few problems with starting the engine, Gordon thinks it loose wiring in the loom.

We had a visitor along for a wee rest.

We had our first swim of the season in Frangos Bay, the water is crystal clear if not still a tad chilly, but it’s so beautiful here you just can’t resist it. Nicolas came over for dinner and we made plans to depart next morning to round Cape Malea for Monemvassia. I did mention that my weather report was showing somewhat stronger winds than Nicolas’ but we decided to go next morning anyway.

   

Yep! mine was correct. As we headed to Cape Malea we had a good sail in about 15-20 knots, however, as we neared the Cape we were hit with stronger winds and gusts of 40 knots. So much so that Nicolas’ second foresail ripped at the clew as he was hit by a gust. We could see something was going on as he was in fromt of us but too far to offer any help. However, he got things under control and we all reached Monemvasia in one piece, well… that is except the foresail.

When we arrived in Monemvasia who was moored up but Roberto and Michaela from Kalamata. We had a lovely few days here visiting the old Citadel for dinner

    

and having a wee night on Camira with Roberto, Michaela and of course Kino their cat.

There was another boat, an Oyster 56 from Kalamata. We didn’t actually get to speak with the people on this boat in Kalamata but we got chatting to them here in Monemvasia. He was the Royal Apothecary before retiring, it’s quite amazing the different people you meet on this journey, “Mi Lud”

If you look carefully in the 1st picture from Gordon up the mast you can see the turtle that lives in the bay.

Monenvasia Birth Control

I’ve just run through these first few places as we’ve been to them all before just at the end of last season so don’t want to be repeating myself too much.

There follows a historical precis of our winter in Kalamata.

On the boat front we had quite a busy and, needless to say, expensive winter. After suffering the Aegean sun last year we had a bimini and sun shade made. We remounted the solar panels on bespoke stainless steel spars, much more seaman like than hanging off the guardrails! I installed two new electric bilge pumps and replaced our broken manual one. We replaced the old stern gland with a new Penta dripless seal which meant a new propeller shaft. We replaced a broken engine mount We had a survey carried out for insurance purposes and replaced our two domestic batteries. We extended our forestay to get a better pre bend in the mast. Oh yes and we fitted (eventually affter a day to cut out the old ones ) two new stanchions destroyed by the French boat in Zakynthos. Louise did a great job of stripping and varnishing a lot of the woodwork damaged by the sun , all this in addition to the normal run of the mill maintenace and antifouling.

 

Bimini template initial fitting                       Stubborn stanchion removal

 

Louise sanding lokking like Miss Kizzie         Antifouling

It wasnt all work though Lorraine & Paul having gone home to the UK kindly lent us their bikes for the winter

 

Lorrane & Paul and their bikes

Anniversary night out in Kalamata town

Chistamas eve saw us going for lunch with Renate, Wolfgang, Bob and Andrea  – fellow over winterers – for lunch. It was a long lunch ending on Bob and Andreas boat until the early hours !

 

Before                                                                      …. and after !

Christmas day was spent on the beach followed by a cycle ride

Breakfast and prezzies which from memory totalled 8 euros from Jumbo ( a local shop)

  

There were a couple of BBQ’s arranged as well

  

One of the BBQ’s

Views from Louise’s morning run near the marina

Jan on board before he set off for Sicily in December !!

 

Roberto’s birthday surprise on C Pontoon.

We hired a car for three days to explore a bit of the countryside.

 

We visted Sparta but it was shut ……until we found the correct entrance

Not a lot remains but it was very peaceful

Followed by lunch at Githio

   

The next day we went to the caves at Diros and Cape Matapan the 2nd most Southerly cape in Europe

   

Drive down Mani peninsula

 

The entrance to the underworld where ancient Greeks bought their underwear

  

Windy walk out to the lighthouse we have rounded a couple of times

 

Porto Kaio from above. An anchorage we have used having rounded Cape Matapan.

On the last day of the car hire we went in the other direction towards Finnikounda & Koroni.

Finnikounda was the place we used to go on Neilson Surf Sail & Cycle holidays when we were doing our RYA dingy and windsurf training. They were great holidays. One year a hen party was there and each night the bride had a “penance”. One penance was to drink flaming sambucca from a man’s belly button and yes you’ve guessed it – In Yiannis bar Gordon obliged…….When we returned this year we met Yianni and he recognised and remembered Gordon !!!!!

 

The hotel we stayed in in the 1990 getting a refurb

 

Yianni and his bar – good memories from the past.

The drive back took us past Koroni where we stopped for a sandwich and a coffee down by the harbour

  

Koroni & the end of our car hire

Louise headed back to Scotland in April for 3 weeks or so to visit Diane & Harry and I stayed on the boat in Kalamata Marina

I wasn’t short of company though

Roberto & Michela on Camira for my birthday cake (and wine)

And this little fellow had adopted us. His name is Tiger and despite our attempts to rehome him we had no success and had to leave him in Kalamata. At one point we considered giving up sailing to enable us to keep him. We have left food and money with a kind Greek lady who looks after other cats in the hope she will feed him. Who knows we may take him yet when we return to Kalamata in the winter. It was heartbreaking to leave him

    

So that’s that for the winter.

We enjoyed Kalamata despite it being an unplanned overwintering location

The next day Yiannis , the local Kalamata engineer, came to the boat and made the repair in the water. They had a complete day trying to free the old shaft coupling bolts which eventualy had to be cut out , so in hind sight I am glad the job was not started in Pylos.

 

My temporary fix is the tape !                             Rusty old bolts

 

The hole                                           The seized bolts on coupling

 

Yiannis replacing new coupling         All shiny & new except ……….!

We planned our departure date and again watched for a weather window for the crossing to Sicily. As it happened the only possible window loomed around the 8th November but I was still dubious about the weather & I bottled out giving we had also had an untested repair done and a long crossing. I am SO glad !!!

We secured a winter berth about 500 yards from where we were and moved the boat there and tied up. About an hour later as we were just about to go into town Louise shouted “the floorboards are coming up”

So literally it was “all hands to the pump” but the fecking pump failed !

So Louise, barefooted, runs round to the marineros for help while I am phoning Yiannis the engineer with one hand and trying to stem the leak with my T shirt in the other

As they all return I am barechested with blood pouring from my mouth, to this day I dont know what I did ,lol.

Anyhow the marineros’ electric bilge pump helped reduce the amount of water coming in until we had all the batteries & paraphernalia out to get access to the problem.

(For you “techies” , I think the stuffing box gland was overtightened, the locknut was not doing it’s job and the shaft grabbed the gland nut ,twisting it off, and the assembly parted letting in water)

Had we gone into town the boat could’ve sank at its mooring.   Had we left for Sicily ………………….

Needless to say a few glasses of wine were had that night.

Calm after the storm