Disaster averted...but only just!

It's been an interesting few days! We hadn't been into Aegina Town port before, other than to have a quick look from the boat, so felt it was high time we had a stop over there and it didn't disappoint. The town is very pretty, buzzing and very typically Greek with restaurants and bars along the waterfront, a maze of alleyways behind and a thriving fish market with a couple of nearby cafes where old men sit and while away the days together, swinging their worry beads as they sip tiny cups of lethally strong coffee. This was once, apparently, the capital of Greece but it's hard to believe that now.
After a reasonable dinner at a restaurant recommended by the marina attendant (he was probably on commission...) we were on our way back to the boat when we heard collective gasps and cries ringing out from all the bars with televisions - the Germany-Brazil game was underway, so of course I ended up alone back on Zaffina, whilst Frank nursed a couple of Metaxas as he watched the drama unfold!
The wind was stronger than forecast when we got up the morning, but not too bad and so we set off again, passing Poros and Hydra and a number of other small islands until eventually Spetses was in sight. We didn't, however, go over to Spetses, as there were a number of beautiful anchorages along the mainland coast and some amazing properties on the shoreline that we wanted to have a gander at.
We chose an anchorage in a gorgeous, pure turquoise cove, close to a tiny islet just off the coast, dropped the hook and I swam ashore with the ropes and tied us on. Around the corner from us, the Sunseeker, Extravagance, we'd been next to in Flisvos Marina was anchored, and we waved as we passed.
Towards the end of the afternoon, Frank suggested we went for a dinghy trip, to get a closer look at some of those amazing villas and within a few minutes we were on our way, heading down the coast and gawping at the most elegant properties we've seen since we left the Costa Smerelda in Sardinia - this is obviously Millionaires' Row, Greek style! One in particular, a massive mansion perched right on the beach, caught our eye, mainly due to the colour of the sand - the brightest white imaginable! We commented that it must have been imported specially, and have since had this confirmed by a local taxi driver, who also said that the rumour is that the property sold for 300m Euros!
We were so caught up in our speculations that it wasn't until we turned to go back to Zaffina that we got a nasty shock - the sea had risen beyond recognition in the short time that we had been out, and now that we were against the waves, they looked dramatically huge. Frank asked me to lean across the bow to keep it down in the water, and although I often enjoy doing this on a calm sea, it's not so much fun on a rough one. But without my weight there, we were seriously worried that the dinghy would tip backwards due to the steepness of the waves. The trip back seemed to take forever, as we couldn't hug the shelter of the coast due to the number of reefs, and the further out we were, the  most exposed to the rough conditions. We were both shocked at how quickly the wind and sea had come up, especially as there was no mention of this in the forecast, but we were eager to be safely back on board Zaffina in her calm cove. How wrong can you be? When eventually we came back into sight of our Azimut, she was straining hard on the anchor chain, with breaking waves hitting her hard on the beam. We knew we'd have to move and debated whether to go inshore and undo the ropes but realised it would be too difficult handling the dinghy close in in these conditions, so instead we lifted it back on board. I was all for swimming across, but Frank was worried that I'd be dashed against the jagged rocks by the waves and after watching for a few minutes, I realised that he was probably right. Our only choice was to drop the stern ropes altogether and hope they'd still be there when we came back for them in a day or two.
With the engines running, I released the two ropes and watched them sink through the water. No longer tethered to the shore, Zaffina sprang forward and we started to pull the anchor up, but horror of horrors, it jammed. With so much strain on the winch, it suddenly released its hold and jettisoned metre upon metre of chain into the sea, allowing us to swing back dangerously close to the rocks at our stern. I grabbed the winch spanner and tightened it, praying that this time it would hold, and sure enough, when we tried it again, it was working. But with all the wave movement, the chain managed to flip over the lid of the metal channel that guides it back into the anchor locker and again jammed. The only way to get it back in place was to manoeuvre Zaffina so her bow was pointing in the same direction of the chain, but this again took us uncomfortably close to the rocks. I took over the anchor controls from the bow, whilst Frank concentrated on our position and eventually the chain clicked back into place and the anchor came up from the seabed. What a relief!
We took off to a nearby cove, sheltered from the north easterly wind that was giving us so much of a problem, and arrived to see Extravagance there ahead of us. I offered to help Alex and his family get tied on, as they needed to have ropes to shore but hadn't used the procedure before. I usually swim to shore, but their son, Sean, had their dinghy on the water so I hopped in and prepared to take the ropes. But nothing was going right! The ropes were determined to tangle and with a swell coming into the anchorage, Extravagance too was being pushed around. When we were near enough to the rocks, I jumped into the water with the ropes, but my timing was out as there was now both swell and wake to contend with, and as I tried to swim forwards so Extravagance jerked back, dragging the rope to which I was still attached! I flew through the water, grimly holding on, and swallowing more than my fair share of brine! Our next attempt, was more successful and once the Sunseeker  was finally tied on, it was time to bring Zaffina in and repeat the process. But Frank had noted the swell and decided that it would give us an uncomfortable night and so, waving goodbye to Alex and his family, we made our way up the deep inlet to Porto Kheli, eventually finding a sheltered position in which to drop the anchor and spend the night.
I don't think I've ever been so relieved to be securely anchored, out of the wind and swell, and whilst Frank downed a large Metaxa, my only desire was for a good, hot, strong cup of tea! We'd just had the worst dinghy trip we'd ever encountered, followed too swiftly by anchor problems that could easily have led to disaster, and Frank commented that he'd never, in forty years of boating, known the wind to come up so hard and so fast, with so little warning.
We did manage to retrieve most of our ropes the following morning, as the wind and sea had dropped away, but one of them was trapped underneath the rock it had been tied around, so I had to cut the end off in order to release it - a small price to pay! The yacht we had been anchored alongside was still there, so we asked them what sort of a night they'd had - not good was the answer! They had taken the taxi boat over to Spetses in the afternoon, before the wind came up, and when they tried to get back they were told that the sea was too rough and the boats were no longer running! So they'd been trapped in Spetses, wondering if their yacht was securely tethered, and with images running through their heads of it being dashed on the rocks! We didn't stop in the anchorage after retrieving our ropes, but chose another, more sheltered one where we had a very lazy day wondering if the wind would come back up in the evening, but it didn't.
Yesterday morning we brought Zaffina back up to Porto Kheli and spent the day at the nearby Aman-Zoe Hotel. This is supposed to be the best hotel in Greece - 7 star! I have to admit, it was gorgeous. It felt like a living Greek temple, as the architecture was based on the style of the Acropolis, with colonnades of marble pillars, shady courtyards and cool pools, and really brought to mind what life must have been like in ancient Greece when the temple was the centre of the community. Lunch at the beach club was superb and we spent the afternoon down there, promising ourselves a few nights in the htoel at some point in the future.
As we got back to Port Kheli in the early evening, the wind started to rise again and back on Zaffina we had a noisy, windy night. Again it wasn't forecast, but it is only now, at 10.30 in the morning, that the wind has finally dropped down again and the waves stopped slapping loudly on the hull. We think it's time for us to go over to Spetses, and hopefully we'll be sheltered from the north easterly there, should another unanticipated blast come through this evening.

Hydra and Poros and some islands you've never heard of!

And what a day we had with David and Miranda, along with her brother and sister in law. Their mighty cruise ship docked on the opposite side of the quay from our little Zaffina, and they swiftly disembarked from one and embarked on the other and off we went, back to Rinia and finding - after trying a few - a lovely albeit a little breezy, anchorage. Our day together was special, precious and full of laughter but inevitably all too brief and soon after our lazy lunch it was time to head back into Mykonos, drop our passengers off to rejoin their cruise, and start our own trek back to Athens. We had been slightly worried about the sea conditions en route, but in the end the trip was fine, and we overnighted back in Kea, the first Cyclades island we'd visited three weeks earlier.
Our day in Athens was spent getting our Azimut ship shape and bringing more provisions on board, and in the early evening, we met up with Em (Frank's daughter) and four friends of hers on holiday from Australia. Never have so few people travelled with so much luggage, but somehow we managed to get it all on board and still have room for them to get into their cabins - just (although at least one of our guests may well have been sleeping in a suitcase!)
With one nervous passenger on board, it was a relief to see a still sea when we came out of Flisvos Marina under the bright morning sun. Poros, not to be mistaken for Paros or Paxos, is just a chip off mainland Greece, with a narrow channel separating the two. The curve of the land and the island together create what is almost an inland sea, and here we anchored for a while, in Russian Bay. It was the perfect site in which to relax and enjoy our surroundings and to dip in and out of the refreshing water to cool off, before heading into the pretty port of Poros for the evening. The harbourmaster recommended that we ate at Poseidon and it proved to be an excellent choice, with good fresh food, healthy sized portions and copious amounts of wine. The evening rang with laughter and at the end of it, Frank and I were applauded by all the yachts along the quay for our drunken walk/dance back to Zaffina!
Leaving Poros behind, the following morning we set a course towards Angistri, another island I'd never heard of! The anchorage we selected was between there and a tiny islet a stone's throw away called Dhrosa, beautifully sheltered and with clear turquoise waters over a sandy bottom. On shore, there was just one small restaurant and a cove busy with tourists who were brought across the island by bus from the ferry stop - it is clearly a popular destination for day trippers from Athens or Aegina. Our idyll was spoilt only by the volume of wasps sharing the anchorage with us, so after a morning of swimming and swatting, a lunch of fish and swatting and then more swatting in the afternoon, we decided to move on and try to find a less wasp infested site. We ventured into a lovely anchorage just off Aegina but before we'd even dropped the anchor we knew the wasps would defeat us, so we moved to the south of the island and back to a cove we'd previously visited, and here at last was a relatively wasp-free environment.
Em and our Aussie guests were only with us for three nights, but managed to pack in as much as possible during their brief stay, and after a night at anchor, all swam ashore to patronise the beach bar before lunch on their last day with us. We could hear their voices and laughter ringing out and when they came back on board, to our surprise it was Becks, the quietest member of the group who had found her voice with a vengeance! After a few more glasses of wine, she spent a long while explaining in detail to Frank that her son had a blue budgie, also called Frank, which wolf-whistled whenever she walked into the room. I think she maybe had a headache by the evening!
After returning to Flisvos in the late afternoon, we bid goodbye to our guests, packed our own bags and flew back to Jersey for a few days.
Almost before we had got used to sleeping in a room that didn't sway gently throughout the night, we were on our way back down to Greece, this time with Jenna and Chris accompanying us. We seldom return to Zaffina to find that all the work we have requested has been completed, and as usual, we had half a day in port as various tasks were finished off before we could put to sea. Jen, Chris and I went up into town to grab some fresh fruit and veg, and I introduced them to my favourite cafe, where the freshly squeezed orange juice is served in what look like the milk bottles I remember from my childhood, with a straw sticking out of the neck; somehow, it tastes better that way! It was already hot as we walked back through the park to the marina, and the butterflies were out in force, a cloud of colourful confetti fluttering over the pink and white oleander bushes lining the path.
We finally put to sea a little after midday and this time went straight past Aegina and Poros, eventually arriving at Dhokos as the afternoon wind was rising and the calm waters whipping into a muddle of waves. The anchorage we chose was both sheltered and unspoilt and within a few minutes, the anchor was down and we were tied to the shore with two ropes from the stern quarters. Just two or three other yachts shared the cove and on the nearby land there were a couple of ruined buildings alongside a tiny quay. It was the perfect place for us to spend the night, and for Jenna and Chris, who just wanted to relax and unwind and maybe swim a little, the fulfilment of their ideal.
Frank and I were up early for a swim and then sat in the cockpit, savouring the warmth and marvelling at the glassy stillness of the sea as we watched entire shoals of fish jump from the water. As peaceful anchorages go, it was one of the best we've experienced this year, and we could happily have stayed for a few nights, but we wanted to show our guests some of the beauty the Saronic Islands have to offer. We'd heard that Hydra was especially worth a visit, and arranged a berth in the little port. When we got there, however, we were first told that no berth was available after all, but after intervention from our friends in Flisvos, we were allowed to tie up alongside a rusty old merchant ship in the port.
Hydra port is simply gorgeous. No cars are allowed, so the local transport is either by donkey, pony, boat or wooden cart, giving it a sense of timelessness. With little or no breeze in the port, as soon as we were tied up we headed straight for a nearby swimming area where youngsters were jumping, diving and pushing one another off rocks and into the water. Although the sea was calm, dozens of boats were going in and out of the harbour so the wake was almost constant, and in the water we bobbed up and down along with all the other swimmers. We ate that evening at a restaurant rated with the 2nd best restaurant view in the world according to some survey or other! It was certainly a beautiful place to watch the sun melt into the violet evening haze of the mainland hills, and the food was pretty good too!
We had been told that we had to move at 9 the following morning, as the merchant ship would be leaving port, but when we got back from dinner, replete and happy, our bubble of complacency was burst when we were told that they'd changed their schedule and would instead be leaving at 6am! By now we had four yachts rafted alongside us, so we all had to be up and ready to leave by 6...although when we did emerge, bleary eyed and yawning, there was no sign of life from the merchant vessel! They eventually appeared about 20 minutes later and so, by 6.45am, we were back out to sea, watching the deep shadows of early morning make the undulating hills of the opposite coast appear as a massive sand-dune.
Breakfast time saw us easing through a narrow channel between Poros and the mainland, approaching Poros Town from the opposite direction to previously. We knew the wind was due up the following day, but being back in Russian Bay so early in the morning meant we had the pick of places in which to tie up, and we reversed close to a small beach, tying ropes on either side of the bay and ensuring we were well placed to weather a northerly blow.
In the end, we stayed there for four glorious nights, and loved just about every moment of it! The first day was still and peaceful, and when we swam in the evening, we were delighted to discover that the water was full of phosphorescence, a phenomenon we'd only encountered once before - when we were in Meganissi last year. The four of us spent an age in the water, creating trails of stars around us, and then Jen and Chris went and sat on the bow until they saw a couple of shooting stars to round off their evening. The following day the wind rose, but it wasn't until around 3am that it really blasted, up to a force 7 or 8, with frequent stronger gusts trying to push us around. Fortunately we were securely tied on and although it was noisy, we felt safe throughout (especially as Frank sat on watch in the saloon through the windiest part of the night.)
Although we debated whether to move nearer to Poros Town, our guests were very happy with the anchorage, so we remained in place and used the dinghy to go across to the port a few times. Frank and I spent quite a lot of time at the Vodafone store, trying and failing to top up our account which had run out of credit. After multiple phone calls and much discussion with their staff, we finally gave up, annoyed that what should be a simple operation was turning out to be so complicated. I gave it one more try when we were back on Zaffina, and with minimal effort, managed very easily to do what the Vodafone people had failed at so miserably! It was a relief to be back on line.
The anchorage filled up over the weekend, and where we'd started in isolation, by Saturday evening we were surrounded by big motorboats, presumably owned by Athenians wanting to get away from the city for a night or two. Before we went back to Poseidon for anther excellent meal, I was showering on the bathing platform when a determined wasp flew up and, without provocation, stung me on my thigh. The warm air turned slightly blue.

On Sunday morning we finally untied from our anchorage and turned back towards Athens, stopping en route back at Angistri, although this time we dropped the hook away from the main wasp thoroughfare and spent the afternoon swimming and topping up tans. Then it was back into port, and for Jenna and Chris, the long trek back to Jersey.

And that brings us to yesterday, another housekeeping day - I won't bore you with the details, but suffice to say, Zaffina is now sparkling both inside and out. Engineers came on board to check out the generator which had been spitting a few spots of oil, and we discovered it was a miracle that it hadn't blown up on us! That too is now sorted, and we're getting ready to embark on our next trip, hopefully down to Aegina, Spetses and Hydra. 

Mykonos, Paros, Santorini, Sifnos (briefly) and Rinia

Now I remember why I was so rubbish at writing my blog...I'd leave it for so long I'd forget what had happened in the interim! Time to cast my mind back and see what I can recall...
We spent a few days in Mykonos and the sun did come out again - it is such a beautiful place when the sun shines and you can understand why so many tourists come here. The town is the highlight, and the countryside is unexpectedly varied, at times quite stark and harsh, in other places soft and welcoming. There's a church on every corner, and every straight, and several in between, but that's certainly not unique to this particular island. You could never say "when you've seen one church you've seen them all" in Greece, because you can be sure there's a dozen more within spitting distance!
When we left here, we headed south and our next stop was the island of Paros. It's less well known than Mykonos, a lot less trendy and less expensive but it is gorgeous, both from a holiday and a boating point of view. We dropped anchor in a huge, sheltered inlet off Naoussa and took the dinghy into the little seaside town, which turned out to be almost as pretty as the one we'd just left but so much less frenetic. Narrow alleyways were lined with paving stones outlined in white, there were colourful windowboxes and tumbling waterfalls of bougainvillaea, tiny cafes with stark white chairs and tables outside and around each corner, another view of the enormous church that sits atop this little town like an elaborate decoration on a Christmas cake. Cats basked in the shade and tourists - just a few - browsed the shops, and we fell in love with it all. By the time we could tear ourselves away, the wind had come up and we endured a somewhat bumpy trip back to where Zaffina was moored, on the far side of the bay.
Not wanting to leave such an idyllic anchorage, we stayed put for the night, but watching the forecast, we realised we needed to move on and made the short hop down to the main town of Paroikia early in the week. Initially we anchored in a bay opposite the port, but when we took the dinghy ashore for dinner, we realised that there was an Azimut 62 sized gap in the tiny harbour, so we sped back to the boat and brought her in. The wind did come up that evening, and although the anchorage wouldn't have been too bad, we wouldn't have wanted to leave Zaffina there without remaining on board, so we were glad to be ensconced in the shelter of the port, and happy to go exploring.
In true tourist fashion, we opted to hire a strange little vehicle that was a cross between a jeep and a quad bike and off we went, heading around the south and then east coast of the island. The air smelt of early summer, broom and sunshine mixed, and we had a glorious drive along almost deserted roads, stopping every so often to check out a view, a villa or a beach, until we found a taverna for lunch, and shortly afterwards, a beach on which to laze. The drive back wasn't quite so much fun; we were heading into the wind and out of the sun, and without a windscreen to protect us, took a bit of blasting but overall we had a great day; however, when it came to hiring another vehicle a day or two later, we opted for a more traditional small car!
Paros has it all - a lovely town with loads of character, traditional windmills, tiny coves, gorgeous villages, pretty countryside and lovely people, and before we left we promised ourselves several return visits in the years to come - whether on Zaffina or otherwise.
I have long wanted to see Santorini, and this was our next destination after Paros. It is amazing how different all the islands in the Cyclades are, and although they share some features, each has its own ambiance and character. Santorini simply took our breath away! We arrived at this ancient volcano from the north, and as soon as we rounded the first headland, we were directly below the stunningly beautiful town of Ia (or Oia, depending on which map you read). Ia is made up of the traditional sugar cube houses, piled haphazardly (or so it would appear) along the cliff top, and is propped on stark red-brown volcanic cliffs hundreds of feet high. We gawped up at this incredible sight, and eventually tied up to a buoy so we could gawp some more! Lunch at anchor was not quite the peaceful experience we'd hoped for, as a massive motorboat went past at speed, launching a huge wake that caught us on the broadside, causing every pan, plate, glass and piece of cutlery on board to crash furiously and frequently against whatever drawer, cupboard or container it was in, until the wake eventually dispersed. At that point, we decided to head for port!
The little fishing port of Vchlada is on the south of the island and not really too bothered about catering for leisure craft. It's quite shallow and we edged in very gently along the right hand side, as we had been warned to do by a friendly skipper who is familiar with the area. Once in, we were directed to tie up alongside a tripper boat, and duly did so, spending a peaceful night there with the only disturbance being the many fishing boats passing in and out of the port at quite a lick. In the morning, we were moved to another berth, side-to the pontoon.
We were keen to explore Ia by land, and hiring a car, we sped straight up to the town we'd so admired from the sea. It was even more beautiful actually being there. Ia has one long walkway, which must be incredibly crowded in the middle of the season, but was just pleasantly busy in early June. Small alleyways, steps and squares lead off this path, but it is the main thoroughfare, dotted with pretty shops, bars, restaurants and hotels, and the views over the caldera are - again - breathtaking. We lunched and wandered, then wandered some more, and eventually, regretfully, decided to move on. We'd seen a fascinating beach of deep iron-red sand on our sail around the island and so headed in that general direction, to discover it was indeed called Red Beach. Access was either by boat or a rocky, steep cliff path which we took, and the beach was covered with wood shavings, obviously to keep the temperature of the sand down to an almost bearable level. Again, in the middle of the summer it must be almost impossible to lie on Red Beach for more than a few minutes, but at this time of year it was okay.
We explored more of Santorini over the following two days, heading around the east coast and lying out on a black sand beach for the afternoon (same problem - we had to hire sunbeds and wear sandals down to the water) and then driving to the highest point of the island, to a peaceful monastery with wonderful views. We went into Thira, the capital of Santorini, where persuasive jewellers tried very hard to get us to spend huge amounts of money on some beautiful trinkets. We resisted! But it was Ia that drew us back for the last evening, and we returned to the town to watch the sunset and then it seemed criminal not to stay on for dinner! As we left, an enormous moon was rising over nearby Thira; it looked too big and too heavy not to fall out of the sky, and suddenly I could see why David Niven called his memoir "The Moon's a Balloon".
We checked out of Vlchada the next morning and eased around the corner, back into the caldera where we intended to spend one night at anchor. We'd spied a couple of good looking spots from the land and were confident we could find somewhere suitably sheltered to drop the hook. But Frank realised very quickly that we had a problem with the coolant, as temperature read outs were far too high and by the time we anchored, we were resigned to a short stay and then returning to port. Alongside us was the beautiful yacht, Maltese Falcon. We'd seen her in Athens a couple of weeks previously, and clearly remembered our first sighting of her, four years ago, off Sardinia, when she made an impressive sight in full sail. On an impulse, Frank called the Falcon and asked if they were willing to lend us an engineer to have a look at the problem, and to our surprise, they immediately sent their Chief Engineer, Nico, over to Zaffina. He and Frank together worked on sorting it, and after an hour or so, had managed to locate and fix the whole shebang! (The shallow depths at Vchlada meant that all the muck on the seabed was stirred up by our engines, and loads of grunge was blocking the filters, which Frank hadn't been able to open without help).  One of the lovely things about being on a boat is that people tend to help one another and this was a prime example of that attitude prevailing. Nico would accept no payment or gift for his services, and without his help, we would have had a dismal afternoon.
We had our night at anchor, but it turned out to be less restful than we'd anticipated. A westerly swell rose during the night, hitting us straight on the beam and causing an unpleasant rolling motion. We got up at 6am and moved on!
The journey up to our next destination, Sifnos, was not too bad, but neither was it exceptionally pleasant. The swell stayed with us, and a bit of high cloud stopped the rays of the sun from bathing us in warmth, so it was a relief to arrive at our destination. We anchored in a pretty bay next to a gorgeous little monastery, which apparently is no longer serving its original function and can be rented for holidays! We stopped and swam, but again the swell persisted and after a look at the forecast, we realised that things had changed and if we stayed in situ, we'd be in for another rocky night. So again we up anchored, and within an hour we were back in Naoussa on the north shore of Paros. The wind didn't come up - at least not there - but it did keep changing direction and was totally unpredictable for 24 hours. We were very happy to be close enough to visit this little town again and stayed in the anchorage for two nights before moving again to the north.
Rinia is a tiny, tiny island but with some fabulous anchorages and lovely beaches, and we were delighted with this lovely discovery. The sea was the brightest turquoise blue and the shelter in South Bay was exactly what we were hoping for, so we swam and lazed and ate, went to the beach and swam and then returned to Zaffina and ate some more!
So that takes us up until yesterday when, with the wind coming up again, we left Rinia and motored back to Mykonos. Last time we were here, we'd made a clumsy arrival with the wind blowing across the berth, and here we were again, with exactly the same conditions to contend with. This time, though, everything went amazingly smoothly and we made a textbook arrival (and boy, did we feel smug about it!) Today is a cleaning/tidying/smartening the boat day, as our friends from Texas, David and Miranda, are putting into Mykonos on a cruise ship tomorrow, so we'll all spend the day together, and then it's off to Athens to pick up Em and her friends on Saturday. Busy, busy, busy!

At last, the Cyclades!

Okay. Blowers got fixed, water pump went! We really do seem to have had more than our fair share of bad luck with things giving up this year - I'm tempted to take out extra life insurance, just in case!
We eventually left Athens on Saturday afternoon; the wind had dropped from the previous day, which was just too lumpy out at sea, and although it was still a little brisk, we had a pleasant journey down the mainland coast of Greece and then out to the islands. I've been longing to get back to the Cyclades, an island group I visited over thirty years ago, and after all the recent set backs, was beginning to think my dreams were doomed, but we've finally made it!
Kea was the first island we visited. It's fairly barren and a cross between the traditional Cyclades style and that of the mainland. Although it's not particularly developed, it is suddenly becoming popular with Athenians who want an island bolt-hole that is not too far from the city, so there are a number of elegant properties being built on the hillsides overlooking the Aegean. The port we went into was tiny, and as the waterfront was crowded, we dropped the anchor in the bay, promising ourselves that if the wind came up as per the forecast, we could easily move to the opposite side of the deep inlet for better shelter. The wind did indeed come up during the night, but only very briefly, so there was no need to up anchor and we had a pleasant night, swaying gently with the waves lapping on the hull. In the morning we took the dinghy ashore for breakfast but as none of the little cafes seemed to be serving breakfast, we amended it to an orange juice and coffee. As we motored back to Zaffina, a yacht race was starting in front of a nearby headland. The sails, all white or pastel coloured, looked beautiful and dramatic against the intense blue of the sea.
Promising ourselves that we would return to Kea at some time during the summer, we pulled the anchor up and set out to sea again, turning to the east and passing several islands over the course of the next couple of hours, some with light development, some without a single building on them. Our destination was Mykonos, one of the two best known of the Cycladian islands and a beautiful place to be. The new port, sadly, is a short distance from Mykonos town, and our arrival wasn't the most elegant, as the wind was blowing straight across the berth as Frank brought Zaffina back into position. It took us a while to make fast, but eventually we were in situ and able to appreciate our surroundings. A water bus runs between the new and old ports and so, after an afternoon of sorting things on board, we headed across to the vibrant little town.
Only development in the traditional style is allowed on this island, so the hills are scattered with little sugar cube houses adorned by mainly brilliant blue shutters, although sometimes they're green or mauve but nothing jarring or garish. Some of the most elegant homes incorporate the local stone into the intense white buildings, and the combination is lovely - traditional and yet contemporary and cool in every sense. The town is a jumble of houses rising in apparently haphazard fashion up the hillside, and there's a multitude of colourful shops (how many jewellers does one town need?), thriving restaurants and buzzing bars.
Our evening meal was at a gorgeous restaurant called Remezzo, sipping cocktails from the bar as we gazed at the sun sinking into a pool of molten gold as it dipped behind the horizon. Our meal was memorable for all the right reasons (apart from the bill!)
Yesterday morning we grabbed a hire car and set out to explore. We didn't get that far, as we found a pleasant beach in the south west of the island, nicely sheltered from the wind. The beach taverna looked remarkably familiar and turned out to be the one featured in Shirley Valentine - the quintessential Greek Taverna, albeit a little more polished than the norm! The weather wasn't quite as good as it could have been and by late afternoon we gave up on the beach and headed back into Mykonos Town. We discovered that there is a lot more to it than first meets the eye, and were soon lost in a multitude of narrow back lanes that criss cross and back track until you have no idea where you are. Eventually we disgorged onto the sea front and straight into a bar, so it seemed rude not to sit and sip a Cosmopolitan whilst we watched the world go by. (Orange juice for the driver...sorry Frank!)
Last night we ate on board and this morning, horror of horrors, rain! And wind. Not quite what you expect in Greece in early June, but hopefully it'll pass through soon, although things are still looking quite murky. We're not sure whether to leave tomorrow or stay put, in which case we'll be here until at least the weekend as sea conditions aren't looking too good for the next few days. Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll find some way to amuse ourselves!

Of Aegina and Engineers

"Hello Fiona" I was greeted as we tied up in Flisvos Marina by a man I'd never met before in my life. "You're the reason we're here in Greece." My first thought was that the nice people from Camelot had tracked me down after tracing a winning ticket back to my name, but amazingly, that wasn't the case. It turned out that Alex and his family had been boating off Scotland for a while, but after reading our articles in Motor Boat and Yachting, decided that the Med was the place to be, so they'd bought a boat in Croatia and last year sailed it down to Athens! Fortunately, all seem to have gone pretty well, otherwise I think we may have been blamed for their decision!!
Flisvos is a huge, modern and efficient marina, with restaurants and bars along the waterfront and some amazing boats tied up here. The largest is akin to a small cruise ship and has not only it's own berth but an entire pier to itself! If Greece is broke at the moment, I'd love to see the boats they'd buy if they were feeling flush!!
Frank flew back to Jersey for a few days and I stayed on board. With overcast skies and the occasional drop of rain, I spent the first day just getting Zaffina shipshape, and the following morning, assembled my collapsible (but hopefully not whilst I'm on it) bike and cycled off to explore the area. There's a lovely park just outside the marina, and then a long seafront promenade which stretches for miles and has a couple of nondescript little beaches along the way - Flisvos is not a bad place to be stuck, and once the sun put in an appearance and the rainclouds completely disappeared, I was able to enjoy a pleasant and very hot afternoon on the beach, near a group of elderly Greek men who were playing a board game and singing along with a tinny radio, very loudly and extremely out of tune.
The marina has a facility to do grocery shopping, and as there aren't any supermarkets within walking distance, I gave them a long list of items we required. When my shopping appeared, all was well apart from one error...instead of a Galia or Charantais melon, the most enormous watermelon, three times the size of my head and weighing a ton, was delivered to the boat! Despite giving away large portions, setting up a little table with a notice saying "help yourself" and trying to come up with various watermelon salad variations, it's difficult to get through such an gigantic fruit when you're on your own! I don't think I ever want to see a watermelon again in my life!
As usual, there were a few hiccups to be dealt with whilst we were in port, and workmen came on board to check out the various tasks. One problem was that the blowers on the engines weren't working, and although in the short term that wasn't a big worry, we didn't want to undertake any long journeys without them. But small problems sadly can turn into big ones, and we were told we'd need several days in port whilst they were fixed, and indeed, repair may be impossible and instead they may need replacing at painful expense.
The engineers weren't free until after the weekend, so with Frank now back from Jersey, we took a gentle trip down to the island of Aegina, just an hour away from Athens and earmarked a couple of lovely anchorages for future visits. Although we only nosed in for a quick look, Aegina Town seems delightful and we'll definitely head back there later in the summer, but after spending the afternoon at anchor, we continued to a very quiet little port further south, Perdika, where we spent the night tied up to the town quay. Our arrival was almost textbook, despite a cross wind, so it was fun a short while later on to watch a professional skipper on a boat slightly larger than Zaffina make a complete pig's ear of his berthing, amidst much shouting and swearing at his crew.
On Sunday we meandered a short way along the coast to Pirgos, one of several anchorages on the south coast, and I had my first swim ashore with the ropes of the season - not my favourite task, especially when the water is still pretty chilly, but worth it for the security we have once we're tied from both stern quarters, as well as firmly anchored in situ. As Sundays go, it was pretty idyllic, just lazing on board, swimming occasionally and watching other boats - mostly large motoryachts with crew on board - come in and tie up nearby. But when evening fell, we were one of only two boats remaining at anchor, and spent a perfect and peaceful night on a remarkably calm sea. For our first night at anchor of the season, it really couldn't have been better.
It was an early start on Monday as we needed to be back in port for the engineers, but we'd overlooked one vital fact...using the engines for an hour meant they were too hot to work on when we got back into Flisvos and consequently we had to put the work back by another day. Very frustrating, especially as the sea conditions have been perfect since the weekend, and we were hoping to get down to the Cyclades this week; instead, we're still waiting for the blowers to be fixed, but the good news (keeping fingers firmly crossed) is that the engineers said they've managed to repair them so they don't need to be replaced after all, and they should be fitted tomorrow morning. Watch this space!

Aghia Efimia to Aegian

After two nights in Aghia Efimia we were off again, this time heading east for brand new for cruising grounds. The Ionians faded into a lilac haze as we ventured into the Gulf of Patras, the channel leading eventually to the Corinth Canal and the entrance to the Aegean. For most of the journey, the sea was delightfully calm, but after we'd passed under the Patras Bridge, which is famous for something (aren't all bridges?) but I can't remember what, things chopped up a little. No great problem, as it was on the stern and giving us an easy ride until the last part of our journey when we approached the tiny island of Trizonia. No, we'd never heard of Trizonia either and I agree, it does sound like a made-up name for the baddie's lair in Thunderbirds, but it really does exist, honest. Frank brought Zaffina in well despite the wind and the slight obstacle of a sunken yacht in the middle of the marina, serving as a reminder not to pull the plug out when you're on a boat, and a very grumpy Scotsman who almost scuppered our efficient arrival by tugging ridiculously hard on the bow rope I'd thrown him. We were already being pushed rapidly onto the berth and could have done without the extra impetus, but despite his "help", we tied on successfully as he retired ungracefully to his yacht grumbling about motorboats under his breath. 

Once we had made fast, we ventured out to explore our surroundings, and the tiny port turned out to be very picturesque, with a handful of tiny cafes on the quayside and a ridiculous number of stray but well-fed cats gazing in rapt adoration at anyone likely to throw scraps to them. 

The wind was relentless throughout the night and despite the shelter of the marina, it was a noisy stay with waves slopping against the hull, but by the time we rose in the morning, things had calmed down a little and we were able to get away without too much ado, and fortunately without the help of the grumpy Scot. We only had a short trip ahead, and although conditions weren't bad, neither were they that nice, so it was a relief to arrive at our next stop Galixidhi - and not only a relief, but also a delight when we saw how pretty the place was, with a harbour-side of multi-coloured houses and tavernas backed by a small hill with an elegant church at the top. Although we'd worried about getting a berth, we were lucky enough to find a spot on the quayside where we could moor starboard-to, and then relax and watch the comings and goings from our great vantage point. Later that day, we realised how lucky we were to have set out early - other boats, which came in later, told of unpleasant conditions and rising wind. We ended up with a yacht rafted alongside us that had set off from the same port earlier in the day, battled against the winds for five hours and eventually turned round and returned to their starting point after encountering winds of 55 knots.

With the forecast for more wind, we hired a car and drove to Delphi, home of the Oracle and site of impressive ancient ruins on Mount Parnassas. Our arrival unfortunately coincided with a couple of coach trips, but once we managed to bypass the crowds, the site was breath-taking and brought to mind the gods of ancient Greece. Apparently Zeus sent out a couple of eagles from either side of the heavens, and announced that wherever they met would be deemed to be the centre of the world. They met in Delphi. Joanna Lumley explains all this stuff better than I do - I wish I'd concentrated more when I saw her wonderful programmes on Greece recently. The stadium at the top of the site, where the Delphi Games were held (foreruners - in every sense - of the Olympics) was simply amazing and almost deserted as the guided tours finished at the amphitheatre below. 

At this point I would like to advise you never, ever, to eat at the Delphi Museum Cafe. It is beyond horrible. 

We drove further up the mountain to see what was there and found ourselves in a ski resort. It seemed rather incongruous after we'd just been wandering around ancient Greece in the sunshine, and positively wintery as well with the temperature around 10 degrees cooler than a few miles below. 

On Saturday we finally departed from Galixidhi and continued our trek up the gulf. The sky was grey and the sea had rather too many white crests for my liking, but we'd been in port long enough and according to the forecast, the worst of the wind had passed and this was a good time to be moving on. Although the sun kept promising to break through the cloud, it failed to deliver until we were almost at the entrance to the Corinth Canal, when finally the skies cleared to a pristine blue and we were able to cast off sweaters and enjoy the sun's rays.

We had been apprehensive about the time we would have to wait to go through the canal, as the pilot booked warned that waiting times can be up to three hours, but as luck would have it, as we approached we could see the yachts that had been milling around the entrance suddenly line up and disappear. Frank called the control when we were still a mile out, fearful that we were too late and would have to wait for these to get through and then the westbound traffic to take a turn, but to our surprise they kept the gates open for us and with no delay whatsoever, we sailed into the Corinth Canal. 

And what an experience it was! The sun was beating down on us, the sky a jagged line of blue high above, sandwiched between two towering sand-coloured cliffs. It is impossible, I think, to sail through here without thinking of the feat of engineering that created this pathway between two seas, and imagining the ancient peoples who had to make the trek overland, with carts and livestock, before the creation of this canal. Several bridges spanned the gash through which we sailed, and viewers peered down at us, taking photographs and watching our progress, as we savoured the short journey into the Aegean. And then stopped at the Canal office to pay an eyewatering 375 euros for the pleasure!

After a brief stop for lunch and sunbathing between the Corinth Canal and Athens, we entered Flisvos Marina, a modern development and apparently Greece's only 5 star marina, where we were expertly guided to our berth and helped to tie up. 

And more on Flisvos and Athens shortly…

Welcome to 2014!

I didn't bother to write this blog last year because it seemed a lot of effort and I was feeling particularly lazy (for the entire year you understand). However, a new season is upon us and I feel moved to record it, so here we go again...welcome back to Zaffina to the Med, although perhaps I should rename it Zaffina to the Aegean.
We flew to Corfu a week ago and arrived to the start of beautiful weather, after a bout of particularly bad conditions over Easter and onwards. Zaffina was looking fab, and a sea trial the day after our arrival showed that most things were in order, save a few small tasks that needed completion before our departure. This gave us time to enjoy a couple of days in this lovely island where we spent several weeks last year, so we naturally revisited our favourite restaurant in the old town and also hired a car and went to Cassiopi, a beautiful little port recommended by Adam after he spent a night there last year.
The Ionian Islands are at their spring best, withe splashes of yellow broom on the hillsides and the scent of orange blossom in the air. It seems that nature is coming alive again after the winter, and celebrating a return to the balmier climes of early summer. We saw our first swallow, and after commenting that one was insufficient to herald the new season, another swiftly made an appearance. Huge dandelion clocks threaten to disintegrate when the wind comes up and skinny Greek cats are vying for areas of sunshine in which to stretch out and while away the warm hours of the day. Pretty soon they'll be searching for shady spots but for now the temperature suits them to perfection.
We slipped out of Corfu marina on Friday morning and sped over a calm sea to the beautiful little island of Paxos, one that had become a firm favourite last year. Port Gaios was almost empty when we arrived, but surprisingly the tripper boats are already operating, and an hour or so later, they were disgorging the day visitors onto the quay. When we were here last September, one of them hooked our anchor on departure which caused quite a hassle, and we ended up with an irate skipper and crew yelling at us across the water. They were especially unamused when I grabbed my camera and video to record the moment. Just for the record, we were already at anchor when they arrived and had done nothing to cause the entanglement, but they still seemed to blame us!
Paxos was even more delightful off season and we would happily have stayed for another night or two, but we wanted to press on southwards and the following morning saw us heading down to Lefkas where the entrance to the canal opens on the hour. We calculated that we would have about two mins to spare, so increased our speed to ensure we were ready for the moment the bridge/boat swung back and allowed us through and into the oil calm waters of the canal.
As we came out at the south end, the wind was blowing a little more but conditions were pretty good for the time of year, and passing Messalongi, Skorpios and Nidri was a trip down memory lane after all our cruising in this area last year.
We crossed the channel south of Lefkas, and keeping Ithaca to port, charted a course to the beautiful little town of Fiskardo on the northern tip of Kefalonia. And it was just as beautiful as we remembered! Since we were last here, the pontoons have been removed leaving us no choice but to tie up on the quay in very shallow water. With the wind blowing us sideways, it was quite a tricky manoeuvre to get into our berth, but we managed without embarrassing ourselves and then just stopped to drink in the beauty of our surroundings.
Again it was just a one night stop, but one we thoroughly enjoyed with a pleasant dinner in a little square overlooking the port. Our British neighbours on a small yacht spent a memorable evening in a music bar and re-appeared the following morning looking jaded and somewhat worse for wear. After a stroll to the showers they reported to us that there was a car in the sea around the corner! To our surprise, this wasn't an alcohol induced hallucination and there was indeed a small, white car neatly parked beneath the surface by the entrance to the marina. Apparently the driver had parked on the nearby hill but omitted to set the handbrake!
When we left Fiskardo port,  we were delighted to see an old friend moored nearby. We have spent a coupe of very enjoyable cruising holidays in the Caribbean in Sea Dream, and there was one of their two cruise ships in front of us! We called up the captain and Frank had a chat with him as we idled nearby. He regretfully informed us that she was being chartered, and otherwise we would have been invited alongside and on board - what a treat that would have been! Promising a return visit in due course, we turned south again, stopping for lunch and an afternoon sunbathing in an anchorage we'd nicknamed One Eye Bay, before sailing down to Aghia Efimia.
We spent many days here last year and were welcomed back like old friends. Our favourite spot on the quay was ready for us and George and Magis, the harbourmaster and his assistant, were in hand to welcome us alongside. It feels like we've barely been away!
And that's it for now. I'm sitting in the sunshine at a cafe on the port, drinking in the fresh orange juice and the atmosphere and falling in love with Greece all over again. Tomorrow we turn to the east and start a new journey to a cruising ground in the Aegean, but first we have to negotiate the Corinth Canal, and that should be an interesting experience.