Yassas from Chris, Julia and Aremiti
Well, so much for being gently wafted downwind – buffeted would better describe the
travels of Aremiti during July. The Meltemi winds – always prevalent in July and August
- have been even stronger and more persistent than usual – and certainly featured far
more strongly than our previous experience of Greek waters. These winds usually last
around three days, but this month have continued to blow hard for six days or more and
never entirely to die away. There have been no days of calm, though the wind
occasionally dropped to around 15 knots. This has given us some great sailing – and we
have been forever washing salt off the boat, but made the choice of ports of call more
problematic. Our plans have had to keep flexible as we have left some islands earlier
than planned to get to somewhere safe and interesting ahead of forecast strong winds,
but stayed longer on other islands than originally planned. Upsides have been that we
have not felt as swelteringly hot as usual in July – and an absence of mosquitos! We
have pursued a zig-zagging course, visiting eight very different islands and progressed
175 miles.
We cleared out of Turkey at Cesme with far less stress than the formalities we ‘enjoyed’
last year, though the process still laboriously involved visiting three different
authorities to get our Transit Log stamped, then returning to each to distribute the
stamped copies. The process was completed by the Customs Officer who told us we must
leave within the hour. The passage across to the island of Chios was only eight miles,
but having calculated the right time to leave – just ahead of a forecast Meltemi - we
immediately found ourselves plunging straight into a 25 knot headwind! Still – it wasn’t
for long and we were soon ensconced in a safe haven.
Strong winds in the right direction are obviously not a problem and we have enjoyed some
fantastic passages. However, it can sometimes be a problem to find somewhere safe at the
end of a passage. Our preferred option is always to anchor, but this is not always
feasible. Turkey was very easy, in that failing a safe anchorage, there is a series of
conveniently spaced welcoming marinas - albeit prohibitively expensive. Greece can be a
little edgy. There are fewer marinas, and though most ports have a town quay where
yachts can anchor-moor stern or bows to, these are not always well protected from the
wind and suffer the disadvantage of crossed anchors leading to all sorts of mayhem –
particularly in strong winds. What Greece does have is a number of unfinished
‘unofficial’ marinas. Bizarre that a marina should be built all the way to the stage of
pontoons and cleats and then just left. We have been to a number of these during our
time in Greece – and they are ideal! They provide excellent protection and while they do
not supply electricity or water, they are free! However, they tend to become full of all
manner of boats and it is difficult to get information about them – whether they
actually exist, whether they are full, whether they are silted up, etc.
There was one such marina in Chios which we thought we’d investigate, given negative
reports of the protection offered by the port. The sight of yacht masts was a good sign
and once through the scarily rock-strewn entrance we were relieved to squeeze ourselves
into the last space left alongside the outer wall, behind an underwater services vessel
and ahead of a tiny motor-boat and huge rusty barge. The wind really started blowing
overnight and didn’t let up for the next six days.
Chios is the fourth largest Greek island (after Crete, Evia, Lesbos) and was an excellent
place to be ‘trapped’ by the Meltemi. We hired a car for a couple of days to explore the
island. Its main claim to fame is the production of mastic – the resin of the mastic
tree which though prevalent throughout the Mediterranean, has in Chios been cultivated
and bred since Roman times for medicinal and culinary use. Production is centred in the
south west of the island – the ‘Mastichohoria’ - around a number of fortified medieval
villages. The architecture of these villages is rather idiosyncratic – severe square
grey stone houses with tiny windows – in alleyways with tunnels and archways. The island
has an unhappy history. In 1822 as a reprisal for its support of Greek independence, the
Ottoman regime sent in 40,000 troops resulting in the massacre of 52,000 inhabitants,
the enslavement of a similar number, leaving 21,000 to flee. We visited the abandoned
village of Anavatos where the terrified population had been chased through the streets
by the troops and leapt to their deaths by jumping off the cliff at the top of the
village to avoid capture. Then in 1881 an earthquake killed 3,500 people. In the past
ten years the island has suffered from two devastating forest fires – the smoke reaching
Crete 350 miles south. Our abiding memory of Chios will be of the exceptionally loud
cicadas, shrieking their eternal outrage at these tragic events.
Our departure from Chios after a week, with winds down to 20 knots, was a little
stressful. We un-moored, turned the boat and headed to the tricky entrance only to find
that the engine had no power. After a brief panic attack, we rafted to a barge while
Chris dashed to the engine, fearing the worst – but discovering that he had forgotten to
turn on the fuel tap after changing a filter – phew! Then as we started making a very
tight turn out to avoid rocks, a fisherman on shore started shouting and gesticulating.
Julia assumed initially that he was warning us off a danger before realising he was just
worried about his line! Wonder how he’d have felt if he’d succeeded in guiding us on to
the rocks!
Our next destination was Ikaria, 52 miles south. This has a reputation for strong winds
on the best of days - navigational advice is to keep 5 miles off the island unless
actually visiting it. We enjoyed an excellent downwind passage culminating, as we
reached the eastern tip of the island and turned westwards along the southern coast, in
a battering from 30 knot winds screaming off the hills. So much for a lee shore! Other
than windiness, Ikaria’s main claim to fame are its radio-active hot springs. The
supposedly therapeutic waters can be enjoyed in various spas, but our ’marina’ boasted
its own spring under a rock ledge to the side. It was very hot but we have no idea
whether it was radio-active – or how that could be considered therapeutic. Julia took a
dip – Chris didn’t.
After our extended stay in Chios, we left Ikaria after only a couple days, bound for the
Fournoi islands between Ikaria and Samos – with an even great notoriety for wind. The
wind generally had calmed significantly and we even had to motor-sail – until we came
within a few miles of land, when we were hit by a steady 35-40 knots for the final hour
or so. However, this was a short passage and we soon found our anchorage which, though
almost as windy, had flat water. It was a delightful spot – with an ancient marble
quarry ashore together with some half-made columns and other bits and pieces. However,
the gusts coming off the hills in all directions had us violently veering around and the
delight wore a bit thin. After an unsettled night we decided to move on.
Given recent experience we had expected a battering during the 27 mile passage to Samos,
but the trip was notable for changes in wind strength between 10 and 25 knots about
every 15 minutes – necessitating constant sail changing. We anchored off Pythagorio –
the second town of the island – a laid back and friendly resort – close to the Mycale
Strait only one mile wide, between Samos and the Turkish mainland. The town’s name
celebrates the mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras who was born on Samos. We hired
a car here to explore the very green and mountainous island. Samos reached the peak of
its power in the 6th century BC and three major projects from that era are considered
the three greatest works of the ancient Greeks: the great mole 360 m. long, creating the
harbour, the Great Temple of Hera, and the Eupalinian tunnel - constructed as part of an
aqueduct supplying water to the town and particularly notable as the second earliest
tunnel in history to be dug from both ends. We found the Temple of Hera –
atmospherically overgrown, and the mole – still part of the harbour, but were
disappointed to find that the tunnel had closed a couple of hours before we arrived.
Greek austerity measures have bitten into opening hours for such sites and museums. With
another full scale Meltemi forecast to arrive in 2-3 days, we decided we had time for an
idyllic anchorage before moving to the safe harbour of Patmos for the blow.
The island
of Agathonisi was indeed idyllic – the harbour a charming little place – traditional
Greek buildings climbing up the hill, clear turquoise water – and wind not excessive!
The perfect place for chilling – the most exciting event being the daily arrival of the
ferry. However, we had heard reports from different sources a couple of years ago about
unpleasant treatment of refugees on this very tiny island. The ‘problem’ having now
disappeared, this was very hard to envisage – but remained an uncomfortable thought.
After a couple of relaxing days we sailed the 23 miles to Patmos, weaving through the
islands between Arki and Lipsi. We were not exactly looking forward to stern-to mooring
on the town quay here, but as there was no other option we were forced to bite the
bullet. This form of mooring is a difficult manoeuvre for two people on a centre cockpit
boat and Aremiti is not designed for getting on and off at the bow or stern. However all
went well, though Aremiti mischievously prefers sneaking up to the quay in a stealthy
zig zag approach rather than just going for it.
Patmos is a major spiritual centre of the Greek Orthodox church – and location of the
apocalypse being revealed to St John. The sight of the mighty grey stone monastery walls
rising dramatically above the white houses of the town up on a hill is awe inspiring.
The monastery complex is a labyrinth of niches and passages to chapels and monk’s cells.
The treasures displayed in the museum are stunning and priceless – books and manuscripts
dating back 1,100 years, and fabulous liturgical silverware and vestments. The island is
still owned mainly by the monastery which has kept a check on the tackiest
manifestations of tourism and the town is a tasteful maze of alleys and houses painted
white with pale blue woodwork – very lovely. Having got the bus up to the town, we
walked back down to the port, via the site of the cave where the bizarre revelations
took place – surreal. Another morning we walked up to Profitis Ilias – a tiny chapel on
the island’s highest hill. The service taking place there was incomprehensible and
potentially interminable – but the views were awesome – taking in all the islands we had
so far visited, except Chios, and the next two on our agenda.
We were given a reminder of another reason we don’t like anchor-mooring when one
afternoon we were watching with fascination and some entertainment as one after another
two departing yachts picked up the anchor chains of other moored boats, causing those
boats to have to re-anchor and moor – in 25-30 knots of wind. This proved not to be
quite so amusing when we in our turn had our anchor yanked up. Somehow we managed to
un-tie (thank you passer-by who unplugged the power lead) and repeat the dread
manoeuvre.

Our next passage was a short one to the little island of Lipsi – another great sail in
strong winds. The main town/port was a delightful, low key spot with houses dotted
higgledy piggledy around the large church. Apparently many of the tourist based
businesses here are run by returned Aussies and place has an authentically Greek but
well maintained look about it. We enjoyed a meal on the quay amid the buzz of the town
in little taverna reputed to serve the best grilled octopus in the eastern Aegean.
After a night of snatching in the rather mobile waters of the harbour, we decided to move
round to the south of the island to a very pretty anchorage – where we spent a couple of
relaxed days – though the wind never dropped below 15 knots. Generally a very quiet
anchorage, a couple of our neighbours were peculiarly ugly motor yachts – in the
brutalist style of naval architecture - looking as though they had been assembled with
components from a cheap DIY store. Very odd.
Our final passage of the month was the 15 miles to the harbour of Lakki in the south west
of the island of Leros. The west coast of Leros is dramatically rocky, rugged and
unforgiving and it was hard to make out our destination, which turned out to be a gap
between cliffs, into the large and protected bay. The town/port of Lakki is most unusual
for its idiosyncratic architecture. These islands were in Italian hands from 1921 until
1948 and Mussolini was particularly interested in Lakki – being such a large and well
protected bay. A naval base was built here, together with a town entirely in Fascist
Italianate Art Deco style.
Our social life has changed out of all recognition from last year’s fascinating but
rather solitary experience in the Black Sea and our first month this year when we
encountered only Turkish yachts. On arrival in Chios we found a veritable European
Community (sob) of cruising yachts – French, Belgian, Italian, German, Austrian and even
British. It was wonderful to feel part of a community again and to bond during the
adverse weather conditions. Since then we have been bumping into these friends at our
various destinations southwards – and have also continued to make new friends.
We have seen little sign of the immigrant crisis which has now largely been controlled by
the Turkish-EU agreement. However, we were sobered by the sight of UN refugee camp in
Chios – UNHCR tents and awnings, and refugees wandering aimlessly around town. We
understand that a few immigrants are still reaching the Greek islands, and also that it
is taking an unconscionable time to process everyone. However, the problem is now being
handled, at least in the sense of being made invisible to the casual tourist, and the
beaches of frolicking holiday-makers right opposite the Turkish coast make it hard to
imagine the tragic scenes of a couple of years ago.
Aremiti and Chris are currently in the marina on Leros – with a list of maintenance and
repair jobs, while Julia has returned home for a week to visit her Mum. The winds have
disappeared – at least for the time being.