Lavrion to Corinth Canal

Having said goodbye to Mari and Pete in Lavrion after a brilliant two weeks with them (except for the cribbage scores!!), we set off on the next stage to go and pick up Steph and Nigel who were staying in Athens.

 En route we anchored in Chapel Cove just outside Fokaia - a very peaceful bay after choppy seas. I thought I would include a moon view as a change from sunsets!

 Having tried 4 other marinas, only to be told they were full (it really is like parking in Canterbury!) we finally got a space in Alimos marina very close to Piraeus, Athens - actually about 10 minutes drive from where Steph and Nigel were staying. 

 An opportunist clearing up!

 

 We sailed from Piraeus across to the island of Aegina - where they grow pistachios - and then on to a delightful anchorage off Angistri island. 

 From Angistri to Korfos for an overnight anchorage and to restock with supplies

 

 Leaving Korfos at 0600hrs we watched the sun come up as we turned and headed for the Corinth Canal.

 Close by the entrance to the canal we weaved our way between some huge tankers and container ships waiting at anchor to be loaded - just hoped none of them decided to move as we went past!

 The orange lifeboats are launched almost vertically into the water.

The Motley Crew!!

On July 8th we supported Lindsay's "Wear a Wacky Wig to Work Wednesday" in aid of the new cancer unit at Bath hospital. The coach load of Chinese tourists on the quay were somewhat bemused but still took photos of the "crazy English"!

 Skipper at work in the galley.

 Steph looking very serene on Serenity.

 Nigel modelling a blond wig

First mate at the helm steering through the canal in her bright pink plaits.

Mikonos, Sounion Bay, Porto Rafti

More Views of Mikonos

 More of the maze of little streets and lots of staircases.

 Coffee very close to the water!

 The blue and white of the Cyclades

 On our first day in Mikonos marina where we were sheltering from the meltemi wind, Mari and Pete caught the seabus into town and came back with a very appropriate bottle of wine!! (and it tasted good too!)

From Mikonos we sailed across to Finikas on Siros Island, then on to Loutra on Kithnos Island. Here we tested the hot springs flowing into the sea on the beach - very hot water!! Some amazing snorkelling further out from the beach.

Sounion Bay

 A wonderful bay on the southern point of mainland Greece. We anchored beneath Posiedon's Temple up on the cliffs.

 The following day we walked up the hill past Athene's temple to the top. Here we are standing at Posiedon's temple looking down to Serenity in the bay.

 Huge flowers of the agave plants.

 Views of the temple. 

Before it was fenced off, many people had carved their name in the stones including Byron.

We then sailed north up the coast of mainland Greece heading for Porto Rafti.

 On the way we anchored in this bay at Tourkolimano. In the evening there was a wedding at this church on the headland and we enjoyed their fireworks at midnight!

 We walked around the bay and out on this spit where we came across amazing patterns in the clay.

 Next stop was Porto Rafti.

  Will it or won't it pay out??

This was the time of the crisis in Greece when they had not been able to pay back their loans, had voted against austerity measures imposed by the europe as a condition of further bailout loans, and so were at risk of having to leave the eurozone. All banks were closed for 3 weeks and Greeks were only able to withdraw 60 euros a day from the ATMs. We were lucky to be able to withdraw our usual limit and some places were still accepting payment by card.

In Greece you often hear the cicadas but it is quite rare to see one. They make a loud noise by vibrating membranes on their sides.

Next Chapter

 Patmos

Wonderful, rickety jetties in Patmos where they will use anything they find to construct the walkway.

 We drove up to the monastery above the town (another one!) and this was the view back to the harbour.

 A peaceful, serene place

 Coffee on the balcony before walking back down to the car.

Naxos

Ros left us in Patmos and caught the ferry back to Kos to fly home from there. We left Patmos at 3.30am and sailed across to a small island called Dhenoussa - quite a rough sail so we were pleased to drop anchor in a bay there. We have now left the Dodecanese and are in the Cyclades. The next morning was quite the opposite and we had very little wind so drifted across to Naxos where we met Mari and Pete off the ferry from Santorini.

 They really do like their blue paint in the Cyclades!!

 A real maze of tiny alleyways

 A "castle" wall built using parts of columns etc removed from ancient sites.

 

 Mari at the helm sailing from Naxos to Paros where we stayed a few days while the meltemi (strong north wind) went through.

Delos

From Paros north to Rhinia for an overnight anchorage and then on to Delos the next morning. A large ancient site that was once the political and religious centre of the ancient world. It is believed that Delos was the best anchorage between Europe and Asia and in the centre of the trading route from the Dardenelles to Crete. We did not find it to be a good anchorage!! It took a while to get the anchor to dig in through the weed and also a lot of other boats had already anchored there.

The site has been likened to Pompeii as there is so much remaining that you get a good picture of what life was like there.

 Five lean lions guard the sacred lake.

 Sharing the view over the site with a lizard.

 We made it to the top on a very hot day!

Mikonos

Next stop was Mikonos marina where we sat out the meltemi - again!

On the second day when we felt the boat was more secure and the winds had dropped a bit, we caught the seabus into Mikonos town.

 Old windmills above the town.

 "Little Venice" along the shoreline.

Mari buying a shawl straight off the loom from the lady who had made it.

More Islands

Moving On

The Volcanic Island of Niseros

While I came back to the UK to visit family and friends, John joined Dave on the boat and they continued around the islands including visiting the volcano on Niseros.

John at the top of the volcano.

Flowers of sulphur at the volcano.

Around the Islands 

When I flew back, Ros joined us and we returned to Pserimos, Emborios bay on Kalymnos by Telendhos island and then north past Leros and anchored in the south bay on Arkhengelos.

 A beautiful bay where just the one family lived and ran the taverna ashore.

Lipsi Island 

A very colourful island!!

Purple

Pink

Undecided!!

From Lipsi we went north east to Agathonisi

 In the bay at Agathonisi.

 Looking back to the small town.

A delightful spot for lunch in the garden