Year: 2016

The sailing was great today but what was even more fabulous was finding a solitary dolphin along the way and then a pod of another four. They swam under the keel of the boat so close to the surface we could see every scratch mark on their backs, they responded to our enthusiastic calls, rolled…

Well so we were told and it was on the itinerary to please some lively lads. We passed Sikinos and stopped for a long swim and then headed to Koumbaras bay for another before rounding into Ios port to berth. The boys were a bit incredulous and ultimately they were proved right. The Party season…

We travelled by bus to the Chora – this is the word for town or capital in Greek and is widely used. The bus journey which cost all of Euros 1.40 took us past some lovely churches and mountain sides. The drystone walls were everywhere, marking the courtyards of neat homesteads, fields, and donkey and…

An island I had never heard of, yet one of the most beautiful of the Cyclades both for its geographical features as well as the traditional houses and towns you encounter. The way was dotted with impressive rocks jutting out of the sea and lovely sea scapes. The waters at Akrotiri Artemidos which were almost…

This was or best sailing day – we got up to 9.7 knots and enjoyed swishing through the water, leaning precariously and feeling the yacht’s surge as the sails filled with the Aegean air. The bay we chose for a swim today was a favourite for a number of reasons – we found the most…

We left Kythnos and headed for Serifos. The wind had picked up considerably and I feared rough seas. You can see the wind on the water.  We stopped at Psilli Ammos to swim, a beach that had been voted best European Beach some years ago. As the wind was up the water felt colder and…

We sailed to our first island Kythnos- and stopped off at Kolona for a lovely swim. This is a crescent shaped sandbar which spans two beaches. We swam in the clear waters and  did callisthenics on the beach and then crossed into the opposite bay which was full of chunks of marble. We berthed and…

A special and sacred space on a small peninsula of the mainland and our first stop in the boat. This is the Temple of Poseidon. In Greek Mythology this is where King Aegeus stood waiting for his son Theseas to return from killing the Minotaur in Crete. Of course we know he killed the beast…

I went in search of a loofah and came across the perfect one in this little shop in downtown Athens. I went inside and was intrigued by what I saw -I had recently watched a programme about how sponges are collected and was shocked at the dangers involved, the considerable loss of life due to…

Heading into the area of Monastiraki I came across Athens Flea Markets and some of the tourist markets. Men sit in the sun, soaking it up, others play backgammon and gather a small but interested crowd and languages ricochet from the small alleys in multitudes of dialects and tones. Some of these areas are pedestrianised…