Telltales 84  UPDATED: MONDAY 30th October.

Greece, from Aegina to Symi.......Home

AEGINA,  25th October
We spent 4 leisurely days in Aegina. Anne and Christian take a ferry to Methana and from there onward with busses back home to their own boat in Kalamata, South Peleponesos. We definately enjoyed their company and are sorry that we don't know when we will see each other again. But that is the life of live-onboards. We all go different ways and sail different seas. Thank god for e-mail, so that we can stay in touch.

Off course 4 days in Aegina, means eating with Pedro for 4 days in a row, not a real punishment and we tried all his new dishes. And the Moose was hungry as well.



But, unfortunately we have to move on. get rid of the last part and get us back home. We have covered 1400 miles in two and a half weeks, and only need to do another 220 miles. But as Roland just knows too well...The Meltemi wind in the Cyclades, feared by soo many. And especially this summer it has caused havoc for weeks in a row. The fearcefull Meltemi wind blows from the North, that is the only constant thing about it. But it can blow from force 4 to force 10, easily, for days/weeks in succession.

So, Roland spends some more time on the internet, looking for a gap of 24 hours, to get us through in one go. Stopping on all these popular summer islands is no option in this time of the year. They are deserted, even Mykonos. No point in visiting them and risking to get blocked in one of these places. Even the 7-day forecast on weatheronline does not leave much option. Only on saturday, there is an opportunity, but after that we will get seriously bocked as the wind shifts from the North to the South and back, with force. So, we opt for a departure on saturday morning early and will take advantage of the 20 knot norhterly, to blast us through.
Once we pass Naxos (half way), the wind will shift further west and help us get home.
We say goodbeye to Pedro, Yvonne and their sons Alketas (pronounce Al-Qaida) and Theo, only after we have forced them to promise to visit us in Symi, which they will do in November, when their restaurant is closed.

SATURDAY, 28th October
Well, it was not to be, and we had the nastiest sail EVER. Leaving Aegina at 7 in the morning (picking up three anchors in the process of leaving, HAHA back in greece, after all) we hoist a reefed main and staysail, but already have 20 knots, before we even reach Cape Sounion. Between Cape Sounion and the island of Kea (an infamous wind-funnel), the wind picks up to 25, but still at a close reach, so no problem. The problem arises when we round the North tip of Kithnos. The wind picks up, hitting 30, 35 and not much later 45 knots. The waves that are accompanying this festival of wind, are NOT FUNNY. In 13 years of Cyclades sailing I have not had the pleasure to experience this before, nor am I enjoying it now.
Certainly impressive. We open the sails a little further and we are looking for the nearest shelter. Loutra on Kithnos is no option, albeit the closest, it would mean to have to gybe and the port is small and on a lee-shore. Forget it. The next one is Siros, 23 miles down the road, but just a little to close to the wind to be comfortable. So, we veer even further South and aim for Naoussa on the island of Paros, thus extending our trip, but making the circumstances -BARELY- managable. The amounts of water that come over deck, sails and us, is unbelievable. We feel more like a submarine than a sailboat. The surfs down the waves are frightening to say the least.

SORRY NO PICTURES>>>>> I am really sorry I did not make THAT a priority, but I had other things to do. Forgive me.

Of course to complete our ordeal, it is at moments like this that the bilge alarm goes off. Indicating an increased water level in the bilges and either the automatic pump is broken, or there is more water coming in than the pump can get out. We are a WOODEN boat after all, and NO tupperware. Opening floors and checking this out, is no fun under these circumstances, but Marit keeps the boats course a little bit more down wind, giving me some stability. The pump has jammed, so I connect another one and close the floors, not my biggest concern at this moment.
Slowly, very slowly the wind goes back to a 'normal' 25/30 knots AND allowing us to sail closer to the wind and thus Finikas on Siros comes within reach again. At 5 in the afternoon we round the Cape of the bay and drop anchor.
We are both wet, cold and hungry, as we did not eat that whole day. So, we quickly eat something, Marit takes a hot shower and Roland attacks the bilgepumps. Spare ones are installed (the second one had also given up) and we sleep early. Yes, Roland -also- had a hot shower. Exhausted, with 25 knots howling around the boat and jerking at the anchor chain.
Thanks Weatheronline.com, Poseidon.ncmr.gr and Windfinder.com, you had it all wrong, and we paid the price.

SUNDAY 29 Oct.
We wake up late. Have breakfast onboard as we do not want to launch the outboard to go ashore. Again the internet is consulted, THANK GOD for mobile connections from the boat, slow but working. Although not pleased with what I find out (nor do I trust them this time!!!!), we decide to leave and try again. There is less wind forecasted and veering to the West later. The waves will still be there though, making it an uncomfortable ride. However, if we do not take this opportunity we will be blocked for days.... We sail out at 4 in the afternoon and head for Naxos. If things are too rough we can pull in there (or in Naoussa, Skinoussa, Iraklia, Amorgos, Astipalia and/or sooooooo many other places, THAT is the advantage of the Cyclades, everything is within reach, just change direction and there is another island). We arrive at 8 in the evening after a good sail, with some rolling and decide to continue. We take a course further south, bringing us in between Paros and Naxos and than onward south of Naxos and south of Amorgos. This should give us protection from the waves that are still rolling in from the North (by being in the lee of all these islands), though the wind is only a comfortable 15 knots. It is never the wind that we fear, it is the waves and the accompanying seas.
BUT, indeed, as soon as we enter the Naxos Channel the waves die down and we pass Naxos and Paros in the dark. We cross in between Iraklia and Skinoussa and see the lights of both ports opposite in the very narrow channel. We weave through a labyrinth of unlit islets (thanks to the chartplotter and very accurate maps) and a few fishing boats. Further onward there is the dark shadow of Amorgos, of which we see absolute nothing as we pass the uninhabitated south part. The only thing on this 20 mile long coast is the famous monastery, hanging off the cliffs. At night we see nothing of this either.



The night is exceptionally clear and Marit sees more shooting stars, than she has wishes for. Happy girl. No moon-light to spoil the star-gazing either. We meet three sailboats on opposite courses, making their way across the Cyclades. I feel sorry for them,. they have the waves against them.
Astipalia passes in the dark on starboard.

MONDAY, 30 october
Dawn brings greyer skies at the horzon, but also the south-west tip of Kos. We are officially out of the Cyclades and back in the Dodecanesos. The wind veers to the South West, as predicted this time and helping us. We motor sail along as there is only 8 knots of wind. This time they are right, those internet weatherforecasters.

At 13.00 we pass Knidos (turkey) and now have mainland Turkey to our port. 5,5 months after I sailed out of Symi, I am almost back. It was a fantastic summer, with too many sails, too little wind, very hot, new people and friends, familiair places where I had not been for years. And of course, as always, new places. After 13 years of sailing in the Med (yearly 5000 miles on average), I still have not been everywhere, and I can keep going. And this year we took part again in the Races for the Classic Yachts. Not all of them, just the last three of the season. What a splendor to see all those classics, especially for us, as we are normally the only classic around. They don't venture that much out of their home waters, and most of them are based on the Cote d'Azur and North Italy. In Greece, Turkey, The Black Sea, Croatia, Malta or Tunisia, you don't see any of them.

Symi should appear on the horizon soon.......

From St. Tropez to Symi in 22 days. And 10 of days we stayed in port due to bad weather. lets hope that November still brings some nice days in this part of the Med, so that we can still enjoy that as well, extending our -already long- season even a bit more.



For next year, we are planning to do the complete South Turkey Coast, Cyprus, Lebanon and Syria and back. Anne and Christian have done a large part last year and especially the South Turkey coast (some 500 miles of it) offers some of the most spectacular sailing spots in the Med. I look forward to them already.

But first, I will take up gardening for the next 4 months......... oh no, have to do some varnishing to give Sylphe a wintercoat protection first.

AHOY
Roland and Marit
www.sail-in-style.com