November 2004
It is
November the first. The clock has been set back one hour,
indicating that winter has started. We are sailing on a mirror-like
flat Saronic Gulf in Greece……. in shorts. No T-shirts
as temperatures are still around 29 degrees Celsius. Full summer.
What a joy. What a pleasure and what a luck. (Sorry to all those
that are reading this in colder climates or behind a desk).
Everyone makes choices in life, it is as simple as that.
Our
decision to extend this summer by continuing in Greek waters has
definitely paid off. Over the last 4 years we participated in the
races in the South of France and were forced to leave this part
of the Med already around the end of August. This year we stayed.
So far, we already enjoyed two months (after August) of sailing
in perfect conditions in the Ionian, sailed around the
Peleponesos and presently back in the Athens region. And we are
still enjoying it today, as you can read.
We
have had plenty of visitors over the last two months, and they
all took advantage of the great weather. And it is not over yet.
I do not know where the Greek fisherman get their weather
forecast, but they are predicting for the whole month of November
good, warm and gentle weather. They were right for October, so I
have no reason to doubt them. This will enable us to leisurely
sail through the Cyclades in the next coming weeks, slowly going
over to Turkey, where we will winter in the port of Ayvalik,
opposite of Lesbos. But not yet.
Greece
has treated us great and welcomed us like never before, a bit
like the Olympic Slogan “Welcome Home”. So many nice
places to visit. Away from the hectic life, that comes with high
season periods. We explored, once again, the Ionian sea and
islands. Visiting some places that we had not been to. There
simply does not seem to come an end to the places to go and see.
I thought that we would be bored out of our minds, having done
this already for 5 years. But no, there is still -and always
again- a new place to visit. Not to mention the joy to come back
to familiar places and faces. Like we never left. Assos on
Cephalonia remains together with Kioni on Ithaca our favourite
place in the Ionian. But we also had BBQ’s in deserted bays.
Little real sailing, but who is complaining?? And Rob, remember
you had your spinnaker run…….
Our
trip around the Peleponesos was a normal one. No winds for most
of the trip so we motor-sailed along. Rob, who accompanied us,
and Marit (who had done this stretch with me 4 years ago but at
night and non-stop!!!!) enjoyed some of the places that I
had seen and visited more leisurely on my own in 2003. The trip
around is off the beaten tourist track and this is noticeable.
The only boats that you meet are live-on-boards as well (a fair
share of Dutch boats, I must say), the Greeks onshore welcoming,
the prices noticeably lower for everything one could desire.
Koroni, Methoni and Monemvasia are the gems in this area and a
worthwhile stop. This trip around the Peleponesos brought us
slowly back in the most traveled waters of Greece: the Saronic
Gulf. The islands of Hydra, Aegina, Spetses and Poros. But also
the mainland with places like Epidavros, Ermioni and Leonidion. I
have been coming here since 1994, making this the 11th
year. So many Greek friends in all these places, that we decided
to take some along on Sylphe for a few days, as a “thank you”
for their hospitality and service over the last eleven years. It
was memorable to be sailing around with Greeks onboard.
Especially as they all brought their kids (and in one case the
dog as well) and they visibly relaxed, after yet another season
of hard work. Josef, Myren and their daughter enjoyed Monemvasia,
Leonidion, Yerakas and Kiparissi; Vagelis, Vanessa and their boys
enjoyed the seasonal closing down of Spetses and Hydra, we
literally had the last coffee in the taverna, before they
closed for the winterperiod. They saw Greece from a different
perspective and enjoyed it, just as much as we have been enjoying
it for more than 10 years.
Today
we are heading back in the direction of Athens, as I will have to
pick up some spares and materials that I will need during the
winter period in Ayvalik for this year’s maintenance;
the mast will have to come off and be varnished again (15 times),
a watermaker to be installed, antifouling on the bottom and a new
color for the topsides and thus finally correcting the crooked
waterline. Sailing in these waters and with no real home port or
supplier at hand, one needs to plan a little ahead. But before
these works will start, we will slowly make our way through the
Cyclades, in a period of the year that the fearsome “Meltemi”
winds are no longer blowing (actually a pity, as they gave us
some of the most exhilarating sails on Sylphe over the last 5
years). Most of the islands will have closed a large part of
their restaurants and bars already, as these islands thrive on
tourism only. It will be nice and completely different to what we
are used from these spots in high season: Mykonos, Serifos, etc,
will be a new and different sight this time.
But
first: tonight we will have diner again in Hippocampus on Aegina:
the absolute best food in the Med and we can never be bothered by
having to sail an extra 50 miles just to get here and enjoy Pedro’s
food. Tonight will be lamb-tongues, giant beans and spicy pork.
We will skip desert, I think.
Keep
you posted
AHOY
Roland
and Marit
S/y
SYLPHE