7 August, 2013
After a 10nm motor from Bozburun, Turkey we are now anchored in the beautiful Pedi Bay on the Greek Island of Symi. Let our Greek Cruising season begin !
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| Pedi Bay Anchorage. Symi Island |
We are now "checked into" Greece so that means our Schengen clock is ticking. Today (8/8/13) we took the bus from Pedi Bay into Symi town and did the rounds of the Government offices to do our "check in"-Coast Guard, Port Police, Customs and back to the Coast Guard plus pay 30 Euro (for our Transit Log) , so now we are "legal". Symi town is a very busy touristy very Greek town with the harbour stacked with boats of all type coming and going, including some huge ferries.
10 August, 2013
Today we motored 5.5nm around to beautiful Panormitis mainly so we could visit the Monastery (Refer to Panormitis Post)
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| Our pals on sy Kerching anchored near us in Panormitis |
Now we are snugged up in the tiny little harbour (Livadhia) here on Tilos Island (Greece) as there is a bit of a "blow" on the way for a few days. So rather than do "anchor watch" we opted for being in the harbour and why not it is our 40th wedding anniversary after all. Maybe we'll go out to dinner- that is if we can find anywhere open in this mini town.
12 August, 2013
Well it's chaos here (Livadhia,Tilos Island currently as yachts are coming from everywhere trying to fit into this tiny harbour! So glad we came in early- it certainly pays to keep an eagle eye on the weather. thank you "Buoy Weather" for your accurate forecasts.
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| Sunrise leaving Tilos |
Today we motored sailed another 18 nm north west we are now at Palon (Pali) on the Greek island of Nisyros where there is a volcano to visit. The Greek Vodafone internet connection is very slooooowwww here.
14 August,2013
A big Italian Rally group as well as a Greek Rally group came in and squashed into the already full harbour!
15 August, 2013
Large Italian rally group came in and squashed into very small places too small. we are learning a lot about how to "squash in" and be "pushy"
16 August, 2013
We hired a car today and visited the volcano. (See Nisyros Post)
17 August, 2013
Quite day in the harbour today as there were less charter boats.
18 August, 2013
We have moved to the opposite side of Pali harbour as there is a strong wind from the N and we were being pushed onto the wall. The wind is due to increase for a couple of days so we will stay here. Our internet connection is not all that good as we are no longer near the free Wifi and Vodafone is only just working.
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| Getting a bit rougher in Pali Harbour |
Chris and Lee from s/y Libertas arrived today. We last saw them in Alanya in 2011. We are are still sheltering from this damn weather.
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| Leaving Nisyros |
So we have re-located again. After motoring for 22nm we are now on Kos Island (Greece) the "home of Kos lettuce." The ancient sights include a Knights of St John Castle, The Hippocrates Tree, a 4th Century Agora and The Asklepion, so I think we'll be a tad busy today. (Refer to separate Posts)
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| As we approached Kos we saw the Greek Flag on the hillside |
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| Resorts along the shore line. |
23 August, 2013
Visited Bodrum Castle (see Post) went over by a so called "fast ferry" that was not all that fast!
24 August, 2013
We are still snugged up in Kos Marina on Kos Island (Greece) as the "wind Gods" have decided to blow a "hoolie" Oh well at least we can wander around town and watch all the "tourists" spend money of "tourist stuff"
25 August, 2013
A site seeing day today as we visited the Asklepion. (refer to Post)
26 August. 2013
Site seeing around Kos (Refer to the Kos Posts).
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| These umbrella beaches always amuse us. Note Kos Marina in the background. |
Seems like the "wind Gods" need to hang around for a while longer. We want to go north west and guess where the strong winds are coming from? Yep NW and NNW and that's "right on our nose" meaning a very bumpy ride. Maybe we need to go S and then we would "fly" along with the sails up. Mmmmm food for thought!
29 August, 2013
After 9 nights in Kos marina waiting on the weather to abate we decided , in the interest of our bank account, to head back down to Pali harbour on Nisyros to wait for the "weather Gods" to stop "roaring" It is a safe little harbour from winds in all directions and mooring with power is only 5 Euros a day. A lot less than in Kos marina!
Our ride from Kos to Pali today was fairly animated as we were having wind gusts of about 27 kts (that's Force 6). At one stage we had the large headsail up and Hamamas was flying along at 8 kts! Needless to say we were overpowered so we had to furl it. That's not an easy task in 27 kts of wind.
30 August 2013
It’s been all go here today as
the wind is still blowing about 30 kts boats are coming and going and getting
themselves into difficulties. There has been shouting, lines criss crossing,
anchors chains being lifted and too much advise from the “know alls” We are
hoping that we do not get too many charter boats in as they are often the
problem although we have met some great folk.
31 August, 2013
We are still
sheltering in Pali (Palon) harbour as the meltemi continues to blow about Force
7. We do have a surge in here (nothing like Alanya though) and the waves are
breaking over the wall and spraying all the yachts.
If only the careless charter boats would stay
away we would feel more comfortable. They persist in coming in late in the
afternoon in 30 kt winds and try to squeeze into a space that is way to small for them and then they scratch your boat. When
questioned they say "oh we had the fenders out". Yes they were out
but no-one manned them so they "popped out" as the professional
skipper came back into the spot way to fast. Grrrrr was Tom mad! He certainly
practiced his "Ozzie vocab!" We are yet to assess the extent of the
damage -it could be just a minor scratch or it could be that the gell coat has
been cracked- the damage is under our "toe rail" We will continue our
cruising season.
1 Sept,2013
1001 charter boats came in today but fortunately there was no more damage to us.. |
| Dancing Waves across the Harbour |
2 Sept, 2013
Its been chaos here (Pali) as a "flotilla" came in and they all seemed very inexperienced at one stage we had 4 boats in the harbour trying to find a berth and one of them was unable to furl his headsail so he was flying up and down the harbour with it flaping and not knowing what to do. Eventually someone from the flotilla got to them in a dinghy and put a person on board who helped sort them out. Eventually everyone was slotted in. We were exhausted after all the excitement and "worry" about the poor devils trying to moor their boats in 30 kt winds.
3 Sept, 2013
Still blowing a gale but a quieter day in the harbour boatwise. However the noise in the rigging and the wind generators is incredible!
5 Sept, 2013
Crazy winds are still blowing so we are staying put.
6 Sept ,2013
It was not too bad here today but the seas still are up. We are due for a big blow on Sunday and Monday then it supposed to be calming down by the look Buoy Weather. Maybe that is when we'll more. We actually love this little island
7 Sept, 2013
We are currently "in paradise" as the " Anemoi-the wind god" has stopped roaring, the harbour is calm, the sun is shining and all those blue and white Greek buildings are sparkling. Shame the "Anemoi" wants to "roar" back again tomorrow.
9 Sept, 2013
Another busy morning here in Pali Harbour on Nisyros Is as the "charters" leave in 20 kts winds picking up anchor chains as they lift their anchors. Even though we are moored in a harbour we are still doing the equivalent of "anchor watch" as one never knows just what those "charter boats" will do.
We are now enjoying the company of Brian and Jackie Oakey from s/y Songster whom we first met in Rebak Malaysia in 2010.
Looks like we may have a "weather window" to move on Wednesday.
11 Sept, 2013
Just waved Brian and Jackie from s/y Songster off. They are going back to Turkey while we will stay in the Greek Islands for a couple of more weeks. Hopefully "Anemoi" the wind god will treat us well.
12 Sept, 2013
Still waiting on our "weather window"
13,Sept, 2013
With a "hop, step and a jump" we are now 30 nm further NW on the Greek island of Kalymnos. Well actually we had to motor all the way as there was no wind at all! It took us a while to raise our anchor this morning as 2 other yachts had laid their chains/anchors across ours so we actually lifted both of them and then had to mess around getting free from them. It certainly woke them up at 6.30 am. Serves them right for not noting how our chain was laid! Tom told the Dutchman next to us that he was across our chain but he "wouldn't have a bar of that"
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| Arriving Kalymnos |
14 Sept, 2013
Well, well, well, what a small world it is! Our new
neighbours here in Pothia harbour on Kalymnos Is in Greece are the David and
Juilet from s/y Reflections whom we first meet in Rebak Malaysia in 2010.
They are also friends of our friends, Brain and Jackie (s/y
Songester) and Barry and Mags (s/y JJ
Moon). I wonder who we will meet next?
15 Sept, 2013
We wondered who we would meet next on our cruise in the Greek Islands. So can you guess who came into the harbour yesterday? ... Matt and Annie s/y Wild One and Trevor from s/y Captain Ginger. They were on the CA Rally along with a number of other yachts. It was great having a quick catch up as we last saw them in Alanya in May 2013.
16 Sept 2013
Yesterday was a very different day for us. Our new neighbours on a 54' Amel had only been moored for about a couple of hours when we heard the most dreadful "snoring, snorting like" noise from the Captain (German man) who was sleeping in the cockpit. The next we heard his wife frantically calling to him trying to wake him.
We realised something was very wrong so in an instant Tom was on their boat performing CPR on the man. I ran and got further help from another yachtie (John an Irish guy) who helped Tom with the CPR. I also asked a lovely Greek restaurant owner to call the until the ambulance.
When it arrived the two attendants seemed very
inexperienced and the ambulance was very ill equipped. It took 4 strong men to
get the poor man out of the centre cockpit down the passerole and into the
ambulance. By this time CPR had to stop. It did not start again until he was in
the hospital as there was NO equipment in the ambulance and it was too small
for Tom and John to go with them.
Juliet (Reflection) accompanied the wife to the hospital. Sadly the poor man died 2 hours later even though the hospital staff kept trying to revive him. His wife was coping well and her family plus some German friends will be with her by now. Fortunately, they had good repatriation insurance. It certainly was a day we will remember but hope never to be involved in again.
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| Early morning depature from Kalymnos. |
For those of you who like rides at Theme Parks will be sorry to hear you missed out this morning on a fun ride as we rocked and rolled our way to Ormos Partheni at the top end of Leros island 25 nm from Pothia on Kalymnos. We are now anchored in a very calm bay and it is almost silent after the hustle and bustle of Pothia Harbour.
18 Sept, 2013
After another little hop today we are now in
Skala harbour on Patmos island. Tomorow we will go the the famous
Monastery build around the cave where St John supposedly wrote the New
Testament's Book of Revelation. (Refer to Posts)
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| Sunrise while leaving Patmos Harbour |
With "one giant stride" we are now back in Kalymnos harbour (35 nm south of Patmos) ready to sit out another blow before we head on south to Symi. Juilet and David Fosh (s/y Reflections) are also here plus a number of "cruisers" we have met in the Greek Isles.
21-24 Sept, 2013
We remained in Kalymnos as we were waiting on our weather window.
25 Sept, 2013
Moving right along ... we are now anchored at Nisis Yali (about 2 nm from Pali on Nisyros) after motoring 30nm in very light winds although we did shake out the headsail for a while.
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| Sunrise as we are leaving Yali anchorage. |
Gave the "iron spinnaker" a good workout today as we motored 38nm from Nisis Yali to Pedi Bay (Simi). Noticed most sailors were using those "iron spinnakers" today.
What a fun day! The winds were so strong that we had to do anchor watch all day.
2 Oct, 2013
We are now "checked out of Symi , Greece, the EU and the Schengen countries. Tomorrow we will leave Pedi Bay Symi for Bosburun Turkey.
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| Bye Symi Harbour |
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| Bye Pedi Bay. Hamamas is down there somewhere. |
Follow the rest of our journey back to Finike on Cruising the Turkish Coast 2013
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