Exactly 4 weeks to the day after we first arrived in Leros marina on the first leg of our journey from Kos, we pitched up there again. It felt very different the second time around. First of all, the weather: whereas last time I had joked with the guy on the next catamaran that we had just come from a North Sea crossing, as I was wearing the fully Monty of warm weather clothing including my father in law’s borrowed sailing dungarees, this time it was shorts and T-shirt weather. It felt different too though because, having been here before, we knew what to expect. And with 4 weeks of handling the boat behind us we felt more in control. The mooring is still sometimes challenging, depending on the weather and the crew’s form on a given day (report: must try harder) but in general we feel more confident and relaxed.
What brought us to Leros marina? North winds were forecasted, so we planned to head south-east to Leros so that we could actually sail (rather than motor-sail or just motor) and anchor in a bay in the north of Leros, to shelter from the stormy weather forecasted for the evening. But on the way over our friends in convoy suffered engine conkout (I think this is the technical term) and needed mechanical expertise from the boatyard. We decided to join them in the marina. It was a good opportunity for us also to look for some spare parts we needed. And of course it is always nice too to take advantage of shorepower and water. We can sluice down the boat, do the hoovering, and have a hot shower: in the marina we and the boat get a good clean and tidy!
At the end of my last roundup we had just spent a few days kicking back in Kefalos. I had enjoyed it so much I was actually quite reluctant to leave (must be a good sign). On the down side the wind had picked up which made the boat rock quite a lot, and was forecasted to get stronger so it made sense to move onward and upward. Next destination was the island of Psérimos. We had some good sailing to get there, reaching what for us are quite reasonable speeds (about 6+ knots in 12 – 18 knots of wind) on a course that I understand in English is called something like beam wind. I don’t know the terminology in English yet! In any case what I mean is that the wind was coming at the boat from about 90 degrees from the side. A note on speed: our boat is very solid and robust with a small mainsail and 2 big foresails. She is relatively heavy both from the build and from the 2 x 375 L water tanks (and the 2 x 230L diesel tanks) so she is not as speedy as our friends’ Fontaine Pajot Athena which is a similar size but a completely different build, and with smaller tanks. Anyway we have not had the chance to sail Opua downwind yet but I am sure she can pick up some good speed with the right wind strength.
On Psérimos, Vathy Bay is a small secluded bay with turquoise waters. No restaurants or cafes or even houses. We were alone, just the 2 boats, savouring the peace and stillness in the early evening after a lovely swim, when suddenly the strains of the Titanic theme tune My love will go on wafted into the bay. The music got louder as a huge tourist “pirate ship” appeared and approached us rapidly, Celine belting it out. Shortly, with a great clatter, the boat set its anchor so it was moored directly next to ours. Whitney Houston took over, with I will always love you. We surmised this was a “Romantic Sunset Cruise” from Kos. So romantic in fact that we then had Elvis crooning for the next 30 minutes. Ralph in the cockpit of our boat – AKA outside living room - and the people on the romantic sunset cruise observed each other curiously like animals in a zoo. Ralph found it hilarious to watch everyone having their photos taken doing Kate Winslet poses at the prow. After about 40 minutes the anchor was hauled in and the boat charged off loudly to its next romantic sunset bay.
After this one night of sunset romance we travelled on to Palionisos bay on Kalymnos and stayed for 5 nights, moored on a buoy. These two factors – staying for a long time in one place, and being safely tied up to a buoy with a reassuringly massive concrete block and heavy-duty chain, make for a very restful and relaxing experience. No need to get up in the night and check the anchor, whatever the wind is up to - and it is very often up to something! Palionisos is a great favourite with sailors based in Kos: apart from being just a short sail away, it is also a stunning, deep (as in long) bay surrounded by hills that catch the morning light. It has two restaurants and a beach bar, and above all (or to top it off, depending on your perspective) it offers good shelter from the Meltemi. In Palionisos we were able to go swimming and snorkelling, try out the kayaks, indulge in a few craft hobbies (on and off I weave a bracelet or do some scribbling), and play cards at the beach bar – the typical holiday stuff.
From Palionisos we set off at 6am towards Lipsi harbour. I fell in love with Lipsi from the moment we arrived and Manolis indicated our berth and helped us moor. (One thing you should know about Lipsi is that everyone is called Manolis.) Harbour Manolis has several strings to his entrepreneurial bow, taking a small fee for the mooring help, and selling local cheese, honey, as well as lemon jam and orange jam (or perhaps marmalade). The harbour filled up rapidly on both sides of the pier after we arrived at about 11.30am. Lipsi has some tourism but it seems mostly to be a workaday town, people going about their business, and it is all very normal, not fake. Down by the harbour it is all ouzerias and grilled octopus, and a row of unassuming taverns along the front. The old town is small, whitewashed, and very steep. There are several small but relatively well-stocked supermarkets where you can get mediocre fruit and veg, and a good butcher in the old town. I can’t say quite what I liked so much about it; I think it just had a nice vibe.
From Lipsi we went north to an island called Marathos which is just off Arki, and moored for one night on a buoy in the cove, where we enjoyed the swimming. Before we left the next day we walked up the hill behind the three beachfront restaurants and had stunning 360 degree views from the top, looking out onto Arki and all the little islands around. From Marathos we sailed to Agriolivadi bay on Patmos. Once there, during the day as there was little wind, Ralph spent about one and a half hours up the mast doing maintenance work. The bay boasts a few sunchairs, a beach bar, a restaurant, and a beach with trees. At 6pm the restaurant and beach bar close, and Stefanos and his team go home. The beach empties. There is nothing doing. And that is what makes it so appealing.
From Patmos we headed to Leros. Fondly envisaging a long smooth sail, we eagerly put up our mainsail and our genoa. But alas, the wind was only 2 or 3 knots so we needed the engine anyway, and the genoa was just flapping about, no good to anyone. So we reluctantly took down the sails and motored along. Sailing in this part of the world is just so tricky as you can never know how reliable the forecasts are. I have come to the conclusion you actually need to be absolutely spontaneous and only decide on your route within a couple of hours before leaving. How workable that really is, is another question. Anyway, after 4 hours we arrived in Leros marina. Time for housework!
We have seen so much in quite a short time. The impressions are piling up. Sometimes I find it difficult to recall and distinguish in my memory the different bays we have moored in only in very briefly, even though each has its own characteristics. But while I might not be able to recall the details of every bay (how wide, what kind of landscape, how the beaches looked) I retain overall impressions. I remember evenings we spent in the company of friends; afternoons swimming and snorkelling; sitting on the sunny boat with a coffee. And I can clearly recall the towns and villages I explored, particularly Lipsi as well as Astypálea and Naóussa.
So since we first arrived in Leros marina we have a whole four weeks’ full of impressions and experiences as well as increased confidence in our abilities to manage the boat. I said before that I was not going to count the weeks that we had not been able to sail. At some point in the future I may even be able to stop counting the weeks that we have been sailing. But at the moment I am clocking them up, somewhat surprised, very pleased, and a little bit proud that things are working out so well.
Translated in German by www.deepl.com (free version) with some tweaks
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