Chiania - Xania - Hania - Ciania.... take your pick!

Another thing to get used to in Greece... every place comes with several similar but different names. Then there is always the Greek alphabet for good measure. This place is pronounced by the locals as Hanya' with the emphasis on the final 'a'.

A 27knot motor past some imposing scenery got us into Chiania at 3:15pm. Slime lines, power and water. 7ish euro per day to dock, 50euro cents per Kilowatt! with air con (which is essential) this was expensive. To give you and idea, we used 434kilowatts of power 217Euro. 9000litres of water 27euro and we were there for 15days = 116Euro

Another visit to the ATM was required!

I have said that we prefer the smaller more intimate places, this place is big but enchanting. The waterfront promenade would be at least a kilometer long. Straightish through the marina running into a substantial horse shoe shaped bay facing the picturesque and historic entrance to the harbour.

This is the oldest harbour in Greece (we are told) and the place where they commemorate the final routing of the Turks after 400 years in 1913. The Greek flag was first raised here last year on the 100th anniversary.








The entire length of the waterfront is wall to wall but tasteful and imaginative taverna's, bars and night clubs with the obligatory trinket shops and tour operators thrown in..... and then more bars.

Venture beyond the promenade into the labyrinth of narrow and narrower cobbled streets with very cool shops and yet more bars and restaurants.

While these venues seem to be infinite, they are all doing a roaring trade and I'm told that Crete doesn't really shut down in the off season, most of it remains open and it is used as a winter retreat by northern Europeans and is large enough to sustain itself.

Hard to believe that Greece is in dire financial straights. We paid 20 Euro for 2 Vodka and tonics (AUS$32) and the place was packed with 18-20 something young Greek kids and they are their till 4:00am?

Mind you, there were no bouncers, no bar brawls no vomit and no young girls careering toward that life long cringe moment.

The promenade behind our boat at 8:00am 

We were moored in the expensive seats if people watching was the ticket. Behind us, within 10 paces in one direction was a Night Club pumping out 'House'. In the other a tapas joint featuring Cretan music which to my ear is an exquisite blend of Greek, Turkish and Arabic.

The promenade behind our boat at 9:00pm

Sit in the cockpit after 9:00pm and you could become psychotic trying to separate the clashing music and the mesmerizing view. Sit on the starboard side and bounce to the House, on then Port side and be transported into history.

Go for a walk and try to keep your jaw from dropping. A kaleidoscopic adventure for every sense.

The promenade behind our boat at 2:00am

Note the captions on the three time lapse shots.

The Summer Amy is behind the blue power box on the right of the top shot and the boys below are playing the Cretan music in the Tapas bar to the left of that suspended sign about 15 paces from the boat.....till 3:00am

So, how did we get any sleep?

That Cretan Music did the trick lead by the Mandolin (Cretin Lute) played with such skill and ease that it was hard to imagine the sound was coming from one instrument. Accompanied by a Cretan Lyra (small Lute played with a bow) an Arabic bongo drum and an acoustic guitar all woven with that wavering doleful voice making you wish you understood the words but feeling as if you actually did..... and sleep came easily.




The highlight was the arrival of Mark from Ios on a ferry only about 100 clicks from here. Amazing place this planet!

We hadn't seen him since late March and in that time he had worked, saved, spent time surfing in Indonesia, partying in Split, Havr, Mikonos and Ios and was in serious need of some sleep and some home cooked food!



He slept a lot, social media'd a lot, we chatted a lot and he spent so much time with William and Summer who could not wait for him to wake nor let him sit when there was fun to be had. Here we are on the West coast of Crete at a beach called Sfinari. It was the first time we'd seen actual breaking waves in the Med and it felt a bit like home.

And once again, it was time to say goodbye. Jack and Stina were with us for the month of July and in that time we covered more than 300 nautical miles in all conditions. We motored we sailed, we spinnaker-ed, we Med moored, slimelined, went alongside and anchored. We dingied, cooked on board and tavernered, swam, snorkled, fished, hiked and drove and it got to the point where we really did not know how we ever did or were going to cope without them.

They are back in Sweden now, and somehow, we have.