To Mykonos via Kea and Syros and the meanest Meltemi caning yet..

Not a good season so far for the 'Sow'. My name for the Meltemi, that vicious wind the blows down the Aegean sea from somewhere between the Russian Steps and Northern Turkey.

Although it wasn't too tough, it kept us in Lavrio port for four days until we had no choice but to make a run on Friday the 24th.... That is because on Fridays all the charter yachts return to the port and there is no room for us. 
We did manage to drive down the Sunio Peninsular a couple of times and enjoy a little of what it has to offer...

Fortunately on the day, the wind was behind us and we anchored in the most surprising Kavia Bay on Kea Island after a fantastic first sailing outing for the season with brand new sails .

In the last two seasons we have circumvented the Cyclades islands. These are the ones Greece is famous for that lie south east of Athens. We had considered them a little touristy and having spent so much time in Greece we figured it was time to head for Croatia. This may have been a mistake. 

We thought we'd sample a few before Al arrives on the 1st July and so far we have found them quite impressive.

Nothing extraordinary about Kavia Bay itself but a perfect anchorage with clear waters and plenty of room. What did take us by surprise was the one taverna ashore. A cut above anything we have experienced. Tasteful and appropriate accommodation, spacious outdoor bar and restaurant, neatly laid out brollies and sun beds and even a foot shower for sandy feet..... 
Oh, and the food!.





The Sow had blown itself out and we woke to a calm morning and our ever reliable wind predicting app gave us the prospect of a smooth sail to Syros.
An early start for a 40 mile run, at 8:15 on Saturday the 25th June we weighed anchor and within 20 minutes had all sails up in a light 15 knot northerly. As we rounded the southern tip of the island the headsail came in when the wind dropped as predicted. With the Mainsail still up, motors on, all hatches open, we settled in for the calm run.... Then Bang!

The Sow awoke with vicious intent and within 10 minutes we went from 10 knots on the port beam to 35 in bucking seas. 
The hatches! By the time we reacted the port cabins were inundated. Mattresses soaked, floors awash, bilges filled as we attempted to remedy the situation inside what felt like a washing machine on a quick cycle...
And it just got worse. For the second time ever we had the kids in life jackets and for the first time ever both Sal and I donned ours. We still had another 30 miles to go in this! So much for that app..

The town of Ermoupolis on Syros is the most impressive we have seen. This is not just because it offered relief from the severe beating we had taken, but, according to Thanasis, it was once the capital of Europe. It was where the fur from Russia was distributed throughout Europe and its wealth is evidenced by the fact that all streets and ally ways behind the building lining the tidiest of quays are paved in white marble.



A motorcyclist's nightmare but stunning to look at and such a pleasure to meander through.

Thanasis, the man who takes care of the yachties could not have been more pleasant, helpful and apologetic about having to charge us a pittance to stay. Port taxes of €7.50 per day, free power and water and one free shower for Sal and I, otherwise €2. We never bother, the boat shower is just fine.

Free power in 30 degrees means air -con a must. A separate plug in point on the boat so two cables required  from the box. Normal power came on right away, but the air-con would not start. We have had problems of melting connections before because the air-con draws so much power so a start point was to check the wiring in all the connections.. To the box, to the boat and then to the internal system... 


Methodically, in sweltering heat I went about the task revealing no problems with any of them. Tried the air-con again, no joy.
Ok, next attempt was to simply circumvent the plugs and temporarily hard wire the system just to make sure it wasn't the plugs. No joy.... 
Sal had mentioned the switch on the main board, but the one she was talking about was for when the generator was driving the power and not the mains.. Well, nothing for it but to try that switch! It was rather like dismantling the entire engine only to find you'd run out of petrol! 
What a dick! Sal to the rescue... again!

We had given ourselves one day in Ermoupolis before heading to Mykonos but it just simply grew on us. What was our hurry? It is surely for us the nicest town in all of Greece. So three days of getting the boat back into livable condition, drying mattresses, mopping salty floors, washing decks and emptying bilges. Swanning the marble streets in the cool of the day, sampling cafe's and restaurants and for madam, some retail therapy, just because. 

A neighboring boat suggested a restaurant they had stumbled upon purely by chance. By day it is just a nondescript door right opposite the Opera house which is apparently a mini version of La Scala. At night it opens to what looks like a private court yard and served what Sal puts as the best meal she has eaten in Europe... Octopus cooked in red wine with a fava bean mash. So simply, so amazing.

Mykonos lies only 18 miles due east of Ermoupolis. The Sow had slumbered so at 12:20 on the 28th, we cast off to a fond Thanases farewell and a hearty thanks for spending some money in his beloved town and motored on calm seas to Mykonos. 

Nobody seems to like this place, particularly the dusty half built marina and we had decided to anchor in a bay south of the town but on arrival decided to take a look inside the marina just in case. This decision was reinforced by the rising northerly wind which hinted at our last unpleasant experience.

We were greeted and shown where we should moor, so we did.

This marina is renowned for crossed anchor chains and it is obvious why. Before reversing onto the quay, you need to drop your anchor literally between the bows of the boats on the opposite quay and if you are not straight when you tie up, you will almost definitely have crossed somebody's chain. We have med moored well over 100 times so no biggie for us, but then, in they came. Charter yachts with no idea. OMG. 


This is a yacht that has so far spent an hour trying to extricate. So we sit here in the re-awakened Sow with at least two chains across ours and no prospect of leaving until they do.