Crete
Arwenofbosham
Rob and Jacky Black
Fri 25 May 2012 12:42
Agios Nikolaos
Monday 21st - Sunday 27th May
We had a quick motor sail to the marina from Sitia with the wind building
from the SW so we had it 'on the nose' again for the last part of the
journey. having called the marina we were allocated a berth on Pontoon C
and with the helpful Marinera and a couple of others from boats near-bye
we were soon tied up. The lazy lines are hefty and needed a good deal of
heaving in to get us at a suitable distance off the jetty. We discovered
this a couple of days into our stay when the wind blew very strongly from
the south and we were being set on to jetty. Some adjustments were duly
made using a second lazy line and a rolling hitch on the upwind spare with
a rope around a winch!!
The facilities at this marina a very good and we have found the
live-aboard community to be very friendly and welcoming. We were met on
the jetty by the local HLR from the Cruising Association Tony and his wife
Tessa and having invited them round for drinks the next evening we were
given a really good introduction to this part of Crete. The shops are all
very close by but no noisy discos or night clubs around the marina
thank-goodness. There is a lovely beach with free sunbeds and umbrellas
and a fresh water shower just a couple of minutes stroll form the marina
entrance.The marina laundry is cheap - 3 Euros for a wash - large machine
holds at least 6 kilos. (Dryer costs the same)A local car hire company has
a deal for berth holders which works all season - 25 E per day which is
great. Market is on Wednesdays a bit of a walk but good locally grown
produce and cheap. The Lidl and Carrefor are too far to walk to but we had
a car so visited them for a look see! We actually prefer the large Spar
shop which is only a 10 minute walk from the marina. Excellent local
butchers bread shops cafes bars and tavernas abound.
We went out for a super CA meal with Tony and Tessa, plus two other CA
member couples to a restaurant called Portes. Sampled loads of different
Cretan dishes all specially prepared for us (probably about 20 different
plates which just kept coming until we said we had eaten enough!) - we
never saw a menu, drank copious amounts of local wine dispensed from
barrels in the taverna and the bill per couple was 30 Euros including a
good tip!
We decided we liked this place so much we have taken out a year's contract
so our plans to head for Porto Helly to leave the boat for the summer have
changed. We will sail west from here for a few weeks and then just come
back to leave Arwen here! Much easier and less hassle.