We got up early to leave out anchorage on the island of Ios and motor the 12 miles to Santorini to be inside the caldera (the volcano crater) at dawn.  After a couple of hours of admiring the spectacular sight of the black cliffs with the white villages clinging to the very edge of a long drop to the water.

 

On the way in, we had 2 small dophins with us for quite a while, playing around the bow.

 

 

 

Dawn over the main town of Thira

 

 

Looking back to Ios and the northern pass into the caldera

 

 

The little harbour  with the 580 steps zig-zagging up the cliff on the left.  There is now a

cable car just to the left of the steps, but you can still take a donkey ride up or down if you

want.  The cruise ships moor here, with a bow line to a big buoy and stern lines to the dock.

 

 

 

 

The US Coast Guard visiting.

 

 

The village of Ia at the northern end of the island.  We were thinking of mooring here on a buoy ( the

water is much too deep to anchor), but decided in the end to go to the little harbour on the outside

of the crater on the south side.  The thought of walking up every day and back down with groceries

was a bit daunting...there is no road down, its steps all the way.

 

 

More in Part 2 to follow.....