36:54.96N 21:41.72E Pilos
36:54.96N 21:41.72E Pilos
Friday, 24th August, 2012.
We left the quay at Kiparissia and motored along the coast as there is no wind today. The sun is shining and it is very warm and we are hiding under the bimini. Five miles south of Kiparissia is Agrilos which can be easily recognised as on the shore line is the Kastro Paramython or Castle of the Fairytales. Haris Fournakis, a local boy who made good in America returned to build the castle for visitors. It has battlements, towers and a thirty-five foot statue of Poseidon’s horse and another of Athena. Great, for a close view by motoring past.
We motored on until we picked up some breeze off of the Proti island and from then on the genny played her part and we were sailing at 5 to 6 knots. The Proti Island has quite a few anchorages which fishermen use in bad weather. There is a monastery which appears to have been restored and it appears people live on this very mountainous island. There were two beach areas where day boats had congregated and the small beach area was full. Just before we got to the island there was a huge bang and then we saw there was mining going in the mountains and a large puff of white smoke appeared.
On one of the headlands before we approached Pilos is Nestor’s Palace. It was discovered in 1939 and excavated in 1952 by Carl Blegen. It is the 13th century BC palace of the Mycenaean King Nestor which is believed to have been built on an ancient Acropolis. Hundreds of tablets in ancient script were found together with a bath and olive oil jugs. Most of the finds have been removed to a museum in Chora. On the way to the top of the castle is a cave called the Cave of Nestor which is mentioned in Odyssey where Nestor and Neleus kept their cows and where Hermes hid Apollo’s sacred cattle.
A grey helicopter flew over the bay on the mainland side and we didn’t think much of it. We saw a catamaran anchored off the beach and Jim said he should be leaving the beach pretty soon as the wind was starting to get going. Later the catamaran overtook us as we entered the horseshoe bay of Pilos. The catamaran went and anchored and we pulled onto the old quay along with three other boats. A little while later the catamaran came and joined us on the quay. A member of staff from the catamaran walked along and back to the boat and it left. Fifteen minutes later it returned with the coast guard guiding it in. A blacked out Mercedes car and a German blacked out people carrier were in attendance on the quay with the port police. The car went away with one person inside and the catamaran has not moved since. Mystery!
Pilos is lovely, the town looks wonderful and the beach is just across the quay so we are very happy. The bay is huge and at the other end of it is a very big beach where boats anchor off but it is suppose to have a swell at night so we decided to stay on the quay. We covered 27.6 miles today in 5 hours.