Friday 6^th July, 2018.

We were up for breakfast early and off in the dinghy for our day trip on the pirate ship to see the Monasteries of the Akti peninsular. The ship is only about 12 years old and therefore has all the necessary safe equipment and plenty of space and facilities for the 600 it can take.  Luckily for us it was only a third full.

The boat cruises at 10 knots and it took at least 2 ½ hours to get to the bottom of the finger to see the first monastery. Then it motors up the coast at a sedate speed.

The monasteries on the west coast total approximately 8 but they are huge and use to house hundreds of men.  They are all grow their own vegetables, fruits etc. but the monks fast 159 days a year.  Men can apply and visit a monastery for a 4 day stay but women are not allowed.  If a yacht anchors for the night it is not unusual for a rowing boat to come along side and check if there are any women on board. If they find any the yacht will be asked to leave. They lead a very strict life and pray many times a day. Their clocks are also set 2 hours a head so they pray and make use of the day light hours for their chores.

The following monasteries are the ones we saw on our cruise:-

The Monastery of Saint Paul

The Monastery of Saint Dionysios

The Monastery of Grigoriou

The Monastery of Simonos Petras

The Monastery of Xiropotamou

The Monastery of Saint Panteleimonas

The Monastery of Kenofontos

and the Monastery of Deheiariou

It was a great day out and one not to be missed.