37:27.46N 25:58.019E Agathonisi Island

Ariel of Hamble
Jim and Valerie SHURVELL
Wed 6 Oct 2021 13:41


16th June, 2021.

After shopping Jim went to talk coffee with the local cafe owner who had seen us in Arki where he has a house before we set off for Agathonisi Island.

From Pythagoreio you can see Agathonisi so we knew it would not be far. At first the wind was very still but once out and away from the harbour it was starting to build.  We ran the genoa and at times we had 7 ½ knots on the speedo.  The sea became more confused but as soon as we neared Agathonisi it started to calm down.  We managed to sail all the way and only motored as we came to the entrance into the little harbour.  We managed to stern to on the wall and join our friends.  It is known as a very special place and indeed it is. We are so lucky it is so quiet and we can enjoy our sailing with very little boats and people around us.

We have walked to the chora all up hill but the effort was very well worth it.  Most people on the island live here all year round but I can’t imagine what they do in the winter.  There are only so many books to read, puzzles to do, tv to watch and internet games to keep you busy.

Next day we walked to the chora where the views were lovely. There was a little supermarket and a post office with half a dozen houses and a little school but not much else. In the afternoon Jim slept for a while and then we walked the 0.5 km to Cove Bay for a swim in clear warmish water. We were on our own until a family of goats wandered along the road, across the beach and went to the cave on the other side where we think a fresh water supply from the mountain runs. They jumped the rocks had a drink and then made their way up the cliffs the other side and seem to stand and watch us. Next an old pickup arrived and it obviously didn’t have reverse gear so the man turned it around rolling it back and forth until it was in the right position to go back up the hill. We thought he must have come to feed the goats but no he asked us if he could clean the beach in perfect English which didn’t have any litter on it. He was moving large stones and racking the stones for he said the rush of visitors from Athens at the weekend! Athens is a good overnight ferry ride away so I think he was just hoping some visitors would arrive as what these people live on I can’t imagine without customers on the quay eating in the restaurants and buying ice-creams and beers.

On a sunny day an amazing place and everyone’s idea of a Greek island far away.