12/09/21

It was lovely to get back to sea even if it was for just a short sail to Nisos Marathos. We decided to give Arki a miss, it was another dreaded stern to mooring in a very confined narrow dog leg of a harbour so we headed for Nisos Marathos. We sailed all the way with a reefed main and 50% genoa - paradise found :) A lovely quiet bay with laid moorings to pick up that had been laid by the taverna owners of which there were 3 along a small beach. There were no other facilities, no traffic, no roads, no building work, only goats, a cockerel and the local dogs to make a noise. We picked up a mooring that had "Pirates Taverna" written on it, guess that is where we are eating tonight then! I couldn’t get over the peacfulness. There were only a few other yachts in the bay and only the odd rib or motor cruiser popped in to have swim and some lunch. Even the tourist boats that turned up with about a dozen people on board were quiet and they only stopped for a swim and some lunch at the taverna’s before leaving again. The evenings were very peaceful. We did indeed eat at the Pirates Taverna that night. Obviously owned by a husband and wife, the wife in the kitchen and the husband was serving dressed in a pirates “T" shirt and a scarf on his head, black trousers and dark beard! The food was simple home cooked food, but a bit expensive; although as we were on his mooring that was probably accounted for in the price of the food. We had a swim, the water is getting cooler now, it is down to 25’, and Chris started repairing the Bimini that was in danger of coming apart in the next blow. We slept well that night.  The next moring we explored the island. There was indeed nothing on the island except the taverna’s and the goats, but lovely views across to the other islands with clear blue sea all around us. Chris finished the bimini repair, we swam and I cleaned the hull of some green slime, otherwise the hull is looking very clean. 

We leave tomorrow for Nisos Lipso, more strong winds on the way. 

Muskrat under sail heading to Nisos Marathos

Nisos Marathos

Pirates Taverna

Pirates Taverna in the morning

Chris mending the bimini.