Friday 2^nd September – Lavrion – Nísos Angistri (Aykistri)

37:42.826N 23:20.798E

This morning was another early start – after picking up some more fresh bread and topping up our water tanks we were on our way.  There was little wind and we motored down between the mainland and Nísos Makronisi.  We rounded Ák Sounion around 9am; the temple of Poseidon was clearly visible up on the hillside and the anchorage very busy with boats. 

We headed on out across the Saronikós Kólpos towards the south west corner of Nísos Aigina.  Ahead of us to port we could also see Arwen motoring on their way towards Poros. 

We had current against us and gradually a F3-4 filled in from the north/ north west, too close to sail so we motor sailed with the main.  After a while we decided it was a shame to waste a fair wind and as it was forecast to ease later we bore away and sailed as close to the wind as we could.  We made good progress and crossed below the shipping lanes towards Athens without incident.

As we came into the lee of Aigina the wind and swell eased and we had to motor/ motor-sail the rest of the way around to Nísos Angistri (Aykistri), a small island 4 miles to the west of Aigina where there is a small harbour.  There is a shoal running between Nísos Angistri and Aigina and this time we took the long way around rather than shooting the gap – the water is very clear here and it seemed strange being able to see the bottom so clearly as we rounded the shoal.

As we arrived in the busy small harbour needless to say a cross-wind sprung up out of nowhere.  We saw a large yacht on the move, having difficulties clearing a berth.  As we circled it went out and so we went in and took its space, the last remaining space within the inner harbour – anchoring stern-to.  The pilot book reports that there are lazy lines here but that is no longer the case.  I had called to a British yacht who was berthed alongside whilst we waited, asking about the local berthing arrangements, and the skipper came to catch our lines.  It turns out that the yacht that had just left had only just arrived but made such a hash of parking that it had decided to leave.  In addition, Richard recognised the name of the British yacht as one that had left the UK a year before us and whose blog he had read before we left – so we went around for a chat.

A little later a small motor boat arrived and decided it going to make a space between us and our neighbour.  We adopted our best Greek – it wasn’t important what was being said, or in what language, or the fact that with pushing and shoving the boat squeezed in, it was important that both sides were shouting and waving their arms at each other (and at their friend on the shore who was interfering).

This evening we have had a short explore around the small village above the harbour and tonight eaten aboard Pyxis.  More boats (large and small) have optimistically arrived this evening and tonight, many after dark; some have squeezed in on the outer wall, a small one has squeezed in between some local boats, not sure what the rest have done – maybe gone on to Aigina where rafting stern-to is practised.

Lavrion

On Passage: Lavrion – Nísos Angistri

Nísos Angistri

© Pyxis 2011