Our families and close friends will know that our ‘dream’ to sail our own boat in Greece was born in 1995 on a holiday in Zakinthos--- when we only had a 14ft dinghy.

The original plan to sail from the Uk to Greece became a longer but glorious detour to the Caribbean and then onto----Greece.

We arrived in Zakinthos on the 15th May (see blog of arrival ) and at that moment we fulfilled a long awaited plan---- everything beyond that would be a bonus !

 

And so...................

 

The Ionian was beautiful, especially re-visiting islands such as Kefalonia where we had holidayed once before.

The Gulf of Patras and Corinth was a surprise with its grand mountain range on the north shore.

The Corinthian canal was--------well quite an experience--- travelling through such a narrow and steep sided space.

The Saronic islands---- where our ARC/Caribbean friends, Patryk and Amanda joined us for a week--- Poros like a ‘Dartmouth of Devon’ and Hydra, like a port in the south of France, with all the opulence.

 

The surprise was the Cyclade islands—too many to list—with short distances between small gems for glorious day sailing and sometimes very challenging sailing in Meltemi winds.

The  ‘Shirley Valentine’ bays with ‘water as deep as forever,’ the sugar cube houses and spectacular ‘Chora's’ or upper villages, especially in Folegandros where the Chora sits alongside a church on steep cliffs which disappear below to the sea, creating dramatic views--------we left a little piece of our hearts in Folegandros. ( See blog 5th-8th July ).

 

Then came the Dodecanese and Samos where our friends Carol, Pat and family Alex and Imogen joined us to explore the tiny islands to the south of Samos, ---Agathonisi, Arki, Lipsi and Patmos--- a real find.

 

The chain of islands then running south east through Leros, Kalymnos, Kos and the Turkish Datca peninsular down to the island gem of Simi---- all different, some over-commercialised, generally the ones with airports and the others on the ferry routes still maintaining ‘Greek’ culture

 

Our friends Jackie and John joined us in Simi to sail Tioram west through some of the same destinations again. 

We finally left Zakinthos where it all started at 08.00 hrs. on 8th Sept to head towards Italy.

We watched as the island disappeared into the early morning haze behind us and by the afternoon it had gone.

Tioram held onto her precious 16 year old Greek courtesy flag until the Italian mainland was spotted by John at 20.30 hrs. on 9th Sept. The Greek courtesy flag came down and the Italian one went up.

 

So did the ‘dream’ to sail around the Greek islands tick all the boxes ?....................... Yes—it was just magic.   Despite the occasional challenging Meltemi winds and the stresses of crossed anchors in some harbours, Greece gave us all we had wished for and more.

 

We are now sailing west with the north coast of Sicily to our left and the volcanic islands of Stromboli, Lipari and Vulcano to our right---- and Tioram is wondering what new adventures lie ahead for her ????

 

Photos of--

 

The Greek courtesy flag comes down

The North coast of Sicily and the Islands of Stromboli, Lipari and Vulcano.

 

Love to all

 

Tina and Tony  ( Jackie and John ) x x