Last couple of Weeks
Classified II
Doug, Michelle & William Gardiner
Sat 23 Aug 2014 06:56
Island of Khios were we did meet a very interesting couple who have been sailing the world for 20 years off and on, they sat with us over sundowners telling us all their stories of sailing round Canada watching the bears fishing for salmon, the delightful Pacific Islands which they called the Islands of fruit due to the amount they were given by the locals, The Great Barrier Reef in Australia and of course here in the Med. She is a GP now retired and he an engineer and they just take time out months at a time when they can and we will be seeing them again when we leave the boat in Finike for the winter.
From Khios we found a very sheltered bay on the island of Iounussa which is nicknamed the Island of the Rich!! ............... This insignificant Island has produced the richest ship-owning families of Greece the richest of them all Costa Lemos, contrary to popular belief the biggest Greek shipping magnate is not Niarchos or the late Onassis, but this private man whose name means nothing to most people.
Next stop Lesvos....... We arrived in the small town of Polmarion.... On the harbour wall which I must say was a very pleasant stay. It seems all the harbour walls here in Greece are now free other than a small port charge of around €4 and the water and electric are either free or again a small charge of €5. In the morning the locals bring down from the villages their prized fruit and vegetables to sell in the market square, whilst meeting up with their friends, sharing a coffee or the local ouzo and chatting, to my delight fresh fruit for breakfast .....
The next morning we headed up to the Capital of the Island Mitilini 39:00.58N 26:31.96E.
A very busy City which is the hub of ferries coming to and from Turkey and the surrounding areas.
It was great to here that our support land team member captain Marky had located us at exactly the right spot between the correct lamp posts just behind the bus shelter., and to confirm his positioning we made contact.
It's this time of year the Meltemi Wind blows hard and this creates some big seas so it's really time to head down south with the wind instead of against it.
Night out in Mitillini
After a mixture of sailing with full sails and the spinnaker, to no wind and motoring the highlight of the day was sailing with Dolphins. They swam with us for a while dipping in and out of the bow wave, it's always a great thrill when we are blessed with such an experience.
We are now anchored in a small bay on the Island of Fournoi 37:33.52N 26:29.15E we are getting some strong gusts off the mountains but its a beautiful spot a small quarry is cut into the rocks and it's very secluded, well it was until the Italians turned up. Anchored within a few metres from us.Doug and William had headed into town in the dinghy leaving me in charge so I did have to tell them that I felt they were tooooooo dam close, eventually they took a line ashore.
I thought they had smelt the chocolate brownies, cheese scones and fruit scones I had just made. To be honest I could have passed them one !!!!!!! But that's Italians for you they just squeeze themselves in every time.
Bloody Hell....... As I write here comes the French to do the same !!!!!!!!
Maybe this is what the Italians could smell !!!!! They had only just come out of the oven.
Looking back at the picture I'm just thinking which do you think Doug and William will choose, fruit or cakes ??????? Will let you all know on the next update.
