Overnight the rain and cloud cleared, and the wind dropped, but we were pestered for some time by a mosquito that never came out into the open to be treated to our killer spray. We awoke to sunshine for the first time in a week. After breakfast and showers, we retrieved the kedge, and bailed and pumped the water out of the dinghy, and around midday were ready to go ashore. There was a ferry in, but no sign of a bus.
Somewhat reluctantly, we made enquiries about a scooter. Having never driven a motorcycle, and only ridden pillion occasionally over 40 years ago, it was a bit of a challenge. We hired one for 15€ for the day, and it came with a quick lesson on the controls, and two helmets. Extra large was far too small for me, and large was too big for Mo's comfort. After a little practice on my own, we set off together for the chora, Skyros, 10 km away on the northern side of the island, and were relieved to arrive intact. Mo practically fell off as she ejected in protest as I set off up a one way street.
We found the bank, got some cash, and started off to look for somewhere to have a drink and something to eat. As we went up, and up, and up, we finally arrived at the Kastro, which towers above the town with commanding views to seaward. We retreated the way we had come, and found a Greek restaurant, where we sat and had lunch, but stuck to water with it.
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| The main square: the kastro dominates the town | The old castle |
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| The view towards the north from the castle | The chora and castle above |
After lunch we set off along the road to the airport. When we got there, we found access restricted, as although Olympic Airways operate out of it, it is a military airfield with hardened aircraft shelters set in the hillside. We were politely asked to go away by the guard.
We continued along the road past the airfield: this came to pine forested hills and eventually onto the west coast of the island. From here the road turned south beside the coast. In two places it became an act of faith to follow it, as the metal gave way to gravel and mud, but we stuck to it. Along some of the route, the pine forest had recently been burnt by a widespread forest fire that had engulfed entire hillsides and much of the way across the island. We encountered two European Union projects along the way at sites of historical interest, although there was little there but ruins. Enough to spend a million or two. The second was at the top of a hill/mountain overlooking Linaria with magnificent views from west through south to the south east. Our scooter had twice refused to go up the hills under the combined weight of nearly 24 stone: Mo had to get off and walk while I continued up the steep bit. Free wheeling down the hill the other side (the engine tended to cut without any throttle) we realised that we would probably never have made it up clockwise around the same circuit.
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| Large tracts of trees had been destroyed: this hill defeated our machine and Mo had to walk | Ready to roll! |
We finished by rejoining the Linaria road, and headed north to find the road to the Achilles Bay 'marina'. This looked more viable than it is portrayed in either Rod's pilot guide or on the charts. An additional breakwater has been built to protect the entrance, and there were half a dozen local fishing boats using the facilities. We returned south along the fertile valley that almost divides the island in two, then climbed the hairpin ascent along the coast road, and finally down into Linaria. We had both had quite enough, and Mo was desperate to get off the scooter as she had a painful bum. We enjoyed a drink in the harbour, and returned on board.
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| The breakwater protecting Achilles Bay marina entrance | The entrance: the port light has been moved to the breakwater |
We had recovered the dinghy and made preparations on returning to the boat the evening before. We set the alarm, and were away from the anchorage just after 0800. The night had been uncomfortable, with a southerly swell setting in, and Fuga at times lying to the wind across it, so that we rolled. There has been a 'mystery noise' that appears to be an object rolling across a shelf in our cabin that has eluded all attempts to find it. We negotiated the passage inside Nisos Valaxa, again without difficulty, before enjoying breakfast in the lee of the island. Unfortunately the wind was from the south east, directly behind us, so we gybed down wind trying to make the best angle. We picked up some significant current, sometimes favourable, but at other times setting us south. We skirted south of Skantzoura and made first for Peristera, just in case Bill might be there. Continuing on we dropped into Steni Valla to make sure British Tiger was there, but having not got a text back from Bill, decided to go to the wreck for the night. Overnight there was a lot of lightning and rain, but otherwise it was a quiet anchorage.
We left the anchorage reasonably early, for us, and headed straight down to Patitiri. We had asked Bill to supper, but there was not the wherewithal on board. We anchored off the beach, launched the dinghy, and went ashore to the shops. We took the proceeds back to the boat, but had succumbed to the temptation of an English breakfast ashore, so immediately went ashore to our usual 'internet' cafe. After lunch, we set off for Steni Valla, where Bill met us and took our ropes, tying up next to British Tiger. Bill and I collected the bikes from Angie's, and got them taken to bits and in their bags, but not stowed below. We had a long lingering supper, and I went back to Angie's with Bill for a final coffee, as Mo had gone to bed.
We had planned to leave early, but with the bikes to get away, and some shopping to do, we were easily persuaded out of it. I spent a while with Bill trying to diagnose why the old Peugot that Angie had acquired on Dick's death had suddenly stopped working. Bill already knew there was no fuel getting through, but had not located the fuel pump. We concluded that it was more probably an electrical fault, probably involving the car's control box or 'computer'. Bill had offered to cook supper, so we went up to Angie's for a mince special a la William. Bill was in fine form recounting some of his experiences in the Merchant Navy, chapters 2-4 of the forthcoming book.
By the time I had taken the computer ashore to check up on any e-mails, and had a coffee or two, it was already nearly 1200! Once more Bill put our determination to the test, but this time it prevailed. He let our lines off for us, and we motored out down the channel, and at first there was hardly any wind at all. A slight breeze came in and we set the main, but continued motoring until it strengthened to something useable, but sadly from astern. We made the most of it, however, and slowly clocked off the miles, deciding that we could make an anchorage on Skiathos. In then end we stopped at the beach on Nisos where we had swum with Pete and family: this time there were no other boats and no-one other than the taverna staff there. They soon left in two power boats and we were left alone to our devices. Now on a non-drinking and weight loss pledge, we enjoyed the left over chile from two nights previously, and watched the sun set. We were soon in bed making up for our lack of sleep in Steni Valla.
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| The skies darken as we approach the anchorage |
We both had trouble sleeping through, a mosquito having woken me and then run to ground. Eventually I got back to sleep to wake up very late at 0900. After a swim, and a walk around onshore inspecting the 'taverna' on the beach and the ruined olive press works behind, we set off for Skiathos harbour. We dropped the dinghy in and rowed ashore with our large water carrier and about 3 dozen water bottles which we filled at the tap by the bus stop. We had not run out of our Skiathos drinking water since our last visit! We also called in at the supermarket opposite the pontoon: the lady recognising us. As with the shops at Steni Valla, stocks are now severely depleted, and we relieved her of her last skimmed UHT milk. We set off with hopes for a reasonable northerly breeze, but initially it was very light, and went around towards the east, so that again we were running before. The wind dropped out altogether for a while, and we had to put the engine on, but it came back from the north with renewed vigour. Although it soon veered easterly again increasing to F4/5, we were able to revise our plan and set a new objective just beyond the Volos bay. We anchored at 1830 in a little bay with olive trees ashore, under the lee of a small headland. Mo provided chicken, potato, and two veg.
We got moving reasonably quickly. There had been lightning and the odd drop of light rain overnight, but the hills above us were shrouded in low wet-looking cloud. The wind started from the NNE, fairly light, again giving us a dead run down the (about 2 mile wide) Oreoi channel, so that we had to gybe from time to time to keep off the wind and make the best of it. The wind alternately dropped to nothing and then veered easterly, forcing us to motor for a while. As we we came under the higher hills at Vasilina Point and turned south, it perversely came in from dead ahead - SSW. We almost ran into the shallows off Venetiko point as I tried to keep the headsail full and prevent it from flapping. We rounded Lithada Pt. close in, inside Nisos Monolia, with a one and a half knot current creating swirling eddies in the rapidly changing depths. The wind kept us guessing, veering NW now that we were headed south east down the channel as it widened to over 4 miles, and altering in strength from almost nothing to F4. From time to time we had a light shower, but we managed to avoid the worst of the rain that fell from the darker clouds around us, and at one point had a glimpse of the sun.
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| More gloom as night falls.. |
As we rounded Arkitsa Point, we were met with a significant swell running from the east, while the light wind was still from NW! This changed our plans for our anchorage for the night, and we settled at a spot close in off the SW side of Atalanti island where we were sheltered from the swell, with the wind blowing off the nearby mainland shore. As we arrived a fishing boat laid a net around us, and despite being on a pledge, we awarded ourselves a drink. Very soon the swell and wind had died, and we were in a flat calm. As they had all day, clouds gathered ominously on the hills inland.
The wildlife on the island fascinated us: large black rabbits came out to graze, and birds that looked like grouse appeared amongst the bushes from time to time. As dusk became night, egrets gathered singly and in small groups on the rocks nearby, until we could count around 50. Herons flew overhead, while crows circled endlessly making their incessant noise. At a signal, it seemed, the egrets took off from the rocks and settled down in the trees and finally all was quiet.
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| Close reaching as gusts blow down from the mountains |
We set off into an ENE F4 that necessitated us tacking out of Ormos Atalantis to round Theologos Pt., which we did at a cracking 7 knots at one point. The headland is adorned with villas and apartment blocks, presumably for holiday use. Further south, the hillsides are covered in orderly rows of olive trees. On the other side of the channel, to the east, the wind was coming down the high mountains that run sheer into the water. It would fluke from a bare F3 to F6 in seconds, and die away as quickly. We made mostly rapid progress on a close fetch, to arrive at our anchorage behind Ak Mnima by 1500 hrs.
In the closing miles we were entertained by a large pod of dolphins, including a couple of youngsters, and as we sailed along at approaching 7 knots, they enjoyed cavorting around our bow. Two followed us in towards the anchorage. We had just dropped the mainsail, and Mo was turning away along the beach when the engine suddenly stopped. Fortunately we were in shallow water, so that we were able to immediately anchor. There was a good length of old mooring rope, with muscles attached, tightly wrapped around the propeller. At least the water was reasonably warm, if cloudy, although the wind chill was bad. We were relatively easily freed, and had lunch before re-anchoring closer in to the shore. Too bad the muscles were too small to eat!
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| The dolphins like to swim under the bow | ..occasionally coming up for air! |
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| ..and a nice sunset to end with.. |