Sailing Aglaya

The last days were very hot and there was hardly any sailing wind. Despite this, we've moved a little further towards Thessaloniki every day. And what else? Anchoring and swimming were the best things we could do. And in the evening, when it had cooled down a bit, sitting in the cockpit and gazing at the starry sky.

Today, however, we had another nice sail on our last leg, right up to the entrance to Marina Aretsou in Thessaloniki. We found a good, safe berth for Aglaya as we want to leave her alone here in July and August. Now we have a few more days of work before our flight home on 1 July -  because after the season is before the season. We'll be back on 1 September and cast off again.

‘Halkidiki, that's the peninsula with the three fingers’, as many people know. On our way to Thessaloniki, we made a detour there after our tour to Mount Olympus. We needed a sheltered spot for the next few days, as strong winds, rain and thunderstorms were forecasted. Firstly, we had a quiet night at anchor on the west side of the westernmost finger (Kassandra). The sandy beach at Cape Posidi juts out into the sea like a golden horn. Great for swimming in the clear turquoise water. And great for stargazing. We were also able to marvel at the Milky Way.

By the way, there are now three of us. As in the last two years, our friend and sailor Claudia has come on board. A nice change. She stays until we reach Thessaloniki.

The next day, we weren't the only ones seeking refuge from the forecasted weather in the beautiful natural harbour of Koufós in the south-west of the middle finger (Sithonía). The bay was full of anchored boats and more were still arriving. We had a bit of trouble finding a good anchorage, especially as the bay is very deep in the centre and very shallow at the edges. But it worked out with almost 80 metres of anchor chain. We stayed there safely for two days. We hardly noticed anything of the heavy weather there. A great place, we'll definitely come back here in autumn on our way east.

We moored in the small harbour of Nea Skioni for the next two days. A nice place. Here we were able to stock up on food again, go for a swim on the crowded beach and take a shower. To give our legs something to do, we went on a hike across the peninsula. At the top of the pass, we could see the sea on both sides. 

Then we headed back, past the Golden Horn. We had a short anchor stop there, which then became a little longer as our engine didn't start again at first. The search for the cause yielded nothing. After some waiting time, however, our Nanni started purring again.

We motored to Sani on the west side of Kassandra in zero wind. There is a luxury marina and a large hotel complex. The mooring fee for one night for our boat would be just under 100 euros. We'd rather spend the money on delicious fish and wine. So we anchor again. Three delicious sea bream were served for dinner.

Today we arrived in the large industrial and fishing harbour of Nea Moudaniá. Let's see what is to discover here.

Back on the mainland, we made our way northwards along the coast. No sheltered bays for anchoring, very small, shallow fishing harbours, hardly another sailing boat - that's what characterised our route.

In Platamonas below the Olympus massif, however, we were able to moor well and leave our boat alone for two days.

Because our hire car arrived on Monday. We drove to the Olympus National Park, to the end of the road, to Prionia, above Litochoro, 1100 metres above sea level. From there, there are many hiking trails, or rather climbing routes, to the various peaks. Mount Olympus is not a single mountain, but a massif consisting of seven peaks, the highest 2917 metres. 

All but one of the peaks involve some tough scrambling at the end; our goal was the fourth-highest peak, Skala. Mytikas is the highest, Skolio, Skala, Stefanis and Profitis Ilias are the others, and it's 1000 metres up to the Agapitos Spilio hut through magnificent, extremely steep gorges. The path, or rather the climbing route, was extremely steep and strenuous because it was often interrupted by rock steps and ribs, like a staircase with very high steps. After four and a half hours (we were told three and a half) we reached the hut, wonderful but extremely strenuous, we were exhausted. 

The hut is comparable to an Alpine Club hut, everything is available, everything is brought up by mules, which we saw at six o'clock on the second morning. No mattress dormitory, but double bunk beds, several dormitories for up to 19 people. Large quantities of spaghetti Bolognese were just the thing in the evening, a beer to quench our thirst beforehand and a nice dry white wine with the meal. 

The neon light came on at six in the morning and sleep was out of the question. The plan was: 800 metres in altitude up to the Skala, then the whole 1800 metres back to the car. Another magnificent high mountain landscape, views of the various peaks, again extremely steep. The Skala is 2816 metres high, it went past thick pine trees up to the tree line, then above it was a rocky desert, and again very steep. 300 metres before the summit, Walter gave up, also considering the way back, and descended back to a wonderful viewpoint, Gisela wanted to conquer the summit alone. But the last ascent was so steep that she rested 50 metres below at a beautiful spot with a view of the energy-sapping descent and enjoyed the magnificent all-round panorama in the lee instead of being blown through by the icy cold wind further up.

We went back to the hut, had a rest, a good vegetable soup, lots of water - then it was downhill. It took us five and a half hours to get back - unthinkable for alpine paths - normally the way down is half as long as the way up. 

It was a unique experience - but also the toughest mountain tour we have ever undertaken together.

We didn't visit the rock on which a scene from the 2008 ABBA musical ‘Mamma Mia’ was shot for the film with Meryl Streep. But we did make a detour from the southern tip of the Pilion Mountains past Skiathos to the island of Skopelos in the Northern Sporades. We had already been there three years ago with our friends Andrea and Axel. This time we wanted to try a different harbour: Loutraki. Sail Aegean has moorings there. We had signed up. What we didn't know beforehand was that the ferries make a lot of swell there and you have to lay 50 metres of anchor chain across the whole harbour, even though there are murings. We didn't quite understand this, but Katerina from Sail Aegean will know why. Letting out 50 metres of chain while reversing and that in a crosswind - mamma mia! That's difficult with our long keeler. We tried, but then gave up and travelled three nautical miles further south to Neo Klima. The wind came from the front when we moored and we only needed 20 metres of chain. Everything was fine.

Obviously not much has changed in Neo Klima in three years, but something very important for sailors has: Most of the places at the pier are now occupied by Athenean Yachting. You can't simply moor there as you usually can in Greek harbours. This is a development that we are also observing in other harbours. The large charter companies are ‘hijacking’ the berths in the municipal harbours.

We visited Loutraki again the next day on foot during a lovely hike.

In the meantime, we are already back on the mainland, heading north towards Olympus.

We stayed for several days in this small village on the south-east corner of Pelion with many fishing boats in the harbour. A nice place, friendly people, two beautiful beaches and hiking trails. So we got out our hiking boots and looked for a circular hiking trail with a description. It wasn't that easy, as some sections were washed away or devastated by the storms a year and a half ago. With a little patience, we managed to complete the loop. There were stretches where there was no path and we had to crawl through high bushes. But above all, there were plenty of trees and plants, green in every shade. And the views across to Euboea, Skiathos and Skopelos: simply marvellous. 

Sweaty from running, then swimming on the beautiful beach (with a shower!) and afterwards a beer from the barrel with a view of the harbour. A holiday couldn't be better! We're not always this relaxed when we're travelling by boat. We then went on a second hike, which was also beautiful but very steep. And it was very hot, so we arrived back at the bottom pretty knocked out.

Here are a few pictures from our land days:

We are now in the Northern Sporades on the island of Skopelos.

... for our government! For years we have been travelling with our boat in Greece, moving along the EU's external border. We have seen Greek and Turkish patrol boats preventing boats carrying refugees from entering the EU. We have seen stolen sailing yachts in which refugees are transported by smugglers and abandoned just off the Greek coast. Such boats are then often completely abandoned and when the Coastguard discovers them, they are towed to the nearest harbour and put on a chain. In Kalamata, we saw refugees, who were housed in tents and were probably deported again. And in Leros, we could see the large, brightly lit refugee camp from the marina, which looked like a prison. Yes, we are on the EU's external border and are wondering what the future holds for EU refugee policy.

It is clear that countries such as Greece and Italy are particularly challenged, as many refugees are arriving here. And they receive little support from countries such as Germany to deal with the people, who have not made the journey from their homeland lightly, in a reasonably dignified manner. The Greek Coastguard is known for its brutal approach.

What should the EU's immigration and asylum policy look like in the long term? Only together can there be effective solutions, which, however, must not be aimed at rejection but rather at integration. However, our current government is doing exactly the opposite: turning people away at the German border and not seriously working with the other EU states on a humane solution that is acceptable to all. Where is the long-term goal? We cannot recognise it and are ashamed of our government. How is a Mr Dobrindt any different from a Donald Trump who flouts the law?

There has always been displacement, flight and immigration. Reports on the eastern Mediterranean have provided detailed information on this since ancient times. The question is how we deal with it today in a rich country like Germany.

As we sail into the entrance to the Pagasitic Gulf (Gulf of Volos), we can already see Volos from a distance of 20 nautical miles. Volos is a modern commercial, industrial and university town. Large parts of it were destroyed by an earthquake in 1955 and then rebuilt in a chequerboard pattern. The whole scenery as you sail through the gulf is spectacular, as the city lies at the foot of the high Pilion Mountains, on whose slopes the villages cling like swallows' nests. We can moor for a few days in the city harbour at Sail Aegean. This is only possible from Monday to Friday lunchtime, as the charter boats are there at the weekend.

According to legend, Volos is the city of the Argonauts, who set sail from here on their ship Argo to the Black Sea to steal the Golden Fleece. The city is proud of its heroes. A stylised sculpture of the Argo stands on the harbour promenade and an Argo museum is being planned. In the quaint fishermen's quarter, the only one to have been spared by the earthquake, there are many small tspouradikos, where delicious mezedes (mostly fish and seafood) are served with every glass of tsiporou.

Of course we explore the city. We take the bus to Pelion for a day and visit Makrinitsa, the ‘model village’ above Volos. Although it is grey and cool, the view down to the town and the gulf is magnificent. We wander around on old donkey tracks paved with stones and admire the beautiful multi-storey houses. 

We have to leave again on Friday morning, as the charter boats are now arriving. With a bit of rain and a strong wind from the mountain (gusts of around 40 knots), we sail south again with just the mizzen (our smallest sail) at speeds of up to seven knots to the exit of the gulf.

We had registered with Kostas in the small harbour of Agias Kyriaki. He took our lines in front of his taverna so that we could almost jump from the boat to the table for dinner. Instead of a mooring fee, you go out to eat. Apart from the fact that Kostas is one of the nicest and most helpful person, we've ever met, the fish soup and seafood risotto were simply delicious. So, this stop was a highlight!

The next day, we climbed up to the village of Trikeri on a stone-paved path. A beautiful path through lots of greenery and with great views of the gulf and across to Euboea.

We have now left the gulf and found another beautiful spot, the harbour of Plataniá on the south-eastern side of the Pelion peninsula. There are lots of fishermen and a few sailing boats here. We meet one of them, a couple from Slovenia, for the third time.The season hasn't really started yet, it's quiet. And when we went for a swim on the beautiful sandy beach this morning, we have it all to ourselves. Tomorrow we want to stay and do a circular walk, which we have a detailed description of.