Sailing Aglaya

No, we didn't take any photos of this meeting. We were far too busy. When we wanted to set off yesterday with our boat, freshly showered from the night's heavy rain, and pulled in our anchor chain, we already suspected that the boat, that had just moored next to us, had put its chain over ours. And so it was. Normaly you can quickly free yourself from someone else's anchor with an auxiliary line. But this time, our anchor winch kept breaking down when our neighbour's anchor came into view. No wonder! It turned out that there were two more anchors hanging from the two anchors. Four anchors were wedged into each other. We are strong and always have new ideas on how to solve unforeseen problems. But here nothing worked any more. Help arrived in a dinghy from two of the other boats involved. With joined forces we tried to free the anchors from each other. From time to time it looked as if we wouldn't succeed. We also feared that the two energetic helpers might capsize with their dinghy or that the anchors might damage the dinghy. But giving up was not an option. And finally, after just under an hour, we made it. With two auxiliary lines and a lot of physical strength, we were free to set off. And the other three anchors could slumber peacefully again in the harbour basin of Orei. We are now in the city harbour of Volos and have no bad dreams about wedged anchors, because there are lazylines (murings) here. 😊

After a wonderful rest from the strong southerly wind in Karistos and the night-time bridge passage in Chalkis in the harbour of Nea Artaki, we continued north between the mainland (Attica) and Euboea. High mountains on both sides, an impressive scenery. Just like three years ago, we stopped at the fishing harbour of Loutra Edipsou and soaked our bodies in the hot springs.

From the boat, we could see the fishermen preparing their boats for the night fishing trip. Many of the men working on the boats come from Egypt. They spread out the carpet for evening prayers before setting off. We didn't need to look at our compass to know, where east was in this place. At seven o'clock in the morning (on Sunday), all the boats were back and the polystyrene boxes were packed full with the catch. With very little wind, we motored on to the north side of Euboea, between several small islets, which the locals call the ‘Greek Bahamas’. We could understand that.

What the people lying under parasols on the beach don't realize is, that there is a strong current there. Fortunately, Gisela hadn't checked beforehand how many knots the current could be. Otherwise she would have said ‘We're going round the outside’. Walter didn't say anything, but he knew: up to eight knots. Well, afterwards that was OK. But it was violent: suddenly lots of whirlpools around us, the bow of our boat was being torn back and forth. The helmswoman had to counter-steer violently. It happened very quickly and then we were through. But then the wind came up from the front at over 30 knots and the swell got stronger. No chance of gaining height under sail. So we continued to motor again. In the small harbour of the historic village of Oreoi, we then managed to ‘park’ backwards into one of the last two gaps in the pier after several attempts with a crosswind against the screw effect. Another job well done.     

In the meantime, we have travelled a long way north from Agia Marina on the island of Aegina. On the Cycladic island of Kea, we anchored nicely in the bay of Voukari and, after Walter had screwed something new to our anchor block, we were able to enjoy the beautiful landscape around us and remember the sleeping lion up on the mountain, that we had visited three years ago. 

A very strong southerly wind was forecast. We wanted to be somewhere safe. So we headed north to the south side of the island of Eböa. We were safely moored in Karistos harbour, but the storm from the south was so strong, that we spent a day guarding our boat at the pier, just like the other sailors, who had taken refuge in the harbour. Big breakers came over the breakwater and the wind brought a lot of Sahara dust with it. A bit of doomsday atmosphere.

Pure sunshine again the next day. So we set off northwards again in the Gulf of Euboea between the mainland and the island, unfortunately under motor at first. But then the wind picked up and we made good progress until just before Bufalo Bay. The small, well-protected bay was already full of anchoring boats, but we still found a spot right in front of the tavernas behind the sandbank. Another quiet night in the middle of an idyllic setting.

Stay another day or sail on? Gisela couldn't decide at first, but then we set off for the strait in Chalkis. We actually wanted to go to the marina south of the bridge, but we were told there was no room. So we decided to cross the bridge to the north the next night. The registration by e-mail worked well. This meant we didn't have to moor at the very high pier and pay at the harbour office, as we did on our first passage. Last time we had to wait until half past two until the water was still and the bridge opened. This time we were able to go through at half past eleven. With the current, it went quite quickly, but it wasn't easy to steer. We were then able to sleep peacefully at anchor in the large bay north of the town.

We are now moored in the fishing harbour of Nea Artaki (three nautical miles north of Chalkis) for the third day - to rest, but also to remove the Sahara dust from our boat and give it a thorough clean below deck. And: we discovered a problem with the power supply from land. The cause was quickly found with the help of a very nice electrician: The heating rod in the hot water boiler was almost completely clogged with limescale. When we switched on the boiler, the main fuse blew, as did the fuse in the power column on land. We were lucky again: the electrician specialised in the type of boiler we had and had the right heating element in the car. Problem solved, and immediately afterwards we washed our hair with warm water. It had been overdue for a while.

The village of Nea Artaki, not far from the highest mountain in Euboea, was founded in 1923 by Greek refugees, the Pontos Greeks. They had been expelled when Atatürk (who himself came from Thessaloniki!) came to power and the state of Turkey was formed. The 19th of May is a public holiday for the Pontos Greeks. We were able to observe how many people gathered at the small church at the harbour of Nea Artaki in the evening and a mass was celebrated. The idea of establishing an ‘ethnically pure’ state is so cruel and absurd! But as we know, these terrible attempts, which cause so much suffering, have happened time and again in history and are still happening today. 

There's nothing that doesn't happen when we're travelling with our Aglaya. When we wanted to moor in Agia Marina on the island of Aegina with the stern to the pier and let the anchor chain out, suddenly there was no more chain going out. So we ‘starved’ just before the pier and couldn't get ashore. What was going on? We have 100 metres of anchor chain and it was nowhere near out. We first checked to see if the anchor windlass fuse had blown. It hadn't. Then we checked the anchor block to see if anything was wrong. Everything was OK. There was only one thing left: the anchor chain must have jammed in the anchor locker. As the anchor locker on our boat cannot be opened from the deck, but down in the foredeck, we had to look there. We know the anchor locker well, as we clean it after every season. First of all, we clear everything out of the foredeck that is stowed there, then crawl forwards over our folding bikes and open the door. The light in the anchor locker comes on. Very convenient. And what did we see this time? There was a big knot hanging in the middle, a large tangle, as you might say. Unfortunately, we didn't take a photo of it, because: Problem recognised, but not yet solved. How do we get the tangle untangled? We managed it, but it was a feat of strength and something for the brain. Interdisciplinary expertise was required. Gisela's experience in untangling balls of wool while knitting was very helpful. And what does our anchor chain say? It stretches nicely in the water and holds our anchor. The rest lies neatly in the box again. Hopefully there's no Klabautermann up ahead having fun knotting our chain again.

After three days, the strong easterly wind died down. We said goodbye to the beautiful Oxia Bay and sailed into Messolonghi Marina in the afternoon. It was a lovely reunion - with Mimi and his crew in the marina bar, with our German friends, who were getting their boats ready for the season on land and with Berlusconi, the nine-year-old marina cat.

We took two trips to Tourlida on our bikes: it's wonderful to cycle through this fantastic lagoon landscape. And what else was going on? It was Walter's birthday! Of course we celebrated it nicely.

We actually wanted to have a new compressor installed for the fridge in Messolonghi because we thought it was using too much electricity and the thermostat wasn't always working reliably. Once again, we had a good experience with Greek craftsmen. They checked everything and realised that the compressor had too little nitrogen. They topped it up and checked that everything was working normally again, and that was it. And instead of 500 to 600 euros for a new compressor including installation, it was 50 euros in labour costs.

We spent the last night in Messolonghi in the town harbour, not a bad place either. Our next stop: the small island of Trizonia, a good 30 nautical miles to the east. We were here five years ago. There is construction going on there, but not much has changed. Simply idyllic and quiet (without cars), at least in the low season.

Galaxidy on the mainland coast was our next anchor stop. Very picturesque. And with a view of Delphi and the high Parnassos, on which snow fields were still visible. Here we registered online for the passage through the Corinth Canal and also paid online. This meant we didn't have to dock there to pay. Everything went very smoothly, but it is an expensive pleasure: the passage costs 207 euros for our boat.

The harbour of Kiato on the north coast of the Peloponnese was then our starting point for the passage through the canal. The town of Kiato has no special sights, but is a popular holiday destination for Greeks as it has beautiful beaches.

We then passed through the canal on the 9th of May, a special experience again, just like in 2020, when we came from the east.

This time we had to wait an hour and a half before entering the canal, as oncoming traffic had to pass first. But then we were able to pass through and enter the Saronic Gulf. Large ships are moored here and the smell from the refineries on the mainland wafts around your nose. So we quickly continued a little further south-east along the east coast of the Peloponnese. We are now anchored in the beautiful bay of Korfous.

We have left the lovely countryside of Epirus and sailed south - now we are in Aitolo-Arkania, a landscape with its very own austere charm.

We left our Vliho Bay behind us and with it Rabitt, our all-round mechanic and technician, and our favourite British pub, the Vliho Yacht Club, and headed south past the islands of Lefkas, Meganisi, Kalamos, Kastos and many smaller ones. Now we are moored at an anchor buoy in the mouth of the river Acheloos. We have a fantastic panoramic view of this strange landscape: opposite us is the rugged mountain of the island of Oxia, towering 460 metres high, on the other side is the wide semi-circular estuary, a delta that stretches far into the sea, very shallow, lots of sandbanks, that the river keeps shifting. Everything is green, trees and bushes, the shallow water is light green to turquoise, we are in 3 metres of water. And on the horizon Ithaca, Atokos, Kefallonia and Zakynthos, a fantastic panorama.

The Acheloos and the Evinos, further east, are the rivers that irrigate the very fertile plain: the largest olive-growing area in Greece, oranges, lemons, wine, vegetables - everything is grown here.  It is a flat landscape with wide lagoons, where pelicans and flamingos live, eels are caught and boutarga, a very salty paste made from fish roe, is made. And, of course, salt is mined in huge evaporation pools; Messolonghi salt is famous beyond the borders for its quality. 

Extremely modest huts, mostly made of corrugated iron and wood, stand directly on the water's edge; the fishermen and a few sheep and goat herders are very poor. Cotton used to be grown here, but the world market has passed it by. 

The lagoon plain is bordered by steep cliffs through which rivers have carved gorges, some with vertical walls. 

We stay here in this beautiful place for a few days - partly because a strong easterly wind is blowing. We don't want to head east against the wind, even though our next destination is just round the corner, so to speak: Messolonghi, where our life with Aglaya began and where we will meet friends. By then we are already in the Gulf of Patras.

No, we're not suffering from the winter in Germany. We are looking forward to the upcoming sailing time on board. We've been on the water with Aglaya again for a few days now, but haven't set sail from Lefkas yet. Aglaya needs to be serviced and looked after first, as befits a lady in her prime. New antifouling on the underwater hull, propeller polished, leaking hatch repaired, dirt from the winter scrubbed off the deck, metal and GRP care. It's all done. Today we hoisted and rigged all four sails. If Aglaya had feet, she'd already be pawing at them. But the engine still needs to be serviced and a few small repairs still need to be done. 

For now it's Easter, this time at home and in Greece at the same time. An opportunity for an Easter walk and a delicious lamb dish (stifado) prepared by the chef de la galley himself.

And where should we go this season? Firstly southwards, out of the Ionian Sea into the Gulf of Patras. There we will then turn off to Messolonghi for a few days. We want to meet friends there again and see what's going on in the marina. Then we'll continue eastwards through the Gulf of Corinth and the canal and from there to the north-east. At the end of June we want to be in Thessaloniki. We are excited and looking forward to setting sail!