NAXOS to PAROS and ‘MYKONOS’

NAXOS to PAROS and ‘MYKONOS’

Contiki touring the Cyclades - Mid June

P             Paros, Paros, Paros

A             Anchor pulling, laying, pulling, laying

R             Raging wind       

O             OH MY GOD!!!!

S              sleeeeeeepyness

Just about summarises the trip for our new crew who joined in Naxos......eventually!

Bea and Steph arrived about 12hours after schedule thanks to missing their Naxos ferry stop. 

Steph and Bea on arrival!

After bunking down on another island for the night, the delicious food from the lady in the blue-door Taverna

JG's hat = Mr Octopus

Y's (K, JG and Fi)

Walking crew - K, JG and Fi

Octopus in the sky for Fi

Octopus crazy this place

and the afternoon’s beach time was well deserved..... even if the 'hat of doom' wasn't - it was still fun!

Bea sporting that Hat of Doom oh so well - (K's influence)

From the moment Ju touched Naxos the next morning however it was all go. 

Ju's Arrival

Leaving the sleepy couple to relax in the super sunshine, K, Ju, JG and I hit the said-to-be fertile and beautiful Naxos’ inland.... and it was!  Even though in a rush to meet our next deadline the fields and roads leading to the mountain side made a refreshing drive from the windy bay.  We hit the track on a mission to make Zeus’ cave – HUGE – and Mountain Zeus’ peak.

Mt Zeus - Y's - JG, Fi, Ju

Mt Zeus - walking - JG, Fi, Ju

Ju’s enthusiasm rubbed off on us and we made the 3.30 deadline to the bottom only 5mins overdue by running down the last part of the track to delve into the cool shade of the trees and drink the water of Zeus..... i hope these things are blessed by the gods!  Next stop; a little-bit-too-leisurely (sunset) pony-ride.  I did learn that horses really love bamboo though and all about rodeo (not that we got to try it :0( ).

Horse riding on the beach - JG and K

Ju tackling the water crossing

All too soon it was time to say goodbye to K... :0( .  I couldn’t believe that two weeks could go so fast.  But when one has to experience protests in Syntagma square and make way for midsummer in London one better get on the way on the BIG BLUE STAR ferry!!!

BIG BLUE STAR ferry (with K on it, :0( )

So new crew and new safety lessons and sailing lessons!

Fi doing her Navigation time

Such enthusiasm to learn was great but even better when there is some wind to learn in......day one with these guys – zilch! Hardly a breath.  Even so we made way to a beautiful bay on Paros and showed them the ropes! (or not ropes ;0)! ) and the fun, relaxing side of sailing; sun, sea, snorkling, kayaking...

Ju Ju showing us how its done on a kayak

Well the Gods listened and got a little bit too excited it seemed.   As we rounded the headland the following day the sea was un-recognisable; waves with a lot of sheep (that’s white horses to the rest of us) and a raging northerly..... We battled up-wind for a short while before heading south to experience rather more comfortable sailing and learning conditions creating a great chance for Ju to learn to surf the waves – top speed of the day 9.7knots!

COOL Crew - Bea, Ju on helm and JG (peace yeah yeah)

too much for some of us .... ;0) (Ju)

 

Despite the wind our anchor was laid in the supposed-to-be sheltered Pariokia Bay on Paros.  She had no waves at least, but the wind however; WOW did she blow! We where stuck for 2 days whilst the force 6, 7 and even gusting 8 blew on to us and all the other yachts in the anchorage.  At a calmer time the lasers even tested the wind and flew around (and even into) us!  A taster for us of the notorious Meltemi!  (oh what a joy!) 

Girls rowing the guys ashore - whats going on? Steph, fi, ju, Bea all on the punctured dingy

Sights of Paros 

The CREW doing the walk

Steph, Fi, JG, Bea, Ju

Sunset times

Sunset drinks on Paros

Friday night before the weekend change-over we made yet another attempt to go north to Mykanos (to meet the parents) and / or it’s surrounding islands, with the Northerly still blowing and the now formed waves throwing us wherever they could.....

Bea trying skills

Steph, concentrating on that horizon!

 finally we ended up further north but back in the comfort of Naousa!  Once again, around the headland and we’re got into the wonderful shelter and calm and made way for a proper BBQ on the beach! Mmmmmmm!

Snug in behind the rugged coast, that night we fulfilled our desire of meat and BBQing!  Sunset, beach and BUGS!

Getting to the island..... Fi rowing JG (again!)

BBQ sunset

chair for the evening (fi)

Our friends

BBQ spot

The trips highlights (or not) for this crew however began on the Saturday when we made our last attempt north and failed. 

Steph on helm - watch OUT sailors!

Keeping it cool, Steph, Ju, JG on helm, Bea

 With a once again funnelled northerly, RC failed to make even 70deg to the wind and we zig-zagged from east to west making so little head-way the effort was not worth it...... about turn crew

RC's main

and back to another well known spot.... Pariokia!  Buuuuut not before solving any seasickness fears with a little help from our friends....

Dolphins came to save the day!

Having spent a few days there already we felt like trying the true Greek way by laying our manual anchor out (I forgot to mention we have no windlass / no anchor motor to put it up and down, nor a lock) and reversing to the quay.  A night on the town...... well, it would have been had we been awake enough to do so!

Chilling (IN) the restaraunt garden

steph, Ju, fi

All seemed fine and we enjoyed the wind-free streets of the town and delicious food and interesting wine.  Just a breeze present, we checked the lines before bed and fell into a normal sleep..... until 3.30 that was.

(Meanwhile Mum and Dad (Crabbie) arrived in Mykonos awaiting their escorts)  

The wind picked up to its usual force 6 / 7 and was right on our nose but our anchor had slipped and we where then positioned in a rather crooked manner. Action stations, all on deck in a matter of minutes and on to adjusting lines, starting motors and getting ready to haul the anchor.  Safest option was to anchor just out in the anchorage and after doing so we fell back into the cabin to relax, take a nip and head back to bed.  Oh how naive! Just before going to bed....... ‘We’re drifting’! All hands on deck once more and a re-set of the anchor in the dawn. Taking the first shift i sat on deck watching the sunrise as the others tried to get some rest even with the boat bashing about.  As the sun made it’s way higher, more and more people on the surrounding boats emerged on deck to check their positions and anchors and those that where also on the quay made way into the anchorage also.   A strangely nervous atmosphere was created that morning and did not leave my stomach for quite some time!

The wind still blowing hard meant there was no way we could use our dinghy to take our crew Bea and Steph to shore to their ferry since we have no engine for it.  Finally the port police came to our rescue and a chauffeur arrived for the happy couple to be taken off the ragged company with her now rather ragged remaining crew......

Happy two - Bea and Steph (steph we need more photos - we have hardly any!!)

Goodbye Bea and Steph (taken by marina escort!)

 Oh how i wished to be on that ferry when i saw it leave.  Moments after these two stepped on-board the little red power-boat, the anchor failed yet again!  Thankfully JG and Ju where still with strength and hauled her up again..... There after we had a second sleepless night and in total TWELVE (12) shots at this bl##dy anchor.  And I thought exams where nerve-racking!

blocking the anchor

Looking into the Anchor locker

One kind gentleman came to tell us the next again morning that he thought that our anchor was too small (really?!) and another said there was a free anchor lying on the sea-bed somewhere between the boats (there was about 15 in the anchorage) and the beach.......... ahem, that is a LOT of sand to snorkel over.

That morning Mum and Dad’s ferry was running so in a true parent-style-manner, they filmed a nervous and exhausted Fi bringing Ragged Company alongside the open-marina wall. Fully fended up (with a new BIG BALL), and with wind bashing her side we ‘relaxed’ in the spot for the evening to enjoy a truly eccentric restaurant owner who told you what to eat.

Relaxing at last - Ingeborg (mum) and Fi

A well deserved dinner for crew man Ju, & mum

Our scary hosts husband - Mum and Dad (Ingeborg and Nick)

Finally with a dying wind we made way WEST!  Turning point of the trip.

Despite the previous days drama it was a joy to be able to let mum and dad see RC under sail,

Mum and Dad getting to enjoy the breeze

 and in the day we comfortably made way to an anchorage in Kithnos. 

Supper on Deck - homemade Tzatiki (Dad)

a spot of fishing to show me how it's done...... not this time Dad!

Friendly hoteliers for our crews luggage and natural hot springs on the beach, it was a lovely place to end a journey however it was a very sad moment when JG and I watched the taxi take Ju, Mum and Dad across the island to their ferry.....

Transport to shore for crew Mum, Dad, Ju and cpt JG

We were alone again.  Just the two of us, heading home. 

Flippers

Feeling surprisingly lost that evening we prepared the route west and firstly to Athena!

Over from Fifi, who is fastly failing at this blog thing – eeeeek – written onboard a super-blowy yacht safely in her marina berth (29/07/11).