All is going well – summer is now starting to settle with temps around 25d, although the sea is still a slightly breath-taking 21d. We’ve had a week of unsettled, windy weather causing us to pay close attention to the forecasts, as out here in the islands of the Aegean Sea you have to pick your shelter carefully. There are a few cruising yachts around – mostly local, plus French, German and Dutch - although it’s anything but crowded.
Obviously Greece is having its financial problems – but there’s no sign of this at all in the Greek islands where life seems normal. However work is mostly related to tourism, and we’re told that tourist numbers are down because potential visitors are discouraged by what they see in the media about events on the mainland. Island residents make their money in the six months from May to October - after that many of them are involved in harvesting olives. One lady told us that in Athens the average wage is only about Euros 600 (NZ$1,000) per month, and that typical rent is about Euro 400 (NZ$667) leaving very little to live on. In the islands they are better off because most of them plant vegetables, have fruit and olive trees, keep goats and chickens, and in many cases go fishing.
We spent five days at the sleepy island of Tilos - moving to different anchorages as the wind shifted from W to a strong SE, and then back to W again. The wind itself isn’t the problem so much as the seas that get whipped up - at the main harbour of Livadhiou waves were breaking over the top of the breakwater.
For the first time this year we used our flopper-stoppers to effectively reduce Envoy’s roll in a residual swell entering the anchorage.
Di & I both like Rugby League, and we had a great lunch ashore watching the 1st Australian State of Origin match on laptop via WiFi. Brian take note as you’ll be here for the 3rd and final game.
We’ve said before that every island seems to have a military base and police station, and Tilos’s police station seemed quite large for the population of 533.
It’s only 14NM from Tilos to Nisiros, where we spent three days. Nisiros doesn’t have a safe anchorage, so we berthed in the small, all-weather harbour of Palon, for a reasonable cost of Euro 19 (NZ$32) per day including power.
Envoy berthed in Palon harbour
.JPG)
Looking down on Palon harbour
.JPG)
Nisiros is also quiet, and has a population of only 1,000 but is more interesting than Tilos – it is the only Greek island with a volcano, which last erupted in 1422. Here we hired a car and spent a day touring the island, including the volcano’s crater, the quaint choras (hilltop villages) of Emborios and Nikia, and the main village of Mandraki with its two castles – one ancient, and one medieval.
In the chora of Emborious
.JPG)
Lonely Planet describes Emborios as “empty, with the silence broken only by the braying of a donkey or the grunting of pigs”, but we found the mixture of ruins and reconstructed dwellings in the narrow, winding, cobblestone streets interesting. There’s always something special to discover, and we found it in a one-room taverna, where there was a photo on the wall of a Greek Army Captain, Evaugelos Hatzievangelou, executed by Germans in that same room in February 1945. An adjacent mirror was left in the same condition as on that terrible day, much of its glass shattered by bullets.
Photo of Greek Captain killed by Germans, and shattered mirror.
A view from inside the volcano’s crater
A noticeable feature of Nisiros is the hugely extensive terracing of the hillsides, and you can only wonder in awe at the man-hours of labour that were required to do this. Their purpose was to make flat sections of ground for the planting of crops, to hold the rain water (there being no natural water supply), and prevent soil erosion. Although the crops are gone today, the legacy is little erosion and green, fertile slopes.
Nisiros is extensively terraced to hold water and prevent soil erosion
Normal cars are too large to negotiate the narrow streets of the older parts of villages, and these three-wheel cars powered by 2-stroke motorcycle engines are very popular.
After visiting Simi, Tilos and Nisiros, we were reminded of three things about Greece.
Firstly it is noticeably cleaner than Turkey – where there is a huge litter problem, despite numerous rubbish bins being available. Secondly the small towns and villages have more “atmosphere” with numerous historical buildings, and narrow, winding cobblestone streets. Thirdly the taverna food is just as good, but lower-priced. Typically we start with fresh bread with olive oil, garlic and oregano for Euro 0.50 (NZ$0.85) each, have a wide selection of appetizers for about Euro 3 (NZ$5) each, and main courses at about Euro 5-7 (NZ$8-12) each. Main courses are wide in variety including the traditional Greek dishes souvlaki, stifado, moussaka, pastas and local specialties like roasted goat, rabbit in oregano, rooster in red sauce, grilled octopus, fried calamari. Beer is typically sold for Euro 2.50 (NZ$4) and house wines for Euro 3 (NZ$5) per half-litre. If you order wine by the glass you pay about Euro 1.50 (NZ$2.50) and get a full glass, not like the “standard drink” ie third of a glass you now mostly get served in New Zealand (if you think I’ve “got a thing about this” – you’re right!)
We’re now at the island of Astipalaia in a great, sheltered bay called Maltezana, so-named as it used to be a lair for Maltese pirates preying on shipping plying across the Aegean.
TECHNICAL
A few days ago for the first time since last August, the main Lugger engine would not start first time. Previously when this happened it was caused by a stuck starter relay, and after I tapped the relay with a hammer the Lugger started fine. Same thing happened this time.
The Lugger’s digital tachometer has stopped showing rpm, although it powers up with ignition ON. Not a problem as we have the analogue tachometer. Probably a loose wire from the alternator feed although I’ve not been able to find one.
LOG
59 days aboard, cruised 209NM for 39 engine hours
Obviously Greece is having its financial problems – but there’s no sign of this at all in the Greek islands where life seems normal. However work is mostly related to tourism, and we’re told that tourist numbers are down because potential visitors are discouraged by what they see in the media about events on the mainland. Island residents make their money in the six months from May to October - after that many of them are involved in harvesting olives. One lady told us that in Athens the average wage is only about Euros 600 (NZ$1,000) per month, and that typical rent is about Euro 400 (NZ$667) leaving very little to live on. In the islands they are better off because most of them plant vegetables, have fruit and olive trees, keep goats and chickens, and in many cases go fishing.
We spent five days at the sleepy island of Tilos - moving to different anchorages as the wind shifted from W to a strong SE, and then back to W again. The wind itself isn’t the problem so much as the seas that get whipped up - at the main harbour of Livadhiou waves were breaking over the top of the breakwater.
For the first time this year we used our flopper-stoppers to effectively reduce Envoy’s roll in a residual swell entering the anchorage.
Di & I both like Rugby League, and we had a great lunch ashore watching the 1st Australian State of Origin match on laptop via WiFi. Brian take note as you’ll be here for the 3rd and final game.
We’ve said before that every island seems to have a military base and police station, and Tilos’s police station seemed quite large for the population of 533.
It’s only 14NM from Tilos to Nisiros, where we spent three days. Nisiros doesn’t have a safe anchorage, so we berthed in the small, all-weather harbour of Palon, for a reasonable cost of Euro 19 (NZ$32) per day including power.
Envoy berthed in Palon harbour
.JPG)
Looking down on Palon harbour
.JPG)
Nisiros is also quiet, and has a population of only 1,000 but is more interesting than Tilos – it is the only Greek island with a volcano, which last erupted in 1422. Here we hired a car and spent a day touring the island, including the volcano’s crater, the quaint choras (hilltop villages) of Emborios and Nikia, and the main village of Mandraki with its two castles – one ancient, and one medieval.
In the chora of Emborious
.JPG)
Lonely Planet describes Emborios as “empty, with the silence broken only by the braying of a donkey or the grunting of pigs”, but we found the mixture of ruins and reconstructed dwellings in the narrow, winding, cobblestone streets interesting. There’s always something special to discover, and we found it in a one-room taverna, where there was a photo on the wall of a Greek Army Captain, Evaugelos Hatzievangelou, executed by Germans in that same room in February 1945. An adjacent mirror was left in the same condition as on that terrible day, much of its glass shattered by bullets.
Photo of Greek Captain killed by Germans, and shattered mirror.
A view from inside the volcano’s crater
A noticeable feature of Nisiros is the hugely extensive terracing of the hillsides, and you can only wonder in awe at the man-hours of labour that were required to do this. Their purpose was to make flat sections of ground for the planting of crops, to hold the rain water (there being no natural water supply), and prevent soil erosion. Although the crops are gone today, the legacy is little erosion and green, fertile slopes.
Nisiros is extensively terraced to hold water and prevent soil erosion
Normal cars are too large to negotiate the narrow streets of the older parts of villages, and these three-wheel cars powered by 2-stroke motorcycle engines are very popular.
After visiting Simi, Tilos and Nisiros, we were reminded of three things about Greece.
Firstly it is noticeably cleaner than Turkey – where there is a huge litter problem, despite numerous rubbish bins being available. Secondly the small towns and villages have more “atmosphere” with numerous historical buildings, and narrow, winding cobblestone streets. Thirdly the taverna food is just as good, but lower-priced. Typically we start with fresh bread with olive oil, garlic and oregano for Euro 0.50 (NZ$0.85) each, have a wide selection of appetizers for about Euro 3 (NZ$5) each, and main courses at about Euro 5-7 (NZ$8-12) each. Main courses are wide in variety including the traditional Greek dishes souvlaki, stifado, moussaka, pastas and local specialties like roasted goat, rabbit in oregano, rooster in red sauce, grilled octopus, fried calamari. Beer is typically sold for Euro 2.50 (NZ$4) and house wines for Euro 3 (NZ$5) per half-litre. If you order wine by the glass you pay about Euro 1.50 (NZ$2.50) and get a full glass, not like the “standard drink” ie third of a glass you now mostly get served in New Zealand (if you think I’ve “got a thing about this” – you’re right!)
We’re now at the island of Astipalaia in a great, sheltered bay called Maltezana, so-named as it used to be a lair for Maltese pirates preying on shipping plying across the Aegean.
TECHNICAL
A few days ago for the first time since last August, the main Lugger engine would not start first time. Previously when this happened it was caused by a stuck starter relay, and after I tapped the relay with a hammer the Lugger started fine. Same thing happened this time.
The Lugger’s digital tachometer has stopped showing rpm, although it powers up with ignition ON. Not a problem as we have the analogue tachometer. Probably a loose wire from the alternator feed although I’ve not been able to find one.
LOG
59 days aboard, cruised 209NM for 39 engine hours
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