Our sail from Antiparos to Paros was a short one – just 4.7 nautical miles. Winds were light, and thus, we actually motored all the way. Though we did see some kids out on the water learning to sail on optis (small single-handed sailing dinghy).
The two islands sit so close together that “Antiparos” literally means “opposite Paros.” The ancient Greeks and Venetians often used the prefix anti- to easily identify smaller, neighbouring satellite islands across from a main, larger one. Anti-island counterparts lie all over Greece!
Arriving in Parikia, we were thrilled to find a space on the town quay. Berths in the Cyclades can be surprisingly scarce, so a simple side-tie alongside a floating dock felt like winning the lottery after weeks of mostly med-mooring.
Or so we thought…..
Before the excitement began, the fuel truck arrived. Here in Greece, fuel is often delivered directly to the dock by small tanker trucks rather than dedicated fuel docks. The trucks are almost cute… until the bill arrives. Our fuel gauge read about two-thirds full before filling, yet somehow we were charged enough diesel to half-fill the tank again – at a price around 20% higher than anywhere else we’d fueled this summer. Judging by the conversations happening aboard neighbouring boats afterward, we weren’t the only ones scratching our heads.
The highlight at this stop was Panagia Ekatontapyliani, better known as the Church of One Hundred Doors. Dating from the 4th century BC, legend says the church has 99 visible doors, with the mysterious hundredth to reveal itself only when Constantinople once again becomes Greek.
Many other interesting and beautiful sites visited in Parikia, including more churches and a 19th century windmill, as we wandered the streets…
After a little shopping and, naturally, some gelato (I highly recommend Rafaello – white chocolate with coconut), we returned to KORA for what we thought would be a relaxing afternoon.
Ice had just gone into the cocktail glasses…..when all hell broke loose!
Large ferries constantly entering and leaving the harbour sent powerful wakes rolling through the marina. One particularly large surge lifted the floating dock dramatically, forcing KORA hard against the timber despite the twelve fenders we’d carefully positioned.
Bang.
A fender exploded.
Bang.
Several others were launched completely out of position.
Bang.
For three heart-stopping impacts, KORA met the dock with nothing but hope and a pair of large ball fenders placed at the stern and bow protecting her.
Doug launched himself onto the wildly moving dock while I scrambled to reposition fenders between the surges. Thankfully the wooden dock proved far kinder than concrete would have been, and when everything finally settled… not a scratch.
That was enough. We were leaving. Which proved easier said than done.
Dock lines under heavy load tighten like guitar strings, making knots incredibly difficult to release. While ferries continued creating fresh waves, two neighbouring skippers abandoned their own boats to help us free the lines. One eventually had to retreat to protect his own yacht as another ferry approached, while we wrestled with ropes that seemed determined to keep KORA permanently attached to Paros.
Eventually – with a little engine assistance and a lot of persistence – the final line came free. We were off!
Below is a pic of the summer crowds boarding one of the ferries,
Steve and the family arrived back just in time to leap aboard. Within moments we were clear of the dock and breathing normally again.
Ironically, our new anchorage sat only a few hundred metres away and proved wonderfully calm. Not about to let a little excitement ruin the day, we all jumped into the crystal-clear water, with a few even swimming ashore to enjoy the beach. (Pics below show views in both directions 😊.)
That evening we returned to Paroikia by dinghy. The town looked every bit as charming beneath the evening lights as it had by day. A wonderful dinner. A little Greek dancing 🙂 Another gelato. And one very relieved crew!
Lesson learned. Sometimes the berth we’re all hoping for isn’t actually the best place to be. We’ll certainly be looking at “fortunate” docking opportunities with fresh eyes from now on!
