So far, our sailing plans have been falling nicely into place. We’ve made a few small adjustments along the way. Sometimes we hear about a “must see” location from another sailor. We’ve followed several of these suggestions and must say that we’ve been pleasantly surprised by every one! Other times its weather related. Indeed, the Meltemi winds have played a small role as I explained in my blog post on July 6! But overall, I’d say that we have been able to stay remarkably close to schedule. Until now. Once again, the Meltemi has stepped in to remind us that, in the Aegean, it always gets the final say.
Strong northerly winds are forecast to sweep across the Aegean over the coming days, blowing at Beaufort Force 7-8 with gusts approaching 35 knots. One of the first lessons sailing teaches you is this: Don’t fight the weather. Work with it!
With Kaitlyn arriving in Naxos on July 13, we didn’t really have an option to race south early in order to drop Steve & family off in Astypalea by July 15. Nor was there a collective desire to skip a few islands currently on the itinerary. So back-up ferry tickets were booked (we love the ferry and bus system in Greece!!!), and it was decided to make the most of the situation by squeezing in another island closer by.
The decision regarding which island to visit wasn’t exactly difficult. After all, what is a trip to Greece without a stop in Mykonos!?! Talking about Mykonos – Chelsea and Oscar got a kick out of the below pic …. a blast from the past! Hoping that the person featured will reach out to let us know they recognize it. Chelsea was determined to do a re-creation (see below).
Famous for its glamorous beach clubs, luxury yachts, iconic windmills, whitewashed laneways, and vibrant nightlife, Mykonos has long been one of Greece’s most popular islands. Whether you’re after world-class restaurants, boutique shopping, or simply wandering one of the prettiest old towns in the Cyclades, it’s easy to understand why so many visitors are drawn here.
Finding somewhere to anchor, however…was another story. We decided on Paralia Platis Gialos, a beautiful beach on the southern coast of Mykonos.
The anchorage was buzzing with boats of every shape and size. One particularly impressive superyacht caught everyone’s attention. We later discovered she was O’Ptasia – an 85-metre luxury yacht accommodating 12 guests with a crew of 26, available to charter for the modest sum of around €940,000 per week! Needless to say, she carried a few more water toys than KORA.
The stronger winds kept everyone on their toes as boats swung back and forth on their anchors, at times passing within about 15 metres of us. That might sound like plenty of room, but when you don’t know exactly how much anchor chain your neighbours have laid out – or precisely where their anchors are buried beneath the sand – that distance can disappear surprisingly quickly.
Figuring that we will be back again later this summer, Doug stayed aboard to keep an eye on KORA while the rest of us headed ashore. Meanwhile, the rest of us headed to shore to catch the local bus to Fabrika.
Mykonos’ Old Town was every bit as charming as we’d hoped. Narrow whitewashed laneways twisted between bright blue doors, colourful bougainvillea spilled from balconies, and stylish boutiques seemed to appear around every corner. I did, however, feel just a little underdressed, having wandered ashore in a swimsuit and cover-up while many others looked as though they were headed to a fashion shoot!
Later, Doug joined us by dinghy for dinner at Yialo-Yialo – appropriately named “By the Seashore.” We mixed things up a little that evening with wood-fired pizzas alongside grilled octopus, fresh fish, and a few more Greek favourites.
After dinner, Karen and Chelsea couldn’t resist a swim. With Mykonos glowing behind us and warm Aegean waters all around, it felt like the perfect way to end another wonderful day in the Cyclades.
Tomorrow…we’ll see what the Meltemi allows.
