After a wonderful reunion in Kos, KORA was once again underway with Amanda and Evan aboard.
There’s something special about sailing with fellow sailors who are also close friends. Doug finally had someone sitting beside him at the helm who genuinely wanted to spend hours discussing wind shifts, sail trim, weather models, anchoring techniques, and whether we were really squeezing another quarter of a knot out of the boat – or just imagining it. Amanda and I weren’t entirely sure what they were talking about, but judging by the laughter, whatever it was must have been hilarious… or at least very, very nauti-cal.
Meanwhile, Amanda and I were perfectly happy letting the “experts” solve the world’s sailing problems while we caught up over coffee, shared stories from home, and enjoyed the simple gift of uninterrupted time together. Good girlfriends are hard to come by, and time together is always special! Oh yeah, and we are sailing the Greek islands together after all. What can be more special than that?!?
Our destination on this day was Leipsoi (Lipsi), one of the quieter gems of the Dodecanese. Home to fewer than a thousand residents, the island is known for its peaceful coves, whitewashed village, and wonderfully slow pace of life – exactly what we all were looking for!
We anchored in the sheltered bay of Katsadia, and before the anchor had even finished digging in, Evan was over the side. His verdict? “Refreshing.” The rest of us translated that as, “Absolutely freezing.”
Dinner that evening was one of those meals that reminds you why sailing is so special: grilled salmon, fresh Greek salad, warm bread, good olive oil, good friends, and nowhere else we’d rather have been.
Eventually the Ouzo appeared. By now you all know the routine…
One… two… three… OPA!
The next morning arrived early. Well… for some of us.
Jet lag had Evan wide awake before sunrise, so naturally he decided it was the perfect opportunity to finally try out Doug’s long-neglected Snuba and the spear gun Mack had left us. Doug has carried the Snuba aboard KORA since we left France. Until now, its only successful hunting expedition had been our backyard swimming pool.
Breakfast plans briefly featured freshly speared fish. Reality featured bacon. Not that anyone complained.
While enjoying breakfast we couldn’t help noticing the crew on the neighbouring yacht. Five gentlemen sat shoulder-to-shoulder along their monohulls dressed in nothing but confidence, drying off after their morning swim. We politely admired the view in every other direction!
Our next stop was Patmos, just 11 nautical miles away.
Known around the world as the island where St John is believed to have written the Book of Revelation, Patmos is one of Greece’s most important pilgrimage destinations. Towering above the main port in Skala is the magnificent fortified Monastery of Saint John, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has watched over the island for more than 900 years.
Unfortunately, our plans to visit the town hit a familiar Greek obstacle. The marina was full. Again. “No problem,” we thought. “We’ll just anchor.” Those words should probably never be spoken with such confidence.
Evan has since affectionately named our first anchorage attempt Πέρασμα που σου σφίγγει τον κώλο. We’ll let Google Translate handle that one!
Picture this. Sixty feet of water. Strong crosswinds. Large (expensive) yachts anchored lines-to-shore on either side. Not a lot of spare room for error. What followed was… entertaining. For everyone – but us!
At one point we discovered we’d nearly run out of anchor chain and prepared to extend out to our rode. The wind nudged us toward one particularly expensive-looking yacht, whose skipper became sufficiently concerned that he launched his dinghy to come and “assist.” To be fair, we never felt quite as close as he apparently did – but it was a generous offer nonetheless.
By now his entire crew had gathered on deck. Apparently we’d become the afternoon’s entertainment.
Then came Evan’s turn. Without hesitation he swam ashore towing our stern line, climbed onto the rocks, and just like that, the line was secured! For a brief moment, it looked as though we’d won. Evan performing a little victory dance on the rocks afterward was probably the highlight of the entire manoeuvre!
Then another catamaran arrived. Five anchoring attempts later… they wisely gave up. We looked at each other. Maybe they were onto something. With ferries rolling through, wakes bouncing around the bay, and enough excitement for one afternoon, we unanimously voted to relocate.
Our second anchorage, Meloi Beach, couldn’t have been more different. Protected, peaceful, and complete with a handful of curious donkeys wandering nearby, it was exactly what we’d been looking for all along.
Rather than tackle the hike into town, we opted for dinner at the little waterfront taverna overlooking the bay.
Sometimes the best adventures end not with another sightseeing checklist, but with good food, tired smiles, and a spectacular Greek sunset.
The fishing rods came out again that evening. The fish – some of them quite large – were clearly putting on a show just beneath KORA. But… unfortunately… they simply had not received the memo about dinner. Tomorrow, we’ll give them another chance!
