Wednesday, 3rd July
Sporades Re-visited

We were here last 6 years ago when we were joined by Sophie and Alastair. This time we are alone apart from the other foreign cruisers and charter boats. We've done a mixture of deserted islands and "touristy" hotspots as well as trying a few places we missed out the first time around.

Skiathos is very geared to tourists and they arrive in droves (seem mainly to be portly, older and strongly accented from the north of England). We avoided the main town, having anchored there previously under the airport runway flight path and near the all-night disco clubs, and found a lovely bay (Koukounari) with good swimming and access to the bus network. Best of both worlds - bus to town, maritime museum, crowds and bustle - back to turquoise water and privacy of own boat. It is now HOT and we need the respite.

Skopelos is the next major tourist island and big on its "Mamma Mia" impact. We do like the island though, it is green and hilly; it has some wonderful bays and little towns like Nea Klima - village and quay one side, back of the boat the other side is a long beach with safe swimming and rinsing off shower. (The Port Police chap there is unbelievably helpful, courteous and charming to all the useless foreign sailors trying to understand Greek bureaucracy.) The old chora, Glossa, is picturesque and Skopelos town itself is a delight. It has a long quay to accommodate lots of boats with access to power and water through a pre-paid island-wide card, but no mooring fees at all. It is topped by its iconic Church on a high cliff above the quay.

Alonissos is the other inhabited island and largest in this group, but the least touristy and we like it best. Dozens of sheltered bays and coves with spectacular scenery, from brilliant white limestone to blood-red cliffs. Its old chora is perched on a hill and is a rabbit warren of lanes, steps and narrow passages. It is being gradually restored and is full of the prettiest holiday cottages. The stone-flagged paths and steps are inaccessible by car and materials (and cases of wine) are still transported by donkey. Back on the coast, I celebrated my birthday with lunch and swims in Kokkinokastro (Red Castle Bay) and then moved on to Steni Vala for the night where we had dinner out at a local fish taverna. Here, in honour of our previous visit with S&A, we had "rocks on fire" as a starter.

Time to go off-piste and off the grid to the uninhabited islands in the Maritime Park where there are rare monk seals, falcons, wild ibex still and more. In the few days we were there, they were being a bit too rare and we saw only wild goats and beautiful Eleanora falcons. We were driven back to Skopelos by winds, difficult forecasts and the need to stock up. The wind howled, but we were fine on the sheltered quay. Watching an 85ft mega-yacht struggling to get out of the harbour, being thrown up and down by bucking waves, we decided to hang on for another day. When getting out would be even possible.

Time now to think of going. We prepared ourselves and tacked out of the harbour under sail and engine to give us better drive and angle to the swell - no problem. There is one more island ostensibly in the Sporades called Skyros which is about 48nm SE of Skopelos and the rest, and is also the biggest. We had a gusty and fast passage down in just over 7 hours. It was gusting 34kn on arrival so we opted for anchoring in Diapori Cove for the night rather than putting in an ignominious performance attempting to berth on the quay in that wind. A good night and the following morning we went into Linaria Port, to be superbly helped in and tucked up by Takis, the harbourmaster. Linaria prides itself on being the best-run port for sailors in Greece, and so it is. Not big, but beautifully managed with water & electricity provided, laundry, showers (with a disco and bubbles option from 1900-2000 - the mind boggles but Richard had the dubious pleasure of experiencing that), library exchange, and all the help and information that Takis and his team can provide. These facilities may not sound exceptional to those used to sailing in northern waters, but this is Greece and this is very unusual! It has a slightly alternative feel to it with eco projects, health activities, home remedies and the like, as well as great capital town and archaeological site to the north (pictures and details in our previous visit 2013!).

We were moored in a slightly awkward corner (we are ALWAYS the Smallest boat) next to a large excursion boat whose owner was also a fisherman and restaurant owner. We naturally had to eat at his establishment. We were slightly blocking in an interesting racy-looking German flagged yacht called a Pogo 12.50. There was the usual eclectic mix of nationalities in the little port. The German boat was in fact not German, but owned by a couple - she Finnish, he Portuguese. Unusual mixture and they turned out to be a very interesting, well-travelled couple. They allowed us to look at their boat and Richard and Jorge obviously shared both an engineering flair and geekiness that allowed the sharing of nav software, programmes and the like.

We were both headed away from the Sporades and into the centre of the Aegean, to the tiny rocky outcrop of an island called Psara, about another 60nm away. We left to anchor off the south of Skyros to knock 10nm off the next leg and get a good start. The Pogo Pikku Myy (Finnish name) stayed in Port. The following day we left at 8am and had yet another fast, great passage to Psara, arriving at a very civilised 1600. About 2 miles off the island we spotted the Pogo about 5 miles behind us. They had left the main port an hour later, arrived in Psara an hour after us, which means they made up the 9-10 miles, being that much faster. Nonetheless, Jorge was dismayed that they had not overtaken us en-route! We enjoyed a drink together and further exchange of information of various sorts.

W went in search of a bakery. I had seen a sign, but it looked pretty derelict. (Actually the whole village has a slight air of decay to go with some very expensive cars). I enquired in the café where we'd had drinks the evening before. Serious discussion with Kyria and 4 Greek chaps sitting around the table. They decide what to do and one burly chap beckons me to come with him. I dutifully follow, thinking he is going to point me in the right direction. He goes over to his scooter, starts it up, indicates for me to climb up behind him and we roared off into the sunset. Well not quite, but up the twisty, windy lanes of the village and stopped in some backstreet. It was the φούρνος (furnace or bakery). The doors were locked. My Greek friend went around the back, banged on the door and shouted for Maria. Maria duly came, opened up, I bought 2 loaves to tide us over, got back up behind burly chap on scooter and we roared back down to the port where he deposited me by my boat with a big smile. Sometimes I love the Greeks.

We'll say our goodbyes to Jorge and Iris, Pikku Myy. Off tomorrow, heading downhill now, slowly back to Leros…..