Friday 14th July...
Dean - So today was the day. We had arranged to meet the agent at 10am. We arrived at his office about twenty to, and of course it was all open, glasses, laptop, his lunch, all spread about but alas no agent. We hung around for a while and he eventually turned up. So we followed him down the street to the police station, only he's on a moped and we're not! Eventually he says to meet him by the big tree. After a short while he turns up with some papers, we have our photos taken and that's it. Great lets go. I suppose we're lucky not to have any further questions or a fine for something we dont know about, but Mrs C wouldn't let that happen by a mile!
Once we were back at the boat people were starting to leave, no problem normally, but here because the quay is built (very nicely) in a radius, of course all the anchors get crossed. Some Aussie yachties were waiting for us as they knew we were over their chain.
Just one of the issues, thats not his anchor!
We left soon after with no issues, although I did have my anchor and chain tripping hook ready to deploy, thanks again Midtherm. We managed to sail all the way to Symi under genoa sail at a reasonable pace.
The thin red line is the border between Greece and Turkey. Europe and Asia?
Linda is happy to prepare the Greek courtesy flag
And now hoists it as we enter Greek waters
The water is so blue
The only thing to disrupt the journey (apart from me moaning) was the flies, and they bite. But Mrs C is quite handy with the fly swatter!
It's war, two with one swat. Swat one get one free!
SOGOF
Entering Pedi bay on Symi
It's very hot here today
We decided to go onto the quay for a couple of days as it makes life so much easier with visiting the police, customs etc and checking in.
Stern to at Symi marina, Pedi Quay
More of the quay
I look washed out!
Our private quay area for yachties
We decided to go out again to eat so had a walk around the bay, it's only small with limited choices but was very nice.
On the walk
Goose shooting van?
Looking over the anchorage
Greek flag
Thesee just poking out in the line up at the quay
On our walk we stopped at the very well stocked village shop. Lurpak, corned beef, digestive biscuits, McVitie's no less. but pricey.
Linda - Thanks so much to Dean for writing up today's blog. It was a long very hot day and we were exhausted, so he is excused of the ALL the spelling mistakes (now corrected).
Saturday 15th July...
Linda - What the heck? 45 Degrees this afternoon. I wish it would rain, lol. It really is swelteringly hot, even at 8am when we walked to the bus stop to catch the bus into Symi town, it was too hot and we had to sit in the shade at the bus stop.
Beyond a joke
Everything in the boat is hot too even if it's had no sun on it. The phones are hot, the laptop is hot, so i'll make it a short one today. The temp inside the boat at the moment is 38 degrees. This afternoon we had to sit on the marina quayside under the umbrellas to catch the bit of wind that wafted through.
But back to this morning. We took a 'thrilling' bus ride into Symi Town at 8am to go and check-in. It was quite scary at times as you can see from the next photo. No barriers to stop you being catapulted down the mountainside. Even along the quay it was scary.
Coming down the mountainside
View down into Symi town
This is the bus going along the quay, we're right on the edge!
More Symi views
Back in Sponge Diver Land
Quaint little bridge. Bourton-on-the-Water??
Unfortunately, the comment Dean made yesterday about Mrs C making sure everything goes to plan needs to be retracted. Because, our first thing on arrival was to go to the Post Office and pay for our TEPAI (Cruising Tax). Unfortunately we found out the Post Office here is closed on a Saturday. Without paying for this TEPAI we are unable to check-in. So basically a wasted (hair-raising) bus journey for nothing. We'll have to wait until Monday now.... and another scary bus ride.
Continuing the 'last photo of the day cat theme'.... Here's today's little cutie.
Only a kitten, and a lot more step snoozing years ahead for this one
Sunday 16th July...
Linda - It was a lovely day today, and thankfully only a temperature high of 38 degrees on Thesee. That's 7 degrees down on yesterday. Maybe that's because we moved into the anchorage?? We waited until 10.30am. That's the time that people seem to be on the move in the mornings. Then when we saw a boat leaving the anchorage, we quickly left the quay, manoevered into their spot, and dropped anchor, with another boat hot on our heels but we were the winners.
There's a lot of space in this anchorage, but the problem is that most of the area is deep, so finding a suitable depth is the key. It's a lovely position and we've sat here all day with a nice breeze blowing through. Our batteries were happier too today, reaching 100% charge, first time in three days. The fridge and freezer have been running almost flat out trying to keep cold.
Our new view from Thesee
This afternoon our feet were buzzing. We sat on Thesee's back step and dipped our feet to cool off. After a dinghy ride around the bay we also took a swim. Dean always swims round the boat three times. I was feeling adventurous once in the water and decided to swim with him on lap 2. Failure! I was trying to swim up the side of the boat but I honestly wasn't getting ANYWHERE. I have no idea why. I've done it before. I had to give up and get out. Once back on board my arm felt tingly and a small rash appeared, then it was on my legs too. I have no idea why this happened. I took an antihistamine tablet. After about an hour it all disappeared. How strange.
The water is SOOOOO blue
As we've not been ashore today I have no cat or kitten photo. Will this one do? It is a cat(amaran) after all. I love this boat.
Tonight's neighbour
Monday 17th July...
Linda - Hoorah! We are officially checked-in. Four parts to this process... although we didn''t necessarily get them in the right order at first attempt today.
Step 1 - Pay the TEPAI cruising tax at the Post Office
Step 2 - Port Police to put an entry stamp into our passports
Step 3 - Customs Office to get a Transit Log.
Still only issuing us an 18 month one.
Step 4 - Hellenic Coastguard (Port Authority) to get our Transit Log stamped
Step 5 - Grab a beer to celebrate and cool down
Not long after returning to the anchorage having taken an even more frightening bus ride today because the bus was PACKED, our catamaran neighbour came across to say hello. He recognised Thesee from seeing us back in Winter 2021/22 at TKS Marine in the Gulf of Corinth.
This evening we were kindly invited for sundowners on our neighbouring cat. A lovely young couple, wonderful hosts, and interesting conversations which went on until way past sundown!
Tuesday 18th July...
Linda - Didn't get off the boat today, but the day has flown by. I did a little bit of housework this morning whilst it was cooler, and Dean was giving advice to our neighbour on a boaty issue. Dean also made a small sewing repair to our new flag (which was starting to fray a little on the corner). This afternoon we also made a repair to our windscoop. This is like a small kite which we erect above the open hatch above the bed. It scoops the wind and pushes it down into the cabin and subsequently through the boat. It makes quite a difference especially at night to feel a cool breeze on you. We can only use this at anchor, because being at anchor the boat always faces into the wind and keeps the scoop filled. Anyway the plastic strip in it had snapped, requiring Dean to concoct an alternative way to make it keep its shape. I'll get some photos tomorrow before we take it down. Planning to move on tomorrow....watch this space 😀
Wednesday 19th July...
Linda - Yesterday, no photos... Today, loads. First two as promised, our windscoop. Hope yesterday's explanation means something now.
This morning we upped anchor around 8am. It was a shortish 10 miles down to the south of the island to an enclosed bay called Panormitis. The weather man said 'no wind', that obviously means 20 knots!! On our route south we checked out a couple of bays on the way...
Bay 1: The high cliffs at Agios Georgios
Bay 2: More anchoring room at Nanou
Bay 3: Marathounta
Cliffs
It was a lumpy ride on occasions but we soon arrived at Panormitis as boats were starting to leave, hence we get a choice to berth.
Cliffs at Panormitis entrance
An old windmill as we enter the bay
Inside the anchorage we find a monastery
Very imposing on the bay
Dean spent a couple of hours helping a new neighbour with his engine starter. So I had a little time to ponder over my photos.
The entrance at Panormitis
Turkish flagged gullet?? Did he check into Greece like the rest of us have to?
Dean goes help a fellow yachtsman
When he came back to the boat we had ash falling on the deck and cushions. Obviously a forest fire going on somewhere around us. Our friends still over on the Turkish coast had ash falling too.
Ash on the cushions
.... and on the cockpit table
We took an early evening walk ashore and met our new boaty friends. They insisted on buying us a drink for helping them out. Didn't get back to the boat for dinner until 8pm.
Thesee in Panormitis
On our short walkies, monastery in the background
Goaty friends, no cats today, just goats
Decorative tower on the monastery
Goat families
Sunset as we arrive back on board
Thursday 20th July...
Linda - Before we left Panormitis this morning we noticed one of the nearby boats had big Beneteau seahorse decals, just like ours. Dean said that Beneteau made a special edition boat with them on. We put ours on ourselves, just 'cos we can!
Big seahorse decals
We took the opportunity of getting up early to walk around the shoreline to the windmill. It was a very pleasant walk, and not too hot being just 7am. Also a stop off at the bakery for fresh bread and croissants, only the lady in front of us nearly bought the whole shop, so out of stock of croissants at 7.30am. How rude. It was a very quaint shop though, with unusual tables outside, one of them being made of a fisherman's anchor and cabin door. We want one.
Bakery sign
Table and decor outside the bakery
The fisherman's anchor and cabin door table.
Reminds me of an ironing board.
Who goes there?
Now this reminds me of the funny hall of mirrors in Blackpool.
Nearly at the windmill
Where to today Dean?
Poseur
According to our Chartplotter, Thesee is on land!
By 9ish we were on our way to Rhodes. Only 20 odd miles but it took seven and a half hours sailing. Light winds and two knots of tide against us along the Rhodes Channel. Hang on, who said 'there's no tide in the Med?' This meant our speed over the ground was only 2.5 to 3 knots.
Back to ship spotting (and avoiding) at sea....
Approaching Rhodes town. Er, not exactly the green hills we've been used to.
Beach holiday hotspot
Castle, sorry don't know proper name
Cruise ship
Anchoring spots tonight almost non-existent. We are anchored south of the marina in an open anchorage. Not too bad at the moment, but probably won't get much sleep tonight.
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