Paradise Found?

 Paradise Bay, Hisaronu gulf, Turkey - 28th August

As Greece has been our home for almost two years, we were finding the prospect of leaving the country a bit of a wrench.  When it came to it, Symi made it easy for us. Everyone raves about Symi, but we found the island a complete disappointment. After a dull 30 mile motorsail from Nisyros, we anchored in Panormitis on the southwest corner of Symi. We met the high season crowds and our first flotilla of the season. A monastery stands on the shore with a large hotel wing that looks like it was designed for Soviet-era workers' holidays. Although the anchorage is almost entirely sheltered from the sea, a slight swell rolled in, making for an uncomfortable night.

We decided to move on the next morning to Pethi, just south of Symi town.  Don't bother to go there, the holding's dreadful and boats often drag their anchor.  As we weren't happy we were properly hooked, we tied up to the quay used by the Rhodes water boat so we could leave the boat to take the bus to Symi town.  There we found a heaving mass of day-trippers and souvenir shops.  We stayed just long enough to cancel our Cosmote broadband account, pick up bacon, beer and wine and check out.

Crossing the border

Eight miles across from Symi and we arrive in Turkey. Bozburun is situated at the head of an attractive gulf littered with islands and bays. Approaching the harbour the first thing you see is the silver dome of the town's mosque.  Gulets are tied up in the harbour, we find loads of fruit and vegetable stalls and a hyper-clean toilet/shower block.

Tied up in Bozburun harbour

Two hours after we arrive, our entry formalities are all complete - thanks to a shipping agent who sports a paunch and a pony-tail, and gets about on a tricycle.

We are in the Hisaronu gulf.  Our first reaction to sailing here is if it's all like this, we won't ever leave. Crystal clear water, no swell, a gentle afternoon breeze and calm overnight anchorages.  What a pleasant change from the Dodecanese!

Taking it easy

Just when we're thinking it's too good to be true, an unwelcome reality intrudes. We've noticed that water has started to creep into the bilge and go to investigate. A hot and bad tempered morning later, Leighton sources the leak to the holding tank (oh joy!) and fixes it. He'd just fitted a new diverter valve (our second from the UK as the first turned out to be the wrong size), but this one is faulty and was letting water flow unimpeded into the tank even when it's closed.  This made the tank overflow - with seawater I hasten to say, not the contents of the loo.  Turkish environmental regulations are very strict, so we had to be very discreet about pumping the bilge out in the harbour. A hefty fine on our first full day in Turkey would not have been a good start. The bad news is we can't use the holding tank for now, but the good news is the bilge is now bone dry again.

Yesterday we put the whole episode behind us with a leisurely lunch on a mooring buoy off Bozburun followed by a glorious sail closehauled to Dirsek where we tied to a restaurant quay and feasted on all-you-can-eat meze for supper. 

Shoreside restaurant in Dirsek

Today we're anchored in Paradise bay tied back to the rocks on shore, watching the kids on a neighbouring gullet try to windsurf. The hills are green with woody shrubs and pines. It's back to home cooking tonight.

Facing down the wind

Paloi Harbour, Nisyros - 21st August

Makarma is the kind of boat that likes a bit of wind - especially when we're going downwind. The trouble is, if you want wind around here there's usually too much of it. Take Friday when we left Pothia on Kalimnos for instance. After a gusty night on anchor watch, we set off to head round the west of Kos bound for Nisyros. The meltemi was blowing 20-25 knots, but the gusts off the hills as we left Pothia had the wind instruments leaping to 40 knots. It actually never occurred to us to turn back as with our stern to the wind and a bit of jib out the boat wasn't overpressed, especially once we got beyond range of the gusts. Later we had a 3 metre high following swell and below decks got to look a bit like a car crash with books, tools and papers flying about. Thankfully our trusty Aries did all the steering for us, or we wouldn't have coped. We were pretty tired by the time we surfed round the newly extended breakwater into Paloi harbour on Nisyros 32 miles later. We tied up beside a Russian boat whose skipper clearly thought we were either very brave or very stupid to have been out. We were lucky to find a space as the harbour was packed with boats that had opted to sit out the wind in harbour - I wonder why? 

 

Our Italian friends Neil and Erica had told us we must go to Nisyros. They used Paloi as their cruising base last summer. On their advice, we sought out Mike at Eagle's Nest who hired us a scooter for the day to go and see the island's dormant volcano. 

 

When the crater attendant saw we had one of Mike's bikes, he said, "I am Mike's second cousin, so you are family. If you want anything just ask me!"  It's a short but smelly climb down from the crater rim to the floor.  We could have done with gas masks.

 

Fiumeroles belch out sulphurous steam and superheated mud bubbles in the cracks. Everywhere we heard the disturbing sound of liquid boiling below the surface. 

Leighton's postcard to his nephew Alex and the real deal

Besides attracting loads of daytrippers from Kos, the volcano has produced a bonanza for the island in the form of Yiali, an offshore outcrop of pumice which is quarried to fill the municipal coffers. Later we had an bird's eye view of the crater from the St John the Evangelist monastery and the hilltop village of Nikia, which regularly features as one of Greece's loveliest villages. 

The hilltop village of Nikia overlooking the crater

We ate tender roast goat for lunch there on a terrace overlooking the sea, swam among black basalt rocks at Avlaki afterwards, and finally ended our tour of the island at the Palaiokastro, a massive 8th century BC fortress made of giant polygonal stones.

Palaiocastro, Nisyros

We can see what Neil and Erica liked about Paloi. The harbour is small with a handful of the usual pretty whitewashed houses along the waterfront. We are bows-to the quay facing the Aphrodite and Ellinis tavernas. There's a baker and minimarket and we have electricity and wifi. 

Paloi Harbour

For the moment it's quiet without anchor dramas, although that could change when the charter boats arrive later from Kos. From here we're heading east which will take us off the main track of the meltemi. There's not a breath of wind out there today, and it's not looking like there'll be enough for us to sail tomorrow either. It may be some time before we get a good day of downwind sailing again.

Home Again

Lakki harbour, Leros - 16th August

Over the last month sailing has taken a bit of a back seat in favour of family visits, here and in England.  We're not sure where the time went. Cathy's sister Fiona and her children Tommy and Rosie arrived in Skala on Patmos on 14th July to join us for a week's sailing to Arki, Lipsoi then Leros. As usual when they come, we went in the search of different places to relax, swim and snorkel every day.

Sunbathing at anchor at Archangel Island

Rosie wins at Rummikub

Having two growing teenagers and all their kit onboard makes Makarma seem rather cramped, but we made out OK.

Tommy sleeps late in the cockpit

After they left, we berthed the boat in Leros marina. Two days of repairs and cleaning later we flew from Kos to Bristol for the family get-together of the year - Cathy's parents' Diamond wedding party. We'd timed our arrival a week beforehand to help get everything ready for the big event - a sit-down lunch for 100 in a marquee at Fairview. Leighton decorated the tent with Makarma's dress flags, Cathy did flowers and earned her merit badge for diplomacy putting together a seating plan for the guests. The four daughters compiled an album of photos which told the story of their parents' sixty years together.

Cathy with her parents and sisters

Proud mum with Honor

We packed a lot more into our trip as well. Cathy signed a contract with a literary agent who'll help get her book published; we wound up our consulting company after 15 years of trading; we met Edd's Italian girlfriend Elena for the first time - a big hit; Leighton rebuilt a breezeblock wall, repaired the kitchen lights and Cathy made 25 pots of plum jam!

Eating pizza by the metre with Edd and Elena

Before we left we'd dreaded the prospect of keeping to a tight schedule and the horror of wearing proper shoes, but we were lavishly looked after by family and friends (our thanks to Marion and Brian/Liz and Andrew), and the lush greenery of Devon in summer was a feast for the eyes after the parched Aegean islands.

But we were pleased to get home to Makarma on Sunday and have our life back again. Today we've left the marina to anchor in the harbour at Lakki. We've topped up with water, fuel and food. We're even flying a new CA burgee.  Tomorrow we're heading south to Kos, then Symi - can't wait!