Reaching our limit

 Pythagorean Harbour, Samos - 23rd June

Reaching our limit – or to put it more positively – our first milestone

We've reached the top of the hill which we began climbing when we left Crete.  From now on it'll be downhill back through the Dodecanese islands to Turkey – in the sailing sense, at least. The island of Samos is as far north as we will go this season.  We arrived just in time as the very next day the meltemi – the summer north wind - arrived with a vengeance, which would make it a huge effort to go any further north.  As it is, we've found it hard work going to windward all this way. 

It was a wrench leaving Partheni on Leros but we wanted to make the most of a fair wind to head north. We hoped to get to Agathonisi, but the morning wind was contrary to the forecast so we aimed for Lipsoi instead.  Fierce gusts spoiled our lunchtime anchorage there, so we opted to go back to Partheni instead.  But once we'd got the sails up again it was clear the wind was now good for Agathonisi after all. Time for yet another change of plan. With the big swell and a gusty F5 we put two reefs in the main and closehauled 17 miles in just under three hours, to arrive salt-encrusted in Agathonisi harbour in time for supper. 

We anchored beyond the ferry quay just off the beach with a view of this taverna.  Apart from a gusty first night, we enjoyed our stay. It's a quiet, slow-paced sort of place with few visitors. There are a handful of rooms for rent and three harbour-front tavernas. Not much else. We had a hot walk one afternoon to the hilltop chora for a fantastic view of the islands and the Turkish coast.  One evening, Anne and Tony on Argosea arrived from Samos and invited us over for a succulent roast lamb dinner. With a faulty solenoid on their autopilot, they face the unenviable task of hand steering all the way back down to Crete.

Pythagoras the mathematician was a native of Samos. There's a fine statue of him overlooking the harbour. 
As well as coming up with his theorem about right-angle triangles he also invented a wine-cup which empties out if you overfill it. In classical times the attitude was moderation in all things.  It's a good metaphor today for respecting our limits – not just with a drink but with all resources. Ever inventive, Leighton thought he could adapt the cup idea for a flushing toilet! 

Another prominent denizen of Samos was the tyrant Polycrates, who wouldn't let limits stop him.  He was responsible for constructing three of the wonders of the ancient world here in Samos – the harbour breakwater at Pythagorean, a 1,042 metre long tunnel through the mountain to bring water from the other side of the island, and the Temple to Hera, a monumental building four times the size of the Parthenon. 

The last remaining column at Temple of Hera - there were 188 of them!

Polycrates's Efpalinion tunnel and water conduit

The entrance to the tunnel

Polycrates may have enclosed the harbour at Pythagorean, but he couldn't do anything about the fierce gusts that barrel down into the anchorage here. The wind turbines on the hill give us a clue about how strong the wind is here. Our anchor is well hooked but it doesn't make for a relaxing stay. With a meltemi gale forecast for the weekend, we've resupplied with food and water and we're off to find a more sheltered bolthole to sit it out.