2009 Kalamata to Leros, Greece

A delay to this years cruising with P falling over the night before we flew back to Athens, no, alcohol was not the cause, it was a fallen down road sign! Anyway soft tissue injury to her arm delayed flying for 2 days and hindered her helping in the relaunch of Crazydream but it happened eventually.
A wait for the right weather delayed our departure around the two Capes again. This time we were doing it in company with Rassy Lady, always a reassurance when another boat is with you. But this year instead of flat calm, it was full off shore kit and force 5 winds, cold and rain for Matapan but a return to calm and sunshine for Malea.
We had the notorious Cyclades to navigate before the meltemi began, the strong northerly wind that blows for most of the summer in the Aegean. So with favourable winds we crossed the Islands stopping in Milos, Paros, and Ios, visiting Santorini and continuing onto Leros to check out our winter berth.

We got wind bound a couple of times but in great places where the boat was quite safe. This year we seemed to spend more going out and even hire cars to enable us to see more of the islands that we stopped at. You tend to protect yourself from the north wind and thus make’s some of the harbours/anchorages off putting due to them being open to the north.
The wind became favourable to head north and again in company with Matapan, making it as far north as the island of Lesvos. We checked into Turkey to make some of the distances shorter, and although illegal, ran both the Greek and Turkish cruising permits. As long as you remembered to fly the blue or the red courtesy flag depending in which country you were anchoring that night. There was no problem. We enjoyed some great sails, great scenery and historic sights too. We only touched lightly on Turkish life hoping to visit there again next year
We enjoyed the anchorages east of Bodrum, away from the maddening crowd if not the gullets and would go back there again. Unfortunately we had a call from the UK to say Gordon’s father’s health was deteriorating and that we should head home sooner than later. We checked the boat into Leros, having her lifted for the winter prior to returning home to spend a couple of weeks with Geoff prior to him passing away.
We both returned to sort the boat out properly for the winter and then started work in the UK to fund the next years cruising fund.
Sadly P’s mum died this winter unexpectedly and it all reiterates the reason why we are out cruising while we can.