October Milebuilder - Not the Cyclades but a Great Trip

The October 2007 mile building trip to the Cyclades was due to start on the afternoon of Saturday 21 October. On Friday night a gale warning went out for the week end – Force 9 for the Sunday. There were nine people of six different nationalities booked to sail with me. Most of the crew were qualified RYA Day Skippers but some had limited further experience. Our aim was to cover 350 – 450 miles in a week at sea, including some Yachtmaster qualifying passages of over 60 nm.  

On Saturday morning I drove to the ferry fully loaded with extra equipment normally not carried by charter boats. MCA approved life-jackets, wet weather suits, Dan bouy, hand held radio, extra charts etc.  With me was Georgina Lawrie, (George 2) a student who has sailed with us several times and who would be the watch leader of ‘Red Watch’. We arrived at Kalamaki Marina, outside Athens at 11:15 and started loading our yacht for the trip, an Ocean Star 51.2 yacht called ‘Cronos’. Glenn Brown, another former student, soon joined us and, after discussing sleeping arrangements and watch bills, Georgina and I set off to the local supermarket to provision the yacht. Glenn stayed on board to welcome the other crew members as they arrived. 

By 16:30 all but one member of the crew was on board. Isaac Boxx had not been able to make the deadline due to travel problems. In view of the forecast we set sail for Poros in the Saronic Gulf rather than heading straight for the Cyclades.  We sailed into 18kts of wind from the southeast and after three long tacks arrived in Poros at 21:00.  We had covered 51 miles under sail and mostly in the dark.  We had a great dinner at George’s restaurant ending with a nightcap. (Having heard the Rugby World Cup final result Glenn was drowning his sorrows.)   

The missing crew man, Isaac, had lost his luggage en route so missed a flight, and then unfortunately the second flight was late arriving. We arranged a taxi to take him to Pireaus where he stayed overnight in a hotel then caught an early catamaran to join us in Poros at 0900 the next morning. 

With Isaac safely onboard and having had a crew brief we sailed at 11:00 on Sunday with Red Watch on. The forecast was still for gale force winds in the Cyclades and so we decided to head up towards Navplion, where lighter winds were expected. It was also a nice place to spend a day should we be forced to stay in port. We left via the east entrance of Poros, motor sailing the first 8 miles.  It was noted that the barometer was falling at a millibar an hour.  We sailed on west to the Argolic Gulf in 8 – 12 kts of wind.  We anchored in Nisos Korakas in 7.5 meters of water for a swim, lunch. and underwater maintenance; our speed log had fouled up. It was still warm but the sky was filling up with ‘mares tails’ and ‘mackerel skies’ - not a good sign with the barometer falling. With lunch finished and our log now working we upped anchor and sailed on with 8-12 kts wind from astern. 

We arrived at Navplion at 19:45 having come 61 miles. The entrance is very picturesque with castles on both sides, including one on a small island to the north of the channel into the harbour. Shortly after arriving the skies opened. The rain that came was like a monsoon with strong winds.  We had a lovely meal under the castle steps (a thousand, I am told) – we ate inside I hastily add. 

Next morning the rain had not stopped and the wind was 28-32 kts in the protected harbour.  We decided not to sail until we had the morning weather forecast.  Poppy and Victor went to the Port Police harbour control for a forecast and were told that there was a complete ban on all shipping movement in the Aegean Sea.  Having confirmed this with our office on Aegina we decided to re-secure the yacht from Mediterranean mooring to alongside.  I decided to use long warps and the anchor to move the yacht as we had a swirling wind over 30 kts blowing.  Once along side we used the anchor to keep us off the jetty as the wind was coming from all directions in the harbour. We spent a comfortable, if noisy, night alongside.   

Later that day a large ship carrying quarry stones tried to enter harbour. There were 30 odd kts of wind behind her and, as she turned west and came beam-on, she was blown sideways on to a mud bank out of the dredged channel. Attempts to move her only made matters worse; she ended up across the harbour mouth.  We were now well ‘bottled up’. The following morning, Tuesday, the weather forecast was better for our area, although winds up to Force 11 had been reported in the Cycladic Islands the previous day. We obtained permission to sail and squeezed past the luckless ship.   

We planned to sail to Nisos Naxos in the Cyclades, 150  miles away. This would put us back into the area we originally intended to sail in. Bearing in mind the gales around, we had five bail-out harbours to choose from if necessary.   Our route was to take us south of Hydra and her outlying small islands.

We had an uneventful sail until 8 miles south of the east lighthouse on Hydra.  Blue Watch, the watch on deck, reported 18-20kts of wind and a building sea. We ‘hove-to’ and put one reef in the main and two in the foresail then continued sailing on. Once clear of the lighthouse the sea began to build to 3 metres with some waves over 4 metres.  Those who have sailed in the Mediterranean will know that the seas have a very small fetch making passages uncomfortable.

At this point we had three choices:- 

1.   Carry on – we still had 100 miles to go.
2.  Clear Hydra then sail north to Poros.
3. Turn back west, south of Hydra and, when clear, go north to Ermiomi. 

As some of the less experienced members of the crew were feeling anxious about continuing on such a long trip in these conditions I chose Option 3. We arrived in Ermioni at 19:45 to find the harbour completely full with sheltering yachts. Rather than anchor off, we went around to Mandrakia, on the south of the Ermioni peninsula. This was beautifully calm, despite the forecast. Our total mileage for the day was 68nm. Two of our other school yachts were berthed there and the skippers Ian and Mark and their crew met up with us in the restaurant.   

The next morning the forecast was still F8 and F9 in the Cyclades so we abandoned plans to go to the islands and instead sailed south to Monavassia.  A great sail was had with 18-20 kts wind from the southwest.

We arrived under the dramatic rock at 19:20, a trip of over 52 miles.  Total mileage now stood at 230nm - a long way from our target of 400nm.  We ate at ‘To Kononi’ rooftop restaurant, well recommended in the travel books (and by us) 

On Thursday 25^th we sailed late to give everyone a chance to explore wonderful Monavassia by day.  We slipped at 13:30 and, as the wind had dropped, motored to Yerikas, a small village well off the beaten track.  I had found a sub-terrain cave many years ago whilst snorkelling. It can be explored by dinghy, with care.  After two trips to the cave we moved on. There was still no wind so we stopped at the spectacular bay of Kiparisi. 

There is a wonderful cove with just a small chapel and landing jetty. I have visited it many times in the past and have spent many memorable nights there.  After a curry supper we set sail at 21:00 with White Watch on watch for our planned all-night sail.   

Our course was towards the light house at the east end of Hydra.  On the way we spotted a school of dolphins, and had five hours night sailing, the first time some of those onboard had sailed for this length of time overnight. 

At 07:55 we arrived at the Island of Poros where we picked up fuel, milk and bread.  We had sailed 75 miles and our total mileage was now over 300, more like a milebuilder.  We sailed again at 11:15 stopping at the island of Moni, south west of Aegina, for a swim and lunch. It was now sunny but we had to beat all the way against 10 kts wind.   

We arranged to sail past the main Aegina harbour for a photo shoot. This turned out very well.  The photos were taken by Peter and delivered by Maria in record time, nine in all. Unfortunately six of the crew had to leave the next morning, Poppy and Victor to their house on Aegina, Leo and Anastria to a hotel for the week-end, Glenn and Isaac for  flights home. 

The remaining crew, Horris, Georgina, Igor, and I motored back to Cronos’s home port of Kalamaki, cleaning and packing on the way.  We arrived at 11:30, having covered 350nm, with 18 hours night sailing, and three passages over 60nm. All of this completed in winds up to F7 and 3 to 4m seas.

Crew:  

Red Watch:      Watch Leader Georgina, Leonid, Horatiu (Horris) 

White Watch:               “           Glenn, Anastasia, Isaac

Blue Watch                  “           Igor, Victor, Poppy 

My thanks to the crew, office staff, and the owner of the yacht, Vassilis Kamarotakis, for making the October milebuilding trip a success despite very inclement weather. 

George Burton, Skipper

More photos here - click for a larger image:

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