I arrived in Kos in the old harbour under the castle walls. The summer season has not started because there were only a few other yachts and a large German gullet. The fellow had purchased it on the Internet for 15000 euro and then spent 20,000 fixing it up. What a great buy.

Richard and Marita arrived a dawn the following day after a very pleasant ferry ride from Athens. A double cabin, shower and dinner in the restaurant - the order of the day. It was great because they were not tired after their flight from Gatwick which as usual meant that they had to leave home at 4:00 am to get the cheap fares. We went to the local supermarket and stocked up with the essentials they needed and set sail for Kalymnos. ShoppingWe had an easy sail with Marita at the helm. Qualified competent crew in charge. I made a poor attempt to go stern too to the dock because half way in I changed hands on the anchor switch and started to pull it up rather than down. Well the second attempt we came in rather well and secured the lines in the usual spot. Off to the Australian butcher. Well I should say Greek but his father registered him as an Oz when he worked in Darwin so he had to show me his new Oz passport. Very proud to be an Australian. Just like the owner of the local hardware shop. He opened his wife's bag and out came his passport, drivers licence and other papers just to prove to me that he is a proud Australian. If the government ever forced its citizens to pass a English speaking test they would loose half of the population. The half that really want to be Australians.

The next day the the wind was from the south so we set sail north to Lakki on the island of Leros with its Italian art deco buildings.Laki town We chose to anchor out and threw out at least 40 m of chain which dug in rather well. The cat next to us dragged their anchor just as the sun set and almost landed up on the rocks. The wind continued to blow all night but the fetch was short so we had a good nights sleep. That evening we visited the local wood fired pizza place and had two great Italian pizzas in the right setting except it was Greece.

The wind was again in the right direction, over the stern but very light indeed so we motor sailed to Patmos the home of the Saracen pirates. Patmos with Malua St Christadoulos got permission in 1088 to build a monastery to St John the Divine who was banished here in the early BC era and wrote the book of Revelations in a cave just down the hill from the monastery. The rock in the cave is split into three being the holy trinity. It is a great story, the book exists but did he write it here, well we will never know but the tourists and believers come from far and wide. This cruiser has been to the monastery and cave twice. Richard and Marita enjoyed the site and the walk down to the harbour where we spent a few hours sitting on the waterfront with a Mythos in hand. What a way to spent and afternoon. We took a taxi back to the bay in the south of the island and enjoyed the local pork in orange sauce for the evenings meal.

Marita wanted to get some night sailing experience in while in the Med so at sun down the following day we set sail for Naxos in the Cyclades. R M night sailingThe trip would take the whole night and we would arrive just as the sun was rising. The wind gods were kind to us with the wind from the north just on the bean at 15 knots. It was a great nights sail with two light houses as our waypoints along the routes. After turning at the northern light of Naxos we sailed south along the coast as the wind increased to over 25 knots and the sea rose to a good Med chop. We had to put a reef in the main an furl the genoa as we approached the red light of the harbour wall of Naxos town. The dawn was just arriving so we entered in the light just as planned. A great sail with only a small incident on route.