It was long overdue. It was time to welcome our good friends Cindy and Allan aboard for some sailing. They visited us in Venice for a few days during 2010 but we were in a marina then and spent our time walking around Venice rather than cruising. This time they wanted to see what “living aboard” was really like.



We told them that they couldn’t come to Greece without seeing Santorini! So they decided to fly into Athens and then go on to Santorini. Although Santorini has loads of tourists each year, it is still a must see. The island is beautiful and you can escape the crowds by staying away from the main town and visiting during the shoulder season which they were planning to do.

So they did the mandatory visit and then jumped a ferry from Santorini to Paros which is about a 1.5 hour trip.

Good thing we had discussed the timing of the ferry trip with them before they left Canada. They wisely questioned their hotel operator when they were told it would be a 5 hour trip. The hotel was going to take them to meet the ferry that would eventually get them to Poros…not PAROS. An easy enough mistake when you add accents into island names that sound almost the same.



So their first activity when they arrived aboard Onward – a swim in the Mediterranean of course!



They were surprised at how barren the islands are. We were just the same when we first saw them. After our swim, we headed out for a hike along one of many hiking paths that are around the beaches near the town of Naousa.

We selected Naousa as a meeting point as we knew we could find protection in one of the anchorages around the large harbour that sits next to Naousa.



The next day Trevor stayed with the boat (in case winds picked up again), while the three of us went into Naousa by taxi to look around. Many of the stores were getting ready to finish off the season and close their doors.

The fall of 2016 had been a windy in the Aegean. The meltimi winds did not die down as much as we had hoped and expected. We knew we had a 10 day window to do some sailing and island hopping with them but there really wasn’t the “ideal” window we wanted for first-time sailors. But they were game to take on the winds and head on to Serifos Island – the next island to the west.



We had stopped at Serifos on our first trip through these islands in the summer of 2011. I remember how surprised I was to enter the bay and see the striking white buildings climbing up the side of the hillside. We had read about the Chora (hilltop village) but didn’t expect it to be such a stunning site.

Even though it was late October, we knew it would be a healthy hike up to the Chora so we decided to take the bus up and hike back. It was a good idea!



It was very easy to just gaze down upon the island and sea!



The gardens were still blooming and the alleys amongst the buildings were free of people so were had the place to ourselves.



I don’t think I’ll ever tire of the “blue and white” structures that are particularly plentiful throughout the Cyclades Islands. They are so crisp and clean looking.




Although most buildings are white and blue, the graceful old Town Hall was a soft golden yellow. I wonder if someone was thinking of the sun shining down upon the island when the colour was selected.








After a couple of days at Serifos, we headed toward Poros Island (the island the hotel operator in Santorini was going to send them off to)! Another picturesque island, only an hour ferry ride from Athens so it very popular both with tourists and locals.

Poros Island



When you arrive at Poros, there is a narrow channel between the island and the Peloponnese which is beautiful to cruise along as you see the hustle and bustle of activity ashore.

(Note: The Peloponnese is a large body of land that is “almost” connected to mainland Greece twice! Bridges connect the Peloponnese to mainland Greece in two places. The first and most famous is at the Corinth Canal and the second is at the city of Patras (western side of Greece).

With many souvenir shops, boutiques and restaurants, it wasn’t hard to spend another two nights at the town dock here.

We were treated to a lovely meal aboard Onward prepared by Cindy and Allan while at Poros. A beautiful evening sitting in the cockpit, drinking a little wine and talking politics. Our son-in-law was awaiting election results for a federal election back in Canada. He was successful and was elected as M.P.!

Korfus



Our last stop together was another pre-planned anchorage. Again, well protected, we planned it in advance not knowing what kind of winds we would be presented with by the time they were ready to depart. We wanted a secure anchorage we could count on and that they could easily get transportation back to Greece.

It turned out almost perfectly. Korfus is a small summer resort town for the locals. It is a good anchorage with a bus that departs each morning for Athens, however it was a little “too sleepy” by late October. There was a flurry of small boats participating in a race around the harbour on the weekend and only a few restaurants remained open.

Cindy and Allan headed out on a rainy morning at the beginning of a real turn in the weather. We had been fortunate that other than wind, the weather gods cooperated until their departure. The following two weeks, there again was only a short break in the strong winds which allowed us a passage through the Corinth Canal and onto another week long wait at our next town of Itea.

It became very quiet around Onward after they left. We missed their company and friendship; they had been great guests. They left with a much better understanding of what cruising is all about and how much your plans need to stay flexible.