Judy and I arrived back at Leros airport at 08:15hrs on Wed 10 May 2017. We had a three and a half hour wait at Athens for the small commuter plane to Leros. A long wait but we enjoyed the views of various islands on the one hour flight to Leros. The boatyard had arranged for a hire car to be waiting for us. But first, we had to take the delivery driver to Alinda to collect something and then on to Lakki town where we dropped him off. We then drove back to Alinda where we were staying!
The Sayara Resort at Alinda was getting ready for the summer season and I suspect that we were one of the first, if not the first, guests of the season. But it is a family run business and they could not have been more friendly or more helpful. There are some nice photos in this year's photo album.
Sayara Resort, Alinda..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
We stayed in the Resort for the first three days while I finished various jobs on the boat and moved on-board in the boat yard on Saturday 13th. In the evenings we used the car to visit various places (and tavernas) on the island.
On Monday 15th May, Tobin Bronze was back into the water by 09:20hrs. After tying up to one of the yard's moorings for a couple of hours while we bent on the sails, we motored down to Lakki marina in the town. The weather was lovely and warm - 27deg C in the cabin.
We relaxed around the marina and then in the bay at Partheni for a few days. There were plenty of jobs to do on the boat; so we did do some work. The wind was quite strong at times, gusting in excess of 25knots.
Kevin and Lesley G-J arrived on the flight from Athens at 08:20hrs on Sat 20 May.
Leros Airport.
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
They were immediately greeted with winds gusting 28kts. As it was too windy to sail anywhere, we took a taxi up to the Kastro, which dominates the island and had an interesting tour of the museum there.
Kastro, Leros..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
We trudged down all the steps back to sea level and retired to a taverna in Agia Marina for lunch.
Steps to Kastro..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
We set off from the Agmar Marine quay at Partheni at 09:15hrs next morning, heading north to Lipsos. The harbour there was pretty crowded with sailboats, most of them in a regatta from Kos. However there was still room for us on the quay. Lipsos is a pretty little port and the bakery on the other side of the harbour made some of the best bread we have encountered for a long time.
Lipsos Harbour..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
That night we went to a taverna at the end of the quay but it was pretty mediocre.
Monday morning brought some thunder from 04:00hrs and it started raining at 07:00hrs. It didn't rain for long and stopped at 07:30hrs. The wind picked up again and was blowing 17kts from the north at 09:00hrs. As this was directly on the port beam of boats on the quay, the Bavaria 38 to windward of us dragged its anchor and leaned on us. We then dragged our anchor; so everyone decided it was time to leave.
It only took us a couple of hours to sail for a bit and then motor across to Patmos where we went stern to on Skala Quay. The weather was clearing even though the wind was quite fresh. The forecast predicted 30 knot winds but we didn't see anything over 20 knots.
Skala Patmos..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
The next morning Judy, Kevin and Lesley visited the Monastery of St John, Kevin went for a bike ride, Judy went for a swim and Peter painted the cockpit. It was a toss-up as to who had the most fun! That evening we had a good meal on the veranda of the taverna around the corner towards the town square. It has a great view across the harbour. Kevin spotted Gillian Anderson, the American actress, on one of the other tables and Judy tried busting in on her while she was sitting on the loo. Jude's excuse was that the door latch was broken!
Judy swimming in Patmos..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
The next island we visited was Levitha, population 4 people. They farm the island, raise goats, catch their own fish and run the taverna. Guess what is on the menu. Not surprisingly, chicken, goat and fish - all locally produced!
During the five hour trip to Levitha, we tried sailing - even having the spinnaker up for a short while! We arrived in the anchorage to pick up the last available of the twelve moorings there. That evening the four of us enjoyed a meal of freshly caught fish (including wine) for the princely sum of 56 Euros
After leaving the anchorage next morning we motored back to Lakki Marina. We were moored stern to on the quay by 12:00hrs.
War memorial, Lakki..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
The next morning we sailed up the coast to Partheni to be near the airport and had a quiet night alongside the quay at Agmar Marine. The flight next morning for Judy, Kevin and Lesley was delayed for 2 hours because of thunderstorms around the Aegean. They were a bit lucky getting back to London as this was the day where BA's computers crashed and fights world wide were delayed or cancelled. They arrived home 3 hours late.
Flight delayed..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
For the next 3 days, I remained at anchor in Partheni Bay - working on my maintenance list. One of these days, I will actually reduce this work list!
On Saturday, 31 May, John Q. and Roger E. arrived at 08:45hrs on the flight from Athens. Once onboard, we cast off and motored for about 3 hours to Patmos. No wind, of course. While the lads visited the wonderful monastery of St John the Devine, I provisioned up, found the supermarket who could re-fill the gas bottle and topped up the water tank.
In the late afternoon, we motored out of Skala Harbour and around the corner to the very nice anchorage in Ormos Grikou.
After a peaceful night, we motored south (no wind, again) to the island of Amorgos. While technically in the Cyclades Islands group, Amorgos is one of the chain of islands which link the Cyclades and the Dodecaneses. It is a bit off the beaten track but is a spectacular island with the landscape covered with ancient terraces where it must have been once cultivated.
North east Amorgos..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
We anchored the first night off the small town in Ormos Ayios Annas and the second night off the beach at Katapola which is further west along the coast. Both of these towns are worthy places to visit.
On Sunday 04 June at 08:00hrs, with the church bells ringing, we followed the Small Cyclades Ferry out of the bay and headed east to Levitha Island. Once again - no wind. Auto-pilot on, no other boats around, flat seas, sit back and enjoy the scenery.
Departing from Amorgos..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
By mid-afternoon, we had picked up one of the mooring is the sheltered bay at Levitha. This is one of my favourite stopping places. By evening all 12 moorings were occupied but we were still able to enjoy the meal of fresh fish in the taverna at the farm house.
Boats at Levitha..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
We headed back to Leros the next morning. After stopping for lunch at the only taverna on Archangelos Island, we motored around the north side of Leros and picked up a buoy at Alinda, which is a beautiful bay with panoramic views across the water to Agia Marina and the Kastro on the hill overlooking the town.
Alinda Bay & Agia Marina..
Click here for link to larger image in PhotoAlbum Spring 2017.
It was at 15:20hrs, Tuesday June 6th, when we dropped the mooring at Alinda and motored back around the north of the island to Archangelos Bay. We anchored in 6.0 metres of water in the south side of the bay which really isn't the best place to anchor as it is hard sand. We had a run ashore in the evening to the family run taverna there.
Early next morning we motored for 20 minutes across to the Agmar Marine slip at Partheni. John and Roger were flying back to Athens on the same flight that Judy was arriving on. They waved to each other across the airport.
Jude and I spent a couple of nights on the quay at Lakki Marina waiting for Bob and Tricia to arrive on the fast cat ferry from Rhodos. This ferry puts into Agia Marina; so they hired a taxi from the port.
The weather was pretty windy with strong winds in excess of 25 knots forecast for the next few days. On Saturday, Bob and Tricia caught the ferry to Patmos for a couple of nights. It would have been a slog for us to sail into the northerly wind to get there. They arrived back at lunchtime on Monday. We then sailed the 20 or so miles to Levitha. All the moorings were occupied when we arrived at 17:30hrs but we were able to anchor just outside the moorings.
The next couple of days were spent at Kalymnos town and at Emborios Bay before returning to Archangelos Island on Thursday June 15 to be near the airport. Jude flew out to Athens next morning while we returned to Lakki town.
Bob and Tricia caught the fast cat ferry to Samos on Saturday. I stayed in Lakki on Saturday night before sailing back to Partheni Bay in preparation for lifting out on Monday morning.
I did all sorts of exciting things like changing the engine oil, cleaning the water filter, cleaning the bilges, doing the washing and having the water heater serviced by Agmar Marine.
In 6 weeks, we had sailed 335 miles but had used the engine for 65 hours.
I left the boat on Wednesday 21 June and flew back to Heathrow.