Sample Week 2

DAY 1. ARRIVAL.

Guests arrive at Athens International Airport and are met by the prearranged pick up by Poseidon Taxis. Next is the transfer to our base at Olympic Marina in Lavrion which is approximately 40 minutes then Andy(Skipper) & Julie(host) welcome guests on board.

Cabins are then allocated and Andy places the luggage of guests in their cabins. Andy then explains the basics of the yacht along with what is best for safety/comfort whilst on board. He then explains the suggested route for the week. As it is later in the evening on Sunday the guests decide to relax on board instead of hitting the town.

Some guests opt to have a walk around the marina and feast their eyes the many yachts around while others decide to relax with a drink and soak up the warm evening air.

DAY 2.

PERDIKA. 5 hours

As some of the guests have sailed before they choose to go for an 8am start in order to have a longer sail and enjoy breakfast whilst out on the water.
The sail over is in virtually perfect conditions eg a clear blue sky, sunshine and an average of 12-15 knots of wind. On the way we are passed by a few large cargo vessels and one or two cruise ship that have come out from Piraeus which is the main port near Athens.

The first island we catch sight of is our planned destination of Aegina but instead of heading to the main town we are stopping of at a small fishing village called Perdika. Because we set off in good time we arrive prior to any other yachts so have the first choice of where to moor up. After lunch some guests decide to enjoy a cold beer at one of the tavernas that surround the harbour and others take a short walk to the far side to relax on sunbeds at the beach.
Some guests ask about if showering facilities are available so are shown to the Dyonisos apartments where for a small charge they have access to hot showers.
The evening meal is had at one of our favoutite places, The Saronis, where an excellent meal can always be guaranteed. Then after a few more drinks it’s back to the yacht to settle down for the evening.

DAY 3. ANGISTRI.

1 hour

There’s absolutely no need to rush off today because this only is only a short hop over to the next island of Angistri.Due to a rocky reef running between two islands we need to make sure we navigate along the correct course and maintain a safe depth of water below us. As we head nearer to the island of Angistri because the water is so shallow it turns a beautiful turquoise colour and you can quite clearly see the sea bed. We wait for a few minutes before entering the harbour because the Flying Dolphin which is a high speed hydrofoil passenger boat sounds three long blasts on his horn which indicates that he is about to reverse out from the quayside.

Once he has left we moor up in between the other boats while Andy explains about the island and what there is to do. After lunch the group is split in two by way of 3 wanting to enjoying a lazy day at the beach and the others wanting to join Andy & Julie in hiring bicycles for the afternoon and riding to the south of the island to a place called Aponissos. The ride is quite challenging but well worth the site you have to behold when reaching it. Everyone agrees that the place is stunning.

In the evening some guests take the walk into the nearby town of Megalachori while others join Andy & Julie for a walk to the Quattro bar which is located further down the beachfront at a place called Skala.

DAY 4. KORFOS.

3 hours

Again, there’s no rush to set off today because the sail is straight course of 284° across to Korfos. There isn’t much wind today and the sea is like a millpond so there’ll be no use for the sails as the power today will be from the engine. As we get around half the way over we catch sight of tuna fish feasting on the local fish.

As we approach where we are to moor it is obscured from view because the Bay of Korfos is a horseshoe shape so it’s not until we are right in that we can see how nice this little quiet bay is.

What is totally unique here is that Andy reversing the yacht right up to the quayside of a tavern so that once you step off from the gangway you are ‘literally’ in a taverna.

Korfos is very quiet and an ideal place to totally chill out and the evening is spent in the Korfos Taverna where the speciality is fried squid. After the evening meal some guests visit a cocktail bar located a few yards away while others decide to while away the evening sitting on deck of the boat watching the world go by.

DAY 5. VATHI.

2 1/2hrs

After getting some more provisions and having breakfast we embark on today’s leg which is over to another small fishing called Vathi. The wind is a bit hit and miss today so the sail over is sometimes under sail and sometimes under engine. Like Korfos, this place is very much obscured from view and you don’t see anything until you are almost inside the entrance.

Once moored up and all lines are secured we have lunch after which everyone starts out on their own adventures. Some take a short walk to the beach and others make use of the masks and snorkels that are on board to explore under the water. Vathi is a good place for snorkelling because it is very rocky around the port so there is always plenty of sealife to feast your eyes upon.

In the evening, similar to previous ones, people choose different restaurants to dine in then return to the boat later in the evening for a nightcap prior to hitting the sack.

DAY 6. KEA.

6 hours

For our last day we set off at 8am. With it being our last day at sea we are spending on a longer cruise over to the island of Kea which is located in the group of islands known as The Cyclades. On our way back over the Saronic Gulf, after we head around the Methana Peninsula we sail between the islands of Aegina and Poros and set a course of 87° which, after a slight deviation around the island of Makronissos takes us straight into the main port of Kea called, Korrissia.

Just prior to reaching Kea we are treated to the majestic view at Cape Sounio of the Temple of Poseidon that stands proudly upon the hill above.
We arrive at Korrissia mid-afternoon and find a slot in between two other yachts. As we approach the quayside some of the people for the other yachts catch our lines for us which makes mooring up a touch easier.

The principal town on the island on Kea is a place called Loulida which is a short taxi ride away from the port. We order two taxis and head up to the town but the taxis stop at the entrance to it because there are no cars allowed into the town which makes walking around very peaceful indeed. Before we do anything else Andy takes us on a short trek to see the Lion of Kea. It was carved out of the rock and dates back to around 600BC.

When we return to Loulida we have a refreshing cold drink and an ice cream before taking the short taxi ride back to the port where we have our evening meal.

It’s an early night for most with it being a long day at sea followed by the trekking.

DAY 7. RETURN TO LAVRION.

2 hours

It’s the final leg home back to the base at Lavrion. We sail around the north side of Makronissos before heading back to Olympic Marina. Once moored up it’s straight down to the showers for a good scrub and freshen up ready for the last night celebrations.

Once everyone is ready we head into the town of Lavrion and dine at a place called To Steki Tou Minas (translated as The Hangout of Minas) then once the hearty meal if done with we call to the Agora Bar for a couple of cocktails then the last fling is at the local Irish Bar, Heffernan’s.

The final few hours of the week are spent talking about the places we visited, listening to some good music and ‘sinking a few’.