WHERE ARE WE ANNE?: August 2015

PETE AND ANNE RIDE OUT THEIR FIRST STORM IN AN ANCHORAGE

LEVITHA

We met up with Finike boats 'Macnoon' and 'Gumnuts' in Lipsi harbour. Macnoon became our resupply vessel with a precious cargo of a dozen Australian red that they were kind enough to buy for me when they were in Lidl in Samos. Our red stocks were at critical level and the prospect of dodgy Greek wine was unthinkable and undrinkable.

We all sailed/motored the short hop south to Arkhangelos. I even flew 'Big Purple' the asymmetric spinnaker for a moment. That evening a pot luck dinner on Gumnuts was cut short when we became aware of lightning and storm clouds over the hill. We scurried back to our boats to prepare for the worst. Of the twelve boats in the anchorage, we were one of four who didn't drag or have dramas in the 35 knot gusts that hit us. Macnoon and Gumnuts held fast too. The lightning and rain passed well east of us which made it easier to contend with spotting boats in the dark as they motored about criss crossing each other avoiding collisions, catching chains and being blown on to others. Suffice to say it was mayhem for a while. Prior to the storm with the prevailing wind we were at the back of the anchorage pack of boats. With the wind shift we became the head of the pack and avoided any boats dragging down on to us. Everyone had every light on in order to be seen. Earlier in the day I had idly experimented for the first time with putting a float over my anchor to mark it. So glad I did. Anne kept it spotlit on the bow while I jockeyed the boat towards it to avoid straining the anchor and possibly dragging down in to the pack. I'd be looking forward at the float then suddenly realise a boat was narrowly missing my stern as they zig zagged about the anchorage. Some fled the anchorage, some motored out and returned but after two hours peace reigned once more as gradually the deck lights and nav lights were turned off while the reshuffled anchorage settled down again.

From Arkhangelos, the three of us sailed west 20nm to Levitha for a couple of nights. Levitha is a two family island and off the beaten track. Anne and I climbed the hill at the head of our bay to pick up a signal for a weather forecast and a top view. There is an ancient battered steel buoy next to the restaurant that I'd love to have in my garden in Australia. Not sure I could manage the postage though.

BIG PURPLE FROM GUMNUTS

LIPSI TO ARKHANGELOS

JUST BEFORE THE WIND SHIFTED

NOMINATION FOR WORLD'S SMALLEST CHAPEL

SUE FROM MACNOON NOODLES OVER FOR A CUPPA

THE BEAUTIFUL ANCHORAGE OF ARKHANGELOS BEFORE THE STORM

FOURTH DIMENSION AT THE BACK OF THE PACK BEFORE THE WIND CHANGE. THESE THREE DRAGGED.

AUXILIARY FUEL TANK WITH DIESEL???

THE GORGEOUS RUSTY BATTERED BUOY

WANDERING AROUND LEVITHA

PETER, IT'S TOO HEAVY, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!

DOWN TO THE LEVITHA MOORINGS

TOP OF THE HILL, ANNE GETS A SIGNAL

MUST BE UP HERE FOR THE SIGNAL TOO

WELL, WELL, WELL.

SHORT TRIPS AROUND LEROS, PATMOS AND LIPSI

WALKING AROUND THE CHORA ATOP PATMOS

We had Anne's friend Louisa and daughter Meg join us in Leros for a week. Louisa timed it perfectly with great weather, anchorages, crystal clear unruffled water, nice water temp, swims, good tavernas and a full moon!

We stayed one night on Patmos quay giving us time for a swim, refill the gas bottle and head up to the Monastary of St John with it's surrounding white cube houses of the 'Chora' which is the big attraction for cruise ships and tourists. My only bible is the cruising guide but apparently St John dictated some wild poetry of the apocalypse in a cave here and one thing led to another which is the Monastery. Being savvy travellers we waited til the cool of the afternoon to take the racing driver taxi through the S bends up the hill only to find the monastery closed ten minutes earlier at 6.00pm. Maybe not so savvy. Instead we had a scenic cafe stop and a dreamy walk around the Chora in sunset light bouncing off white walls that we would otherwise have missed.

It's August and that means peak season is nigh. The crowds have arrived pretty much as the clock ticked over into August. The beaches and restaurants are heaving with tourists on Lipsi where there are good ferry connections, but away from those spots the August crowds haven't been an issue. Boat numbers haven't been a problem yet though only early August. We haven't had stifling heat either like our friends in Turkey are getting. In the Dodecanese you can usually count on a breeze and it can be five to ten degrees cooler than the coast of Turkey. The Meltemi has behaved itself lately and with the water temp hovering on 26oC it's been a great time to be in these parts.