The Islands of 11,000 Virgins

Winter of year 1493, on his second voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus used this tried and true tactic of sailing across the pond: go far south till reaching the trade wind, then life is easy: sail east long enough, there will be land. On November 3, Columbus sighted a rugged island that he named Dominica (Latin for Sunday). Then he traveled north through the Lesser Antilles. Naming islands after his patron saints. There is a group of 60 odd islands was named Islas de Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes, which is Spanish for Saint Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins. Although cumbersome, it’s probably one of the most creative and fitting names ever given to islands.  

All the ingredients for a cruising heaven are right here in cluster of tropical islands in latitude 18 N and 63 W, with constant trade winds from the east year round, hundreds of picture-perfect anchorages, easy line of sight navigation, and best facilities south of continental USA. It’s no wonder the first modern bareboat chartering company was founded right here.

The adventure seekers , the boat and the Big Blue

Everybody would think the actual sailing is hard. In reality the hardest part is getting everyone to the dock.

Six friends flew to the island of British Virgin Islands from three different cities in the States.

Jimmy and Lorenzo are long time residents of San Diego. I talked Jimmy into sailing after his recent trip to visit us on the east coast. Ever a person with action and quick study, he picked up this "trade" with lightening speed. Within a few months he's already a skipper on his own right. Lorenzo is Mr. Fitness of the group. Personal trainer in real life, he is about to get his first taste of sailing on the Big Blue.

Jeff and Pete call Cape Canaveral of Florida their home. Long time friends and coworkers of mine, they had gotten their feet wet on my 30 foot Pearson before.

Thousand miles under wing, two airport transitions, and one ferry boat ride later, we finally at the sailboat charter base. We found 3 of our crew is already at the sailing base. Peter, however, is bogged down at US Virgin Island because of a delayed flight.

CRINA, a sailing yacht measuring 40 foot from bow to stern, is our home for the rest of the week. There it is, sparking clean, standing tall among her moored brothers and sister on the dock of Wickham's Cay Marina.

Checking out a sailing yacht is not very different from going to a rental car place and getting a car. But how many people can fly thousands of miles to a totally strange place, take command of a modern yacht, next thing you know, you are in a biggest stretch of blue on the planet, called the Ocean? That we did, admirably, without a scratch to the yacht, and totally enjoyed the experience from start to finish.

The way of getting to places in the Virgins is by boat. In the old days, it's the canoes and wooden sloops. Even now, it's better to see the islands on the deck of a boat, be it a sailboat or a motor boat. A typical day of our sailing vacation starts with a Morning splash in the aqua blue water, followed by a on deck breakfast. It's not that the food is more delicious, but with our face caressed by gentle ocean breeze, sandy beaches stone-throw away, plus the panorama view of sea and mountains, it's hard to imagine any breakfast joint on earth can beat this. After a quick check of engine and electronics, we would weigh the anchor and set sail to our next destination. CARINA is setup for shorthanded sailing. She has a roller furling jib, lazy jack on the main, and all of the control lines are led back to the cockpit. She can be handled by crew of two with ease, leaving ample time for other people to relax on deck. For a cruising boat, she showed very descent speed on all point of sail. With wind on the beam, she can easily make 8 knots over ground, which also makes her an exhilarating ride.

In summer time, the trade winds blow constantly from east south-east, day and night, and seldom vary their strength. There are no tides to speak of. Fog is unheard of. Hurricanes are normal worries in Caribbean. However, in last ten years, there was only one major Hurricane that lay it's track on BVI. Because of the closeness of the islands, sailing is usually limited to a few hours.

By 11 in the morning, the boat was provisioned and everybody on board. Now for the moment of truth; taking the boat out of the harbour while avoiding collisions. When the harbour entrance was cleared, revealing nothing but the big blue in front of me, I was totally elated. Finally, we were sailing! Hurrah!

My plan was to circumnavigate the Island of Tortola in a week. En route we would visit Jost van Dyke, Guana Island, Virgin Gorda, the three minor islands Ginger, Copper and Salt, Peter Island and Norman Island.

Jost Van Dyke

By 2pm, we arrived in Sandy Cay, a tiny coral island east of Jost van Dyke. The water here is turquoise blue, beating against sugary sandy coastline. If I could paint a paradise on Earth, this place would be on my canvas.

Of course, it takes some skill to get to paradise. One of them is to know how to anchor a 40-foot boat which draws 6 feet of water in a shallow coral reef beach. The boat ahead off us clearly has some trouble. I watched the whole crew fruitlessly try to set the anchor and reset it again and again. Gosh, just to think how many of the coral heads were destroyed. I am glad to report that our effort was a success on the first try. Within minutes we found ourselves lying on the beach sipping rum juice and sun bathing. Ah, the Caribbean sunshine...

The sun was setting on the horizon. Time to head to a safe haven for the night. I chose Little Harbour of Jost van Dyke as our first night anchorage. Jost van Dyke is a large and relatively unspoiled island north of Tortola. Named after a Dutch pirate, the island is known as the birthplace of Dr. John Lettsome, the self-taught architect who designed the Capitol building in Washington DC.

This island is also home to the famous "Soggy Dollar Bar". In days past, there was no road access to it. The only way to get there was to take a dinghy to the beach or swim in from your boat. In fact, you will still find the line where the bar tender hangs soggy money with clothes pegs to dry out the dollar bills.

Sandy Spit

Girdled by a picture perfect 360 white sand beach, excellent snorkeling, Sandy Spit lights up the aqua marine, Caribbean Sea like a beacon in the sun. Shallow water and coral heads surround the island. However in daylight, it's easy to judge the depth. I carefully maneuvered CARINA 100 feet away from the beach. Anchor is dropped at 10 feet of water. Idle the engine, let her back off with the wind. When the 60 feet of chain are paid out, I put the gear to 800 rpm, gently put some load on the chain, while Jeff is at the bow observing any sign of anchor dragging. Couple of pull, we are all set!

Night Anchorage: Marina Cay

Marina Cay was made famous by Robb White's novel, "Two on the Isle". White and his wife Rodie bought Marina Cay in 1937 and through many struggles, they managed to build their tropical paradise home perched atop the peak, an idyllic setting to be sure. However, a set of unfortunate circumstances, WWII and an unwelcoming BVI government made their dream come to a disappointing end. When we visited Marina Cay, it was purchased by the owner of the Pusser's Company. There is a gorgeous restaurant which specialties include Caribbean seafood and typical North American fare. Unfortunately, we had made our reservation too late and missed the chance to sample the cuisine.

There's very good ground holding west of Marina Cay and east of Great Cameron Isle. However the anchorage is opened to trade winds, making our boat roll excessively during the night. Wished I had one of those anchor sails onboard.

Virgin Gorda Sound

I know I used the word "heaven" several times in this writing. But suppose there are 9 levels of heaven, Virgin Gorda Sound would certainly be on the 8th or 9^th level. A perfectly contained area with protected sea, the surrounding peaks provided dramatic backdrop. The Bitter End Yacht Club provide some first rate facilities, couple of fine restaurants and bars, and lovely boutique stores. Honeymooners will find the cottages adorably dotted the west slopes superbly romantic and secluded. Looking east, the Big Blue see with no boundary till African shores.....

One of the funniest events of our sailing expedition took place right here in Gorda Sound. After a few days of sailing, our tanks are dangerously low. Bitter End Yacht club happens to provide all the provisions we desired. It was blistering hot day and after half a day's sailing, I am dying for a shower. Before leaving, I left Jeff with instructions of how to fill the water tank, i.e., find the cap that says, "water", and fill it up. Easy enough, right? But half way into my shower, as foams and bubbles blind my eyes, I heard an urgent knock on my shower door. It was Jeff : "Martin, I think I screwed up. I filled the waste tank instead." ……

The Bath

What is a better way to end a sailing vacation than spending the day snorkeling the pristine water of Bath of the Virgin Gorda. The Bath is a sculpture garden designed by the divine force himself. Huge boulders erected straight from the seabed upward tens of meters, forming deep valleys and passageways under water. Out on the face of the boulders grew the most amazing corals and school of tropical fish leisurely stroll the coral garden. Swimming in and among them makes all worries in the world melt away.

meltamiblues at Wahoooooo!

Prelude

May 3rd, 2008 AD,  one sailor and seven landlubbers decided to go to Aegean Sea to sail the Cyclades - the islands of great circle. They flew 5000 miles from the land of stars and spangles to the origin of western civilization. Not able to speak the local tongue, having little knowledge of land and sea that will uncover before them, they took charge of a sloop of 45 foot, named Sofiani, and bravely sailed into the blue horizon. The author and 7 crew survived the odyssey, and live on to tell their stories....

The Charter

Back in March, 2008, when Jeff and I were contemplating about where to go for the sailing vacation, South Caribbean was first to come to our mind. The wonderful memory of sailing in the British Virgins are still vivid and fresh. But my wonder lust soul is also longing for a something exotic, more remote and challenging, or something of a departure from our usual tropical laziness so to speak. Greece popped into my mind. Yeah, why not Greece? A land of myth and beauty. The blue Aegean Sea is a place for legends and heros for thousands of years. With hundreds of islands dotting the seascape, and ample distance between them, it seems to be a perfect sailing ground for a sailor to show his fortitude. Jeff was psyched about this idea. Very quickly, the words got out, and bunch of my friends signed up on this trip. The common sentiment was, "hey! it's Greece, and when will I ever get another chance to see it on the deck of a sailboat again?" But I must say, their bravery is to be commended. Some of them have never left the country. Some never flew in an airplane, let alone a cross-continent flight. Majority of them have no idea what is expected to sail a modern sailboat. Now, you might say, "Wait a second, mister, you are going to sail a 45 foot cruiser with 7 landlubbers for a week? Are you nuts?" I admit, for a situation like this, most people will suspect one of 2 things. Either the captain is crazy, or he really likes to boss people around. Honestly, I am neither. For all my sailing time, a big part of them were spent with friends that have never sailed, but willing to explore this wonderful world on a rolling deck. I have introduced more people into sailing than any old sailors I knew, and I am proud of it. Besides, somebody told me, the only progress made in human history are by those who's irrational. So, why not be a little irrational. It might be fun!  

So, the boat is chartered, tickets bought, under a perfect early summer sky, we landed in Athens and soon on our way to Syros where our sailboat Sofiani awaits. An adventure of life time just started. For some of us, I hope, years later, will proudly tell others that against all odds, he or she survived the odyssey and became a true sailor who sailed the Aegean Sea. 

Aegean Sea

Geographically, Aegean divides Europe from Asia, although the islands form a bridge between these two continents. Mariners, without a sextant or compass, can be out of sights of land for no more than a few hours, which makes the trading easier. 

"The Aegean takes its name from Ageeus, the father fo Theseus, who flung himself into the sea when he believed his son to have been killed in Crete. Thesus had gone to Crete as part of the annual tribute of young Athenian men and women to the Minotaur, but with the help of Ariadne, he slew the monster and escaped. Ariadne was unceremoniously dumped on Naxos and perhaps the gods clouded his memory after this foul deed, because he forgot the prearranged signal to his father to tell him that all was well. If his ship carried a black sail then Aegeus would know his son had perished; a white sail would mean he was alive. Aegeus, seeing the black sail on approaching ship, was overcome with grief and leapt to his death." - Rod Heikell

Ferry to Syros

On May 3rd, we ook Blue Star ferry from Athens to Syros. The Ferry landed at Ermoupolis, the largest town in Cyclades, and the de-facto capital. Our charter boat is in Finikas, on the opposite of the island. When the taxi drove down the winding mountain road, the huge bay of Finikas unrevealed herself like a blue gem glittering under the blazing summer sun. 

Our charter boat SOFIANI is moored against the concrete quay, bow out, stern in. George, who's the base manager was still fixing a issue with the rudder chain.  By 2pm, all repairs were done, and boat cleaned. As soon as luggage were loaded, the crew started to get restless. There was Paulo saying, "Let's go! We are just sitting here wasting time." What he doesn't understand is sailing a chartered boat is not like driving a rental car. There are equipments needed to be checked, inventory to be made, engine and fuel levels to be inspected, the list goes on. The boat is going nowhere until I am satisfied with it's condition. 

The anchor was weighed at 4 o'clock. Riding a strong northernly breeze, SOFIANI dashed out the Bay of Finikas and quickly rounded the southern cape. Tonight's destination is Ormos Naousis, a 24 mile south-southwest of Finiakas. The glourisou sunset saw us sailed into the bay. No sooner than the anchor touched the sandy bottom did the sky turned complete dark. Our first night at an anchorage begun.....

Downwind Slide to Santorini

"Wish you fair wind and following seas" - this was exactly what we got the next day on a 50 NM run to Santorini. SOFIANI rounded the northern cape of Paros at the crack of the dawn. The wind was completely on our stern. Her main sail was to the port side and job sail the starboard. She is humming through her riggings in an exotic tune that none of us would recognize, but it sounded so sweet and lullaby like. I can feel waves of sleepness overcoming me. For the first time, she's whispering in my ears, "Go now, go take a nap, I will take care of you and your crew." Lying down on the teak deck, with my arm dangling over the lifeline, from time to time, it can feel the ocean spray. Everybody onboard was quite, maybe observing the harmony that's heavenly made. Eyelid closed, I quickly fall into sleep, with only the sound of water rushing by SOFIANI's body accompanying me. 

The traffic on the Aegean Sea is surprisingly light. Second day into sailing, we were the only canvas on the vast sea. Occasionally, high speed ferry boats carrying passengers to the out islands. Remembering the days in British Virgins, hundreds of white sails dotted the blue horizon at any given moment. 

Ios - and island half way between Paros and Santorini. We missed it for the sake of spending more time on Santorini. I can't offer any more insight except from what I have read in my reaserchs. 

"Ios was renowned in antiquity for its association with Homer, for it was supposed to be the birthplace of his mother Klymene, and it was generally believed that both she and her son died and were buried here..... Ferries to Ios call at the litttle post of Ormos, also known as Yialos, which is at the inner end of a Fjord-like bay on the north-western side of the island.....Some still prefer to make their way up from the port to Chora (Village) by the old steeped path that I first used in 1962. The ascent opens up expanding views of the bay and Chora, which has one of the most picturesque settings of any capital in the Cyclades. A dozen windmills on a ridge behind the town made its setting even more striking, particularly since one of them has been restored so that its blades are spinning once again in the meltemi as they did in the times past..... At the tope o the twon there is a panaromic  view of the magnificent bay and the lovely countryside around it. Here more than almost anywhere else in the Cyclades, one is struck by the large number of churches in view, many of them just tiny whitewashed chaples,. When Bent (note: James Theodore Bent, who in 1885 published an article in the Journal of Hellenic Studies entitled 'Researches Among the Cyclades', was one of the first tow write of Cyclades civilization) remarked on this, the locals gave him a curious answer. They said that the great neumber of churches on Ios was not evidence of their peity but rather of their past sins, for many of these chapels had been founded by those who wished to atone for their misdeeds, committed in the days when Iso was known as 'Little Malta'"

 -From "The Cyclades: Discovering the Greek ISalnds of The Aegean", by John Freely

Sailing into the great bay of Santorni from the northwest passage is the Holy Grail of all sailors in Aegean. Here we are, full sail up, sheet in, freshened wind on beam. Heeled on her side, SOFIANI glided into Santorini's giant bay like an elegant lady at her best strolling into a glorious ball room with the whole floor to herself and hundreds of spectators watching her gasping at her beauty and grace. I can't be sure, but it's not a far fetched idea that there are hundreds of cameras training their lense on SOFIANI at this moment, since she's the only sail in the water when thousands of tourists are up there on the high cliffs waiting to see the spectacular sunset. 

Looking from space, Santorini, or Thira in Greek, is an irragular dragon measuring 20 kilometers along its inner arc and 30 kilometers around it;s outer periphery. The crescent of the cliffs varies in the height from 62 to 338 meters, with the snow-white towns of Phera and Oia perched on the rim of the caldera more than 300 meters above sea. The cliff face is a geological cross-section of all the seismic and volcanic upheavals that have been undergone by this tortured island, which some believe to be the only surving remanent of the lost continent of Atlantis.

Thira and the Atlantis Legend

Plato first recorded the Atlantis legend that has baffled the historians to the present. We know that Thira was populated before 2000 BC and that in the period befor the catastrophic erruption an advanced and inventive Minoan Civilization existed on Thira and Crete. this civilization ended abruptivelly around 1400 BC and for some time it ws hypothesized that a Myceaean invasion had simply swept it away. Yet Thira erupted at about the same time. Thira is the largest known active caldera in the Mediterranean, and one of the largest in the world. The 1400 BC erruption could destroy buildings and tidal waves perhaps 60-100 meter high moving at 100miles per hour would swap nearby islands, and effectively destroy life on Crete only 60 miles away. Crete would have been covered in a layer of acidic ash between 10-75 cm thick. 

A chronicals of catastrophic events on Thira

236 BC Eruption separate Thirasia from NW end of Thira

196 BC  Old Kameni (Hiara) appeared

1570AD South coast of Thira collapsed into the sea

1573 AD Small (Mikra) Kammeni appeared

1711-12 AD Nea Kammeni appeared

1866-68 AD  Violent eruption lasted 2 years, an islet, Afotessa appeared and then dispeared again

1925-26 AD Eruption joined small Kammeni to Nea Kammeni

1956 AD A massive earthquake leveled most of the buildings on Thira

Talking about living on a edge! People of Thira are living on the edge of cliff, edge of ocean, edge of destruction and extinction!

Armogos

Far away, to the east, in the Archipelago rises the islandic ridge of Amorgos, longly and eerie. Although it lies in the middle of the open sea, its oblong shape, reminiscent of a gigantic snake, literally obscures the horizon to the traveller coming from the west on his way to the Eastern Aegean. 

"..... those thinking likewise, without considering 

   how short man's youth is, are nothing but fools.

 But you, just consider there is an end to man's life 

 and give away all your possessions with all your heart."

      Simonides

Approaching Armorgos, we encountered the first near gale condition. Numbers on he wind speedometer climbed to the high 30s and low 40s. Waves kept building and became ever confusing. SOFINIA is taking a good beating. Every time she fall off the back face of a wave, a loud thump sound, her whole body shuddered, and mountains of water washed over deck, threatening anything that's not tied down. Cold and wet as it is, it felt more comfortable to sit in the cockpit, as every crew is gathered here. I had Paulo ran a jack line to the mid cleat and back, so everybody can have a safety line to click to. I had my foul weather gear under harness and click it on the back stay. In case I were to be washed overboard, I doubt the crew would turn the boat quick enough to fish me out the water before I am drowned. unbeknown to us, the Gorge from the charter company has be fervishly calling me to warn us of the worsened conditions. For us, the only options is run for shelters. There are two choices, either turn into an enclosed bay at the SW end of the island under Nisis Gramvousa, or steer further north for the Leeward port of Katapola, which for thousand of years has been offering refuge to all sea-beaten travellers in it's well-protected bay. 

As we turned in through the narrow passage between the Nisis Gravmvousa and the Ormos Kalotaritissa it became clear to me the shelter is not enough. The little bay is crowded with local fishing boats, and a prolonged blow from north generating surge that make anchoring very uncomfortable, or down right dangerous. Although I won't mind come back to this bay on a calm day. The water is shallow and beach very inviting. A nearby chapel is so lovely, I would be dying to pay it a visit. 

What is more surprising is in a rocky bight to the E is the wrecked coaster Olympia which was featured in the movie of The Big Blue. I can hardly believe my eyes when SOFIANI found herself in the same bight with Olympia. There it was, the rusted hull listing badly against the rocks, waves surge upon it. The blue ocean and white sand; the brownish rusting hull of Olympia and thw sparkling white body of SOFIANI, all these formed a amazing contrast that gave me lasting memory. 

 "Saint Paraskevi's bells rang on her name - day

 And piece by piece the large square hourses 

 Were taken by the storm, With the sun

 three hours higher and with open sail 

 the caiques towed the roofs.

 Though the archeaologist of the future

 And of the heavens

 Did not feel

 How many tears were spilt. Not in Vain.

 Since even tears are

 Homeland never lost

 There were they sparkled, sometime later the truth came. "

 - Elytis

For seafarers coming from east, when the Morning haze surrounding the island burns thin, up on the steep rocky ledges of Mt. Prophet Elijah, they will be surprised to find a white washed extera of a church, carved out of the rocks at an incredible height. 

"Because the site of the island, where this holy and respected Monastery now stands, was once considered by the locals an inaccessible 'God-for-saken place', a divin revealation to the revered old monks who first came here, as well as the regal and divein blesing of the ever-remembered Emperor Alexius the Great Comnenus led o the entire erection, at exactly that spot, of the magnificent Monastery."  With these words written on a Sigillion in 1583 the Ecumenical Patriach Jeremiah II the Great attempted to express the awe of the spirit and the aesthetic magnificence which the sight of Hozoviotissa provokes in the thunderstruck visitor. 

Tough Upwind Beat

From Katapola to Donoussa is a short 3 hrs sail, but it's 3 hrs beat into wind. I hand steered SOFIANI so she wouldn't take too much pounding. The force 6 wind followed us all the way to Stavros, where a snug little harbor provides wonderful shelter. A small village is built around the water front, spawling up the hill slope. An open air Tavern perched over the quay, with a few backpackers village people sitting under the vine shades, quitely sipping Greek coffee. The quay is devoided of any vessel. I had a rare chance to practice med-mooring, a highly coordinated manuver, invovling backing the boat into the quay wall and releasing anchor at the same time. A couple of forward burst is neccessary to stop the motiion before it hit the wall. A stern crew would have to jump onto the quay and quickly tie up the 2 stern line, while the bow crew take in the slack on the anchor rod. It's hardly something that would be "winged" on the first try. But I managed it, under the scrutiny eyes of the towns peopel watching high above in tavern. 

SOFIANI is secured. All the sudden, I felt the unspeakable tiredness, and the deepest desire to take a hot shower. Determined to solve my skin's thirst for Greek water, I walked up the tavern to seek information about a bath house. An attracting looking young woman in the bar answered me in perfect English. She is a teacher in the only school on the island. She had watched us docking on the quay. Her sparkling eyes speaks affection... and things I can not grasp. After couple of phone calls, she made an arrangement for me and the crew to bath in one of her friends' B&B. 10 minuets later, I found myself climbing the stone paved stairs leading to a perfect cube shaped cottage. It's white washed in the typical Greek fashion. Doors and window frames are painted sky blue. Erected on stone ledges overlooking the Aegean Sea, they looks like architecture equivalent of the Macintosh Cubes. Standing on the balcony waiting for my turn to take shower, I watched a distance boat taking  a pounding while heading to our island. From time to time, the wave engulfs the entire boat leaving only the super structure visible. I had thought it's a mere speed boat. But nearer and nearer, I found it's the big ferry ship "Small Cyclades", the bloodline of the Donoussa. Yet, the sea seemed calm, and our hardship experienced not long ago felt delusional on the solid rock I am standing on.

The night turned out to be the most uncomfortable as the surges rocked SOFIANI non-stopped. The anchor rod made grinding noise which made it almost impossible for me to fall asleep. By mid night, I saw a strong flood light through the hatch, and heard a strange ice cream truck music.  I was dump founded to see a Blue Star ferry ship, 5 stories high towering over SOFIANI, docked right by her side. People, cars streaming out of her stern and dispeared into the darkness. Then in mere few minutes everything fall quite, leaving SOFIANI alone in the harbor, like a dream.

Anther day of heavy weather sailing. From Donoussa to Mykonos, there's not enough west to make a close reach on a northerly wind. I had to motor north about 5 NM and then turned SOFIANI to port and pointed her to the Prasonisia, a lighted rock between  Delos and Mykonos. As I gave the command to ready to raise the sail, I heard a voice from a crewman. "Why do we have to raise a sail? I just want to get to Mykonos safely." That's a voice of a tired, frightened, and deeply unsettled person. I could not blame him though. For the past few days, SOFIANI has been bashed around in confusing sea and punishing wind. It's cold, wet, extremely bumpy, and most of the crews can find countless bruises on their body. Every half minutes, mountains of water clasps on the deck and we have been sitting in a puddle steering the boat. But when the voice was heard, I felt enraged, not because my command was challenged, but deep down, I was enjoying this harsh sailing. To take it away from me is rude. The main sail is raised but I put a second reef in. The jib is sheeted in hard. SOFIANI instantly heeled to the port, her body hardened, like an athelete on a 100 meter sprint. Her keel dug deep into water, the bumpy motion dispeared. Speedometer climbed up to 8.6 KN, a 1/3 speed increase over motoring. 

Delos is likewise a rocky island and lies 5 nm south-west of Mykonos and it is one of the smallest of the Cyclades. Yet, Apollo was born on Delos and the island was therefore of great importance in antiquity. Indeed, the Cyclades were so called because they were seen as lying in a circle (kyklos) round this sacred island.

The extensive area of remains excavated under the direction of French archaeologists from 1873 onwards is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. 

We left 4 hrs for sailing from Mykonos to the Moorings base in Finikas. For once in the whole week, we were becalemed on the Aegean Sea. Like the wind was baggered the wind God, The coean surface beacaem a giant misrror. SOFIANI can bearely move on the water with all here sails up. Mid-way between Mykonos and Syros, I have her hoved to, miles away from any land, she's like a white swan. Our purpose is to take a dip in the Aegean Sea. The new sailors had to learn an old trick - rope sling using the spinnakar halyard. We jumped off the boat while hanging onto the halyard and only released the line when our body is over the water. How do I describe the water of Aegean Sea in May? It's sort of like jumping into icy cold beer, which can chill you head to toe in a second....

The End.  

http://www.spacemanship.com/~trips/captain%20m.mov

meltamiblues at Wahoooooo!

Prelude

May 3rd, 2008 AD,  one sailor and seven landlubbers decided to go to Aegean Sea to sail the Cyclades - the islands of great circle. They flew 5000 miles from the land of stars and spangles to the origin of western civilization. Not able to speak the local tongue, having little knowledge of land and sea that will uncover before them, they took charge of a sloop of 45 foot, named Sofiani, and bravely sailed into the blue horizon. The author and 7 crew survived the odyssey, and live on to tell their stories....

The Charter

Back in March, 2008, when Jeff and I were contemplating about where to go for the sailing vacation, South Caribbean was first to come to our mind. The wonderful memory of sailing in the British Virgins are still vivid and fresh. But my wonder lust soul is also longing for a something exotic, more remote and challenging, or something of a departure from our usual tropical laziness so to speak. Greece popped into my mind. Yeah, why not Greece? A land of myth and beauty. The blue Aegean Sea is a place for legends and heros for thousands of years. With hundreds of islands dotting the seascape, and ample distance between them, it seems to be a perfect sailing ground for a sailor to show his fortitude. Jeff was psyched about this idea. Very quickly, the words got out, and bunch of my friends signed up on this trip. The common sentiment was, "hey! it's Greece, and when will I ever get another chance to see it on the deck of a sailboat again?" But I must say, their bravery is to be commended. Some of them have never left the country. Some never flew in an airplane, let alone a cross-continent flight. Majority of them have no idea what is expected to sail a modern sailboat. Now, you might say, "Wait a second, mister, you are going to sail a 45 foot cruiser with 7 landlubbers for a week? Are you nuts?" I admit, for a situation like this, most people will suspect one of 2 things. Either the captain is crazy, or he really likes to boss people around. Honestly, I am neither. For all my sailing time, a big part of them were spent with friends that have never sailed, but willing to explore this wonderful world on a rolling deck. I have introduced more people into sailing than any old sailors I knew, and I am proud of it. Besides, somebody told me, the only progress made in human history are by those who's irrational. So, why not be a little irrational. It might be fun!  

So, the boat is chartered, tickets bought, under a perfect early summer sky, we landed in Athens and soon on our way to Syros where our sailboat Sofiani awaits. An adventure of life time just started. For some of us, I hope, years later, will proudly tell others that against all odds, he or she survived the odyssey and became a true sailor who sailed the Aegean Sea. 

Aegean Sea

Geographically, Aegean divides Europe from Asia, although the islands form a bridge between these two continents. Mariners, without a sextant or compass, can be out of sights of land for no more than a few hours, which makes the trading easier. 

"The Aegean takes its name from Ageeus, the father fo Theseus, who flung himself into the sea when he believed his son to have been killed in Crete. Thesus had gone to Crete as part of the annual tribute of young Athenian men and women to the Minotaur, but with the help of Ariadne, he slew the monster and escaped. Ariadne was unceremoniously dumped on Naxos and perhaps the gods clouded his memory after this foul deed, because he forgot the prearranged signal to his father to tell him that all was well. If his ship carried a black sail then Aegeus would know his son had perished; a white sail would mean he was alive. Aegeus, seeing the black sail on approaching ship, was overcome with grief and leapt to his death." - Rod Heikell

Ferry to Syros

On May 3rd, we ook Blue Star ferry from Athens to Syros. The Ferry landed at Ermoupolis, the largest town in Cyclades, and the de-facto capital. Our charter boat is in Finikas, on the opposite of the island. When the taxi drove down the winding mountain road, the huge bay of Finikas unrevealed herself like a blue gem glittering under the blazing summer sun. 

Our charter boat SOFIANI is moored against the concrete quay, bow out, stern in. George, who's the base manager was still fixing a issue with the rudder chain.  By 2pm, all repairs were done, and boat cleaned. As soon as luggage were loaded, the crew started to get restless. There was Paulo saying, "Let's go! We are just sitting here wasting time." What he doesn't understand is sailing a chartered boat is not like driving a rental car. There are equipments needed to be checked, inventory to be made, engine and fuel levels to be inspected, the list goes on. The boat is going nowhere until I am satisfied with it's condition. 

The anchor was weighed at 4 o'clock. Riding a strong northernly breeze, SOFIANI dashed out the Bay of Finikas and quickly rounded the southern cape. Tonight's destination is Ormos Naousis, a 24 mile south-southwest of Finiakas. The glourisou sunset saw us sailed into the bay. No sooner than the anchor touched the sandy bottom did the sky turned complete dark. Our first night at an anchorage begun.....

Downwind Slide to Santorini

"Wish you fair wind and following seas" - this was exactly what we got the next day on a 50 NM run to Santorini. SOFIANI rounded the northern cape of Paros at the crack of the dawn. The wind was completely on our stern. Her main sail was to the port side and job sail the starboard. She is humming through her riggings in an exotic tune that none of us would recognize, but it sounded so sweet and lullaby like. I can feel waves of sleepness overcoming me. For the first time, she's whispering in my ears, "Go now, go take a nap, I will take care of you and your crew." Lying down on the teak deck, with my arm dangling over the lifeline, from time to time, it can feel the ocean spray. Everybody onboard was quite, maybe observing the harmony that's heavenly made. Eyelid closed, I quickly fall into sleep, with only the sound of water rushing by SOFIANI's body accompanying me. 

The traffic on the Aegean Sea is surprisingly light. Second day into sailing, we were the only canvas on the vast sea. Occasionally, high speed ferry boats carrying passengers to the out islands. Remembering the days in British Virgins, hundreds of white sails dotted the blue horizon at any given moment. 

Ios - and island half way between Paros and Santorini. We missed it for the sake of spending more time on Santorini. I can't offer any more insight except from what I have read in my reaserchs. 

"Ios was renowned in antiquity for its association with Homer, for it was supposed to be the birthplace of his mother Klymene, and it was generally believed that both she and her son died and were buried here..... Ferries to Ios call at the litttle post of Ormos, also known as Yialos, which is at the inner end of a Fjord-like bay on the north-western side of the island.....Some still prefer to make their way up from the port to Chora (Village) by the old steeped path that I first used in 1962. The ascent opens up expanding views of the bay and Chora, which has one of the most picturesque settings of any capital in the Cyclades. A dozen windmills on a ridge behind the town made its setting even more striking, particularly since one of them has been restored so that its blades are spinning once again in the meltemi as they did in the times past..... At the tope o the twon there is a panaromic  view of the magnificent bay and the lovely countryside around it. Here more than almost anywhere else in the Cyclades, one is struck by the large number of churches in view, many of them just tiny whitewashed chaples,. When Bent (note: James Theodore Bent, who in 1885 published an article in the Journal of Hellenic Studies entitled 'Researches Among the Cyclades', was one of the first tow write of Cyclades civilization) remarked on this, the locals gave him a curious answer. They said that the great neumber of churches on Ios was not evidence of their peity but rather of their past sins, for many of these chapels had been founded by those who wished to atone for their misdeeds, committed in the days when Iso was known as 'Little Malta'"

 -From "The Cyclades: Discovering the Greek ISalnds of The Aegean", by John Freely

Sailing into the great bay of Santorni from the northwest passage is the Holy Grail of all sailors in Aegean. Here we are, full sail up, sheet in, freshened wind on beam. Heeled on her side, SOFIANI glided into Santorini's giant bay like an elegant lady at her best strolling into a glorious ball room with the whole floor to herself and hundreds of spectators watching her gasping at her beauty and grace. I can't be sure, but it's not a far fetched idea that there are hundreds of cameras training their lense on SOFIANI at this moment, since she's the only sail in the water when thousands of tourists are up there on the high cliffs waiting to see the spectacular sunset. 

Looking from space, Santorini, or Thira in Greek, is an irragular dragon measuring 20 kilometers along its inner arc and 30 kilometers around it;s outer periphery. The crescent of the cliffs varies in the height from 62 to 338 meters, with the snow-white towns of Phera and Oia perched on the rim of the caldera more than 300 meters above sea. The cliff face is a geological cross-section of all the seismic and volcanic upheavals that have been undergone by this tortured island, which some believe to be the only surving remanent of the lost continent of Atlantis.

Thira and the Atlantis Legend

Plato first recorded the Atlantis legend that has baffled the historians to the present. We know that Thira was populated before 2000 BC and that in the period befor the catastrophic erruption an advanced and inventive Minoan Civilization existed on Thira and Crete. this civilization ended abruptivelly around 1400 BC and for some time it ws hypothesized that a Myceaean invasion had simply swept it away. Yet Thira erupted at about the same time. Thira is the largest known active caldera in the Mediterranean, and one of the largest in the world. The 1400 BC erruption could destroy buildings and tidal waves perhaps 60-100 meter high moving at 100miles per hour would swap nearby islands, and effectively destroy life on Crete only 60 miles away. Crete would have been covered in a layer of acidic ash between 10-75 cm thick. 

A chronicals of catastrophic events on Thira

236 BC Eruption separate Thirasia from NW end of Thira

196 BC  Old Kameni (Hiara) appeared

1570AD South coast of Thira collapsed into the sea

1573 AD Small (Mikra) Kammeni appeared

1711-12 AD Nea Kammeni appeared

1866-68 AD  Violent eruption lasted 2 years, an islet, Afotessa appeared and then dispeared again

1925-26 AD Eruption joined small Kammeni to Nea Kammeni

1956 AD A massive earthquake leveled most of the buildings on Thira

Talking about living on a edge! People of Thira are living on the edge of cliff, edge of ocean, edge of destruction and extinction!

Armogos

Far away, to the east, in the Archipelago rises the islandic ridge of Amorgos, longly and eerie. Although it lies in the middle of the open sea, its oblong shape, reminiscent of a gigantic snake, literally obscures the horizon to the traveller coming from the west on his way to the Eastern Aegean. 

"..... those thinking likewise, without considering 

   how short man's youth is, are nothing but fools.

 But you, just consider there is an end to man's life 

 and give away all your possessions with all your heart."

      Simonides

Approaching Armorgos, we encountered the first near gale condition. Numbers on he wind speedometer climbed to the high 30s and low 40s. Waves kept building and became ever confusing. SOFINIA is taking a good beating. Every time she fall off the back face of a wave, a loud thump sound, her whole body shuddered, and mountains of water washed over deck, threatening anything that's not tied down. Cold and wet as it is, it felt more comfortable to sit in the cockpit, as every crew is gathered here. I had Paulo ran a jack line to the mid cleat and back, so everybody can have a safety line to click to. I had my foul weather gear under harness and click it on the back stay. In case I were to be washed overboard, I doubt the crew would turn the boat quick enough to fish me out the water before I am drowned. unbeknown to us, the Gorge from the charter company has be fervishly calling me to warn us of the worsened conditions. For us, the only options is run for shelters. There are two choices, either turn into an enclosed bay at the SW end of the island under Nisis Gramvousa, or steer further north for the Leeward port of Katapola, which for thousand of years has been offering refuge to all sea-beaten travellers in it's well-protected bay. 

As we turned in through the narrow passage between the Nisis Gravmvousa and the Ormos Kalotaritissa it became clear to me the shelter is not enough. The little bay is crowded with local fishing boats, and a prolonged blow from north generating surge that make anchoring very uncomfortable, or down right dangerous. Although I won't mind come back to this bay on a calm day. The water is shallow and beach very inviting. A nearby chapel is so lovely, I would be dying to pay it a visit.