4. Greece 2. to the aim of our project, Hortó,

and the Aegean Sea, and back to Lefkada, 2009.

Planning 2009. Departure from LEFKAS early May - Ithaka - Mesolongi - Patras - N.Trizonia - Galaxidi / Itea - Korinthos - passage of the canal - Aegina - Cape Sounion - Olympic Marina / Lavrion - N. Petali - Voufalo - Chalkis - passage bridge Chalkis (at night) - Limni - Orei canal - (a) - (b) / (b) - (a). [ follow the full red line on the chart ] a.) Pagasitikos Kolpos (gulf of Volos) - Horto [39°11'20N 023°12'70E!] (b.) N. Skiatos - N. Alonisos -N. Skopelos (finally we decide not to sail to the North-Sporades); departure fron HORTO to Lefkas Marina: at the end of August.

From Meganisi to Vathy, we get a wonderful by the wind sailing.

Approaching Ithaka the wind is freshening. As indicated in the pilots, navigating along the NE coast of the island is a quite windy affair. We avoid the worst winds by not sailing to close to the coast.

Vathy lies deep in the small, rather narrow Kolpos Aetou. The high mountain flanks of the gulf and the bay surrounding Vathy, create sometimes a violent katabatic wind, particularly on the north side. This early May it is still very quiet in the little harbour. No trace of the hyper-busy summer fever. Road works give it now a bit dusty look and many restaurants and shops are still closed. As so often in Greece it's difficult to start working again after virtual inactivity.

When we are looking for a restaurant far from the quay and the dust, there are only few who try to win us for their restaurant. In a quiet alley we find a small, nice taverna where we as the only foreigners are served by the owner. As thanks for our visit, we get a nice but very sweet dessert - she probably will not do that during or after the busy summer season, when the money from tourism is earned!

It's not very busy in this harbour, situated in a large water surface laying just behind the coastline. The only larger vessels that come here are coasters coming at irregular intervals and loading the salt brought here by truck from the salt works nearby. In the western part of the harbour an unfinished marina is dying. But, perhaps, there is some hope ... A new Greek-Dutch investment would resume the works, this time with the determination of building and managing, in Greece, a new marina (www.messolonghimarina.com).

If on arrival in this very dusty "marina" Messolonghi seems very disappointing, our impression will change when visiting this rather small city. At about 15 minutes walking from the harbour, the centre of Messolonghi is very lively and pleasant.

We will stay one day more as we will meet Guy Toussein, our sailmaker specialized in sprayhoods and covers.He made for our boat not only a spray hood and a bimini top but also a efficient cockpit tent that makes our boat bigger and more comfortable in the winter, as we have now our terrace! He is sailing with friends from Turkey to Italy.

In consultation with Will and Jeanine we decide to stay one day more at Trizonia. In the morning, we make a short update for the website; after some maintenance we go to the mini-market for a few provisions.

During a walk to the south-eastern point of the island we come along Lizzy's yacht club, closed and for sale after 15 years good service given to cruising people, after the sudden death of Alison Fraser who was running this by sailors well known meeting place.

Along the way, where we already discern traces of future or hypothetical construction projects, a wealth of wild flowers encourages us not to pay attention to waste and decay ... Kaat doesn't resist the temptation pick some flowers. Before we left Lefkas, many people been here, had praised us the beauty of the island in spring ... undeniably true, really nice, but it's a pity ...

During the afternoon there will be some increasing cloudiness, it is getting warmer ...

We have two waypoints plotted for trip to Galaxidi - a first one at cape Psaromyta a second one at cape Andromachi; thereafter it's the entrance of the Krissaios gulf. At the west side, Galaxidi, then at three miles to the north, Itea.

We sail to Galaxidi: despite its little sophisticated and being more expensive reputation, it's more charming than Itea, bigger and more boring, with his rather new harbour and the-still-never-working-equipments! Here are many shaols and small islands, so navigation has to be done carefully. Our position on the electronic chart is wrong - like it was on our arrival at Trizonia, and many times we are sailing on land! A large grey-white square stone, with the painting of a dolphin on what is for us the backside, is a beacon for the save heading.

The quay of Galaxidi is now completely finished and well equipped with water taps and current supplies (5 euro a day) and the village is well kept, so we decide to stay one day more.

Nice and pleasant weather. Diesel is delivered by mini-tanker. Then we go back looking for the police. The office is still closed despite the morning opening hours! We decide to go to the town hall, the dimos.

Our visit will be (again) an other but instructive experience of the inefficiency of the Greek bureaucracy. Five times we have to explain our problem before we get with the help of a young, little English speaking woman - the only one active working employee in that small town hall - the signature and seals of the antidimarchos under the certificates Eric had prepared. That they also send the certificates by fax to the town hall in Nieuwpoort-Belgium makes our victory even bigger!

The quietness of the quay in the small nice harbour is disturbed in the early afternoon by the arrival of a flotilla of 17 (!) sailing boats of Sailing Holidays ...

Kaat discovers the possibility of taking a good shower at the small hotel Poseidon, still living in the seventies, in the time of our first voyages to Greece (4,-euro /p.) ...

A little longer sailing - course 135° - to the E-side of the Corinth gulf, where the gulf the bay of the same name becomes. Just on the north of the city is the entrance of the canal that provides access to the Saronic gulf and the Aegean Sea.

At 02.30 p.m. when a rather heavy wind is raising, we moore inside the small harbour of Corinth, just before Windswept, the boat of Wil et Jeanine, on the beginning of the starboard jetty. There is little space in this small harbour and no organised management at all. The biggest prudence is required because of big stones, blocs of concrete, buoys, moorings and improvised laid moorings laying around everywhere and are not easy to see. In the middle of the S-quay, separating the yacht harbour and the deeper inside small fishing boats harbour, mooring can be dangerous for a sailing boat with an average draft due a big immerged stone.

We have called Christos of the Joana and in the later afternoon he comes to visit us; our Danish friends of the Concordia, on the way back to Barcelona, enter the harbour at 04.45 p.m.

From the harbour we call at 07.45 a.m., on chan. 11, Corinth canal control; we are lucky because we can proceed to the entrance.

When we pass the breakwaters the lights are green. So, behind an other Belgian sailing boat and Windswept we start our progress through this 6 km long canal to the Saronic gulf , while in our back the road bridge reappears out of the canal water, restoring the interrupted traffic.

The canal is only 25 m wide so in the pale light of the early morning the walls seem to be even higher. A weak current takes us in 35' to the exit at Isthmia, where the control tower and the tax office are located. Mooring there is difficult for our small sailing boat because the quay is high and there is an open overhanging. There is also one knot current pushing us, so we prefer to moore alongside Windswept.

The tax formalities require also a lot of disconcerting paperwork and we have to show the boat papers.

The Corinth Canal has the reputation to be the most expensive canal of the world - Greece is still honouring the nickname of tax-greedy nation! For our 8,50 m boat we have to pay 95,20 euro, a 12 m boat will pay more than 170 euro!

But however, the canal passage is faster and safer than going around the very windy Peloponnesos, or is less risky than dragging the boats by the ancient dhiolkos, the paved road, like the ancients used to do!

We decide to stay at least until the end of the weekend at Aegina, because it's not only a pleasant place and with Wil and Jeanine we discovered a excellent ouseri - "Tsias" - where we have dinner, but on weekends it's better not to move.

Athens is not far and many boat owners of this more and more unliveable megapolis escape the dust and the increasing temperature: they go to the islands and the nice places in the vicinity. But we must also take care for the weather: the forecasts are warning for the consequences of a small low pressure

We take advantage of our stay to visit the ancient site and the museum. From the Neolithic period to Byzantium the area was inhabited; the small museum shows many testimonia from the different periods. Mainly the decorations of pottery illustrate the succession of cultures.

Strolling towards the volcanic peninsula Chersonisos Methanon on the Peloponnese. When we arrive at Vathy a flotilla leaves the harbour, so that we first have the harbour only for us. A little later Windswept enters into this very nice, small harbour, in fact the first since we arrived in Greece, like we dreamt of it.

At the end of the afternoon four (charter) sailboats arrive. But the pleasant quietness remains, a real relief after the very noisy Aegina.

The young owner of To Limanaki, one of the four restaurants, offers us a coffee for welcome. We can also make a free use of the bathroom of a room she rents. The delicious fresh grilled fish she serves for dinner and the cold house wine she offers as a mark of hospitality, make complete the unexpected delight that this place provides. Kostas also, the harbormaster, is a nice man, doing his job very well. How different pleasant is it here, finally! Soula of To Limanaki is right after all: in this little village there is still some mildness like it was, once again!

Witk thanks to Wil and Jeanine from the Windswept

23.05.09: Vathy (Chersonisos Methanon, Peloponnisos) > Olympic Marina (Lavrion), 40,7NM, 07H10-15H25.

From the north of the Chersonisos Methanon peninsula we head to the east to the famous Cape Sounio, where the temple of Poseidon is located.

Although there is less wind we can unfurl our high aspect sail and we reach an average of 5,5 knots. In the Saronic gulf there are many variations of the current - well indicated in our Elias' pilot -, so at some moments we go SOG 6 kn but at other hardly 5 kn. We are passing just S of the Piraeos VTS entrance and exit. So, we have to keep a very good outlook here because large vessels are arriving rapidly and some fishing boats are very busy. At a moment we have to divert, following a SE course to give way to a giant; a little later we can change course again eastwards. By the binoculars we discover Athens and his harbour Piraeos.

At about 2 p.m. the cape and the temple appear: an impressive view ... we sail closer to the coast to bring an offering to Poseidon - after several visits to the sanctuary as landlubbers - asking this god with the very changing mood protection and save navigations ... in Kaat's opinion the view is more impressive from the cape.

How many times have we dreamed of this navigation when at sunset the red sun was going down into the iron blue sea ....

But we are at fully daytime, the sun is shining high in the sky, and Olympic Marina, where we hope to berth, is at 5 NM.

One hour later we get a positive answer on our call on channel 9, and we enter into this marina, renowned ... but expensive!

We have to pay 48,79 euro ... and also 2 euro, for a (rather limited) quantity of power - but the showers are delicious, and we can use the wash and dryer ... for another 10 euro - we want to take a good care of our so nice duvet ...

As we can believe the brochure the marina could satisfy al our expectations and it seems to be very secure but according the good greek habits it presents already signs of too early ageing: being seriously doubtful, we want to believe that once upon a time, it was perfect ... but nothing is less sure.

There are guards and a magnetic key is needed for access to the pontoons. The staff is very kind but we cannot feel something else than a deception: the super yachts we had imagined are very scarce, no large crews - this is far from what we saw in Italy in Cala Galera! - most of the buildings are empty.

In the only one café-restaurant the menu is very limited despite the rather high prices -we pay 5 euro for a glass of white wine with our meal ! - and there is no other restaurant choice because Olympic Marina, its grounds and shipyards ( building of a 42', in partnership with Jeanneau ... in the past ) is really located in a desert!

We are far from Vathy and its simple charm ...

There are no real good harbours before Chalkis: so our destination is the as a good shelter known anchorage near the village of Voufalo. The southern part of the gulf of Evia is known as rather windy and is able to make navigation difficult in short seas for a small boat but today we don't have to worry and we can progress without problems.

Voufalo. When we anchor in the early afternoon in 6m water in the NW of the small bay - a wreck makes anchorage more to the E risky - this is the time of our first swim of the season. When Eric checks the holding of our anchor, we are lucky because it has a good grip in the sand, as there is much weed offering poor holding. The bay is mentioned as a good shelter in both pilots; and it's a charming and quiet place. On the top of the hills large windmills are turning quietly but according the pilots we'll have no worries about downhill gust.

We go for dinner with Wil et Jeanine from the Windswept, to the only one taverna serving meals this evening: nice gavros - these small fried fishes -, a greek salad - the choriatiki - and a tsaziki - yogurt of cucumbers, garlic and olive oil.

At the opposite of our sailing trip yesterday, our start today is rather rough: wind on the bow, our progression is rather difficult in short seas.

We are tacking under engine and mainsail, because there is to little wind to keep some reasonable speed, and the capricious wind doesn't allow to sail under the high aspect foresail. The situation becomes more spicy due the presence of two Canadairs making exercises.

When we have Ag. Apostoloi midships on port, the sea is easing and we can steer a course to Chalkis.

At the approach of Chalkis from the south the first starboard buoy of the channel is not easy to find but it's very important to keep clear of the shoal. Further on we pass close to the well conspicuous cement factory on our port, just before the new road bridge. A few big ships are waiting on the anchorage at our starboard for their load.

Chalkis town bridge opens only at night, at the edges of the streams. With our boat papers we go to the port police office to ask when the bridge will open this night and to pay the passage fees, for our boat, of 18,20 euro. We are lucky: tonight the bridge will open at 22H30.

After an early dinner at the first ouzeri on the waterfront coming from the yacht harbour - Sto Teloneio -, we walk back to our boat because we have to be stand-by from 21H30 on VHF chan. 12. At 22H00 the port-police calls us and invites us to come closer to the bridge. Four yachts are going north, one yacht, going south, will pass at first. The whole operation seems to be well organised and controlled but we know that some yachts had to remain stand-by three or four hours before getting the passage authorisation.

In his pilot D. Elias explains this particular situation of streams. The water that we saw during our meal running like a wild river through the narrow passage - five to six knots is not an exception - is suddenly calming down and a few minutes before 22H30 we see the bridge turning.

After some shopping and provisions we leave Chalkis.

The clouds disappear rapidly and under a nice blue sky we are sailing along the NW coast of Eva island.

The coast is steep, the hills, rough, falling in the sea. There are only rare villages along this coast, no beaches. The silver grey rocks seem to dissolve in the blue water.

Then Limni appears, far off, a village of medium size, is leaning against the south and west side of the hill lying in half a circle. The winds here are typical local and give no indication how it's blowing 10 NM more to the north.

Limni is a very nice village, animated, with a nice seafront and a small harbour where small fisher boats are coming and going.

We found a berth at the quay, with a mooring on our stern. The numerous tavernas and restaurants are at 4 or 5 minutes walking so we have no particular noise trouble during the weekend. The atmosphere is relax and remember us that Greece of the eighties. The cleanliness of the village is a full contribution to the charm of it.

People are friendly and our boat is subject of curiosity and interest. If we like the village - their village - , is a frequently asked question. A Greek-german couple renting small but mostly occupied apartments offers us a coffee, some harbour neighbours ask more information about our sailing boat and our project, another one, - doctor in Athens - gives us advices for a trip to the Sporades - preparing his new sails for the coming regatta.

The small harbour was recently partly developed but there is no much space: like in the most small harbours all space is taken by small, local fishing boats.

We can just moore at the inside of the enlarged quay at the entrance. It's very busy here due the coming and going of small ferryboats to Arkitsa, one of the most important passages to Evia; at the mainland the motorway Athens-Thessaloniki is nearby.

We are disappointed when we go to the Port Police for buying a magnetic card for water and electricity: the supply boxes on the quay are, like mostly in the Greek harbours, not working!

But ... we have to pay 7,58 euro mooring taxes. No clear explanation why: in Limni the Port Police told us that we never have to pay for our less than 10m boat!

A nice fishing boat is passing us when we leave the narrow street, skipper and crew give an enthusiastic answer to our salutes. Then when the sun comes through the clouds, our trip to Orei - made longer by the current, we only go 4 knots on our GPS - becomes any way pleasant.

We rapidly have to abandon our try to sail: the forecasted S-wind is ... NNW!

With the binoculars we explore this coast of Evia with its numerous bays: in most of them we see fish farms.

Approaching the Orei channel the wind is increasing and we get the current with us.

Orei is situated a little deeper into the bay, so we have time to prepare our arrival. We can moore at the renewed N-quay between Windswept and a British Sadler 34. Again we use our stern anchor because berthing bow to the quay is more easy, and gives a lot more privacy!

It's the beginning of the Greek Whitsuntide and in a few days it will be full moon. On the six or seven bigger fishing boats the big cleaning up is going on: hundreds of meters of nets are checked and rinsed, small boats are going and coming to the two water taps at the N-quay where apart from a few fishing boats and a tripper boat, about six yachts are moored on the quay. So almost every space is taken.

For the numerous crews - mainly Egyptians - these days are also personal washing and cleaning days. Communication with them is not easy but we use a friendly hello-salute or we try in Greek - the language of their boss that they need to understand a little bit! Sometimes the question from where we are is coming by scarce English words, but further communication stops rapidly, and then a smile or a handshake makes everyone happy! When we are at the taverna of our choice eating at night, we see them passing, dressed and perfumed: we are wondering about their dreams, their illusions - especially when they are going back, later on, to the boats, or when we see this older fisherman, sitting lonely in the square, eating a a packet of crisps, looking far off ...

We want to stay here till the end of this busy weekend. This small fishing harbour is a pleasant place; there is a nice sandy beach with showers just behind the N-quay and we can get water at the taps used by the fishermen.

When the sun is high we load 4Ah on our solar panels and Kaat is always looking for the best orientation. Just like in Loutra Aidipsos here also there are brand-new connections for electricity and water inoperative waiting for a hypothetic arrival of the needed software and magnetic cards. Already now we are wondering how long the system will work, when the first breakdown will occur that will lead the whole system to the in Greece unavoidable fatal destruction!

Orei is well sheltered from the dominating northerly winds, only SW wind causes a short little uncomfortable swell putting anchor holding to the test, like we got during the second day of our stop by a SW 5 to 6.

In this region with its narrow straits and channels - between Evia and Trikeri peninsula, between Evia and the mainland - currents and winds are difficult to calculate or to forecast. Sometimes strong gusts are falling downhill especially when the meltemi is blowing in the Aegean.

But today it's calm weather and we have rapidly the small fishing harbour of Agia Kiriaki at the south coast of Trikeri peninsula at our starboard. At the top of the hill we see the larger village of Trikeri where we were last March by car. It's rather busy in this narrow strait between Diavlos Volos and Diavlos Trikeri: a sailing boat is following the coast heading to Skiatos probably , two coasters, sailing close to the coast too - depths are here around 75m - are coming from Skiatos and are on the way to Volos, two bigger trip boats are also hurrying to the Sporades islands, while a big American warship - we see a whole fleet of helicopters well aligned on deck - is navigating in the straitt. Is this participating at the at the NAVTEX announced NATO-manoeuvre in the East-Mediterrian Sea?

Here we were fifteen years ago for the last time with our Zodiac but the souvenirs are still very lively there: the small harbour of Palaio Trikeri, then - at the other side, at the peninsula, just before cape Trachilas - the bay of the " Witness of Jehovah " - we met the old man and his family when we were looking for a shelter by a suddenly strong increasing wind while sailing back to Hortó impossible -, then further on the very small Prasouda island - we know that a little behind us at SB the very nice, small Zasteni-cove is situated.

Meanwhile we are under sail because the wind is there, even little strong as sudden. In a misty far-off we see than in front of us, Hortó, with the nice view on the Vathoudi-bay, and at the background the Magnisia peninsula and the hills of the Pilion mountain.

On flat water, tacking by a gusty wind we are approaching our target. In March we already visited the little village, and the voyage from Lefkas to Hortó seemed to be a real challenge. Now the target is at a few nautical miles. A hot wind increases a bit when we are approaching.

Hortó... the small concrete jetty where we will moore: everything goes fast now.

Dropping the sails, starting the engine, preparing the mooring lines at the central bow cleat and the stern anchor keeping ready.

Since our arrival almost two weeks ago we are living a dolce farniente. Although the weather situation is not really steady we got no real bad weather. Nor yesterday,when a thunderstorm seemed to come but we got only dark clouds, a short shower and some thunder.

One hour later the sun was shining and the thunderstorm was gone to Volos, a typical but rather scarce evolution, people know here. But not so usual is the relative instability, with its changing, capricious winds and the frequent cloudiness in the afternoon.

In the evening the wind normally is falling, but during the day the W-ly or E-ly winds - not really the prevailing winds - are blowing up to 24 knots - according our lazy anemometer - at the well sheltered bay of Vathoudi. That's all a little bit, unusual, so we hear.

Depending of the relative certainty about the weather we anchor on our stern anchor at the end of the jetty at Hortó or we go to the anchorage in the SE corner of Ormos Vathoudi.

When the boats have left after the crew changes, we can also enjoy the hospitality of the Sunsail-pontoon, with . water and electricity (5,- euro/day), and showers! Here we have a very good welcome. The difference with our bad experience in the Saronic gulf is immense. No invasive arrogance here, but a nice sailors mentality and atmosphere by the British management and staff. We also noted the discretion of the flotilla stop in Orei.

At the travel agency at Milina we rent for three days a Budget-car to find a solution to our dinghy-engine problems. We find it (finally) at Agria near Volos: a by an earlier service worse mounted spark plug was changed, an mistake we couldn't imagine. For the weak Vodafone 2/3G internet signal we find no solution at the shop-agency of Volos: the lack of antennas for a good coverage, they tell us, is the

UPDATE 2014

Due to changes in the Sunsail-offer in Greece the base of Milina-Valthoudi has been closed. The pontoons incl. water- and powesupplies and showers have been removed.

The former managers of the base, Andy and Christine, have now started their own chartercompany; they are operating with two boats based in the small harbour of Milina:

A&C Yachting Milina ( http://www.ac-yachtingmilina.com/#!about-us/c1mcg )

At the present time limited water and power supplies only in this small harbour.

holidays of 1992, 1993 and 1994, when we dreamed of sailing with a small boat in this beautiful Pagasitikos Kolpos.

Although we have done then numerous explorations with our Zodiac, we had never experienced the anchoring conditions at night - we did now!. We must conclude that we could not anchor many nights here. The last time, a few nights ago, we awoke by the swell from the west, making sleeping really difficult. At the present we still have not heard any convincing explanation for this end-of-night swell in the absolute absence of wind, nor from the locals nor from sailors.

Vathoudi is as a good anchorage - moreover very quiet so far - also the opportunity of pleasant encounters, often both exciting.

On the magnificent and unique yacht of M. and O., more than 15 m long, we enjoy many hours listening their beautiful and captivating stories " from the other side of the ocean ". At other times we met there French and German sailors for a drink with urchins fresh fished by O.

At an other meeting, around an other apéritif on our small boat, with A.-A., the skipper of Belgian sailing boat, we get the confirmation that the sailing world is really small. By the most ultimate lucky coincidence A.-A. will allow us to get back in touch from this anchorage in Greece, through interposed portable, with a mutual friend in Wallonia. The earth is really round, says this story too, when the circle of the fate is closing during a moment around three lives.

31.07- 09.08.09: Hortó, Milina, & Ormos Vathoudi, Chersonisos Magnisias.

Olivier is living at Hotel Spaladra and together we can enjoy for a long moment the magnificent view ...

Despite this small hotel is involved, together with the owners, in a slow but fatal progress into ageing, a real charm is still preserved. A nice, brand new lift - strange in this timeworn scenery - and a few recent air conditioning equipments, cannot conceal that time stopped here.

And then there is, still, this particular smell, almost indefinable, that has surprised Olivier on his arrival. Suddenly, we were back in 1994 ... Le goût de la madeleine ... [ lit.: the taste of the madeleine - a soft biscuit - in: Marcel PROUST, A la recherche du temps perdu ]

The Summer Meeting in Horto Mt Pelion 2009, organised every year since 1984 by the non-profit Cultural Foundation "G.Angelinis - Pia Hadjinikos", www.horto.net, info@horto.net, presents from mid-July till early September a rich variety of cultural events: music, theater, dance, exhibitions, seminars. We have participated at three concerts in the Open Air Ttheater of Horto.

THe Utrecht Symphony Orchestra directed by Jorgos Moutsiaras has executed a.o. Ouvertures from Beethoven (Coriolan, op.62) and Rossini (Italiana in Algeri), the Symphony in D and 3 movements from Joseph Boulogne de St Georges, and a remarkable première for Greece, the 'Ouverture "Wuthering Heights" for iPhone and orchestra from Wim Van Noort. But it's particularly the guest soloist who left a great impression between the audience: clarinetist Michel Marang has really bewiched the audience of this theater where many seats had to be added. His arrangements of the Klezmer Musiek (traditional secular Jewish music) got him a great and enthusiastic ovation.

Celebrating the Foundation's 25 continuous years of summer events at Hortó and the birth bicentenary of Felix Mendelssohn, the Theatrical Workshop, directed by Jorgos Biniaris (theater), Smaro Grigoriadou (music) and Marianthi Psomataki (dance), with the Utrecht Symphony Orchestra directed by Jorgos Moutsiaras presented A Midsummer Night's Dream (op. 21 & 61) from William Shakespeare, music from Felix Mendelssohn. It was a fascinating and dynamic show rich of scenery effects brought by the dancers-actors and the ballet at which participate young people from different countries. In this particular Open Air Theatre the beautiful voice of soprano Rania Stamatiou left a charming impression!

And then, two days before our departure from Hortó we had the opportunity to participate to a concert of Indian classical music with a.o. Erik Alsen, sheinai, and Inbal Zadok, sitar. This concert had been postponed due possible thunderstorms.

The Cultural Foundation "G.Angelinis - Pia Hadjinikos" is part of Hortó, this small, nice and particular village. Greeks from everywhere and foreigners participate at the summer events. From different sources we heard that the support of the municipality of Argalasti, is very poor - it's an euphemism: culture, style and quality are they also here in this far but nice Pilion, creating jealousy and envy?

Yes, he's probably right, who, living here since many years, told us, with some discourage: most people here are to stupid, to narrow-minded, trying to change them is hopeless ... and it seemed that then he was not only thinking about Hortó!

Motoring with the mainsail hoisted, we sail to Orei: nice weather, little northerly wind.

In the small harbour of Orei we find a berth next to a Greek sailing boat.

The conversation that engages quickly with the sympathetic couple is very informative and confirms again our opinion about Greece. Our neighbour was working as a civil engineer and instructor for aircraft maintenance on the army. Once again we are struck by the lucidity with which many Greeks ( and particularly those who have been living abroad - our neighbour attended courses in France a. o. at Dassault company ), are aware of the problems of their country. Our neighbour is above all irritated by the environmental problems which get no solutions.With some sadness, but without denying anything, he is seeing how his country is declining ...

07H15. We are on the way to Limni.

The weather is nice but like yesterday the northerly wind is to weak for sailing without motoring, although we hoisted the main and have unfurl our foresail.

About 5NM before Limni suddenly the wind increases and in a few minutes we get E 25 kn on the wind meter. The wind now is falling from the mountains and still increasing; this will not simplify our approach nor the access to the narrow entrance.

There is some space just behind the entry along the recently extended jetty. After a successful 180° manoeuvre in the narrow channel, Kaat stops the boat along the concrete wall. We must keep the boat at a distance because the concrete is already breaking up: it's real threat to the hull, especially as our fenders can offer little protection due to the big cavities in the wall of the jetty.

At the office of the port police where we pay the bridge passage fees, we hear that no prediction is possible about the time of passage. During the three days preceding the neap tide (we are currently in the first quarter moon) patterns of high and low water are irregular, as noted in the pilot table. By the comings and goings of many high speed ribs, the wait is not really comfortable and the boat pulls sometimes violently on its moorings. Kaat finds a water tap on the quay under an iron cover in the quay pavement. We stock up our cans with fuel at the service station located at the end of the parallel street, not far from the great square in front of the bridge.

From 9 p.m. we are stand-by at VHF chan. 11. We haven't forgotten the experience of two of our compatriots who were asked to be, as usual, stand-by from 10 p.m. . They were in a restaurant when the bridge was turning earlier, just after 9 p.m.! They had to wait till the next opening ... 24 hours later! In fact, the moment when the current stops ( it's the of moment of the only passage, at night) is never predictable with full accuracy. The bridge will only turn when the instruments measuring the current will indicate slack water. Finally, this time too, we will not have to wait for a long time: at 11pm we pass Chalkis bridge, a good time, when we heard people passing at 3 at night!

So we start sailing early this morning and we hope to arrive at Olympic Marina in the early afternoon. We are sailing with one reef iin our mainsail and boom guy, because on our small boat the boom isn't very stable.

Behind the first coastline and hills, we see the results of the heavy fires of the last weeks around Marathonas and other villages of the green lung of Athens ... the sailing along this coast of Attika is not particularly beautiful more monotonous apart from the view to the islands ( S-Evia, Andros, Makrinitsa ) far off at our port. Yesterday we have made by phone a reservation for a berth: Tuesday the weather should be more turbulent, windy, with a possible thunder too, and we have also some domestic work to do ... so we'll appreciate this marina stop ... despite the rather expensive rate!

Very windy today on the 1st of September: in the harbour we get 25 kn on the lazy wind meter. By taxi we go to Lavrion to see the harbour by day and to do some shopping and get some provisions. In the afternoon the boot gets maintenance. In the evening back to Lavrion, making a taxi reservation for return!

On the 2nd, still windy in the morning and a wobbling sea, not the most comfortable to pass Cape Sounion and cross the Saronic gulf to Aegina island. So we stay in the marina. In the afternoon a sailing boat under German flag arrives at the catway next to us.

They come from Lavrion - a really unpleasant and noisy harbour they say - but the day before they sailed from Kithnos. A real fight against wind and waves: at times their speed was falling to 1 kn. They will leave the boat here, where their son will come on board and will sail the boat to Croatia. They will fly home on Saturday, after this four weeks holiday: heavy winds, salt, tiredness, stress ... Hearing their story, we are thinking that if you have time, it's better to avoid such experiences!

Today we start early to cross a large part of the Saronic gulf.

Soon appears in the nice grey-blue and orange light of the morning, the temple of Poseidon above Akra Sounion. Thanks to a weak wind we can keep our main full: so Nehalinnia gets enough stability to sail comfortable also when, far off too, a small fishing boat, or a big ship, creates an unpleasant swell.

At 10 a.m. we are at 17 NM from our waypoint, at the SE point of Aegina island. The display of our pilot shows a course to the west of 279°.

After cape Sounion we got an opposite current of 0,5 kn, but now we are sailing at the log speed. Although this means only a small difference, it's encouraging approaching the entrance and exit lanes of Piraeos VTS. It's also nice that there is only little traffic. But it's hot, humid ...

At 2.30 p.m. our small boat is moored at the town quay, on stern anchor, squeezed between two sailing boats of more than 40 feet. In this infernal harbour the Dutch owner of the Yucatan, a Hallberg Rassy 45, is watching over her magnificent boat with an extreme application. On her blog - www.yucatan.nu - she tells the voyage. Improving her style she tells on Marcella's andere verhalen also amazing stories.

When the night is falling, the harbour is crowded. For Marcella the coming hours will be less stressful. The swell that the hydroplanes cause, almost permanently, by day in the basin, now that they have stopped their coming and going for the night. But sailing boats and a yacht are still arriving: in the night they are looking for an ... unavailable bert!

We'll try to find some quietness and peace at Tsias Ouzeri. Aegina, no, really thanks, better not! And, by the way, the sounder? Eh, well... it's working ... well!

We'll not have to wait and be standby on VHF chan.11: at 12.25 we get the authorisation for passing. A Danish sailing boat started to early when the bridge opens and the signal is green. He is promptly and strongly called to order: he had to wait for the explicit verbally permission ... because a some slower catamaran was yet coming out of the canal! If The Dane he had been in a hurry then, now he had lost all speed-desire ...

Every Tuesday the channel is closed for maintenance, but looking at the walls and banks, maintenance seems to be limited to stones and rocks that may at any time can detach. But what the canal once so proud of the high walls needs, are real works of great restore! Many sailors who have crossed the channel several years ago, reflect the degree of deterioration ...

Sign of the times: at one of the bridges there is an installation for the bungee jumps; when we pass a few daring are jumping in the water between the boats, to the applause of their admiring spectators .... impressive, but the canal authorities are present ... by VHF, as we hear.

The differences in depth are big: we now have approximately 830m below the keel and two miles behind us, the depth is "only" 200m! Although there is not much wind, waves of about 1.50 m are short: they regularly seriously reduce the speed of the boat, which then falls to 2.5 knots.

When Olympia radio forecasts NW 4 for the whole day, our decision is taken quickly. In two hours we return to Corinth: with a reef in the mainsail, boom guy, and high aspect foresail, we have an average speed of 6 kn, the waves waves cheerfully passing under the boat.

We moore along the south quay. In the afternoon Christos and Joana with their Espace, Ioana, return from their holiday in the little Cyclades. One of the next days they will invite us for an amazing trip by car.

This night a violent storm rages on Corinth and a violent north wind glue Nehalinnia against the concrete quay, two fender socks will be the innocent victims. Under pouring rain we will work to keep our boat away from the rough wall, just like our neighbours, and Armenian-Canadian painter, Aslanian, of Egyptian origin, who arrived solo from Trizonia island. Together we have a few more pleasant talks ...

Still disturbed weather - rain and thunderstorms. A W to NW wind, force 5-6, and waves in the Gulf of Corinth from 1.5 to 2m require us to wait in this not really comfortable harbour.

Christos and Johana give us the advice to moore the boat at the head of the first pontoon, better protected against the swell. The Greek sailing boat found a berth alongside the north quay. The Belgian sailing boat Gaviota of Paul and Christine, is also moored at the north quay, alongside a 38 feet under the Greek flag. They arrived the day before yesterday. They too were surprised by the height of waves in the gulf; during the storm they were anchored ... But the Gaviota is much bigger than our boat and its crew, much better and more experienced sailors than we are! They will also remain a few days here until the weather improves. They are en route to Turkey and want to recognize the Saronic Gulf before closing the season at Aegina.

But Christos wants to show us three remarkable sites in the vicinity: the well known resort of Loutraki, the Vouliagmeni Lake, and the lighthouse and the Heraion of Perachora.

Our trip goes first to Lake Vouliagmeni: we cross Loutraki to take the road to the west of the Peninsula of Agrilios. The particularity of this inland sea is that there is only one narrow passage to the sea - only a few meters wide, just deep enough for the passage of a small boat equipped with a powerful engine because the currents are strong. We go around the lake which has some beautiful beaches, but it is very windy and these usually calm waters, are rough. Certainly not a nice day for swimming! Now the tavernas are empty but on weekends it can be crowded here. There is also a camping but it does not seem very welcoming.

The next step takes us further at the end of the world. From the path that leads to the lighthouse, we discover, looking down on the hillside, left, the Heraion - the remains of a sanctuary dedicated to Hera, at the right a creek with an ancient harbour, and, straight ahead, an Orthodox church, accessible by stairs carved into the rock...

By the path that leads to the lighthouse we reach almost to the tip of Cape Melagavi that we had left on our starboard, a few days ago when we tried to reach Galaxidi, before returning to Corinth. From here we have a beautiful view: in front of us in the west, the Gulf of Corinth, on our left, looking to the south, the coast of the Peloponnese; behind us, looking to the east, the Bay of Corinth and the town; on the north of the city, the entrance of the channel and the seaside resort of Loutraki, dominated by the imposing Geranei mountains . On our right, so north of us, the Gulf of Alkyonidon. It's therefore not surprising that the weather elements are sometimes very angry here. Add, then, the water temperature. So when the thunderbolts of Zeus and Poseidon's trident decide to complicate the navigation of the humble sailors, they can only hope to find protection ... in the harbour!

The wind is N to NE, we sail on the mainsail and jib. We have 1kt current with us. But many times we have to start the engine because there is not enough wind - 6 to 8 kn [ap] - to make good progress. We really are trying to reach Galaxidi because for tonight and tomorrow the forecast is again very pessimistic - windy and stormy!

At 06.45 a.m. we left Corinth. 10.00 a.m. : are following a NW course 315° and we are at 15 NM of our waypoint south of Krissaios kolpos, the gulf where Galaxidi and Itea are.

Itea has a new yacht harbour - still without services; the new sanitary blocks are used as lumber rooms! Sometimes mooring fees are required with a very unclear destination, as was reported....

End of a Greek summer: after the the thunderstorm in Corinth we wonder what we can still expect from this as so nice vaunted month of September ... Strong winds from the north and the east daily bring their share of dark clouds, and if it's not a thunderstorm then it are showers that are ruining every summer feeling.

We do not want to complain too much but this is not the weather we went for in Greece. After the abnormally rainy winter at Lefkas, here again we will be unlucky. Climate change. Warming up. That's what we hear. Or, simply, as others see it," a less nice year ".

Nehalinnia is moored just next to the wide steps. We have had three successive neighbours: first a German couple on their way to Turkey. Despite the bad weather they sailed away: they had to meet their daughters in Epidavros. Then it was a big Greek yacht, later a chartered sailing boat. The crew - two couples on holiday, also Germans - have taken all their time to visit the region by car. We'll meet them again in Mesolongi.

At the beginning of the quay, where it forms a promontory, there is a kind of kiosk. Erected the first time in 1922, he was used as a warehouse to protect goods against the rain and the sun. Later the kiosk has been rebuilt and enlarged. At that time - and still much longer - Galaxidi and the surrounding villages were accessible only by boat. There was no road. The town had a important regional function but, haughtily, the inhabitants were standing away from the villagers. The marriages took place, mainly, between the families of Galaxidi. That would explain a relatively larger number of mental and physical ailments. We had been amazed at this. The inbreeding would caused in almost every family hereditary deviations, we are told. Silent tragedies behind walls and closed shutters ...

Although Galaxidi has lost much of its prestige - in the XIXth century it was the second nautical centre after Syros (so we read in the Guide du Routard) - some atmosphere of importance remains. There are still beautiful houses - those of the ancient ship owners - and even when some damages are visible, some decorative components testify to the former and relative wealth.

In the late afternoon the wind because stronger and the swell too. When we go to Hotel Poseidon to take a shower, light raining is starting ... when we return to our boat we see a second but even bigger super-yacht, manoeuvring between the kiosk and the Maltese yacht. Both giants exceed by far the mid-channel of this for Lilliputians made harbour. The generator of the Maltese yacht will be working during the whole night to provide power for full illumination and air conditioning. Nobody will go ashore, nobody will dinner in a restaurant. All doors will remain closed, by their cumbersome stop over no restaurant will get the smallest benefit. But we, we will have that night an efficient swell breaker...

During dinner at the pleasant Liberty-ouzeri, we hear that many times this summer, very big yachts came into the harbour. A recent thing, they tell us, but now it's known that there is enough water in this part of the harbour, at the quay. Sometimes there had been six. And some smaller ones, too. On the 15th of August there was only little space for four visiting sailing boats remaining. Obscene exhibitionism of to great and arrogant wealth... We are told that strollers from the surroundings, people of the villages came to admire the yachts of the riches. Those people, they spend some money here, they consume, they have a drink ... a coffee, a beer or a pizza...

But we want to reach Messolonghi, then there will be only one or two stops to Lefkas Marina - two, with a stopover at Astakos or Vathy, on the island of Ithaka; Sivota, at the SE point of Lefkas, is still an other possibility).

We really want to make progress as the poor and variable weather will maintain - so it's a little risky prognosis and we must maximize each day. In Lefkada we have some more are less urgent appointments (laboratory, dentist) and our supply of glutenfree breads is slowly decreasing. We also want to meet Wil and Jeanine before they leave for the Netherlands.

The weather forecast for today for Korinthos kolpos does not seem too bad, however - NE 2 to 3 - but during the afternoon the wind will turn to the west at the W-side of the Gulf of Patras. At 09.30 p.m. - we are now three hours on the way - Cape Psaromyta is at starboard. If we would to go to N. Trizonia, we should take a NW course but we continue the west - heading 280° - toward the big new bridge over the Strait of Rio-Antirrio, the passage from the Korinthos kolpos to the Patraikos kolpos.

At 12 o'clock we are at 4MN from the bridge and the current is still running with us. The wind - which is now really astern - has little increased, 7-8 kn [ap.]. As a precaution we took a reef in the mainsail and put a boom guy; the high aspect jib is furled. We cannot keep the foresail full because of the rolling due to the astern coming waves.

At 12.20, at 2 NM from the bridge, we call Rion-traffic on VHF chan.14 for the first time. Approaching the bridge where the strait makes a real funnel the wind is still increasing: 15 kn, 160° over starboard (ap).

12.35 Rion-traffic lets us know that we can keep course to pass between the M4 and M3 pillars - one pillar on your SB three pillars on your port, keep watch on chan. 14 and after the bridge on chan. 16, so we are told and they wish us a good trip ...

A big white bow wave ... phew, it will pass behind us, then it starts to overtake us at port side. The waves are still higher - 1,50 m - and in a white foam they are rolling under the boat. The wind meter shows 17nds [ap.], but now the backstay wind comes in over port. The main is back, so we have to gybe.

Then everything goes fast: we gybe and, carried by the heavy streams, we pass under the bridge at 12.47.Tensed and stressed, Kaat is steering straight in the middle between the two huge pillars. We see the water running and bubbling around the gigantic concrete bases. Under the bridge - so high above the mast head - it seems that time has stopped. The swirling wind suddenly comes from all directions ...

We passed. Wind [ap.] 130° over starboard, 13 kn. Here, the waves are far less high. We gybe again. A ferry leaves Antirrio, his bow making an angle of 45° in our direction. But he waits. The small ferry will pass behind us.

 A large panel at the entrance of the marina and a website unveil the ambition of this project www.messolonghimarina.com. Anticipated elections will take place in Greece on the 4th of October.

This afternoon Prime Minister Karamanlis (Nea Democratia, centre right) has visited the future marina and has been explaining the project ... Never before we have seen such a deployment of - (mainly) cleaning - activity, although the result has left us more than skeptical.

At 9 a.m. We slip the lines. 09.30 a.m. Outside it's again the rough and a little chaotic sea we find and again Nehalinnia runs leaping over the waves new leaves while its crew hopes from Poseidon a little more mildness.

We maintain a course to pass windward of Arkoudi island. This seems to be the right option, speed over the ground 6.4 kn while the log shows 5.4 kn. The D. Elias pilot indicates the direction of the currents with a good precision. At last, the sea is easing, the wind is more backward, the waves are not so high anymore and they become more round ..

11.30 a.m. Sivota is at two miles on port. Kaat counts at least thirty sails! In front of us, the Inland Sea and the islands of Meganisi, Skorpios and Sparti, the Veerse Meer, in Zeeland-the Netherlands, on a high summer bank holiday! Almost all the charter companies are present here. From anywhere, following any possible and imaginable course, we see sailing boats arising, motoring, sailing, with luffing sails, with half furled foresail, some coming straight in our direction, then suddenly changing their inspiration and heading, and sailing in the opposite direction for no apparent reason ...

Late September, but then, how to survive the hell of the month August? Impossible, the most of our sailing friends say. Simply by not being there!