S/V Aphrodite

“How can we be off course if we don’t have a destination?”

That’s our motto today. We are going where the wind takes us, heading west toward the northern Peloponnesus which is a large target, and easy enough to hit with just about any wind angle. The last few weeks have provided us with some glorious sailing days and stunning islands to visit.

I can’t remember where I left off, but think we were still intending to continue north along the Turkish coast to see Ephesus; we were weaving in and out of the Greek and Turkish waters where as little as a few miles separate them and the early morning muezzin call or the ringing of the church bells to differentiate them . But, the heat became intolerable so we left Turkey without seeing Ephesus, seeking cooler temperatures in the Greek Islands. Alas, the temperatures dropped about 30 degrees and water became crystal clear, liquid sapphire, free of trash and the simplicity of island life reigned. Ahhh,.

The island of Patmos, just northwest of Kos, was our greatest surprise. We ended up there quite by accident, without knowledge or expectations and found it to be such a wonderful place that we stayed for almost a week. We anchored in the natural harbor of Skala, the island’s main town, with the medieval Chora (old town) and enormous monastery towering overhead. The Monastery of St John the Theologian, also known as the Monastery of the Apocalypse, enshrines the hillside cave where, according to The Bible, St John received the Revelation in AD 95. To refresh our memory we bought a copy of the Book of Revelations while visiting the monastery. It reads as poetry, prophesying The Apocalypse.

In AD 95 there were 7 established Christian communities in Asia Minor who were suffering persecution from the sharp conflict between the Christian Church and the Roman State. They began questioning whether there was any point in resisting, whether the power of Christ could really achieve anything against the power of the State. The book of Revelations is St. John’s vision of God’s response. As he lay in the cave he heard “a big voice like from a trumpet” coming from the threefold split in the rock and an earthquake shook the island at the same time. In it God describes what the Christian community should expect and what it can rely upon; Armageddon will be followed by the establishment of the new Kingdom of God. Well, that is a lot……of well, I don’t know, but we were there and we did see what we saw!

The island of Patmos is so picturesque and charming, unspoiled by tourism. The stout, crisp white-washed houses, blue doors and window frames are draped in vibrant bougainvillea. Tiny Byzantine churches dot the hilly countryside, some built right out of the rock wall behind it and rocks are stacked 5 feet high and lined up for miles to designate property lines and fence the goats and sheep in. We rented motor scooters and saw most of the island in one day. It was the most fun we have had in a long time. The scooters were new and in good condition, unlike the ones we rented while in Mykonos, and the traffic was minimal so we had a blast scooting round visiting the monastery, the cave and all of the outlying villages. The countryside is beautiful, enough greenery to help break up the massive amount of rock found on all the Greek Islands. From here we sailed to Mykonos, our first stop in The Northern Cyclades.

The Cyclades are the islands most often pictured in people’s minds when they think of the Greek Islands. They are stunning from afar as well as a near; crisp-white cubical houses, brightly colored blue windows and doors awash in every imaginable color of flower: climbing, spilling, exploding and tumbling all over. The uniformity of architecture and colors give the look of ‘simple elegance’ and it’s no wonder why so many people travel to see The Cyclades; Mykonos being the crown jewel! If it weren’t for all of the tourist related congestion I could imagine living there myself. Mykonos is similar to Fira, the main town on Santorini in that most of the town has been given over to tourism, stripping it of its authenticity, in my opinion. No matter how unique or charming it was, now it looks like all of the other fabulous tourist towns visited by thousands of cruise liners shuttling millions of people. Once again we rented scooters, poor Brisa had to stay in her kennel, but this experience was much less enjoyable which is reflected in the lack of pictures I was able to capture. In the end, I have to say that I would not have missed seeing Jackie O’s favorite stomping grounds. It is everything everyone says that it is.

Right off the coast of Mykonos is the tiny barren island of Delos. During ancient times it was Greece’s most sacred place because Apollo and his twin sister Artemis were born there.

Zeus fell in love with gentle Leto, the Titaness, who became pregnant. When Hera, Zeus’ wife, discovered the infidelity she forbad Mother Earth to give Leto refuge and ordered the Python to pursue her. Finally Poseidon, taking pity on her, anchored the floating island of Delos with four diamond columns to give her place to rest. She gave birth first to the virgin huntress Artemis on the adjacent island of Rhenea and then, clasping a sacred palm on a slope of Delos Mt. Kynthos (the highest peak) gave birth to Apollo.

As we approached the island I was struck with confusion and awe, ‘how can this small rock protrusion without a tree or natural resource have become the center of the Greek world?’ The answer lays in its location, which is in the heart of the Aegean, the center of The Cyclades, which form a dance circle around it. Delos is the last and most secure anchorage between Europe and Asia and right in the center of the trade routes. It is shielded by Mykonos to the east, Tinos to the north and Rheneia to the west.

First the island flourished as a sacred place where Hellenes from all over the Greek world gathered to worship Apollo, the god of light, harmony and balance, and his sister Artemis, the moon-goddess. Commerce soon followed, creating a powerful and prosperous trade center. By the 1st century BC there were reportedly 30,000 people living on this island that is no more than a dot on the map. Unfortunately little remains in this archaeological jewel; imagination, knowledge and a steep climb up well worn ancient rock steps to the highest point of the island are necessary to grasp the enormity of Delos’ ancient history.

BRISA UPDATE: Until yesterday I was singing her praise. Today she is in the dog house! She loves anything which can flutter in the wind or be put into her mouth to chew on. About a week ago she discovered that tape, electrician or duct, can unwrap when she loosens one end and pulls with her teeth. We spend a lot of time supervising her because sailboats are full of strings, ropes, and stick like things and fluttering stuff. Today she woke up full of “piss and vinegar” and chewed through several layers of tightly wound duct tape and got to the bundle of electrical wires going up the inside of the mast which connect to all of the lights and wind instruments. We have been guarding that area carefully because of its vulnerability and value. We were beside ourselves when we discovered the damage. It took Michael all morning to solder ,repair and retape the delicate hair thin wires. Now the area is wrapped in rope until we come up with a more foolproof protection. We are considering wrapping it in barbed wired with the pokies sticking outward. If you know of any noxious material I can apply to discourage her, short of killing her of course, will you let me know?

On a better note, she has become quite a swimmer. She can definitely swim faster and further than I can. I am sure she could join the “across the Lake and back” club. We have started teaching her rescue swimming. She can tow me quite a way with me just holding on to her tail. But she is not interested in diving yet. I am sure it is because we haven’t spent any time doing it. She loves the “find it” game but relies on her memory not her nose to find the hidden toy. She is still very interested in birds and will come to alert, ears perked attention if she sees a patch of birds floating on the water surface while we are sailing along. She leaps off the boat when she wants to; sometimes neither one of us even knows she is in the water. We have to find a way for her to get herself back onboard. Peter and Tina use a rubber door mat hanging off the stern which may work for her too as soon as we find one.

To enjoy our pictures double click on the photo below. The Greek Islands have a powerful allure. It is not the terrain since they are predominantly rock. It is the water, so blue, so clean and refreshing. We are back in the mainland now, the Northern Peloponnese, where it is hot; even the water temperature is hot. We have returned to our favorite ensembles, which are “as little as possible”, and are lamenting the island waters. From here we will transit the Corinth Canal, just 2-3 miles stretch across the isthmus separating mainland Greece and The Peloponnese, and head to the Greek Islands on the western side of Greece: Ithaca, Levkas and Corfu.

Tonight we have a special treat. We have seats at the Theater at Epidaurus to see one of the ancient Greek plays, THE FROGS, a comedy by Aristophanes. This is the best-preserved Greek theater in the world because it was covered up sometime in antiquity and had to be dug out. It was built in the 4th century BC with 14,000 seats and is in its original condition. Apparently the acoustics of this theater are so perfect that even from the last of the 55 tiers every word can be heard. Michael attended one of the plays many years ago and attests to the quality of the acoustics. Should be a fun night out.

PS: We bought a heavier anchor (Bugle 101 lbs.) while in Turkey. No more midnight anchor dragging drama for us!