Monemvasia to Hydra. September 2022

We had intended to visit the town of Monemvasia the day we arrived but we were experiencing strong winds of up to 30 knots off the mountains behind the town and decided that it was best to stay aboard to keep tabs on the boat.

The next morning things were a little better so we went ashore for an English breakfast before visiting the old town. The old town is built into the side of a rock that is similar to the rock of Gibraltar. It is surrounded on 3 sides by a stone wall and by cliffs on the other side. The view of the ocean and surrounding mountains is first class and the town itself is built around narrow alleyways sometimes known as pinball alleys due to the nattow alleys and tunnels that feed down from high above to the lower fort wall.

We enjoyed a coffee with a view before heading back to the boat and stopping to get some fuel.

We had since excitement as we raised the main sail in 30 knot gusts. The main sail got stuck in the side stay and this resulted in a slight delay that had us closer to the shore than is safe and this required a big bare away to avoid the rocks. For a few seconds Chill did not want to bare away it looked like we were going to crash into the rocks at high speed but luckily she did veer away from the rocks with room to spare and we were able to breath again.

We blasted away at 12 knots with just a double reefed main sail. The sail to Porto Helli took us past high coastal mountains. We averaged 8 knots for most of the way before the wind dropped off. Chill arrived at Porto Helli around 5 pm. We anchored in the bay and went ashore for dinner.

The next day we took the dinghy to Spetse. We rode the bikes around the town. Spetse is a very tidy town compared to most Greek towns. The quality of the houses is superior and so are the prices in general. We had a frapachino and an early lunch before heading back to the boat. The highlight of the day was the attractive bikini girl that was smiling at us and spreading her legs in our direction. Gary and I were a bit overwelmed by her brazant behaviour.

We met an Australian couple and had dinner with them ashore before going to the port police to get our transit log stamped. As typical the police man was a dick and asked me too many dumb questions which got my heckles up. I told him I dont give a crap about the Greek regulations and this pushed his buttons and he went off at me. The supervisor told us to come back the next day when things had calmed down. Gary went back the next day and sorted this out. Note to myself stop trying to piss people off for trying to manage a stupid system that is not of their making.

After that excitement we hired a motor bike for €25 and headed to Ermioni to get the ferry to Hydra.

The ferry departed at 11am and 30 minutes later we were in the magnificent town of Hydra. There are not cars on Hydra and transportation is done by donkeys abs their handlers. Hydra harbour is in the shape of a semi circular bowl with houses looking down on the busy foreshore area.

Gary and I visited the Boy on the Dolphin monument to the 1957 movie starting Sophia Loren. Gary tried knocking on the Sophia Loren wind mill but alas Sopis was out.

We located the corner home of Leonard Cohen and headed back to the Port for lunch. We boarded the fast ferry back to Ermioni at 5.30 pm.

Once we arrived it was a matter of up anchoring and motoring to Kilada in the dark. We arrived at Kilada around 11pm on a moonless night and had to be careful to avoid the many boats moored in the bay since of which had no lights on.