Greek Sailing Voyage from Athens

There are so many islands and remote ports in Greece that are only accessible by sea, making “yachting” the best (and most stylish) way to travel. My friends Kristina and Niko from Saint Petersburg, Russia are very into sailing, and a few times a year they travel to the Mediterranean where they lease a sailboat for a few weeks and invite friends to join. I don’t know the first thing about sailing (or how to tie any cool knots), so I am grateful to have these friends who welcome me on board!

Last October I sailed with Kris, Niko and friends around the Dodecanese Islands, starting in Rhodes. This year in June we set sail from the marina in Athens, and explored destinations within the Saronic Gulf, on the east coast of the Argolid Peninsula.

This year was quite different from last October; the weather was quite a bit hotter, and on most days the sea was much calmer. I am still not immune to seasickness, though, and spent the first sea crossings below deck, trying to nap away the nausea. Well traveled as I may be, my sea legs are weak!

Methana

The name Methana originates from “Methane”, which is the odorous gas associated with volcanoes and hot springs (that stinky egg smell). Methana is a sleepy island-like peninsula, alive with underground thermal activity. At one time Methana was a popular tourist destination, but over the last few decades the peninsula has fallen out of favor. A very cool old hot spring bathhouse sits currently boarded-up and abandoned, and the entire waterfront seems eerily vacant. Despite the slightly shabby-chic appearance to Methana, there were seafront restaurants open for business, pristine swimming beaches, and a waterfront natural hot spring!

Milky-White mineral-rich thermal water can be seen at the abandoned Methana bath

At the swimming beach adjacent to the abandoned pool, the thermal water mixes with sea water to render the water varying shades of milky white to translucent teal blue.

Poros

ERMIONI

Dokos

Dokos is a tiny little island that is inhabited by one family, and one white donkey. We anchored our sailboat in the bay at Dokos for overnight, and took the dinghy to shore to visit the donkey and the island’s one-room church.