Pythagorus & beyond

The wind is a fickle creature this year & our destination plans have often changed according to wind excesses or direction...what a luxury not to have time constraints as it continues to be anything but the expected prevailing winds from north west and lurches from south easterly gale to flat calm. I am trying to type this whilst sitting in the cockpit but the boat is pitching at an alarming bounce in the waves that are rolling into this narrow bay of the village of Emborios on Chios. Beautiful blue & sandy so swam but very shallow & surrounded by cliffs hence sea roll. houses appear to be closed up and other than a classic gaff rig boat that just surfed in and anchored next to us, there is not much happening. I dont get sea sick but this is clearly going to be an uncomfortable bouncy night.

Anyway i digress from my path of a week ago when we left Agathonisi to head for Pithagorion on Samos. Found the quay full so at anchor however easy to dingy in and avoided being a tourist attraction as the quay is the main walking drag -yachts one side and rows of cafes the other. Costs of berthing continue to be inconsistent - Croatia and Turkey slug you while these non major greek is appear to ignore fees for the most part & we are told no one here was charged despite it being a significant port town even with water & power.It is nearly a month since we have had either as usually at anchor or none available so used to managing now.

I gather Pithagorion is the home of Pythagoras which i have recollections of from math classes long ago and you can see the triangles on the town hall building. It is quite a picturesque spot so decided to stay and explore. took a local busy -we are definitely in the best town on Samos, down hearted looking tourists in other major towns with few redeeming features ( towns not tourists). i was checking out old cemetery and heard aussi voice coming from a yachtie couple (weather beaten, crumpled, unmistakenable look we all have in common) & found judy & owen belong to Hitchhiker, boat registered in Fremantle anchored near us so spent a couple of hours perched on gravestones below the crumbling walls of old monastery having a great natter exchanging destination info they spend a few months cruising very year. Walked miles out of town to check some historical aquaduct only to find it fenced off and closed -that was my attempt at history. Steve went to get transit papers done - this requires all boat papers, crew lists etc and continues to be an amazing experience of bureaucratic inefficiency & inconsistency - rules change with every  country & port & no one seems quite sure what they but if not done correctly (whatever that is) and you get checked on re-entry we have heard some horror stories of things unravelling rapidly. Yet another weather warning so our next couple of days were unplanned destinations but all part of this wonderful adventure. took shelter from gale in deserted but gorgeous bay on Fournoi north of Samos however little sleep for me as i am a worry wart of anchor drags at night, then back to northern side of Samos & Kalavassi in the hope of safety on a quay but only yacht -whole place just looked dead - very spooky. Town centre ok but waterfront very sad state of decay from what appears to have once been a significant and stately place. Couldn't get out quick enough and had a cracker of a sail to a bay near Sigalik, turkey - sun shining, perfect sail day , absolute bliss.  Still no fresh fish, did a stack of washing in a bucket so boat looks like a chinese laundry, swim. lucky i am a boring eater as our menu is simple but there is nothing better sitting on deck, sun going down, meal in hand after a great day on the water. Now, i am up to date and i have to say dinner tonight will be a hazard trying to keep the food on plate as we are pitching like a rodeo bull. Tomorrow hoping for a berth in Chois town to meet NZ cruising friends of Steve & hopefully wifi so this will post. Onwards to places north to destination istanbul as my time is flying by so fast.