Completing phase two...the circle

Crew three, Patti and Helen, are exploring Pandeli on Leros(where we are anchored) as I
   as I type this sitting on the back of CB in the last of the sun, wine in hand, moussaka in the oven, after a frustrating day getting Greek exit documents sorted so we can head to Turkey tomorrow. 

Perspective is necessary cos to do papers,I had to walk through crowds of Syrians kept behind the fence at the port police compound - there is limited room & facilities and it is such a sad mass of humanity. I felt incredibly guilty at my petty annoyance with the inefficient bureaucracy when they have much bigger issues at hand and even more so at my good fortune to be cruising at leisure through the Aegean when so many are in such turmoil. 

Highlight of the 4 hr paper saga was hitching a scooter ride with the agent ( who tried valiantly to get 150euro from me but ended up with 80!) to get from passport control office to port authority...had to shut my eyes several times.

I am a week behind in my blog and Lynne and Greg ( crew two) will be arriving back in cold old Victoria about now so I need to backtrack to describe the home stretch of their circular journey through all three of Greek regions in the Central Aegean. We have packed in 13 islands and have four to go so off at sunrise from the delightful Dhenoussa with a promising breeze to Patmos. Sadly the promise didn't last and after dealing with the exhausting Meltemi recently we now have our third day of motoring due to insufficient wind .......and so it goes. (must adopt Greek time attitude - just chill!)

 A little nervous wobble along the way about sharing the same sea space with a huge cargo ship which we safely got passed and then along came a tug towing a massive rig so dipping them seemed the sensible strategy -we dubbed it the leaning tower of the Aegean as it had a scary list.

Eventually drop anchor in Stavros, a barren west coast Patmos bay, alongside gullet and superyachts.

Swim & kayak to shore for a walk over the very narrow isthmus to the east side to find a boat yard and large bay chockers with yachts of every size. Lynne looked a right treat walking in mask and flippers along the beach and I wished I'd had the camera ( actually the three of us were far from the most attractive sight) however then we had to fight the wind to return to CB. My little kayak did a great job of not flipping over while Lynne and Greg put in a super effort to swim.

Next day a leisurely motor around the island perusing the significant private compounds overlooking the ocean  (one does wonder if this is EU money that didn't reach the unfinished govt aprojects)

to Patmaos Scala with its monastery of St John the Divine and windmills at the chora far above the busy waterfront town. 

Caught the local bus up to the chora, had lunch overlooking the vista of islands and boats, superyachts. 

wandered the narrow lanes of white houses but once again Greek siesta time caught us out and the monastry was shut & return bus non existent.

Still, the breeze was cool and a bench under the eucalypts proved inviting for our own siesta while bus waiting.

History's a bit confusing as at the Scala it says John the Baptist had a claim to fame here so Greg set about solving the dilemna and decided it was impossible for JtB to be here as his head would have been cut off by then, so a bit of poetic licence re the history methinks.

After our theological interlude amidst the most amazing array of anchored superyachts we toddle off to Marathos and lucked in a mooring - too easy. Lynne ticked the 'listen to goat bells' box.

I think he looks evil!

Con Brio on the far right.... Only mooring free.

I rowed in the dingy and climbed to the highest point ( not that high) and it is so freeing, endless ocean with so many islands and tiny yachts crisscrossing the blue.

That is the extent of population on Marathos, just three summer tavernas and a handful of rooms and yet one guy from the Pirate Taverna ( who seriously looked naturally like a pirate) can apparently claim his family tree here back 900 years.

We are in a beautiful weather window so lots of swimming and sleeping and now our last stop ..Lipsoi.

and then South the few miles to Leros from whence we began our Greek island sojourne but managed to sqeeze in one last anchorage swim spot at Xerokampus

on south Coast of Leros before heading back to the Marina for Lynne and Greg to ferry, bus, plane home. 

Lynne wants to stay, there is more to see so she is hanging on while Greg prizes her off the back stay as the taxi is waiting....great company, wonderful adventure but more to come for me and crew three, Patti and Helen.