2022 May: Cyclades Chap 3 & small Cyclades

2022-05-15

We are already in May and the Greek weather is just starting to get kinder. In the idyllic anchorages that we frequent, we dream of being able to throw ourselves into this turquoise water that makes us want so much.

In return, we are lucky to have a bright boat to sail from 5kts of wind up to more than 30kts. It’s a real pleasure.

Tuesday, May 3 we leave the port of MILOS to go east towards VATHY on the island of SIFNOS at 22Mn.

Peaceful night in Milos and departure from Milos in front of Klima

MR glides smoothly on a pleasant sea pushed by a NW wind of 10kts. We spend the night comfortably installed in a beautiful well-protected bay and eat early (which is not usual) but this way we can enjoy the cockpit and dine outdoors.

Wednesday, we set sails again for the island of SERIFOS and the anchorage of LIVADI close-hauled, tacking in 15 to 20kts of wind. MR passes well the swell which begins to grow.

At the water’s edge, a hamlet of houses with supermarket and restaurants surrounds the small port.

LIVADI is a small village planted on the mountainside which can be reached by bus from the port.

@Livadi in @Serifos (the island of Sifnos in the horizon)

We then leave for ANTI-PAROS around 1:30 p.m., but the wind abandons us and we divert to FAROS, a charming little village in the south of the island of SIFNOS. We are the only boat and anchor in the center of the bay with the backdrop of the fishing boat wharf and “the” local taverna.

The next morning we take the bus to visit Apollonia capital of SIFNOS located in the heart of the island.

The city center is picturesque and remarkably maintained, most of the streets are pedestrian and steep. From the town center we have a panoramic view of the surrounding hamlets. Life there seems sweet and quiet, but the tourists still haven’t arrived.

Saturday we go back to sea, with 20kts of North wind. We are heading at a good pace, due east towards the famous anchorage of DESPOTIKO on the island of ANTI-PAROS. We drop our anchor there around 2:15 p.m. The wind is cold the clouds begin to hide the sun. We are well protected from the North swell but not really from the wind which has strengthened.

We go ashore to visit the ruins of an ancient sanctuary dedicated to Apollo, being restored, the only vestige of the past of this place.

The following day, we leave with 25kts of NNE wind towards the island of ERAKLIA at 25Mn.

Arriving, the two possible mooring bays turn out to be totally open to the current wind and we take refuge on the neighboring island of SHINOUSSA in the bay of TSIGOURI BEACH next to MERSSINI. It is an island of the small Cyclades which is not very populated (about 100 inhabitants) and very little tourist. Being fertile, unlike its neighbors, vines are cultivated there to produce wine.

The anchorage at this time of the year is very calm, only the crowing of the roosters and the bells of the goats break the surrounding silence. Sea disembarks and leaves to discover the surroundings, the surroundings of the port confirm the uninhabited aspect of the island.

On May 9, anniversary of the end of the Great War, we left SHINOUSSA to go to KOUFONISSIA Pano, the easternmost island of the small Cyclades. There is a small port, but we prefer to anchor in front of the sandy beach in the middle of fishing boats in turquoise water. We are well sheltered from the North winds and only the swell from the ferry manages to reach us.

It is an island, without buses and without scooters, which is very peaceful at this time of the year. La CHORA is the only real village on the island. It is made up of the old quarter, above the landing stage, where most of the shops and restaurants are located, and the new quarter to the east of the beach where the buildings intended to welcome tourists are being developed. KOUFONISSI is in full tourist development.