Sailing from Greece to Turkey (Leros to Keci Buku) - sample itinerary

Day One
Your yacht will be awaiting you at 11am in Lakki, the main harbour on the west coast of Leros. We'll have drinks, boat chat and show you the ropes - time to settle in before we sail for our first destination.

Dependent on the winds - our first port of call is usually Lipsos - the island of the 42 blue-domed churches. It's a quiet, very untouristy island; the harbour is a typical, whitewashed little Greek town; a photographers' dream in the village! To cool off, there is a lovely little sandy beach, just over the hill from where we moor the boats, and a great hike along a little goat track to the point, with amazing views to the other islands. Sail time, approx 3-4hrs

Day Two
Given calm conditions, we may be able to stop for a late breakfast at Macronisi - a collection of stunning rocks and cliff faces, just outside the entrance to Lipsos harbour. The water is a bright turquoise, perfect for snorkelling; and for the brave, there is an underwater cave swim-through!
Duly refreshed, we'll set sail for Marathi. - If you could paint a picture of the perfect, idyllic island retreat, Marathi would be it - a tiny island with a sandy, horseshoe-shaped beach, and more beautiful water to swim and snorkel in. There are just two families living here; wonderfully friendly and hospitable people. The food is incredible too !! This place is a magical balm for the stressed-out city-living soul...so much so that it's often been hard to persuade people that, really, we should leave, there are other islands to visit ! Sail time, approx 3hrs.

Day Three
Sail to Patmos - a short hop of only a couple of hours. This is the famous monastery island - in fact is supposedly the second most important religious centre for Greek Orthodoxy in the world! This is where St John (as of Apostle fame) was inspired by visions to write the Book of Revelations; where the 10th century monastery (built by Crusader Knights) reigns over the island, still an active training centre for novice monks. The village that lies at the foot of the monastery is everyone's romantic image of what a Greek village should be like; incredibly narrow, winding alleyways, cats sunning themselves on whitewashed streets, old ladies in black collecting fresh bread from the bakery in the morning. Despite all the visitors they now get, these villagers have remained wonderfully friendly; particularly if you go up there in the early morning hours; the old ladies will look at you in faint amazement that a foreigner should find their way up there at such an hour; if you can remember enough of our Greek lessons to say "kalimera!" (good morning), they'll give you a huge smile and a "kalimera-sas" back (good morning to you too) !

Day Four
We'll spend most of the day in Patmos.... there's so much to do and see here, we could spend a week and still not be bored ! It's a great place to rent little 50cc scooters and explore; or mountain bikes for the more energetic; or join us for a hike to a really cool, sandy "clothing-optional" beach which even has surf at times! For those who love a little nightlife, the more modern port of Skala offers plenty of choices; tavernas, bars and chance to dance the night away for those so inclined !

Sail late afternoon for Arki - another relatively short hop. Arki is another of our real tiny, traditional islands... there is a total population of 37 here... not counting the goats ! Dinner at Manoli's - another of our very colourful island friends. Many an evening has been spent up at his cottage on the hill; dancing the night away under the stars (he and all his nephews & nieces are amazing dancers!); or maybe just sitting and sipping an ouzo, doing some quiet star-gazing.

Day Five
Morning sail for Pandeli, a pretty and lively little village on the east side of Leros. Traditional blue-and-white houses lie scattered down the hillside, around the little horseshoe-shaped bay. Our favourite beach tavernas are conveniently just a 2 min swim from where we anchor the boats in the middle of the bay - a real picture-postcard scene! For those with plenty of night-owl energy, there is the infamous Savana Bar - a very idiosyncratic little local hangout, where we often end up dancing the night away! Leros is also a great island to rent little 50cc scooters or a jeep, and go explore the dozens of bays & backroads, other little villages - and most of all, the 11th century fortress which towers over the bay (both sunrise and sunset are totally spectacular from up here).

Day Six
Leave Pandeli around midday, giving us the morning to make the most of our time on Leros. Then we'll sail for Vathi on the island of Kalymnos —another 3 hr sail—and spend the late afternoon/evening here.

Vathi is a dramatic little spot; a well-hidden and very narrow fjord-like entrance, opening up into a tiny fishing village at the head of the bay. It boasts one main street and a collection of houses scattered into the valley; an unexpected patch of lush vegetation on an otherwise very dry and arid-looking island. Vathi is the only place on the entire island that is lucky enough to have it's own spring water supply, and they use it carefully to cultivate citrus fruits, figs, grapes and anything else that can be persuaded to grow!

It's also the home of Poppy's—, where momma makes the best homemade dolmades (stuffed grapeleaves) you'll ever taste in your life, and the swordfish steaks are out of this world!!

Day Seven
OK, so here is the "adventure" part of the trip—we'll be sailing early for Kos—yes, we're talking sunrise here!! It's amazingly beautiful on the water - if you've never experienced this before, it's well worth getting dragging yourself out of bed for. This is going to be the long day's sail, as we need to clear out of Greece, then into Turkey. So, we'll arrive in Kos around 10am, and get customs paperwork cleared as fast as possible. We'll have a couple of hours in Kos—plenty to go see the castle and the famous plane tree where Hippocrates supposedly taught (for the more culturally-inclined); or enjoy a great chocolate milkshake on the busy waterfront for others!

Passports duly stamped, we will set sail for Bodrum; a lovely beam reach for a couple of hours, where it will be Welcome to Turkey ! Or at least, modern-day Turkey; Bodrum is quite the busy, bustling metropolis. Winding street bazaars criss-cross the town, beautiful old wooden gulets line the waterfront, as do hundreds of little bars and restaurants. The fortress of St John is still incredibly intact, and has a fascinating museum inside. And for those who love their nightlife, Bodrum claims the largest outdoor disco - "Halicarnassos" - in Europe ! It's also THE place for those Born to Shop; great bargains to be had in all sorts of leather goods, silver jewellery and semi-precious stones; and of course, the ubiquitous Turkish carpets.

Day Eight
We'll spend most of the morning in Bodrum, leaving around lunchtime for Knidos - about a 3hr sail.
Once upon a time, Knidos was a key city/harbour in the ancient world, home to many thousands of people. Now it is just a tranquil and well-sheltered bay - but the remains of these former civilizations still lie scattered around the hills, surrounding the bay on all three sides. There are amphitheatres, stone pillars and carvings, temple remains - all incredibly intact. It is really a time warp experience to wander around these hills and try to imagine the way of life all those thousands of years ago.

Day Nine
Sail to Ova Buku - a fairly short, and most likely downside sail - lovely! We should be at our destination in time for lunch; and time to explore the tiny village of Ova Buku. Our favourite taverna - Ogun's Place - has the best home-cooked Turkish food imaginable, not at all the usual tourist fare; and our young host - Ogun himself - always has lively (and often unexpected!) additions for our evening's entertainment ! The village itself has a great little bay for cooling off; for those looking for a little more privacy, a short hike away is a lovely long and isolated beach; a perfect afternoon retreat.

Day Ten
Sail to Datca - a very lively little town! The waterfront is lined little bars and tavernas; one street behind are several interesting craft & jewellery shops. Walking towards the beach, there is a tiny lake, with a surprisingly powerful "mini-waterfall" as it runs into the ocean; a great and very cooling massage experience !! For those wanting to dance the night away, Datca has several lively bars and nightspots - and a "hamam" (Turkish baths) , to ease any aching muscles the next morning ! Nestled up in the hills is a fascinating old Greek town, which is now being repopulated. And if anyone has a hankering to buy a Turkish carpet, some of our best local connections are here.

Day Eleven
Sail to Bozburun; a small, very traditional Turkish town; full of gulets (wooden motor sailors), but not many yachts, and certainly not many tourists. We dock just outside the town, on a wooden jetty outside a little family-run pension/restaurant right on the waterfront. It is a shady, tranquil little spot to hang out in - and we even get to borrow their fun kayaks plus a windsurfer or two to go explore the bay in! Most importantly of all is the evening's entertainment - for our groups, they will invite along local friends who play traditional Turkish music - and even a belly-dancer to teach us all how it is done !

There is also a chance to take a minibus trip inland to see some of the local villages, climb a little waterfall to cool off! - and visit a carpet-making cooperative, to see firsthand how it is all done.

Day Twelve
A gentle run to Dirsek, a secluded little bay about 2 hours sail away. A little taverna lies nestled in one corner, a blaze of brightly-coloured bougainvillea and other greenery. Wonderful place to swim and generally veg out.A family of young brothers run the taverna in this tiny, tranquil spot - who given half a chance, will crank up the dancing music after dinner - an unlikely-seeming but great little create-your-own party spot !

Day Thirteen
Sail to Keci Buku. A well-sheltered hideout described as a "gem" in the Turkish Waters Pilot - and it truly is. A wide, sweeping bay surrounded by pine forests, with a fascinating old fortress perched on the top of an island guarding the entrance - a view which is well worth the scramble up! It's a little-known sailor's hidey-hole, perfectly sheltered, and only 30mins drive over the peninsula to the hustle-and-bustle of "tourist town" Marmaris.

This is the easiest connection back to the "real world" of modern-day Turkey, where you can shop-till-you-drop in Marmaris's fun bazaars, and experience the bright lights of a busy and brimming Turkish seaport. For one day/night, Marmaris is an interesting and fun contrast to the places where we will have been sailing; (though one always feels a little sorry for the "package tourists", for whom this is the only aspect of Turkey which they see !)

Day Fourteen
Disembark 9am in Keci Buku.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dodecanese Islands - two weeks - sample itinerary

Day One
Your yacht will be awaiting you at 11am in Agmar Marine, the main harbour of Lakki on Leros. We'll have drinks, boat chat, show you're the ropes—and then head off for our first destination of Vathi, on the island of Kalymnos; a relaxing downwind sail to ease those landlubberly legs into shape slowly! About 3 ½ hrs sail time.

Vathi is a dramatic little spot; a well-hidden and very narrow fjord-like entrance, opening up into a tiny fishing village at the head of the bay. It boasts one main street and a collection of houses scattered into the valley; an unexpected patch of lush vegetation on an otherwise very dry and arid-looking island. Vathi is the only place on the entire island that is lucky enough to have it's own spring water supply, and they use it carefully to cultivate citrus fruits, figs, grapes and anything else that can be persuaded to grow!
It's also the home of "Poppy's"—one of our "adopted families" around here, where momma makes the best homemade dolmades (stuffed grapeleaves) you'll ever taste in your life, and the swordfish steaks are out of this world!!

Day Two
Sail to Paleonissos - a little-known secret of Kalymnos! Another dramatic and mountainous bay, tucked well away in the north of the island; anchorages like this are what make landlubbers fall totally in love with the cruising lifestyle ! There is little here apart from herds of goats; at dusk and dawn, the sound of their bells echoes around the hillside - not a bad alarm call ! With no distracting light around, the night sky is a dramatic sight; many an hour has been spent sitting on deck / on the beach simply star-gazing. Our unlikely-seeming dinner spot is a hike-and-scramble 5mins inland,through bushes of sweet-smelling sage - to the backyard of our local buddy Nicolas, an eccentric character who delights in telling stories of the old Kalymnian sponge fishers, and inviting his music-loving companions from nearby villages to serenade us!

Day Three After breakfast and morning swims, we'll sail to Pandeli Bay on the east coast of Leros; a pretty and lively little village. Traditional blue-and-white houses lie scattered down the hillside, around the little horseshoe-shaped bay. Our favourite beach tavernas are conveniently just a 2 min swim from where we anchor the boats in the middle of the bay - a real picture-postcard scene! For those with plenty of night-owl energy, there is the infamous Savana Bar - a very idiosyncratic little local hangout, where we often end up dancing the night away!

Leros is also a great island to rent little 50cc scooters or a jeep, and go explore the dozens of bays & backroads, other little villages - and most of all, the 11th century fortress which towers over the bay (both sunrise and sunset are totally spectacular from up here).

Day Four
Sail to Agathonissi (approx 3-4hrs). A small, traditional island with just one fishing port, plus two tiny villages perched on top of the hillside; a population of just 150 people. On arrival, we'll no doubt be greeted by our host Giorgos - a.k.a. Unofficial Harbour Master and Ouzo King of Agathonissi ! A colourful evening at George's is usually on the menu; he loves to see our yachts sailing in - it's a great excuse for a party on an otherwise quiet and isolated island

Day Five
Early morning sail to Marathi. If you could paint a picture of the perfect, tiny Greek island retreat - Marathi would be it. A horseshoe-shaped sandy bay, no regular ferry connections with other islands; you need your own boat to get here. Our adopted family here are so wonderful and hospitable too - and the food is incredible!! This tiny spot has hit top of the Favourite Spot list with our groups for several years now - so much so that it's been hard to persuade people that, really, we should leave, there are other islands to visit ! (approx 3hrs sail time)

Day Six
Sail to Samos—a real contrast from the last two tiny, remote little islands! Samos is quite the upmarket, cosmopolitan island; the little harbour of Pythagorion is lined with dozens of tavernas along the waterfront. Pythagorion is the birthplace and home of that famous mathematician who gave his name to the theorum; who also had a most ingenious way of making sure his students did not drink too much wine at his lectures. Check out the "Pythagoras Cup"! It's a pretty little port; can get somewhat crowded and noisy in mid-summer months; definitely is the place to hit the town and party-on-down for those so inclined! Sail time: 3-4hrs.

Day Seven
The major attraction of the island, however, is once one gets out of the port. Samos is beautifully green—mountains covered with pine forests, streams, stunning cliffs and beaches—a real contrast to most of the other Dodecanese islands, which aren't exactly what you'd call lush. We often do a really fun "jeep safari" here. spend the day exploring all over the island.

Or, there's also a chance to take a daytrip to Turkey and visit Kusadasi and Ephesus - great bargain-hunting in Kusadasi's maze of bazaars, and immensely impressive ruins of the ancient city at Ephesus (the Acropolis has nothing on this !).

For those staying for just one week of this 2wk itinerary, Samos is the departure point; 9am on Saturday morning. For those joining for wk2, the rendezvous is Sun morning (day 8), at 9am.

Day Eight
This past year, a return visit to Marathi was voted in so many times, that we're just going to put it on the regular route for this year! Samos is a lot of fun, lots to see and do - but after a couple of days of packing in the action, an afternoon of Marathi's tranquility usually seems like a really good idea again !!

Day Nine
Sail to Patmos—a short hop of only a couple of hours. This is the famous monastry island—in fact is supposedly the second most important religious centre for Greek Orthodoxy in the world! This is where St John (as of Apostle fame) was inspired by visions to write the Book of Revelations; where the 10th century monastry (built by Crusader Knights) reigns over the island, still an active training centre for novice monks. The village that lies at the foot of the monastry is everyone's romantic image of what a Greek village should be like; incredibly narrow, winding alleyways, cats sunning themselves on whitewashed streets, old ladies in black collecting fresh bread from the bakery in the morning. Despite all the visitors they now get, these villagers have remained wonderfullly friendly; particularly if you go up there in the early morning hours; the old ladies will look at you in faint amazement that a foreigner should find their way up there at such an hour; if you can remember enough of our Greek lessons to say "kalimera!" (good morning), they'll give you a huge smile and a "kalimera-sas" back (good morning to you too)!

Day Ten
In Patmos. Patmos is definitely another "two day island"—there's so much to do and see here, we could spend a week and still not be bored! It's another great place to hire those little scooters and explore...or mountain bikes for the more energetic; or join us for a hike to a really cool, sandy "clothing-optional" beach which even has surf at times! For those who love the energetic Greek nightlife, the more modern port of Skala offers plenty of choices; tavernas, bars and chance to dance the night away for those so inclined !

Day Eleven
Sail to Arki (approx 2hrs). If the weather is sufficiently calm, we may be able to visit Tiganakia also en route; also known as "Caribbean Cove" for it's translucent turquoise waters!

Another tiny, traditional island, Arki boasts a permanent population of just 27 people ! (The population expands considerably if you count the goats, however). There is just one little port, a few houses scattered down the hillside - and most of all, Manoli's place ! Mr Cool Dude Manoli runs a wonderful little oasis of a taverna; cushions scattered around the shady patio, speakers hidden away in the trees, from which a constant, beautiful stream of music emanates. Manoli has the most incredible music collection you could ever imagine on such an isolated little island, and is quite the musical expert too. Get him in the right mood, and he's also a hot dancer - as are all his nieces and nephews !

Day Twelve
Sail to Lipsos—the island of the 42 blue-domed churches. It's a quiet, very untouristy island; the harbour is a typical, whitewashed little Greek town; a photographers' dream in the village! To cool off, there is a lovely little sandy beach, just over the hill from where we moor the boats, and a great hike out to the point for those needing to burn off some of those calamari !

If we're lucky and conditions are calm, we may be able to visit Aspro Nisi ("White Island") en route; this a real stunning little island - or should we say "large rock"! - out in the middle of nowhere.

Day Thirteen
Sail back to Leros, to our home base of Lakki on the western side. En route, we'll stop for lunch-and-swim at the little uninhabited island of Archangelos - make sure you don't use up all your film in Lipsos, you'll be needing it for the amazingly bright turquoise waters of this little anchorage !

Once back in Lakki, there is one last chance to soak up the sun on the little beach just around the corner from the yachts, or maybe last just chill out with a beer / icecream frappe in the marina's taverna! Farewell dinner at Vromolithos - a beautiful beachfront taverna with the most amazing views over the bay - and, for a final night's grand finale - live Greek music !

Day Fourteen
Disembark 9am in Lakki.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sailing from Turkey to Greece - sample itinerary

Day One
Your yacht will be awaiting you at 11am in Keci Buku - 30mins drive from the main town of Marmaris. A wonderful contrast to the buzzing metropolis, Keci Buku is described as a "gem" in the Turkish Waters Pilot - and it truly is. A wide, sweeping bay surrounded by pine forests, with a fascinating old fortress perched on the top of an island guarding the entrance - a view which is well worth the scramble up!

After having gotten everyone settled in, we'll set off for our first destination of Dirsek - an even quieter, very pretty little bay, with just one taverna nestled in a corner. Wonderful swimming, great chillout spot; and a shortish sail on the first day to get everyone's sealegs working !

Day Two
Enough of the quiet, relaxing evenings to recover from jetlag - tonight, we are heading for a night of belly-dancing ! We'll be heading for Bozburun; usually very leisurely sail around the corner. Bozburun is a small, very traditional Turkish town; full of gulets (wooden motor sailors), but not many yachts, and certainly not many tourists.We dock our yachts on a little wooden jetty just outside the town, the family who run a small pension/restaurant right there on the waterfront being our very accommodating hosts. It is a shady, tranquil little spot to hang out in - and we even get to borrow their fun kayaks plus a windsurfer or two to go explore the bay in! Most importantly of all is the evening's entertainment - for our groups, they will invite along local friends who play traditional Turkish music - and even a belly-dancer to teach us all how it is done !

Day Three
Sail to Datca - a lively little town. The waterfront is lined little bars and tavernas; one street behind are several interesting craft & jewellery shops. Walking towards the beach, there is a tiny lake, with a surprisingly powerful "mini-waterfall" as it runs into the ocean; a great and very cooling massage experience !! For those wanting to dance the night away, Datca has several lively bars and nightspots - and a "hamam" (Turkish baths) , to ease any aching muscles the next morning ! Nestled up in the hills is a fascinating old Greek town, which is now being repopulated. And if anyone has a hankering to buy a Turkish carpet, some of our best local connections are here.

Day Four
Sail to Ova Buku - a total contrast to the busy, modern ambiance of Datca, this is traditional Turkey as it has been for many years.Our favourite taverna - Ogun's Place - has the best home-cooked Turkish food imaginable, not at all the usual tourist fare; and our young host - Ogun himself - always has lively (and often unexpected!) additions for our evening's entertainment ! The village itself has a great little bay for cooling off; for those looking for a little more privacy, a short hike away is a lovely long and isolated beach; a perfect afternoon retreat.

Day Five
Sail to Knidos - once upon a time, this was a key city/harbour in the ancient world, home to many thousands of people. Now it is just a tranquil and well-sheltered bay - but the remains of these former civilizations still lie scattered around the hills, surrounding the bay on all three sides. There are amphitheatres, stone pillars and carvings, temple remains - all incredibly intact. It is really a time warp experience to wander around these hills and try to imagine the way of life all those thousands of years ago.

Day Six
Sail the next morning to Bodrum - an early start, so as to make the most of all the things to do and see in the "big metropolis"! A complete contrast to many of the little traditional places we have been visiting, Bodrum is very much modern-day Turkey. Winding street bazaars criss-cross the town, beautiful old wooden gulets line the waterfront, as do hundreds of little bars and restaurants. The 10th fortress of St John is a fascinating place to visit, especially the museum inside. And for those who love their nightlife, Bodrum claims the largest outdoor disco - "Halicarnassos" - in Europe !

Day Seven
We'll spend most of the morning in Bodrum - last chance for the great shopping, sight-seeing, etc. Bodrum is our official checkout habour from Turkey; once customs paperwork is done, we'll be sailing for Greece - the harbour of Kos ! It's a short 90 min sail, a lovely beam reach usually. It will take a couple of hours to deal with paperwork - enough time to go check out the castle/ruins for those who are culturally inclined / sit and drink milkshakes and take in the passing harbourfront parade for others ! Kos is very much a "package tour town", so we usually choose not to spend too much time here; but head onwards that afternoon for a taste of the "real" Greek islands - our dramatic little port of Vathi, on the island of Kalymnos.

For those sailing with us for just the Turkey week, Bodrum is the disembarkation port. On occasion and given sufficient space, we are able to extend this to a disembarkation in Kos instead.

Vathi is a well-hidden and very narrow fjord-like bay, opening up into a tiny fishing village at the head of the bay. It boasts one main street and a collection of houses scattered into the valley; an unexpected patch of lush vegetation on an otherwise very dry and arid-looking island. Vathi is the only place on the entire island that is lucky enough to have it's own spring water supply, and they use it carefully to cultivate citrus fruits, figs, grapes and anything else that can be persuaded to grow! It's also the home of Poppy's - one of our "adopted families" around here, where momma makes the best homemade dolmades (stuffed grapeleaves) you'll ever taste in your life, and the swordfish steaks are out of this world !!

Day Eight
A short sail today, just a couple of hours north of Vathi - to our little-known secret anchorage of Paleonissos! Another dramatic and mountainous bay, tucked well away in the north of the island; anchorages like this are what make landlubbers fall totally in love with the cruising lifestyle ! There is little here apart from herds of goats; at dusk and dawn, the sound of their bells echoes around the hillside - not a bad alarm call ! With no distracting light around, the night sky is a dramatic sight; many an hour has been spent sitting on deck / on the beach simply star-gazing. Our unlikely-seeming dinner spot is a hike-and-scramble 5mins inland,through bushes of sweet-smelling sage - to the backyard of our local buddy Nicolas, an eccentric character who delights in telling stories of the old Kalymnian sponge fishers, and inviting his music-loving companions from nearby villages to serenade us!

Day Nine
Time for a more lively spot ! - next morning, we set sail for Pandeli Bay, a very pretty and active little village. Traditional blue-and-white houses lie scattered down the hillside, around the little horseshoe-shaped bay. Our favourite beach tavernas are conveniently just a 2 min swim from where we anchor the boats in the middle of the bay - a real picture-postcard scene! For those with plenty of night-owl energy, there is the infamous Savana Bar - a very idiosyncratic little local hangout, where we often end up dancing the night away! Leros is also a great island to rent little 50cc scooters or a jeep, and go explore the dozens of bays & backroads, other little villages - and most of all, the 11th century fortress which towers over the bay (both sunrise and sunset are totally spectacular from up here).

Day Ten
Sail to Agathonissi - a leisurely departure time of "some time after lunch". Arrive in Agathonissi to be greeted by our host Giorgos - a.k.a. Unofficial Harbour Master and Ouzo King of Agathonissi ! A colourful evening at George's is usually on the menu; he loves to see our yachts sailing in - it's a great excuse for a party on an otherwise quiet and isolated island. 3-4 hrs sail time.

Day Eleven
Early am sail for Marathi; a truly tiny little island which is home to just two families; a real sandy beach, beautiful water to swim and snorkel in. If you could paint a picture of the perfect, idyllic island retreat, Marathi would be it. Our adopted family here are wonderfully hospitable - and the food incredible!! This tiny spot has hit top of the Favourite Spot list with our groups for several years now - it's sometimes been hard to persuade people that, really, we should leave, there are other islands to visit !

Day Twelve
Sail to Patmosóa short hop of only a couple of hours. This is the famous monastry islandóin fact is supposedly the second most important religious centre for Greek Orthodoxy in the world! This is where St John (as of Apostle fame) was inspired by visions to write the Book of Revelations; where the 10th century monastry (built by Crusader Knights) reigns over the island, still an active training centre for novice monks. The village that lies at the foot of the monastry is everyone's romantic image of what a Greek village should be like; incredibly narrow, winding alleyways, cats sunning themselves on whitewashed streets, old ladies in black collecting fresh bread from the bakery in the morning. Despite all the visitors they now get, these villagers have remained wonderfullly friendly; particularly if you go up there in the early morning hours; the old ladies will look at you in faint amazement that a foreigner should find their way up there at such an hour; if you can remember enough of our Greek lessons to say "kalimera!" (good morning), they'll give you a huge smile and a "kalimera-sas" back (good morning to you too)!

Day Thirteen
Set sail southwards again - a lovely downwind leg of around 3-4 hours. Wind permitting, we may be able to stop for lunch at Archangelos, a tiny island whose turquoise-coloured waters make wonderful "make-'em-totally-jealous-back-home" shots ! We'll end in the main port of Lakki (on Leros) late afternoon.

Day Fourteen
Disembarkation 9am in Lakki.