The following articles were originally published in NOSCA‘s regular newsletter and SOCA, (as a sister organisation), have been given permission to replicate it here with kind permission of Wendy & Bob..

Introdution to the log of a sailing flotilla in the Argolic Gulf from our Friends at NOSCA.

“Sailing with the flotilla the 9 O’clock Monday morning meeting (briefing) takes on a different aspect from those Monday morning work meetings of yesteryear. For a start it takes place in a local taverna accompanied by delicious coffee, and everyone is introducing themselves, comparing notes and eagerly awaiting to learn to which part of paradise would we be sailing today?

As Wendy has described in her detailed log below, we had good sailing, good weather, interesting places in the Argolic Gulf with good Greek food and good company with the flotilla sailors.
Over the two weeks we were set challenges including to swap roles to come into the quayside, resulting in a few somewhat nervous partners taking the helm to back in for the first time, needless to say, all very successfully. One boat was obviously well prepared, as the regular crew were hijacked by Norma and Lorna who proved their skills!

We thoroughly enjoyed our two-week sailing flotilla in the Argolic Gulf finishing back at our starting base at Astros. Time for a last swim from the nearby beach after boat cleaning and packing, before our final group meal with excellent conversation and company. We wish fair winds to our NOSCA Greek Flotilla in September.”

Bob and Wendy went with ‘Sailing Holidays’ on their Argolic flotilla in May/June this year. They particularly wanted to explore this area because time had not permitted when they bought “Carrig Hannah”  from Maramaris in Turkey to Messolonghi in the Gulf of Patras via the Corinth Canal in 2016.

Log of Sailing in the Greek Argolic Gulf from our friends at NOSCA

Following a late-night arrival aboard Konitsa, a  Beneteau 323, which was to be our home for the next two weeks, our bunks found us soon sound asleep. A morning walk around the village of Astros found the lighthouse, WW2 gun emplacement and amphitheatre (we were later to discover that several villages have their own modern amphitheatre, used for communal events, starlight film shows etc. Our flotilla skipper used them occasionally as the location for morning briefings). Of course, the location of the bakery was the most important find. Greek bakeries are renowned not only for their bread, sadly subject to inflation, no longer 1 Euro, but now 1.20 or 1.30, but also for spinachi (spinach and feta pies), an amazing array of biscuits and pastries providing a real waistline challenge.

The 9 o’clock Monday morning meeting (briefing) takes on a different aspect from those Monday morning work meetings of yesteryear. For a start it takes place in a local taverna accompanied by delicious coffee and everyone is introducing themselves, comparing notes and eagerly awaiting to learn which part of paradise would we be sailing to today?

 

Key messages from our initial briefing with Flotilla Skipper, Millie and Engineer, George:

• Hazards include local fishing boats towing nets or long lines, superfast hydrofoils and catamarans, the occasional dirty Greek coaster.
  
  
• Weather in the gulf is very localised, in particular the katabatic winds in late afternoon, at just the time when we are berthing.
  
  
• Various Greek marine laws we should be aware of including keeping a daily crew temperature log, other covid related rules,  no swapping of registered crews, lost dinghies have to be reported and could hold up the whole flotilla several days.
  
  
• Our boats – “If you don’t know your knots, tie it lots”, “If you don’t want to lose a foot,
  give it a foot (of space between your foot  and the windlass!)”. Heads and holding
  tanks exist for one purpose in life – to get blocked.

Our first day, Monday, was to sail 12 NM south down the coast to Tiros. After provisioning and boat sorting, we set off, getting the sails set in the bay. The predicted NW 3-4 turned out to be SW 4-5, so we quickly reefed. Once moored up stern-to at the quay at Tiros, we were treated to an icebreaking group meal at Spiros Taverna – the very best vegetarian food for a long time.

 

Tuesday’s wind again was stronger than predicted, so we reefed again for the 13NM sail to Leonidhian, sometimes known as Plaka (Greek for beach). Here we were somewhat challenged by the height of the harbour wall, so resorted to our dinghy rowing ashore to explore and eat at Marguerite’s, delicious sardines and she gave us apricots from her tree to take back to the boat.

A longer trip on Wednesday of 25 NM, unfortunately the predicted 2-3 was optimistic and turned out to be a Beaufort 0, so a lot of noisy motoring to Leraka. Worth every mile of it. Leraka is a beautiful hamlet located in a fiord like inlet which provides a natural harbour. Here we moored bow-to the quay – great for swimming in the crystal-clear water, but keeping clear of the resident turtle with his powerful flippers. A delightful location for an evening stroll along the side of the fiord   and spotting the route up to the ruins of Ancient  Zarax, once a great fortified city.

The next morning saw Bob and I up early to clamber up to the ruins in the cool of the early morning, the pathway somewhat overgrown, but marked by red painted dots on the rocks. Fragrant late spring flowers and herbs as well as bird song accompanied us. We were rewarded by the extensive views over the surrounding countryside and the entrance to the well protected natural harbour.

 

Thursday was to be a relatively short sail and   
allowed for our first lunchtime bay stop, with the
bligatory swims from the boat. Our destination was Monemvasia, at first sight a large chunk of rock broken off from the mainland, at closer inspection a causeway links it gether with its medieval fortress town to the mainland town of Yerifa.

 

 

 

The harbour itself is on the mainland, currently rather a noisy, dusty place with much renovation of one of the quays in progress.

 

 

The walk across the causeway and up the hill to the town’s single entrance (Moni Emvasis) proved challenging in the late afternoon low sun, but worth the effort once inside and past the street hawkers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wandering the narrow, cobbled streets, we were  in a different world and even more so when we arrived at our evening’s destination, Byrons, for a guided tasting of Peloponnese wines.

 

Friday, we headed north again, 21NM to Kiparissi. This was a frustrating hot day with little and fickle wind, of attempts to sail, but reverting to engine for much of the way. Crews were  challenged to swap roles to come into the quayside, resulting in a few somewhat nervous partners taking the helm to back in for the first time, needless to say all very successfully. One boat was obviously well prepared and the regular crew were hijacked by Norma and Lorna who proved their skills.
Another ice breaker punch party that evening, although not required as everyone seemed to be getting along very well. Another glorious setting for swimming and dolphin spotting.

 

The next day we set off across the gulf to Porto Kheli. A deeply indented harbour with several bays and for us another stern-to mooring on the town quay. Porto Kheli struck us as rather pretentious, being geared up for large motor yachts. However, it was redeemed for us by perhaps the best food we have enjoyed anywhere at the restaurant ‘Hippocampus’, surprisingly accompanied by local organic wine at a mere 9EU a bottle.

Sunday’s forecast was for a strong wind warning that night, so we were invited to go out for a day sail, returning to our berth before 1600 because the Lead Crew wanted to watch the  Monaco Grande Prix! We sailed to the north of the island of Skiathos, enjoyed lunch and a swim at anchor and sailed back into Porto  Kheli under reefed genoa.

 

 

The second week saw us explore the east side of the gulf, Ermioni, a favourite of ours from our passage from Marmaris to the Corinth Canal in 2016. Dhokos Island, where having braved a late afternoon sudden increase in wind strength entering the bay, we enjoyed a beach party after the flotilla had rafted up.

 

 

 

Our next port of call was Khoiladhia, which was to prove our favourite anchorage of this trip. We anchored beneath Megolithic caves, where the oldest remains of human life in Greece had been discovered, and which were flood lit at night.

 

 

 

 

We planned to follow what looked like a track from a small beach to the caves in the morning but were deterred by the strength of the wind gusting into the bay.

 

 

 

 

We then enjoyed an exhilarating sail to Vivari, another anchorage, once an attractive isolated inlet, however now rapidly being developed.

 

 

 

This was another inlet used as a harbour by Ancient Greeks, Venetians, as well as Ottoman Turks.The fortifications at the entrance modified many times over history.

 

 

Our trip culminated in Navplion on the Friday. This was arguably our best sail of the week, with a N F5-6 and very brisk sailing, beating from one side of the gulf to the other. The port of Navplion was a delightful surprise – an Italianate, Venetian port.
Navplion offers several walks for the energetic including a climb to the Palamidi Fortress set spectacularly high on a rock outcrop, as well as strolls giving many shopping opportunities, for those who wanted a gentler experience.

 

 

 

We celebrated the Queen’s Jubilee on the Quayside with afternoon tea before heading into the town to choose from the many eating opportunities. After an interesting morning walk around the headland, another good final sail, this time with the increasing wind on the stern, so reefed genoa only and dragging an effective sea anchor, our dinghy half-filled with water and in need of resuscitation, no complaints, we were still making 6 knots!

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our 12 NM sail back to our starting and finishing base at Astros. Time for a last swim from the nearby beach after boat clean.