Astipalaia to Dhespotico - Cyclades Islands

Cliffs of Amorgos

On Friday the the 3rd of June we set off before 7am, early for us, from Skala with the promise of a good wind to take us NNE to Amorgos. We were rewarded with a force 5 just outside the harbour and, after a man overboard mishap with one of the fenders, made good headway to the eastern tip of the island.  Along the way we saw dolphins and, somewhat incongruously, a smelly freighter from Zanzibar - Lady Maria.

We found an amazing looking anchorage on the NE tip in the pilot book, but unfortunately when we got there we found it was polluted with plastic and detritus from the fishermen’s boats.  As it turned out, the whole of that part of the coast was a depressing mess. Although I am happy to say that the vast majority of people are meticulous with their rubbish.

Kalotiri seen from our road trip

Anyway, we moved on to a small bay called Kalotiri and anchored in calm waters with neighbouring yachts a discrete distance away. In the morning, having consulted the pilot book with a pinch of salt this time, we headed for Katapola on the central northern coast of Amorgos. This village has mixed reviews, but none of the negative aspects materialised for us and we both spontaneously took to it. The harbour is a bustling place but all people noise and none of the racy scooters nonsense of some other places we know. In the evening we went for a leisurely stroll to the other side of the bay and ate in a very nice fish restaurant recommended to us by the chap in the tourist office.

Katapola

In the morning we hired a car and drove up the Chora to have a look around before we went to the ancient Monastery of Hozoviotissa. Built into the cliff face this is either a feat of dogged determination or divine inspiration. Whichever, it is very imposing and impressive. My iPhone app registered that we had climbed 39 flights of steps that day, it left out the heat and the fact that we had to wear long trousers to comply with the modesty wishes of the monks. The few monks who live there make their guests feel very welcome and after a short tour of the medieval chapel and its ante chamber, we were invited to a glass of Rokomelo - a cinnamon and honey flavoured Raki. This Greek Orthodox business is very civilised.

Monastery of Hozoviotissa

Looking suitably modest

We drove to the east of the island and passed a very primitive settlement on the top of the high hills. Primitive save for the wind generators and solar panels. 

Chora on Amorgo

Having seen a couple of days of bad weather on the forecast two days ahead we decided to leave for somewhere better protected from the northerlies - as Katapola is completely open. Naxos marina was full so we headed for Mirsini on the island Skinousa. This tiny place has 84 inhabitants apparently and its own homegrown scandal. The disgraced art dealer Robin Symes lived here in palatial luxury with his partner before the latter died in an accident and Symes was exposed for fraud having dealt in looted antiquities, which subsequently led to a period spent at her Majesty's pleasure. Our evening's entertainment was provided by a superyacht trying to get into the small port and the arrogant crew dragging their anchor chains across all of ours, meaning most of our anchors tripped. They deserved a limpet mine, but I didn't have one handy. The captain was French and pretended not to speak english, our resident polyglot gave him the benefit of some choice French vocabulary though.

Ready for some sporty sailing

The forecast Meltemi arrived almost to the minute in the morning and our previously safe anchorage became untenable thanks to yacht Midnight Sun and its fat anchor chains. After a slightly messy departure we anchored in a bay further south and sat out the worst of the storm. In the morning we headed toward Anti Paros. In the Naxos Paros channel it all blew up and we braved an unforecasted Force 8 - 9. Completely reefed in, Rocko behaved beautifully and the only damage we sustained was lots of salt water in our faces. 

7 hours later we found land in the shape of Ormos Dhespotico. A desert island-like setting with little or no signs of civilisation. This welcome respite served us well for two days as we regrouped and planned the next few days. The Cyclades have a reputation for being windy and we can attest to that too...