VikingBlod Voyages

 October 12th - 13th By this point in our sailing adventure we recognize that sailing in Greece most likely means sailing in some big winds. Because we had high winds when Ben was with us in France, I could try to say that he brought the winds with him again, but in reality it is probably not his fault (haha). As Neil and I began our passage from a bay on the north part of the island of Mykonos (where we had very little wind) towards the bay on the south side where we would pick up Ben, the winds began to build and they remained with us in a big way for a week. Gusts were moving through anchorages at up to 30 knots at times. After all the experience we have had anchoring over the past six months (yes, I have lived on a boat for six months!) I can honestly say that I have great confidence that our anchor will not fail us (but we have an anchor alarm just in case!). Reunited!   Ben kept us updated during his long journey from Toronto to Mykonos as we excitedly awaited his arriva...

October 2nd - 11th After hiding out from the gusty winds at Archangelos Islet north of Leros, we motored to the island of Patmos with the wind on our bow. As we exited the anchorage we were excited to see dolphins jumping and playing off our stern; the first we had seen since we left Greece back at the end of June!   Patmos is an island that is accessible by ferry as it does not have an airport and this means it is not as overrun with tourists as some of the other more popular islands. The population of the island is only about 3, 300 people. It is known as ‘the island of the Apocalypse’ since it is there that, according to Christian tradition, the disciple of Christ, the evangelist saint John, heard the voice of God. We visited the monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse where John wrote the book of the Apocalypse.  Monastery Entrance to monastery Historic windmills that have been restored are also found on the island. Along the coast are many be...

September 29 - October 2nd As September drew to a close, we could feel the change in the air. Temperatures were starting to fall ever so slightly during the nights which was welcome as we pulled out the blanket for the bed, followed shortly after by the duvet. Gone were the stifling hot sleeps of July and August. The water remained warm for swimming and we were still hanging out in shorts and t-shirts throughout the day and evening. We are now back in Greece and for the past couple of evenings we have started to pull on the long pants and long-sleeve shirts, with lows sitting at about 22. Our return to Greece was through the port of Kos. After completing our first 180 days of Schengen, we were now allowed to return to the EU for round number two. Goodbye Bodrum Turkey was very good to us. From the incredibly friendly people to the beautiful blue waters, it was an unforgettable experience sailing around the region of the Turkish Riviera.  Throughout our stay we enjoyed peaceful anch...