Ben Arrives! - Mykonos to Rineia

 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 arrival, so it was thrilling to see him waiting for us on the beach gazing out at the sparkling Aegean water. It was at that moment I realized how much I had missed him and how much he had matured since we left Canada in April. Needless to say, Finnegan was pretty excited to see Ben and vice versa! 

Reunited!

The first order of business was getting him fed, so off to the taverna for a delicious meal of souvlaki, pita, and Greek beer. Back at the boat we spent a couple of hours enjoying his company as he slowly started to fade away and enjoy a much deserved good night sleep.

One happy dad!

Mykonos at night

Mykonos is one of the more popular Greek islands for tourists with three large cruise ships in the harbour when we arrived and an endless number of high speed ferries coming and going. Thankfully we were not anchored in the main harbour area so we did not have to experience the incredible wake they create. One couple was not so lucky as they were swamped while enjoying their morning coffee and pastry at a seaside cafe! The bay we anchored in was a short bus ride away from the Mykonos harbour area, but as we were going to have to wait a while for the bus, we decided we could handle the 40 minute walk along the coast. What we did not realize was that the majority of the walk was along the main roadway with little or no sidewalk or shoulder! We were by no means the only people making the trek, but walking in the gusty conditions was a little unnerving at times. But that is the way it is done. Something we have observed during our travels is that the regard for safeguarding citizens against their own stupidity is not as pronounced in Europe as it is in North America. For example: a lack of guardrails/railings/barriers on roadways and piers, broken sidewalks, no helmet requirement on motorized vehicles, little use of PFD's. Neil's view is that this all helps to "thin the herd" and raise the overall intelligence level of our species. We are evolving!

Windy walk

As we walked around Mykonos in the areas of Chora and Little Venice, I learned that Ben has some pretty decent photography skills and a good eye. We visited the four Kato Mili windmills overlooking the harbour that were built by the Venetians in the 16th century. In Little Venice, one of the most picturesque settings on the island is the old houses that line the waterfront, similar to those we saw on the island of Milos. 

Kato Mili windmills

Delicious lunch of mixed grill

Our plan was to sail over to anchor at the island of Delos and then take the dinghy in to see the ruins. Unfortunately, this did not work out after the winds picked up significantly, making anchoring in the area unsafe especially because we would be leaving the boat unattended. We would just have to be satisfied with our upcoming visit to see the ruins in Athens instead. Ben was happy with the alternate plan of anchoring in a bay on the island of Rineia, located next to Delos, where we were the only boat for the afternoon and most of the evening and where he could swim and enjoy relaxing on the boat. Watching the incredible sunset and gazing up at the never-ending stars added to the experience. This was a great start to our two weeks together and before heading to our next island, Syros.

Swimming at Rineia