Thank you Turkey, Hello Greece!

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 anchorages, beautiful weather, historic sights, good food and many beaches. It was sad to say goodbye to the many staff we met at the Iscala restaurant where we tied up our dinghy when in Bodrum. John, Falcon and the other guys (including Rex the dog!) were always so happy to see us each time we arrived and they were so kind watching over our dinghy when we ventured into town. Hopefully our paths will cross again in future. 

Outside the Iscala restaurant with John in the background

Finnegan with his Turkish friend, Rex.

On one of our last nights at anchor, we met Ohz and Nihal, a Turkey couple who were on their way to Greece for a couple of weeks holiday. Time was spent on our boat having a drink and sharing sailing stories and many laughs. 

Neil and I with Ohz and Nihal

One of the not so pleasant experiences of sailing in Turkey is the amount of garbage and plastic that litters many of the more remote beach areas. At some anchorages people would arrive on a boat for the day, take their picnic to shore, and then leave the garbage bags on shore where there were no bins. I could never understand why it was easy enough to bring in their supplies, but too difficult to take the refuse back out with them. Since the region is such a huge boating area, one would think they would make a more concerted effort to keep it clean. We saw this repeated over and over in many different areas, not on a huge scale, but it was noticeable for sure. We did not see this in France, Italy or Greece.

It is hard to believe, but we have now spent 6 months living on a boat. Living on a boat far from home is not always easy, so it can come with many challenges. One hurdle that comes to mind is buying groceries. We didn't realize how incredibly spoiled we are in Canada with the size of our grocery stores and the endless selection of products available to us. Going to large grocery stores makes shopping easy with everything in one place and prices clearly marked for each item (although it can be expensive). When on the boat, we are mostly limited to smaller grocery stores that are within walking distance to the ports, like Migros and Carrefour, or independently owned mom and pop shops. Selection is often limited as stores tend to carry the same stock. It was always thrilling to find something new, like Jiff peanut butter!!! The cost of food could sometimes be discouraging in Turkey, especially for wine, however, we were able to find a couple of good Turkish wines for reasonable prices, as well as an Italian one that was widely available and was within our budget. Then there is the feeling that you are being ripped off, paying the "non-Turkish" price at some markets, but who can tell? Other than in regular grocery stores, most items are not priced, so you have to take the clerk's word for it when it comes to price. Finding green vegetables was certainly a challenge. There is only so much zucchini one can eat from week to week! Broccoli, being out of season, was incredibly expensive. Let me tell you, we were thrilled when green beans were finally available! Thank goodness for the camera option in Google Translate to assist us with reading labels, otherwise you think you are buying canned chopped tomatoes, when in reality it is a large can of tomato paste!

Our helpful shopper! (Snacks for puppy and his people)

Living on a boat can be physically challenging. Something Neil and I reflect on regularly is how we have to keep ourselves in good shape to be able to manage the physical demands. We are required to be constantly adjusting our balance and it is quite easy to fall or bang into things like doorframes, walls, etc! We typically have a few bruises each with no idea how we earned them. Getting in and out of the dinghy can require extra effort at times, especially if the wind and swell are up or the dock/jetty/wall to which we are tying up requires acrobatic skills to scale. But this is part of the adventure! 

Another challenge is that with different cultures comes different ways of doing things. We need to be flexible, patient and adaptable. After all, we are guests in other countries. Overall, whenever we meet new people, what really stands out is how much we are all the same, caring about our family and friends and other fellow human beings and wanting to live a peaceful life. 

By the time our 90 days in Turkey were over, we were excited to cross the border from Turkish waters to Greek waters, lowering the Turkish flag and raising the required yellow quarantine flag as we entered the Greek port of Kos. Checking in with the port police, customs and passport control was easier this time as we are now more knowledgeable about the requirements and know what to expect. Also, we always find it easier going back to a place we have previously visited. Kos was busy with tourist activity in full swing, charter boats coming in and going out again, and ferries bringing people over from Bodrum. But, we could see the difference in crowds as compared to June. It feels like an excellent, less busy time of year to visit the region.

Goodbye Turkey; lowering the flag

Raising the required quarantine flag upon entering Greek waters

Back in the EU, day one of 90!

Our stay in Kos was about making needed repairs to the boat. Shortly after our arrival in Turkey, the "house" batteries on the boat were not up to par. These batteries run everything, like refrigeration, freezer, lights, water pump, toilets, etc. Our solar panels kept the batteries running fairly well during the day to meet our basic needs, but the batteries would not hold a charge and we would quickly lose power throughout the night. Getting any boat work done in Turkey would have been cost prohibitive, so about three weeks prior to returning to Greece, Neil ordered new batteries to be delivered and held for us at the Kos Island Marina. We had other items shipped there as well, like a new water regulator pump and many other bits and pieces Neil needed. Just like a home on land, our boat home needs repair and maintenance. An oil change was also in the plan.

The shipment has arrived!

Unpacking our long-awaited batteries!

At the first available opportunity after our arrival in the marina, Neil and I pulled the old batteries out and began the back-breaking work of hoisting them out of the boat (they were heavy suckers!) and easing the new ones in. Of course, with the engineering brain he has, he rigged up a pulley system to take the load off. Thankfully the marina had no problem taking over the disposal (recycling) of the old batteries. The difference the new batteries has made is incredible. It is especially nice to have a working freezer so we are able to store food and reduce the number of visits to the store. I have begun to stockpile some items, like meat and bread, and have made soup for future meals. I am looking forward to making curries and other hearty meals to have on hand as we journey forward.

Making the job a little easier

We spent three nights at the marina in Kos. Twice we enjoyed dinner at a Taverna called Herodion that had a rating of 4.9 on Google. They served the most incredible lamb shank and potatoes that had been slow roasted in the oven in parchment paper. Heavenly! The Greek salad was especially delicious too (I think it probably had something to do with the perfect seasoning of salt). Despite being a little bit removed from the main tourist track, the restaurant was full every evening. 

We put our new electric bikes to good use to pick up groceries at a large store with a very good selection. How nice to find a new variety of items with prices that were a bit more reasonable. Probably for me, the most exciting thing about being in Kos was going to my long-awaited hair appointment that I had booked one month prior. I am someone who had always had her hair done about every 6 weeks when in Canada. It had now been 6 months since I had had anything done with my hair; the ponytail was my best friend! In the past 6 months, as previous postings of photos can attest, my hair has really gone white. The excellent stylist, Ellen at COIFF1RST Salon, evened out my hair colour and cut off all of the ends that had been dried out. Swimming in salt water has not been a friend to my hair! 

Step one!

After a fantastic cut and blow dry, I feel like a new person, however it is still taking time for me to adjust to the new reality of my natural hair colour. 

My new look!

As far as Finnegan goes, I think he was happy to be back in an area where he could go for longer walks or a ride on the bike, although he does love the freedom of wandering on a beach.

What a great way to travel!

Sunset in Kos

Leaving Kos on September 29th, we headed to the island of Leros, looking for a place to shelter from the winds that were forecasted for the next few days. The meltemi winds have not yet subsided and the wind gods had a few days of gusts of over 30 knots in store for us. Although trying to reserve ahead for a slip in Leros marina, we arrived and were told they did not have room for us, so we resorted to our back-up plan which was an anchorage that Neil had found offering good protection from the winds. It ended up being the right decision, being named "Archangelos Islet" after all. The angels were protecting us and we weathered the gusts without too much stress. 

Archangelos Islet

We spent three nights there, enjoying dinner one night at the taverna on the island that was run by the family that lives there. The hillside was loaded with goats and cats were everywhere else. Neil asked the owner how many cats he had and he said at least 50. Apparently they were having problems with mice and rats on the island in the past. Rats would swim out to the anchor chains of the boats and climb aboard! (I can't even begin to mentally deal with that scenario). With the cats around, those problems have now disappeared.

Taverna on the Islet

It is not unheard of for critters to make their way onto boats. When we were at anchor in a small bay in Turkey, we woke up to peaches on the counter that had been tampered with, evidence of something getting into the garbage bag we had out to take to shore, and a cheese rind we found on the floor in our rear head! Despite leaving out a trap and other enticing bits, we have not seen any evidence of the critter again in over two months. Lizard or mouse? Hopefully it decided it wanted to return to the beach from where it had come!

Next stop... Patmos Island!