Crete and good-bye

Anchorage at Dhia island near Crete

We sailed from Santorini to a tiny island called Dhia about 6 miles north of Crete.  This was the longest sail we did in Greece; about 60 or 65 miles.  It also was the best sailing of the whole summer.  Dhia island is nothing but rocks.  Not even any goats.


The next day we sailed to Ayios Nikolaos on the north side of Crete.  The wind got really strong once and the boat went way over.  I don't like going over that far.  The marina said we could not come there until the next day.  We looked at several places to anchor but it was too rough.  Finally we anchored about a mile from the marina.  

Caught a fish!

Our fine catch!

While we were anchoring I found a tiny flying fish on the deck.  We have been fishing all the time we have been sailing all summer but never caught anything except 2 plastic trash bags.  Finally!  We caught a fish!


It was less than 2 inches long, but it was the only fish we caught this summer.  


 Papa and I are flying from Crete to Athens today.  In Athens I will get on a plane going to Houston.  Papa will fly back to Crete.  So I am signing off for this summer.

Signing off for the summer

Santorini (a/k/a Thera or Thira)

Uncle Aaron and Aunt Lynn went to Santorini for their wedding anniversary.  BeBe and Damien stayed with us on the boat in Ios for those days.  When Papa, Tutu and I sailed to Santorini we did not go ashore.  We just anchored inside the caldera next to the little island in the center where the new volcanic dome is formed.

We spent the night anchored inside an active volcano!

Here are a few of the photos taken at Santorini:

The towns are on the top of the cliffs

Road -walkway from Oia town down to small dock

The new volcano dome on Kammeni in the caldera

Oia town at top; tiny village at water level

Ios

From the first spreaders

Papa gave me and BeBe the test for midshipman while we were at Ios.  Elisabeth barely passed.  She is a good sailor but is too girlie for some of the stuff we did.  I passed and am now rated Midshipman 1st Class aboard S/V BeBe.  Papa gave me a certificate saying this.


We had to tie bowline knots.  I can do it with my eyes closed, but BeBe needs to watch what she is doing.  We had to tie deck cleats (of course).  We had to know how to throw the heavy dock lines and how to secure the lines to docks on bollards and cleats.  We had to know how to tie a midshipman's knot.  Tutu said this knot is also called a double clove hitch.  We had to know how to steer the boat manually and also how to use the auto-pilot.  

At the first spreaders

Of course we had to know the difference between port and starboard and which color goes to which side.  And we had to know which boat is the give-way boat and which one is the stand-on vessel when 2 boats are approaching.  Papa didn't ask us about every possible encounter position of boats moving, but I knew the ones he asked about.  I also know to tell Papa or Tutu anytime I see another boat approaching when we are sailing.


It was not on the test, but I also know how to follow a course on the electronic charts.  And how to identify AIS targets and find out if we are on a collision course or not.  

Here feet are barely off the deck!!!

Tutu said part of passing any midshipman test should be going up the mast at least to the first spreaders.  So I did that too.  It is really high up there!  I got a little scared after awhile up there, but now I want to go all the way up to the top next time.  Or maybe at least to the second spreaders.  I took a photo looking down at the deck.


BeBe was scared of going up the mast.  Tutu said she had to get in the bosun seat and go at least 3 feet up.  She barely made that.  She did not get rated 1st Class, but she did get a basic Midshipman certificate.  I don't know why she was so scared sitting in the bosun seat.  Her feet were barely off the deck.  

BeBe's 10th birthday

BeBe's 10th birthday in Ios, Greece

BeBe had her tenth birthday the day before she and her parents left.  

Church in background

Restaurant church in Ios

That night Papa and Tutu and I went out to eat dinner for our last night in Ios.  Tutu let me pick the place to eat.  I found a restaurant built next to a tiny church that was half underground.  The dinner was pretty good, but what was best was the desert!  I had Oreo crepes and they were delicious!  Papa said the crepes were big enough to feed 4 people.   He ate 4 bites and I ate all the rest.  Tutu doesn't eat Oreos so she didn't want any.  Good.  More for me!

Half underground church at restaurant

Naxos

Another Temple of Apollo; this one at Naxos

On Saturday July 30 we sailed to Naxos.  Yippee!!! Mexican food!  Tutu and Papa said their friends from Texas had eaten Mexican food at a restaurant in Naxos and said it was good.  We all wanted some Mexican food.


After many days of sitting around. Bebe and Bebe's parents went with me to the beach. Also while we were at the beach I found a starfish , some small crabs that hid in the sand. Finally we also went to the Temple of Apollo. 

Boat races at the beach

Several days later we took a decent sail to Vathi Bay. While at Vathi Bebe and I went to the beach a lot and we also went to the main town once and bought Tutu 1 vase. 

Competing boats

Also, while we were at Vathi Bay we built some sailboats out of styrofoam and other junk.  Then we went to the beach and raced them.  Mine won one of the races.

Sailing to Ios

Sleeping while sailing

When we left Vathi there were mammoth sized waves so I chose to go to sleep. 




While at Ios we had some of the best gryos since we got to Greece, and while we were here Bebe and Bebe's parents left to go back home. Ever since they left things have been a lot more calm. 


We have a very bad Internet connection.  I will upload photos and more stuff later.