June 24, Keith and the Wheelers departed the new crew arrived. Hot sheets on Migration looked great. The planned route via Vienna left them without two nights’ sleep. The three zombies struggled to stay awake. Kathy lost the battle about four times during the day. All managed to make it to one of Mike & Sheila’s favorite tavernas. Kathy fell in love with the pork with tomatoes in garlic/lemon sauce.
June 25 was dedicated to fixing the roller furling. Every one had an opinion on how to do it. Mike & Gerry fixed it while the others went to Hippocrates Hospital.
June 26, early we all took a 40 minute ferry ride to Bodrum, Turkey. We step off the ferry into another world. Lots of shops and stalls selling some interesting stuff, but the guys don’t want to shop-—they want beer and breakfast. At a café we ordered both and perused our tourist guidebook to decide what to do for the day, since the main attraction--the castle and underwater museum--is closed on Monday. Our sadness ended suddenly when Sheila spotted an article on the original "Turkish Baths" just down the street. Gerry opted out while the rest of us get a taste of Nirvana. Girls on one side. Boys on the other. We were sent to lockers to shed clothes and receive pistemals (sarongs) to wear then down to the sauna. Beautiful marble rooms with a heated marble slab to lay on. Two lady attendants (for the girls) came in wearing only tiny black bikini bottoms gently nudged us through the routine to get the $20 "Full Monty" that included the full selection of their services. A rub down with an abrasive mitt, to remove the dead skin, a rinse, wash down with copious billowy bubbles, more rinse, a soap massage, rinse, washed our hair with a wonderful smelling shampoo, rinse, then up stairs to the lovely breezy porch for our oil massage. While we were having tea or spiced hot apple juice the male masseuse beckoned us to help massage our husbands, then tea for all. We stumbled out in a happy relaxed stupor, bought some great fruits and veggies in the market, met up with Gerry and just barely made it to the ferry that left precisely on time.
June 27, we were to go to Simi, but we spent the morning with repairs to the refrigeration. We fought up the anchor with others crossing over ours and powered to Pali, Nissiros. Sheila & Mike had been there guided us to a little fish taverna to order 6 cuttle fish dinners. The waiter was a little nervous, since a big shot from Rhodes was there with 10 or 15 of his closest friends. Anyway what arrives but 6 platters of cuttle fish. They were delicious, but we couldn’t begin to finish it all. After chocolate, candied lemon peel and Ouzo we headed back to the boat with pounds of leftover cuttle fish. The harbor lights went out and the sky lit up with millions of bright stars.
June 28 we make it to Simi. What a sight. This horseshoe-shaped harbor surrounded by pastel houses going up cliffs was indescribably beautiful. As Mark Ezratty would say, "I love this place." We climbed the 400 steps to the Chora for dinner and view. After goat, lamb, chicken artichokes, tiny shrimp, etc. we climbed down about 100 steps and settled into a small cliff side taverna for a nightcap of Ouzo and a spectacular almost straight-down view of the harbor full of yachts, shops and lights.
June 29, we sail to Kamari, Kos to tie along side the bulkhead. It was almost private. No Port Police. A friendly local who helped us told us it was OK. Sheila asked him where could she find the grocery store. Suddenly Sheila mounted the back of his motorbike and off they went. Later Mike slipped him some cash for his able assistance. We had a nice seaside dinner for 5 with bottled wine for a grand total of $28.00 including tax and tip.
June 30 we sailed to Astypalea, a nicely rebuilt town after the earthquake of 1956. After we climbed up to the castle to absorb some history and great evening views we retired early.
July 1, we startled awake at 5:00am to the sound of 150’ of chain clanking around the grinding windless in preparation for the long sail to Santorini. Due to a misunderstanding we pulled into a protected area on the south end near Red Beach to meet fellow Manhasset Bay Yacht Club friends (Adrian & Chris Alley, Claud & Yoshi Mapes, Gehardt & Rosemary Webber, and their captain) rather than the nearby marina. Since there was no taverna, Sheila rustled up a great pasta dish followed by halvah. Without the lights of a town the sky was again full of stars.
July 2, we sailed to the marina where the club members were. While backing into the marina Mike leapt from his position behind the wheel to fend off, caught a cushion loop on his foot, and stumbled onto the lifeline cracking a rib. His pain was obvious and lasted for weeks. We learned from the German yachtsman next to us how to easily order a rental car to tour the island and leave it at the airport for the next mornings 6:45am flight. Dimitri at Dimitri’s Taverna (Vlichada Dimitris Restaurant), overlooking the marina coordinated the car. Due to the poor cell phone reception from the boat, Dimitri’s became Mike’s cliffside office overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean.
July 3-5, Mike and Sheila did boat chores and endured the 108-degree heat. We visited the new AIRCONDITIONED museum in Thira. It had new artifacts form the excavation at Akrotira.