We returned to Athens and headed over to Glyfada where True East has be on the hard for five weeks. Back on the water we were joined by our friends from Coconut Grove, Wes and Alexis.
After a forty mile run, we arrived at Poros that would be our base for the next week or so. We explored the island by land and by water and found it to be one of our favorite islands. Nearby is the island of Hyda where no motorized vehicles are allowed and the harbor is a zoo. Taking the ferry over turned out to be the right way to go. With Wes and Alexis we had a memorable cliffside lunch.
From Poros we went around to Porto Cheli that has a ferry connection to Athens. Wes and Alexis left us here, a few days later Carla and Jane joined us. From Port Help we headed to Ermioni with a stop at Spetses Island. It was then back to Poros where Carla and Jane departed back to Athens. From Poros, the four of us took a road trip around the Pelopennese with an overnight in Nafpilion with its fantastic fortress. From there we visited the ruins at Mycenae and then to the Corinthian Canal for a view of our future passage thru this wonder.
Back to Poros where Kristi and Gigi joined us for what turned out to be an adventure. Given the winds we were experiencing, Dan decided it would be better to go around the Pelopenneses rather than going back up north thru the canal. The plan was to head across the Argolic Gulf with a following sea and run 100 miles down to the south eastern tip at Neapolis. Well it was a following sea; however, it built to 6-8 footers that we were running at 25 knots…an unpleasant couple of hours. Rounding the tip, Dan anticipated we were be in the lee and out of the wind; instead the wind can roaring down the side of the mountain with 40-50 mile and hour gusts blowing out our sun shade.
We did find shelter in Egina and took the ferry over to the delightful island of Kythira and the special stop of Aviemonas. It turns out there were no airports on the Pelopennese; however, there was one on Kythira so Gigi and Kristi left us there. Having decided that going around the Pelopennese was a bad idea, Dan plotted a course back up north to Epidavros, 150 miles away. Off we went on a calm day making a fuel stop at Poros and arriving mid afternoon. This would be our jumping off point for passage thru the Corinthian Canal.
