Travels with S/Y Thetis


Thetis only

2016: Samos to Patmos

This web page contains the logs of a 4 day family excursion with S/Y Thetis in the East Aegean of Greece. We sailed from Samos Marina to the in Livadhi tou Geranou in Patmos, Tiganakia, Samiopoula, Kyriakou, and back to Samos Marina.

The logs include either some historical and geographical descriptions of the places visited or links to these descriptions. Also included are links to other related web sites.

Route Samos to Patmos
Route Samos to Patmos and back

August 2 to September 10, 2016

Thetis was in Samos Marina. During this time I re-filled 2 jerry cans with Diesel fuel, cleaned the cabins, washed down the deck, and re-filled the water tanks. All this in preparation for a few days mini cruise with with my wife Alice, older daughter Cynthia, and our oldest grandson Alexander, aged 13.

Sunday September 11, 2016, Day 1

We all arrived in the marina and prepared to depart. We departed at 1009 and headed directly to Livadhi tou Geranou in Patmos.

The speed log did not work and we had to stop, remove, and clean its sensor that was full of growth. After that it worked, but there was another problem. The ES 7 GPS/Chart Plotter did not talk or listened to the rest of the instruments. After turning it off and doing the same with the rest of the instruments it still did not communicate. Finally I cut off, via the circuit breakers, power to all the instruments. After restoring power everything worked and the eS75 display communicated properly. My theory was that that I had turned on the display before the rest of the instruments and because it did not see the instruments registered in its memory it assumed that they did not exist even after they were turned on but after its power was cut off it reset.

After these problems were resolved we continued on our course of 214. The wind was a very light breeze from the WSW of about 4 knots and we had to motor. Some time later the wind increased to 6-7 knots and we were able open the 50% of the headsail and motor-sail for about 12 miles.

We arrived in Livadhi tou Geranou (Λιβάδι του Γερανού) or Pothitou (Λιβάδι του Ποθητού) [37° 20.7' N 026° 35.3' E] at 1510, after 27.9 M. There were here 3 motor cruisers, a Turkish gulet, 2 S/Y catamarans, and a monohull S/Y. First we anchored in 5 m depth and let our 30 m of chain but we drifted too close to the sandbar and so we re-anchored. This time, in 6 m depth with 35 m scope.

In the evening we went with the dinghy to the near-by cove, E of us, Panayia too Geranou, and then we walked up to the chapel and admired the view. During this excursion Alexander practiced driving the dinghy and starting the outboard.

After we returned to Thetis we had an ouzo and I completed the cooking of 5 turkey snitzels that I had precooked in Kalami while Alice made a nice salad to go along with them. Together with these we had a vintage 2014 Kalami wine.

It was a quiet night and we all went to bed early.

Monday September 12, 2016, Day 2

In the morning I took the trash ashore and put it in the bin next to the taverna. Later Alexander drove Alice ashore and they cleaned and sliced a melon. He did fine with the outboard starting it with his first try.

At 1040 we departed and motored to Tiganakia on the S of Arki. After clearing Cape Geranos the wind was about 9 knots from the WNW and we opened about 80% of the headsail so we motor-sailed the 7.8 M to Tiganakia. We anchored at 1205 between the small island of Tsouka and Makronisi [37° 21.5' N 026° 45.1' E] in front of the S/Y catamaran XETNAZ in 6 m depth but with 35 m of chain the two boats were too close, so we re-anchored further away in 8 m and 38 m of chain.

There were some gusty winds in the afternoon. We had a pleasant evening after the wind quieted down while sipping our ouzo. For dinner we had curried chicken that Cynthia had prepared.

Before retiring for the night and in anticipation of an early morning sail to Samiopoula we raised the dinghy on its davits.

Tuesday September 13, 2016, Day 3

I got up at 5 AM made my coffee and prepared to sail to Samiopoula. By 0620 we were underway. The wind was 8 to 11 knots NNW, right on our nose and too weak for tacking. So, we motored. Because we had used a lot of water we also ran the water-maker. When we were half way we put up the tent.

After 17.6 M we arrived in Samiopoula [37° 38' N 026° 47.4' E] at 0935. We anchored in 5 m over sand and let out 55 m of chain and the boat settled in 19 m depth. I lowered the dinghy and snorkeled to the anchor. It was partially buried in the sand and I was not completely satisfied but the breeze was very light.

Later in the morning the breeze changed direction and came from the WSW. We had lunch and made coffee. While drinking the coffee the breeze changed direction again now coming form the NNE and the boat drifted uncomfortably close to the rocks.

We raised the anchor at 1510 and motored, towing the dinghy, to nearby, 3.6 M, Kyriakou [37° 38.3' N 026° 51.8' E] cove. The time was 1545.

We anchored in 6 m with about 40 m scope. The anchor, as usual here, was well set. We swam ashore.

In the evening we took the dinghy ashore and walked to the abandoned lovely house. Few days later we learned from our house-keeper, Fotene, who is from Pagondas, the larger village in this area, that this house was built by the “well known” Italian? lady Coralia in the 70’s. Coralia had had a large motor yacht with a helipad. She came and went in the 80’s but she then stopped coming. Did she die?

We had a nice dinner, despite the bad swell, of pasta with tuna and capers prepared by Alice.

Wednesday September 14, 2016, Day 4

After we all got up we prepared for our return to the marina. We did most of our packing and I covered the dinghy and raised it on its davits.

By 0850 the anchor was up and we were underway. Again we had a light NNE breeze of 4-18 knots and we had to motor. When we were near Pythagorio there was a squall reaching 25 knots.

We arrived in the marina [37° 41.45' N 026° 57.49' E] at 1000 after 5.5 M. This was the end of our mini-cruise.

September 15 to September 29, 2016

Thetis was in the marina. Alice took all of my clothes from the boat and washed them. We bought new plastic containers for the clothes and now they are much better organized. Alexander helped me put everything back in the boat. I filled one jerry can with 22 L of Diesel fuel.

On September 28 Alice, Cynthia, and Alexander left Samos for 2 days of sight seeing in Athens before Alice will be flying to Washington, DC and Cynthia and Alexander to Brisbane, Australia.

I took most of my travel belongings to the boat, got provisions, washed her deck, and topped the water tanks.