Greece - The Dodecanese
Nísos Sími
Sími 12nm, 2hrs, motored
Sunday September 1 - Monday September 2
Town Pier €18 (~AUD$29)
Customs: Transit Log €30 (~AUD$49)
TEPAI (Cruising Tax) €102 (~AUD$166)
Port Authority: Entrance Fee €15 (~AUD$24)
Sunday September 1 - Monday September 2
Town Pier €18 (~AUD$29)
Customs: Transit Log €30 (~AUD$49)
TEPAI (Cruising Tax) €102 (~AUD$166)
Port Authority: Entrance Fee €15 (~AUD$24)
We had heard Sími harbour was an anchoring nightmare, only to be risked if you were prepared for getting tangled. As we entered we thought it looked wider and easier than Bozburun and comforted ourselves with the fact we had escaped entanglement there. A Turkish registered charter boat, Jones, was right behind us and we waved him in first, then laid our anchor parallel and moored stern to on his port side with no trouble at all. Turned out one of the men on Jones has been living in Queensland for ten years. Their agent promptly arrived and we traipsed off in the same direction to clear customs.
First, check in with Passport Control – no problem.
Next, check in with Customs and pay TEPAI cruising tax – no problem. The Customs official had her handbag on her shoulder ready to leave (for lunch perhaps) but put it back down to check us in.
Finally, check in with Port Authority – no problem but interesting. When we found the building there were a dozen young men lying in front of it on blankets and cardboard, and the wooden front door was padlocked. We ascended the stairs to the left and found a gate into an outdoor area with another two dozen young men waiting, one who indicated the door on the right for us. We entered and were in line behind three more men, one holding a crutch. A sweet young lady, who looked more like a girl, looked at us and said “You’re the last ones” then finished up with the men. She looked like she’d been dealing with them for a while. She was very kind, helpful, and patient, offering for the man with the crutch to wait inside on a seat, setting up wi-fi for another man to call his uncle for money, and giving bottled water to those waiting outside. We assume they were refugees and wondered how far they’d come in the inflatable dinghies we saw outside. Judging by the look of the dinghies they had definitely risked their lives to get here and had come with nothing but the clothes they had on. We reflected on how very lucky we are not to have to flee war or persecution, and seeing two of the men together downstairs I wondered if they had been persecuted for something as natural as who they fell in love with. Humans, not just destroying the planet but each other as well. At least these men, who all had beautiful warm smiles, were being helped and treated humanely by this lovely lady.
These three check-in establishments are of course as far away from each other as you can get, with customs at the head of the bay and the others at the north and south ends, and apparently check-in doesn’t always go so smoothly. We met an Australian girl who was anchored a mile away in Pethi, had walked in to find customs closed, come back later and waited two hours only to be told by the Customs man he wasn’t processing anyone else, then we saw her there the next morning at 0800hrs, waiting for them to open when she had wanted to be gone from Sími by 0600hrs.We were lucky.
Back at the ranch we had lunch and I fell into my usual afternoon nap. Whilst dozing I heard action upstairs and felt the boat moving. I could hear Colin and figured there’d been an ‘anchor issue’ and the rumours were substantiated. First a couple came in on our port side but in the process had managed to drag across our anchor and Jones’s. Now that takes some doing! Colin politely pointed this out so they went out to reset but pulled up the Jones’s anchor in the process. This took half an hour to untangle and I heard Colin offering them the ‘Finger of God’ if they needed it (our metal hook that can be used to lift anchor chain). Once untangled both boats had to re-anchor. Someone jumped aboard to help the couple, who ended up where Jones was with Jones next one over.
That was quite enough excitement for us but unfortunately not the end of it. A German registered catamaran, Infinity, dropped anchor on our starboard side but moored on our now vacant port side, almost hitting our bow as it did so. Quite astonishing really, and quite unnecessary given the water was shallow and there was no wind. Colin told them their anchor was across ours and we’d be leaving early in the morning and that it would be better if they left before us. He thinks he elicited agreement, but the next day at 0800hrs there was no sign of them as they were off having breakfast! At 0900hrs, after a walk around town, Colin was itching to go. A lady had appeared in the cockpit of Infinity and Colin got her to phone the crew who promptly returned and got going with good grace. No tangles, no dramas!
We dined at Pantelis on the Turkish Aussie’s recommendation but unfortunately had nothing good to say about it. My fish was overcooked and the greens were stone cold and Colin’s meal was unremarkable. Ah well. What was remarkable though was a wedding procession in cars and on motorbikes that came over the hill, past the restaurant, through the town and down the other side of the bay, all the while beeping their horns and smiling. It seems a common thing to have the whole town witness this joyous occasion. We’ve seen it in Croatia and now twice in Greece.
Photos by Nic and Colin. Click images to enlarge
First, check in with Passport Control – no problem.
Next, check in with Customs and pay TEPAI cruising tax – no problem. The Customs official had her handbag on her shoulder ready to leave (for lunch perhaps) but put it back down to check us in.
Finally, check in with Port Authority – no problem but interesting. When we found the building there were a dozen young men lying in front of it on blankets and cardboard, and the wooden front door was padlocked. We ascended the stairs to the left and found a gate into an outdoor area with another two dozen young men waiting, one who indicated the door on the right for us. We entered and were in line behind three more men, one holding a crutch. A sweet young lady, who looked more like a girl, looked at us and said “You’re the last ones” then finished up with the men. She looked like she’d been dealing with them for a while. She was very kind, helpful, and patient, offering for the man with the crutch to wait inside on a seat, setting up wi-fi for another man to call his uncle for money, and giving bottled water to those waiting outside. We assume they were refugees and wondered how far they’d come in the inflatable dinghies we saw outside. Judging by the look of the dinghies they had definitely risked their lives to get here and had come with nothing but the clothes they had on. We reflected on how very lucky we are not to have to flee war or persecution, and seeing two of the men together downstairs I wondered if they had been persecuted for something as natural as who they fell in love with. Humans, not just destroying the planet but each other as well. At least these men, who all had beautiful warm smiles, were being helped and treated humanely by this lovely lady.
These three check-in establishments are of course as far away from each other as you can get, with customs at the head of the bay and the others at the north and south ends, and apparently check-in doesn’t always go so smoothly. We met an Australian girl who was anchored a mile away in Pethi, had walked in to find customs closed, come back later and waited two hours only to be told by the Customs man he wasn’t processing anyone else, then we saw her there the next morning at 0800hrs, waiting for them to open when she had wanted to be gone from Sími by 0600hrs.We were lucky.
Back at the ranch we had lunch and I fell into my usual afternoon nap. Whilst dozing I heard action upstairs and felt the boat moving. I could hear Colin and figured there’d been an ‘anchor issue’ and the rumours were substantiated. First a couple came in on our port side but in the process had managed to drag across our anchor and Jones’s. Now that takes some doing! Colin politely pointed this out so they went out to reset but pulled up the Jones’s anchor in the process. This took half an hour to untangle and I heard Colin offering them the ‘Finger of God’ if they needed it (our metal hook that can be used to lift anchor chain). Once untangled both boats had to re-anchor. Someone jumped aboard to help the couple, who ended up where Jones was with Jones next one over.
That was quite enough excitement for us but unfortunately not the end of it. A German registered catamaran, Infinity, dropped anchor on our starboard side but moored on our now vacant port side, almost hitting our bow as it did so. Quite astonishing really, and quite unnecessary given the water was shallow and there was no wind. Colin told them their anchor was across ours and we’d be leaving early in the morning and that it would be better if they left before us. He thinks he elicited agreement, but the next day at 0800hrs there was no sign of them as they were off having breakfast! At 0900hrs, after a walk around town, Colin was itching to go. A lady had appeared in the cockpit of Infinity and Colin got her to phone the crew who promptly returned and got going with good grace. No tangles, no dramas!
We dined at Pantelis on the Turkish Aussie’s recommendation but unfortunately had nothing good to say about it. My fish was overcooked and the greens were stone cold and Colin’s meal was unremarkable. Ah well. What was remarkable though was a wedding procession in cars and on motorbikes that came over the hill, past the restaurant, through the town and down the other side of the bay, all the while beeping their horns and smiling. It seems a common thing to have the whole town witness this joyous occasion. We’ve seen it in Croatia and now twice in Greece.
Photos by Nic and Colin. Click images to enlarge
Nísos Kós
Kós 12nm, 2hrs, motored
Monday September 2 - Wednesday 4
Kós Marina €42/night (~AUD$68/night)
Monday September 2 - Wednesday 4
Kós Marina €42/night (~AUD$68/night)
As we departed Sími the following conversation occured:
“Remind me to write about the turtles on my blog”
“What turtles?”
“I saw two turtles leaving Bozburun”
“Where were they going?”
“I thought they were going to Symi but I didn't see them there. Didn't you see them at passport control?”
“No”
“Oh Colin, you must walk around with your eyes shut” (said in jest, for those who don't know how unobservant I am)
On arriving in Kós we opted for the marina which was supposed to be one of the nicest in Greece. No argument from me. I not only had a shower to myself but a whole bathroom, and Kós town was only a ten minute walk away.
The town itself is beautifully set in the harbour, behind which lies an astonishing amount of ruins from the Greek, Roman and Byzantine eras. The ancient agora (or town centre), exposed by an earthquake in 1933, is a massive expanse where you can see the foundation of the town laid out in blocks (the first town to do so in the 4th century BC). Colin and I were quite in awe of standing in such historical grounds.
Searching for somewhere cheap and cheerful to eat we fell prey to the first pushy waiter to drag us off the street into a large waterfront restaurant. The service was too slow for our liking though (and we are patient people) so after receiving nothing but menus for ten minutes we happily left and went next door where the staff were delightful and efficient! Seemingly a family run establishment, the wait staff went out of their way to make you feel welcome, as well being a bit cheeky. As the waiter leaned over to put the cloth on the neighbouring table I was tempted to pinch his bottom (which was very close) and when I told him this he immediately sought protection from the man next to us. The staff seemed to enjoy themselves immensely, and to me that’s a recipe for success.
Planning to stay only one night we headed back into town in the morning to check in with the Port Authority and buy provisions. If we hadn’t been in such a hurry I would have snapped a photo of the police having their donuts delivered to the station by a bakery motorbike. No hanging out at the donut shops for these cops.
When you check into the country they stress that you must have your transit log stamped by the port authority at every port you visit. Why, we're yet to find out. It's rather off putting though when you take the time to do so and the official is not only grumpy but rude with it, and it makes you a bit nervous when he has a side conversation in Greek with another official who shrugs her shoulders with a look of "Beats me!". We got our stamp though, and I commented on the way out that it's lucky that man is good looking because he won't be winning anyone over with charm!
As our morning activities took us right to the checkout time of 1200hrs (with a half day cost incurred if you stayed until 1400hrs) we decided to stay another night rather than rush to get away. That way we could see all the sights we had planned on seeing "next time". This included the Asklepieion which was a tourist train trip 20 minutes out of town. We'd picked up the train information the previous day and knew they left hourly from 0930hrs, dropped you at the site then returned an hour later. We planned on taking the second last train at 1330hrs but after rushing the 20 minute walk to get there we found they had started at 1000hrs because they hadn't had enough people at 0930, and the last train had left at 1300hrs instead of 1430hrs. Well of course it did, that totally makes sense - NOT. The lovely girl, seeing nothing wrong with this, kindly directed us to the bus stop up the street where the number 3 bus took 10 minutes to get the Asklepieion for a fraction of the price (€1.50 instead of €8 each), and was an interesting experience to boot. With the bus driver nudging 80 years old (nothing wrong with that) and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth he floored it to the ancient site, ploughing through roundabouts and taking corners on 2 wheels. Okay, that last bit is a lie, but the rest is true. I worried for others on the road. Actually I worried for us! On the way back I thought he was lost when he stopped, backed around the last corner then went straight, but it turns out that's just how he had to take the corner as the turn was too sharp for the bus.
We survived, and ended up closer to the marina than if we'd taken the tourist train to and from town. And the Asklepieion? Absolutely breath-taking! We once again stood in awe to be amongst ruins dating back as far as 400BC.
After a swim and a rest we returned to town to see the rest of the ancient sites - the plane tree of Hippocrates, the 2nd century Odeon, the Altar of Dionysos, the ancient stadium, the excavation site - and the cemetery. Lost at one point we were helped by a bounty hunter from the Australian Northern Territory, chasing murderers who fled to Greece. I think he said he'd been living in the NT for 60 years.
Finding a beautifully located restaurant adjacent to the ancient agora we settled in for a tasty meal, then treated ourselves to ice-cream, noteworthy because I had another of those Black Chocolate flavours that tastes like melted dark chocolate. Thank goodness they don’t make that at home!
Wednesday morning we got our internet topped up (which Colin had been unsuccessful doing the previous day) and thought we’d take in the one tourist site we’d missed yesterday, the magnificent medieval castle that fronts the harbour. It was closed however, and has been since an earthquake two years ago. Nothing for it but to return to the marina for freddo espressos and head off early.
Photos by Nic and Colin. Click images to enlarge
“Remind me to write about the turtles on my blog”
“What turtles?”
“I saw two turtles leaving Bozburun”
“Where were they going?”
“I thought they were going to Symi but I didn't see them there. Didn't you see them at passport control?”
“No”
“Oh Colin, you must walk around with your eyes shut” (said in jest, for those who don't know how unobservant I am)
On arriving in Kós we opted for the marina which was supposed to be one of the nicest in Greece. No argument from me. I not only had a shower to myself but a whole bathroom, and Kós town was only a ten minute walk away.
The town itself is beautifully set in the harbour, behind which lies an astonishing amount of ruins from the Greek, Roman and Byzantine eras. The ancient agora (or town centre), exposed by an earthquake in 1933, is a massive expanse where you can see the foundation of the town laid out in blocks (the first town to do so in the 4th century BC). Colin and I were quite in awe of standing in such historical grounds.
Searching for somewhere cheap and cheerful to eat we fell prey to the first pushy waiter to drag us off the street into a large waterfront restaurant. The service was too slow for our liking though (and we are patient people) so after receiving nothing but menus for ten minutes we happily left and went next door where the staff were delightful and efficient! Seemingly a family run establishment, the wait staff went out of their way to make you feel welcome, as well being a bit cheeky. As the waiter leaned over to put the cloth on the neighbouring table I was tempted to pinch his bottom (which was very close) and when I told him this he immediately sought protection from the man next to us. The staff seemed to enjoy themselves immensely, and to me that’s a recipe for success.
Planning to stay only one night we headed back into town in the morning to check in with the Port Authority and buy provisions. If we hadn’t been in such a hurry I would have snapped a photo of the police having their donuts delivered to the station by a bakery motorbike. No hanging out at the donut shops for these cops.
When you check into the country they stress that you must have your transit log stamped by the port authority at every port you visit. Why, we're yet to find out. It's rather off putting though when you take the time to do so and the official is not only grumpy but rude with it, and it makes you a bit nervous when he has a side conversation in Greek with another official who shrugs her shoulders with a look of "Beats me!". We got our stamp though, and I commented on the way out that it's lucky that man is good looking because he won't be winning anyone over with charm!
As our morning activities took us right to the checkout time of 1200hrs (with a half day cost incurred if you stayed until 1400hrs) we decided to stay another night rather than rush to get away. That way we could see all the sights we had planned on seeing "next time". This included the Asklepieion which was a tourist train trip 20 minutes out of town. We'd picked up the train information the previous day and knew they left hourly from 0930hrs, dropped you at the site then returned an hour later. We planned on taking the second last train at 1330hrs but after rushing the 20 minute walk to get there we found they had started at 1000hrs because they hadn't had enough people at 0930, and the last train had left at 1300hrs instead of 1430hrs. Well of course it did, that totally makes sense - NOT. The lovely girl, seeing nothing wrong with this, kindly directed us to the bus stop up the street where the number 3 bus took 10 minutes to get the Asklepieion for a fraction of the price (€1.50 instead of €8 each), and was an interesting experience to boot. With the bus driver nudging 80 years old (nothing wrong with that) and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth he floored it to the ancient site, ploughing through roundabouts and taking corners on 2 wheels. Okay, that last bit is a lie, but the rest is true. I worried for others on the road. Actually I worried for us! On the way back I thought he was lost when he stopped, backed around the last corner then went straight, but it turns out that's just how he had to take the corner as the turn was too sharp for the bus.
We survived, and ended up closer to the marina than if we'd taken the tourist train to and from town. And the Asklepieion? Absolutely breath-taking! We once again stood in awe to be amongst ruins dating back as far as 400BC.
After a swim and a rest we returned to town to see the rest of the ancient sites - the plane tree of Hippocrates, the 2nd century Odeon, the Altar of Dionysos, the ancient stadium, the excavation site - and the cemetery. Lost at one point we were helped by a bounty hunter from the Australian Northern Territory, chasing murderers who fled to Greece. I think he said he'd been living in the NT for 60 years.
Finding a beautifully located restaurant adjacent to the ancient agora we settled in for a tasty meal, then treated ourselves to ice-cream, noteworthy because I had another of those Black Chocolate flavours that tastes like melted dark chocolate. Thank goodness they don’t make that at home!
Wednesday morning we got our internet topped up (which Colin had been unsuccessful doing the previous day) and thought we’d take in the one tourist site we’d missed yesterday, the magnificent medieval castle that fronts the harbour. It was closed however, and has been since an earthquake two years ago. Nothing for it but to return to the marina for freddo espressos and head off early.
Photos by Nic and Colin. Click images to enlarge
The Asklepieion (information taken from Lonely Planet Greek Islands and internet)
In Greek mythology Asclepius, the God of healing, was said to have been such a skilled doctor that he could even raise the dead, and stemming from the myth of his great healing powers pilgrims would flock to temples built in his honour (Asklepions) to seek spiritual and physical healing.
The Asklepieion in Kós is said to be one of the largest and well known, and before the sanatorium was destroyed by an earthquake in AD 554 people came from far and wide for treatment. It was a religious sanctuary as well as a healing centre and school of medicine founded in the 3rd century BC, according to legend by Hippocrates himself, though the Kós-born ‘father’ of modern medicine was already dead by then and the training simply followed his teachings.
The ruins occupy three levels:
Lower Terrace - Propylaea (approach to the main gate), Roman-era public baths and remains of guest rooms
Middle Terrace – Altar of Kyparissios Apollo, 1st century BC Temple to Apollo, and 4th century BC first Temple to Asclepius
Upper Terrace – 2nd century BC Temple to Asclepius
Photos by Nic and Colin. Click images to enlarge
In Greek mythology Asclepius, the God of healing, was said to have been such a skilled doctor that he could even raise the dead, and stemming from the myth of his great healing powers pilgrims would flock to temples built in his honour (Asklepions) to seek spiritual and physical healing.
The Asklepieion in Kós is said to be one of the largest and well known, and before the sanatorium was destroyed by an earthquake in AD 554 people came from far and wide for treatment. It was a religious sanctuary as well as a healing centre and school of medicine founded in the 3rd century BC, according to legend by Hippocrates himself, though the Kós-born ‘father’ of modern medicine was already dead by then and the training simply followed his teachings.
The ruins occupy three levels:
Lower Terrace - Propylaea (approach to the main gate), Roman-era public baths and remains of guest rooms
Middle Terrace – Altar of Kyparissios Apollo, 1st century BC Temple to Apollo, and 4th century BC first Temple to Asclepius
Upper Terrace – 2nd century BC Temple to Asclepius
Photos by Nic and Colin. Click images to enlarge
Nísos Psérimos
Órmos Vathi 9nm, 2hrs, motorsailed
Wednesday September 4 - Thursday 5
Free anchorage
Wednesday September 4 - Thursday 5
Free anchorage
Nísos Léros
Órmos Xerokambos 20nm, 3hrs 40min, motored with short sail
Thursday September 5 - Friday 6
Free anchorage
Thursday September 5 - Friday 6
Free anchorage