CRUISING GREECE: AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY FROM ATHENS TO CHAKIDA, GREECE

CRUISING GREECE:

AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY FROM ATHENS TO CHALKIDA, GREECE

Karen and Darren Simpson aboard SV SMALL WORLD III 🌎 are part of the Atlantic (OCEAN) Posse currently cruising in and around Greece. This week they left the comforts and pleasure of a marina in Athens to cruise to Chalkida, Greece. Here they share some of their journey:

Karen & Darren aboard SV SMALL WORLD III

Twin Sails filled sailing to Chalkida, Greece

The Old Bridge of Chalkida spanning the Euripus Strait also known as the bridge between two lands and two seas

Chalkida, (is) a city perched amphitheatrically in central Evia. Chalkida straddles the beguiling Strait of Evripos, bridging the coast of Evia and Boeotian mainland. A modern metropolis pulsating with history, Chalkida embraces its maritime heritage and hospitable spirit. The city's allure lies in its unique dance with nature—the captivating tidal spectacle of the Gulf of Evia.

The one thing Chalkida is world-famous for is the peculiar tidal currents that flow interchangeably north-to-south and south-to-north through the Euripus Strait between the island and the mainland. It is this phenomenon that has given the city the nickname: Crazy Waters.

Reversing tidal currents are caused by the moon’s gravity and occur in all straits worldwide, but they are mostly imperceptible by the human senses. It is the distinct geography of Chalkida’s strait—its double-funnel shape among other factors—that make the local currents particularly strong.

The flow peaks at an astounding speed of 12 km per hour, which, for context, is comparable to torrents during floods. For most of the month, the current changes direction about every six hours with a clock’s regularity. But for a few days around the half-moons, it loses its pattern altogether, moving back and forth in chaotic ways.

The 38-meters-wide strait is spanned by an 8-meter-tall bridge, which, constructed in 1963, is the latest of a long succession of bridges dating back to antiquity. The bridge is withdrawn usually once every evening to allow for large vessels to traverse the strait. Given the powerful stream with its notorious vortexes, it requires skillful maneuvering to sail through. It is quite an impressive spectacle to behold. Due to the unpredictability of the currents, the bridge’s opening times are not standard. Estimations are stated on a screen on the spot and live views of the bridge can be seen here.

If you’re now thinking that it’d be great fun to jump from the bridge, you are totally right. But it is unfortunately illegal. However, this detail wouldn’t stop us when we were kids… Free-falling for a short distance, we’d then be engulfed and drifted around by the currents, losing every sense of direction within this dark whirlpool of pressing liquid, for up to half a minute. By the time we’d reach the surface, we could be more than 50 meters away from the bridge, laughing and waving at the coastguards who were always a little too late to stop us.

Jan and Karen enjoying the evening in Chalkida

Anchored in Paros. Med ties in the foreground

SV SMALL WORLD III 🇻🇮 Karen & Darren - Bristol 47

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR ADVENTURE

by EDITOR

BOATWORK IN PARADISE: RE-SPLICING HALYARDS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF NUKU HIVA

RE-SPLICING HALYARDS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF NUKU HIVA

The offended halyard and splicing tools are all laid out and ready for action.

Following through after our June 9th article:

Chafe: Find It, Fix it, Get Ahead of it

(LINK????)

Cruising offers so many takes on life. Among them "Boatwork in beautiful places" rings true time and time again aboard SV WHIRLWIND. Granted this 'grind' is part of the fun of raising our sails, putting miles beneath our keel, watching dolphins surf our bow, sharing sundowners, and sailing for days and days to distant shores.

This week Captain Mike set about to re-splice the portside Spinnaker halyard that had chafed on our Pacific Crossing in May. Once we found the trades en route to French Polynesia we had the opportunity to fly the spinnaker for days on end before the conditions changed and a new sail was required. It was on one of these sail changes that we noticed that the head of the halyard had been chafing on something at the top of the mast. While the cover was shot, the core was fine and we had to put that halyard to rest until now.

(Side note: Redundancy to the rescue! Thankfully, when the conditions called for a spinnaker again, we were still able to raise ours as we have a starboard spinnaker halyard that carried us the rest of the way.)

Getting geared up to Re-splice the halyard where it was damaged, Mike took the opportunity to do a few upgrades that had been on his 'list for sometime'. We hadn't had a shackle in at the head of the line. We had been attaching the halyard with a bowline. Additionally, he put a new eye splice in the bitter end. See photos below for Re-splicing inspiration.

The cover to the spinnaker halyard chafed through. The inner core is still fine...phew!

A luggage tag on the bitter end for pulling up a new tag line to reeve a new halyard in the future.

Et VOILA! As they say in French. Splice is finished and halyard is snapped in place on the foredeck.

SY WHIRLWIND 🇺🇸 Maurisa, Mike, Russell & Josea – Alajuela 48’

by EDITOR

AND THE WINNER IS....

The Ocean Posse sends a HUGE thank you out to all people who participated in our survey earlier this month. Our goal is to improve our posse and our benefits and it is happening! As promised one lucky survey responder has won a $250 gift card.

AND THE WINNER IS...

HEATHER JOHNSON

Lucky Winner raises her courtesy flag aboard her 1986 *Endeavour 42.*

Heather has graciously accepted her $250 gift card that she plans to use to transfer boats parts from her Amazon wishlist to her cart. Describing herself she writes:

My husband and I own SV Consort, a 1986 Endeavour 42, a slight upgrade from our 19' Flying Scot that we sailed and raced in Central Illinois. We originally became interested in sailing while on a vacation in St. Maarten when we took a snorkeling tour aboard a catamaran. While everyone was sitting in the back getting seasick I was sitting on the trampoline laughing and having a blast as we crashed through the waves, catching air, and getting covered in salt! The next day, while sitting poolside I commented to my husband that I'd like to learn how to sail. So, when we returned to Central IL, (I know, not exactly a place known for great sailing) we found a local sailing club and signed up for a Learn to Sail class. We enjoyed it so much we started sailing Lasers, Sunfish, Thistles, Flying Scots, and any boat we could crew on. Unfortunately, the sailing season in Illinois is rather short, as were the boats we were sailing on. We thought that maybe it was time for an upgrade. While we were in Florida for a Flying Scot regatta we decided to start looking at cruising vessels that would offer us a warm, winter retreat. I'd been watching listings on all the sites trying to study the market and find the boat that met our list of wants, needs, and must haves. Since we were in Florida it seemed reasonable to start looking at boats in person but we were NOT ready to buy yet...so we thought. We were in Cocoa Beach and getting ready to depart for a long, boring drive back to cold, wintery, Illinois when my husband said, "It's too bad that boat Consort isn't still for sale." Well, it WAS still for sale and the price had just dropped so instead of driving to IL we turned South and drove to Ft. Lauderdale where we saw SV Consort in person after salivating over her online for a couple months.

Yes, we had no intention of buying a boat yet but the moment we saw Consort we knew she was our boat. She checked all the boxes and it just felt right. We spent the next two days driving back to Illinois trying to talk ourselves out of buying her but in the end, we knew it was the right choice. Five and a half years later, we still love her as much and I'm grateful we listened to our guts.

We've been cruising between the Bahamas and South Florida for the past 5 years. Many people ask why we don't go further South but we have absolutely fallen in love with the islands of the Bahamas and the people there. We have friends we visit on different islands every year and are always greeted with "Welcome Home" and we are treated like family. After sailing the islands for five years we're still discovering new islands, finding remote anchorages, meeting new people, and we look forward to visiting every year.

Heather taking in the view from the top of the mast

by EDITOR

MUST SEE: SAMOA 🇼🇸 APIA

SAMOA 🇼🇸 APIA

Samoan dances in Apia 🇼🇸 Samoa Samoan cultural dancing is a vibrant and integral part of Samoan heritage, particularly in Apia, the capital city of Samoa. Traditional dances in Samoa are deeply rooted in the cultural and social fabric of the island, reflecting its history, values, and communal lifestyle. One of the most prominent dances is the Siva. This graceful dance, often performed by young women, tells stories through slow, fluid movements, symbolizing the beauty and harmony of Samoan life. The Fa'ataupati, or slap dance, contrasts with its energetic and rhythmic style, typically performed by men, showcasing strength and coordination

The Fa'ataupati, or slap dance, contrasts with its energetic and rhythmic style, typically performed by men, showcasing strength and coordination.

Fire Dance rThe ancient art of fire (sword) dancing originated in Polynesia. Taking his inspiration from the Samoan warrior, a fire knife dancer takes center stage twirling, tossing, catching and throwing a flaming machete at high speeds. The history of Samoan fire twirling, or fire knife dancing, is rich and fascinating. The practice, known as Siva Afi or Ailao Afi, originated from the traditional Samoan knife dance called Ailao, which was performed by warriors to demonstrate their battle prowess and psych themselves up before combat. The dance involved twirling and tossing a war club called a nifo oti, which was later adapted to include fire (Wikipedia) (Old Lāhainā Lū’au). The incorporation of fire into the dance is credited to Uluao "Freddie" Letuli, a Samoan-American performer. In 1946, inspired by a Hindu fire eater and a baton twirler with lighted batons he saw at a Shriners Convention in San Francisco, Letuli decided to add fire to his knife dance routine. This innovation dramatically increased the skill and danger involved, making the dance even more captivating. Letuli's new version of the dance quickly gained popularity and became a staple in Polynesian shows and luaus (Maui Luau Review) (Discover Hawaii). Fire knife dancing has since become a celebrated part of Samoan culture and is showcased in various cultural events, including the annual World Fire Knife Dance Competition held at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii. This competition attracts performers from around the world and highlights the skill, strength, and artistry involved in this dynamic dance (Aloha Hawaii). For a deeper dive into the history and cultural significance of Samoan fire twirling, you can explore resources such as "Flaming Sword of Samoa" by Letuli, which provides an in-depth look at the origins and evolution of this mesmerizing dance (Aloha Hawaii) (Discover Hawaii).

A theory on Human migration from Indonesia into Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. Samoa is a sovereign nation 40 miles northwest of American Samoa, a US Territory. While geographically quite close, Samoa and American Samoa are separated by 24 time difference. Samoa being more closely connected with Australia and New Zealand as primary trade partners and American Samoa with the United States. Samoa consists of the islands of Upolu, Savai’i, Apolima and Manono. During Colonial times these islands were a German protectorate from 1900 until the takeover by New Zealand forces during World War 1 in 1914. The takeover of Samoa was New Zealand’s first military action in World War I. In late August 1914 with landings by the Samoa Expeditionary Force from New Zealand on behalf of King George V. Samoan independence came in 1962.

National beer Vailima: a German-style lager brewed in Samoa here are two versions to choose from, the normal 4.9% strength and the the export-only 6.7%.

by EDITOR

GOOD NAUTICAL: Makogai Island Dalice Village, FIJI

GOOD NAUTICAL:

Makogai Island Dalice Village, FIJI

17° 26.4200' S, 178° 57.9100' E

White sand beach and clear turquoise water in Makogai, Fiji

Makogai is located in the heart of the Lomaiviti Group in Fji. Makogai is not only abundant with biodiversity and beauty, but brimming with South Pacific history. Like many Islands in the South Pacific, approaching the island and navigating to the anchorage requires careful study, preparation, and planning. Ideally, once the anchor is set gently in the sand paradise it found.

Recently, Pacific Posse member asked the group whether anyone had a track for entering Makogai. Chris on SeaGlub quickly responded:

Haven't been myself but this is a shot from trusted friends:

*NOTE: these tracks are shared friend to friend...a POSSE PERK...verification and a sharp lookout still required.

To read more about Makogai click on this link:

https://goodnautical.com/fiji/anchorage/makogai

https://www.fijimarinas.com/anchorage-at-makogai-a-significant-south-pacific-treasure/

Makogai Island, located in Fiji's Lomaiviti Group, offers a unique experience for sailors, blending natural beauty with rich historical significance. The island is best known for its past as a leprosy colony from 1911 to 1969, and today, remnants of this history can still be explored, including the old leper colony ruins and a graveyard. The island now serves as a mariculture center focused on the conservation and breeding of giant clams, an effort crucial for maintaining marine biodiversity (Two At Sea) (Levuka Town).

For sailors, anchoring at Makogai Island, particularly in Dalice Bay, presents a serene and picturesque spot. The anchorage is protected by surrounding reefs and small islets, offering a calm and enclosed environment. The approach to Dalice Bay can be navigated through two main passes, with the north entrance often preferred for its ease. Once anchored, sailors can engage with the island's caretaker, who also acts as an informal chief, by participating in a traditional sevusevu ceremony, where kava is presented as a gift. In return, the caretaker provides a tour of the island, including the leper colony ruins and the giant clam farm (Two At Sea) (Wikipedia).

Makogai Island is also home to a significant marine research station, focusing on the conservation of giant clams and trochus clams. This initiative began in the 1980s and has since played a vital role in repopulating Fiji's reefs with these important species. The island's ecosystem, featuring verdant hills, palm-covered flatlands, and clear teal waters, adds to the allure for visiting sailors (Wikipedia) (Diver Bliss).

by EDITOR

WHY STAY HURRICANE SEASON IN PORT WHEN YOU CAN GO NORTH, CREW FOR A FRIEND, & CRUISE THE SAN JUANS?

You know you are not in Costa Rica when there are grizzly bears on shore

WHY STAY HURRICANE SEASON IN PORT

WHEN YOU CAN GO NORTH,

CREW FOR A FRIEND,

& CRUISE THE WASHINGTON'S SAN JUANS TO

CANADA'S INSIDE PASSAGE?

MARTINI crew goes north to cool off and explore the northern waters of Washington State

Seeking a fun reprive from the humidity in Costa Rica MV MARTINI crew is currently in the San Juan Islands in Washington State helping a friend move their boat.

MV MARTINI crew reports:

It is a definite change of weather and scenery. We love the amount of inlets you can duck in and out of. The currents, and whirlpools are truly epic! Local knowledge is a must have. We’ve seen eagles, humpback whales, grizzly bears, and seals so far. Still keeping our eyes peeled for the orcas! We’ve caught chinook salmon- both red and white as well as pink salmon so we’ve been eating really well! Such a fun trip creating lots of memories! ☺️

Heading to the Gulf Islands in southern British Columbia

by EDITOR

MEET THE FLEET: KEKADA II Don & Anja

MEET THE FLEET: KEKADA II

Don & Anja

We are Anja and Don on mv Kekada II, a Leopard 53 power catamaran. Don started sailing over 50 years ago and convinced Anja to undertake a circumnavigation with our children from 1998 - 2003. We have been cruising off and on since then. This is our third pacific crossing, albeit, our first in a power boat. We took delivery in Cape Town in 2022 and decided to take the "short" way home to Australia crossing the south atlantic the same year before joining the Panama Posse in 2023/24 for our cruise up to Mexico. Currently enjoying the unspoilt island of Wallis in the south pacific before continuing our voyage to Fiji and beyond.

(We published in a) recent leopard blog (and) discussed our current voyage in more detail. https://blog.leopardcatamarans.com/circumnavigating-in-a-power-catamaran?utm_campaign=Leopard%20Catamarans%20Blog%20Subscription%20Notification&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-94z0hvSgiS7IqZp090TKR40FV8x6UlS9IaSWl0g_ypaqf68Ed31wSZXI-vMZ8lR9kFcOsKfgpZ3QvexqFMEpB1pUxvKQ&_hsmi=316495289&utm_content=316495289&utm_source=hs_email

MV KEKADA II in Bora Bora, French Polynesia before sailing to Nawi Island Marina in Fiji

by EDITOR

EL VALLE DE ANTON 🇵🇦 PANAMA

The isthmus we know of as Panama is said to have formed over millions of years with the collision of two tectonic plates in the deep ocean creating a chain of volcanoes that later emerged above the sea surface. El Valle de Anton is a village in the crater of one such ancient volcano surrounded by mountains and clouds just north of Vista Mar Marina and Buenadventura Marina. For many Panamanians that live and work in Panama City, El Valle is the 'country' where they visit their family, grow and harvest fruits and vegetables, and/or spend time on the weekends in nature.

The town is located in the flat wide caldera of the 6 km wide El Valle volcano that is inactive; there is evidence that it erupted as recently as about 300,000 years ago. Because of its elevation (600 m), it is cooler than the Panamanian lowlands. This cooler climate is a welcome respite from the heat at lower elevations.

windswept trees — Windswept trees hi above El Valle de Anton with a view of the Pacific Ocean

Natural attractions near El Valle include the Chorro El Macho waterfall, Las Mozas waterfall, the “square” trees behind Hotel Campestre, and a group of small natural thermal pools. There are many developed hiking trails to walk on. Birding is phenomenal. The area around the town is also known for being one of the last habitats of the critically endangered Panamanian golden frog. Some of the forests around the town are protected areas.

panamanian golden frog — Critically endangered Panamanian golden frog

butterfly — Butterflies are abundant in El Valle in part due to the efforts of the Butterfly Research Station.

The valley is very fertile and produce grows in abundance. There are many people living in and around El valle that sell fresh produce at an open air market in the center of town. In July we found a very wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Some I had never even seen before like this red spikey fruit sold on a branch or by the bushel.

rambutan — Mamon Chino or Rambutan is considered the national fruit of Panama

rambutan fruit — Inside the odd, soft spiney skin is a white, juicy fleshy fruit with a huge seed in the middle.

There are two museums in El Valle de Anton as well. Both highlight the history, culture, biodiversity, and uniqueness of this special place in and of itself, and as it relates to Panama at large. One museum is older, one is quite new; while both tell the same general story, they tell it in very different ways.

A visit to El Valle de Anton is well worth the trip.

by EDITOR

Northbound: Along the Pacific Coast with SV Aeeshah

Northbound:

Along the Pacific Costa Rican Coast

with SV AEESHAH

SV AEESHAH entered Costa Rica from the south and checked in at Golfito, Costa Ricas southernmost port of entry. While awaiting parts they explored the area by dinghy and by car. Their photos and descriptions below capture their experience and the natural beauty in abundance in Costa Rica.

We went across to the peninsular opposite Banana Bay had a look around the bay with its amazingly, green, foliage, from the mangroves at the shoreline to the mammoth trees covering the hillsides.

banana bay sunset — Costa Rican purples and pinks

To break the week up and relieve the boredom: we again rented a car.

The first destination:

Wilson Botanical Gardens

The Robert and Catherine Wilson Botanical Garden has a rich, internationally recognized collection of tropical plants from around the world. Over 1,000 genera in more than 200 plant families form the unique collection that is an integral part of the Las Cruces Research Station. There are hundreds of bromeliads and orchids; dozens of philodendrons and other aroids of all sizes; scores of heliconias; plus ferns, gingers, marantas, giant bamboo and close 500 species of palms well represented on the 12-hectare (30-acre) site.

The Wilson Botanical Garden is part of “La Amistad Biosphere Reserve” that encompasses 472,000 hectares of park land and buffer zones centered in the southern Talamanca mountain range in Costa Rica’s South Pacific.”

Ferns — *Not surprisingly all ahead was greens or every hue and shade as far as one could see.*

*On our way we saw a few Agouti. They were hunting through the brush for berries and nuts to eat. Such cute animals, looking like a huge Guinea pig but with the legs of a short deer.*

*The gingers flowers were very impressive, with so many varieties and all under the huge, shade, trees which made for a lovely, walk.*

To continue reading about this road trip inland or other adventures with SV AEESHAH visit: https://www.aeeshah.com/2024/06/golfito-area-wilson-botanical-gardens-piedras-blancas-national-park-where-are-you/

Want a photo tour instead? Visit: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMJkD0xR29D02xiu5efL4CyJpGvLZbkdGiRHmTNx8-HDRcI-nHYPP9Iibrw1X6zHQ?key=V3VRRWpoaTJRUkpYVjQ5Zm1rcVoyR0hUNjVzTVNB

SV AEESHAH Jen & John – Gulfstart Hirsh

THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR ADVENTURE!

by EDITOR

Good Nautical: Puerto Refugio in the Northern Sea of Cortez, Mexico

Good Nautical: Puerto Refugio

in the Northern Sea of Cortez, Mexico

29° 32.3883' N 113° 33.5799' W

isla angel de la guardia — Isla Angel de la Guardia

Many say that in the Sea of Cortez you can be where the desert meets the sea. This is truly the case in Puerto Refugio.

Puerto Refugio is a small cove within the wide bay at the northern tip of Isla Angel de la Guarda. Isla Granito, the 1km long skinny island lying at the entrance to the bay, blocks some of the northerly swell but the anchorage is still very rolly when a norther is blowing. The western cove is very well protected from all other directions. In the summer months this bay is a calm place to anchor and spend time exploring. There is a sea lion rookery and a pelican rookery in different parts of the bay. Many people will visit this bay as their last stop on the way to Puerto Penasco.

Anchorage

Rocks extend from the western point towards the boney finger of rock that juts out from the south side of the cove. Anchor in the northwest corner of the bay in 4.5m on a sandy bottom. The southern part of the bay is scattered with rocks and islets and a lookout on the bow is recommended if trying to enter this part of the cove. Dinghy ashore to the beach and be careful when landing if waves are breaking.

Visit this Islet to see sea lion rookery

Photos taken in July and contributed by SV ARROW and crew

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ANCHORAGE

YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE POSSE?

Send photos and description to Maurisa at editor@oceanposse.com

by EDITOR

FLEET UPDATES

CRUISING GREECE:

AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY FROM ATHENS TO CHALKIDA, GREECE

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR ADVENTURE

RE-SPLICING HALYARDS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF NUKU HIVA

Following through after our June 9th article:

Chafe: Find It, Fix it, Get Ahead of it

The Ocean Posse sends a HUGE thank you out to all people who participated in our survey earlier this month. Our goal is to improve our posse and our benefits and it is happening! As promised one lucky survey responder has won a $250 gift card.

AND THE WINNER IS...

HEATHER JOHNSON

SAMOA 🇼🇸 APIA

GOOD NAUTICAL:

Makogai Island Dalice Village, FIJI

17° 26.4200' S, 178° 57.9100' E

WHY STAY HURRICANE SEASON IN PORT

WHEN YOU CAN GO NORTH,

CREW FOR A FRIEND,

& CRUISE THE WASHINGTON'S SAN JUANS TO

CANADA'S INSIDE PASSAGE?

MEET THE FLEET: KEKADA II

Don & Anja

EL VALLE DE ANTON 🇵🇦 PANAMA

Northbound:

Along the Pacific Costa Rican Coast

with SV AEESHAH

THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR ADVENTURE!

Good Nautical: Puerto Refugio

in the Northern Sea of Cortez, Mexico

29° 32.3883' N 113° 33.5799' W

Anchorage

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ANCHORAGE

YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE POSSE?

Send photos and description to Maurisa at editor@oceanposse.com