Visitors in Hydra and Spetses

Clare and Jamie arrived in Poros by Flying Dolphin, having spent a night in Pireus, (they did not report favourably on the Pireus experience) and started the holiday with some kite flying.  

The kite was huge, and the yacht not the easiest kite flying platform.

Poros is a big Charter Boat base, but luckily the anchorage is massive and the fleets had all left so it was very peaceful.

View from Poros, looking across the narrow channel  towards the Peloponise.

The clock tower

 

Posing in the sunshine

Our next destination was Hydra Island, 15nm from Poros.  It's a beautiful natural harbour, and again out timing was good:  plenty of space when we arrived, but boats squeeze in every available space.

By the next evening we were rafted in by a second row of yachts in front of us.

It's easy to see why people come here.

The town Quay - there is no charge for tying up here, but the water did cost €4 for 200 litres!

Plenty of those lovely little fishing boats in the inner harbour.

No cars - donkeys are used instead.

Optimistic cats greeting the fishermen, Hydra Harbour.

A gunship arrived.  We were initially puzzled by the Naval presence, but we learnt that the 'Patron' was visiting the island

Later a helicopter arrived and landed on the ship - 

The Coast guard also got involved.

Blue for the Coast Guard, and white for the Navy

National Costume

Top Gun

And finally ... The Great Man Himself.  There then followed lots of marching to stirring music from the military band, church bells, lunch, and the entourage departed with much ceremony.

And a BBQ on the quay for us, prepared by The staff - they need the matching t-shirts and shorts! 

Hydra was a hard act to follow, so we decided to head for Porto Heli.  We had been on a family dinghy sailing holiday there about 15 years ago and wondered if the place had improved in the intervening years.  The anchorage afforded fantastic shelter, but the only highlight was the sunset.

Porto Heli - best viewed at dusk.

Undeterred, hotels are still under construction around the bay

An alternative water feature, perhaps?

One night in Porto Heli was enough.  We set off for Spetses Island - a mere 6nm away, but a totally different world.

We arrived during a 3 day Classic Yacht Regatta.

The harbour was heaving with Classic Yachts, but we found ourselves the perfect mooring spot tucked in behind some larger craft.

Tied onto the shore, in 2.5 metres of water - just as well we have a lifting keel.

Sunset - shared with a couple of rusting ships and several super yachts.  Spetses.

We walked into the town of Spetses, definitely caters for the higher class visitor:  No donkeys, it's horses here.

Spetses Town - hosting the Regatta

The Maltese Falcon, and some of the smaller racers.

Chaos, on the way to the starting line.

One last look at our Spetses anchorage - a really lovely place.

Next stop...Ermioni.