Chios, Ikaria and Samos

After Kardhamila we decided to travel down the west coast of Chios and called at Volisos, a small fishing harbour below the town set on a high hill adjacent to an ancient fortress. The town was small and sleepy and, as the pilot described, largely ruinous with many of the buildings in a derelict state. However, it seems to have been recently discovered by tourists, and there is much renovation taking place and some trendy bars and accommodation houses are now the go. Then a great downwind sail to an anchorage at Emborious on the southern tip of Chios before a crossing to Ikaria, the windy island. A long tall slab of rock, we found Ikaria to be a wonderful place. The scenery was magnificent; high almost alpine valleys, rocky moonscapes, golden sandy beaches and attractive towns seemingly undiscovered by mainstream tourism. It was a genuinely Greek island experience and great to find a place not catering to the “package tourists”. We did have to contend with the wind which accelerated over the mountain and blew “bullets” down into the tiny harbour at over 35 kts on occasions. So, despite long lines across the harbour, we had a few broken berthing lines and shock absorbers. When the wind relented we sailed on via Fournoi Is. to Pythagorion on Samos and an unexpected rendezvous with Marmaris yachting mates. Here we will spend a couple of days before returning to Kusadasi in Turkey for a crew change.