VOYAGE
I
stand at the edge of the bathing platform on Celia, the
sun-soaked teak warming the soles of my feet while a breeze
brushes my skin. The blue-green water beckons, clear enough
to see to the bottom. With a lift of the arms and a bend of the
knees, I launch myself from the boat into the cool ocean. We are
alone in the harbour, save for two other boats – 36-metre Sole di Mare
and 30.7-metre Martina – who are our travelling
companions this week in a tandem-style charter
exploring the Greek Riviera; a smattering of islands
and mainland harbours that dot the coast of the
Argolic and Saronic Gulf, serving up picturesque
towns, luxury shopping and dining, unspoiled beauty
and utter tranquillity.
I had boarded Celia in Nafplio, one such picturesque
town that is overlooked by a commanding fort on the
hillside, famed for its 999 steps (so local legend has it- in fact it’s 857) to reach the summit. Nafplio’s
quintessentially pretty Old Town is defined by
colourful buildings dripping in greenery and floral
blooms. Its narrow, pedestrianised streets are dotted
with outdoor cafés, high-end boutiques and art
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