Practical Boat Owner - January 2016

Cruising

ÍdhraAnchor weighed, we checked out Derrick Bay before leaving Dhokos, this being the small cove on the western shore of Órmos
Skindos. Worrying is the pilot book note about an ominous chain along its bottom, preying malevolently on the unwary. In fact, it’s easy to spot. Enter the bay
reasonably close to the south shore: not far in, you’ll see it. There’s ample space to anchor beyond.However, our Day 3 destination was
Ídhra. Independently of each other we concluded that spending the night in Ídhra’s harbour was not for us. Its huge popularity and legendary three-row-deep
raft-ups – and that’s on a good day – led to much sucking of teeth. There’s only so much sozzled foot traffic and guardrail twanging that you can take when you’re
nodding off, and we’ve all heard or read of harrowing stories of chaos and damage caused by stiff northerly winds when they blow into the harbour, usually at night.
towards Mandraki Bay, a much quieter spot just under a mile eastwards.We therefore motored past the harbour Here we anchored comfortably in time
for a swim and another of Tricia’s excellent alfresco lunches. During the afternoon we took the water

taxi into Ídhra town. Architecturally, it’s certainly an interesting town to walk around, a place made famous in the late 1960s by the alternative art set – Leonard

Cohen being one of the most enduring. I understand he still keeps a home there. A significant body of work on his early albums – Songs From A Room, for

example – and novels (was penned here.Ídhra – it’s a clip joint, albeit a classy one. Fame has somewhat taken its toll on Beautiful Losers)

We did a spot of provisioning, though – and indeed, the grocery stores were pretty typical of any of the little family-run affairs you find all over Greece – but as

evening approached we made our way back on foot to the cool and peace of Mandraki Bay (45 minutes) for an evening dip and dinner at the attractive taverna

tucked into the corner of the bay.

PorosAfter another still and quiet night, Day 4 had us departing the Argolic Gulf and entering the Saronic, now on course for

Poros, an island almost within spitting distance of the Peloponnesian mainland coast. The main town, also called Poros, is an extensive warren of alleyways, cheerful

whitewashed houses with painted Venetian shutters, and terracotta pantile roofs. Boatfolk aside, Poros is predominantly a Greek holiday destination, which gives it

a particular charm.facing quay opposite the Poseidon Taverna, a venue I confidently Moineau went stern-to on the west-

recommend. For mixed seafood platter for two was served up with a litre of wine included. It doesn’t stop there either. On Monday nights, p35 (£25), a generous

when we happened to be there, there’s a rather jolly display of Greek dancing which inevitably leads to some equally jolly – and perhaps slightly embarrassing

• audience participation.pleasant restaurants around the old town square 100ft or so above the harbour. We Not so well frequented are the few
  checked out and enjoyed the ‘Butcher’s Taverna’ (chargrilled meats from the adjacent butcher’s shop), and also the pretty Garden Terrace Restaurant.
  Bay, but we moved a mile westward to use Most yachties anchor in nearby Navy

WeatherAlthough the eastern Greek coast is known for the strong northerly

meltemi that blows from mid-June to mid-September, the Saronic and Argolic gulfs were consistently well sheltered from it. Whereas the

meltemi can be seen blasting the central and eastern Aegean we enjoyed light breezes, flat calms and still nights.

Peaceful Mandraki Bay, the antidote to Ídhra main town harbour

Neorion Bay, Poros island. Petros’s Taverna is tucked into the corner to the right

Ídhra town harbour – charming but teeming with yachts, many en flotilla