B y M a r k S te v e n s
P h o to s b y : S h a r o n M a tth e w s - S te v e n s
e d id b re a k fa s t y e s te rd a y in th e G re e k p o rt o f
P ira e u s , ju s t o u ts id e A th e n s : s tro n g c o ffe e , c ris p
b a c o n , fre s h b re a d , a n d o m e le ts s p ik e d w ith
F e ta C h e e s e.
W e d id d in n e r la st n ig h t, a l fre sc o , in a v illa g e c a lle d P e rd ik a
o n th e isla n d o f A e g in a.
S o m e tim e o v e r d in n e r it h it m e ; I k n e w I w a s o n to so m e -
th in g. R a isin g a g la ss o f o u zo , I to a ste d m y w ife , S h a ro n , a n d o u r
frie n d s a n d c re w , E d a n d K im N o rth.
“F o rg e t a b o u t w e d d in g s,” I sa id , re fe rrin g to a h it m o v ie
p e n n e d b y a C a n a d ia n o f G re e k a n c e stry n a m e d N ia V a rd a lo s.
“W e lc o m e to m y B ig F a t G re e k C h a rte r.”
S a id c h a rte r s ta rte d rig h t a fte r y e s te rd a y ’s b re a k fa s t. B y
1 0 A M w e w e re s lic in g w a te rs th a t w e re th e s tu ff o f G re e k
m y th o lo g y in ‘W in d s p rite ,’ th e 4 4 0 C a ta m a ra n w e c h a rte re d
fro m th e S u n s a il b a s e a t M a rin a Z e a. V e lo c ity m a d e g o o d in
th e G u lf o f S a ro n ic in th e A e g e a n S e a w a s a ro u n d s ix k n o ts.
B u t n o m e re h isto ry fo r u s, d e sp ite th e fa c t w e w e re c h a sin g
th e g h o sts o f th e lik e s o f Ja so n a n d th e A rg o n a u ts. N o g o ld e n
fle e c e fo r u s.
W e h a v e lo ftie r a sp ira tio n s.
W e ’ll c h a se th e w in d s (V o ria s a n d B o re a s, S iro c c o a n d
S o u ro k o ) o n o u r o w n h e ro ’s q u e st. W e ’ll e n jo y a sa ilin g c h a rte r
w ith o u t e q u a l – sa m p lin g d e lic a c ie s b o th g u sta to ry a n d o th e r-
w ise fro m th e m o m e n t w e c a st o ff. A n d w e ’ll d isc o v e r th e b e st
b a k la v a in G re e c e.
w w w. c a n a d i a n y a c h t i n g. c a 2 5W
A b o v e : G e ttin g re a d y to d in e a l fre s c o — w itn e s s th e
c a tc h o f th e d a y.
L e ft: M e d ite rra n e a n m o o rin g in th e h a rb o u r a t P o ro s.