Samos was lovely but we had to get a move on if we ever wanted to visit other islands. And so, on the afternoon of Saturday, 3rd June we released our lines and set course to Fournoi, a small little island a few miles southwest of Samos. But Aelos had other plans; we were caught in an acceleration zone with a rough sea, and after 15 mins or so we decided to bear away and head to Patmos instead. It was still half/upwind and troubled sea, but we could manage better and it was not that far. Three hours later we were throwing our anchor in a beautiful bay with a contradictory name, Paralia Pikro Nero (bitter water). We did not go ashore; instead, we enjoyed a full-moon night filled with silence and nature surroundings.

The next day, bright and early we set sail towards Amorgos, the easternmost island in the Cyclades. We had a great sailing day, with fast speed (average of almost 7 knots!) and all kinds of winds! Elena did not get seasick at all (win!) and we really enjoyed the sunshine and Libra gracefully racing to our next island.

Amorgos is a wild beauty. Known for its camping spots and hiking trails, one can imagine the type of tourists this island attracts. Correct, the sporty, active type. However, this does not mean that the island did not offer a variety of restaurants and cafes with delicious cuisine and snacks. This is pretty much all we did, as Jelle had work this week, so Elena and I were exploring Katapola and Xylokeratidi, the two ports on foot every day, trying out the local delicacies. What was more fun though, was that every day we were passing by a herd of sheep, sleeping or eating under the shade of a tree and one day we even encountered a donkey! It is so refreshing, after living years and years in big cities, to just connect again with nature and enjoy a simpler life.

For a change, we did not hire a car but instead took a taxi to visit the Holy Monastery of the Virgin Mary Chozoviotissa, a breathtaking monastery built literally inside a cliff! And on top of that, the bay just under it, of Agia Anna, is the same bay where the Le Grand Bleu movie was filmed! The movie title in Greek is translated into “endless light blue” which in my humble opinion, is the perfect description for that bay.

We also visited the Chora of Amorgos, the capital of the island. Typical Cycladic style of houses, white with blue windows and doors, tiny narrow streets to get lost in, cute cafes and restaurants on every corner, and lots and lots of wind. Yes, Amorgos is quite windy, and the swell of the fast ferries caused some stir in Libra, but we still enjoyed our lazy days here, on this wild, wild, eastern island.