Fools Afloat. Day 10.

Day 10 Monday 11 June 2018

We had planned for a 0600hrs start.

We were headed due West for the island of Simi some 35 miles away. Assuming we make 5 knots an hour we should be there by 1400hrs. Allowing for good winds from the West. It is our intention to use the Nimos passage. A channel some 3 m deep between the small island of North Nimos and North Simi.

Simi was once famous for boat building and sponge diving. Many of the fast galleys of the Knights of St John were built here.

0550hrs. Depart. Anchor laid across ours. Merde! Mike calls back to the cockpit for the boat hook which Tim brings forward. Hanging over the bow Mike starts 'fishing' for the fouled anchor chain. The damn Boat hook handle falls off then the handle starts to drift away. Tim moves aft and changes into swim shorts and dive mask. David is now on deck. Jackie lowers the swim platform and Tim dives in. Raising the fouled anchor chain once more Mike, with some difficulty is able to pass a rope around the offending chain, someone else's anchor and Tim in the water, treading throws it up to me. I tie this off thus holding the offending chain up. Tim, back on board reverses the boat. Our anchor is now clear of the fouled chain and Mike takes in the remainder of the anchor. We motor out of harbour dead on 0600hrs.

Not much wind. A couple of hours’ worth making 6 or so knots at best, eventually we switch on the engine, now making a steady 6.5 knots. Fairly calm little or no shipping anywhere. We are overtaken by a beautiful Turkish Sloop with two masts no sails set. She is soon gone. For a while we run parallel to the Turkish coast. It is barren. David has disappeared below, Tim has the helm. Mike is feeling so sleepy sat on the rear transom. The gentle rolling of the boat induced a high degree of sleepiness. Soon after David comes on deck Tim declares he is going below for a kip. Mike thinks bugger it. He lets David helm then asks permission to leave the bridge. He’s gone for about 90 minutes, some say more and gets a fair amount of kip. When he returns we are nearing the straights , we are soon through and there across the bay is Simi Town the capital of Simi Island.

The North Simi Passage in rear.

 

Racing in the local ferry.

 

Entering Simi harbour.

1300hrs we are alongside. Directed by three wharf men one says go right, one left and the other seems to have no interest other than amusedly wondering which of his two companions instructions we will follow. As you might know we were moored in slightly the wrong position Tim offered to move but the honcho said we were ok  E33 for two night inc electricity. Water was E5. See Jannis the waterman.

Our mooring in Simi. Stern to looking out across the harbour.

David had seen in one of the restaurant guides a recommendation for Mythos Resto. Thus come dinner time he insisted on dragging us across the harbour, up every back alley and side street in an attempt to locate Mythos Restaurant. "It comes highly recommended." was all David would reply to our questions as to when and where we would find it. Eventually we locate it. It closed down some time ago and was now a gym. Judging by the immaculate young coiffured males inside, none of whom looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger I assumed it was for queens only. Dinner that night at Taverno Haris. It rained hard and thus we stayed for rather longer than perhaps we might otherwise have done.

2145hrs Return to the boat for drinks in the saloon  but it was too hot and airless we sat on deck for a short period, the rain had stopped. We were in bed a little after 2200hrs. Despite all of us having had an afternoon kip as well.