Nikitas

Leaving Néa Marmarás   

Néa Marmarás was a good passage stop for us and we could have stayed longer but we want to progress around towards Thessaloniki. We’ve arranged to meet up with family and friends further south in the Aegean next month and so we are now planning our itinerary with those rendezvous in mind. So, just after midday on Sunday 5 June we left Néa Marmarás and carried on making our way up the eastern side of the Toronaíos Gulf. Néa Marmarás was very much a seaside town with some nice beaches close by and lots of villas and apartments on the headlands. We were expecting the same but on a smaller scale at our next stop 10 miles north.

It wasn’t a long passage but we didn’t really want to motor it and so we picked our timing to try to take advantage of a light wind forecast for the afternoon. That worked well and so shortly after leaving Néa Marmarás we had the spinnaker (MPS) flying from the bowsprit and were gliding along at 5 knots. As an added bonus we found a 6 pack of beer we’d forgotten about, stashed in the spinnaker sail locker.

Approaching Nikitas   

As we approached Nikitas there was a nasty black cloud on the ridgeline above and we wondered if we were going to be hit by the thunderstorm just as we were trying to moor up. Nikitas is a small resort but it does have a good sized breakwater protecting the small former fishing harbour (now effectively a marina). When we got inside we found that it was quite full but there were a few spaces available. With some squally winds from the thunderstorm we were grateful that there were pick-up lines. We weren’t so grateful for the lack of assistance from the boat next door where the Greek chap just stood and watched as Nicky had to make a flying leap ashore to attach the bow lines. That’s very unusual because normally yachties help each other out; maybe he was new to the game.

By Monday the weather was back to blue skies. Nicky checked out the swimming qualities of the resort’s beach that we could see over the harbour wall and then we took a closer look at the town on foot.

Nikitas beach   

The excellent beach is backed by a line of cafés and tavernas and the whole place has an air of affluence about it. In our wanderings we found a mixture of large individual villas, small groups of matching villas and lots of apartment blocks. These extend a long way back from the coastline to the main road a kilometre inland. We walked 2 km up to the Lidl so that we could stock up on some red table wine which is a little more robust than the average local red available.

Some our dishes   

Such exertions required a reward and so we treated ourselves to an excellent meal in one the tavernas we’d spotted. Nicky enjoyed her guilt-head bream so much I barely had time to get my camera out before half of it had vanished! [Ed: a case of pot calling kettle black methinks!] We were pleased with our choice of restaurant. All of the food was nicely cooked, the service was good and it had a lovely atmosphere. We even got some ideas for things to try out back on BV such as a yoghurt, garlic and walnut dip. Marina Taverna was noted in our logbook should we come this way again.

Tuesday morning thunderstorm   

Our original intention had been to leave Nikitas after 2 nights. However, on Tuesday morning another thunderstorm decided to park itself over the town. Lightning struck the ridgeline close by and the associated thunder rolled for most of the morning; we decided to stay put for the morning and then the day.

Hunting for the small leak   

Part of the reason for staying was that we found a leak in the aft cabin. We’d seen traces of this before, just a thin witness line of dried water on the varnish, but had never been able to track down where it came from. With the really heavy rainfall and time to take down the cabin’s headlining, we finally tracked the leak to a screw hole tucked right in a corner. The hole was missing its screw and sealant so the water tracking along the teak above was able to find a way in. Sunshine in the afternoon meant we could inject sealant and fit a new screw. It was a tiny leak with barely more than a thimble-full of water coming in during each rainstorm but hopefully we have now stopped it entirely. Why bother? Well, with time even a thimble-full or two of water can get under your varnish at the seams and stain the wood below which can be difficult to remedy neatly.

So with chores done, a full wine cellar, leak fixed (we hope), and some much more pleasant weather forecast, Wednsday morning was the new time to leave Nikitas.

Nikitas, Greece