Ferrying in July 2018 Part 2

Sunday 15th July 2018
At the Skopios Sea Side Hotel we enjoyed a good breakfast at 7.30 and were packed and checked out by 8.15, ready to drive to the Great Harbour of Piraeus. Last night the harbour seemed fairly empty for a Saturday night, but now it was filling up nicely with many ferries and we could take photographs. We parked near one quayside and soon boarded ANEK's big ship EL VENIZELOS, ready for departure at 10.00 a.m. We have a day cabin to use and enjoy, during our long sail south to Chania, Crete, where we are due in at 7 p.m.

Blue Horizon

Festos Palace

El Venizelos

Her funnel


For some of the background to the ship, maritime author Anthony Cooke says that in 1988, Fred. Olsen began planning a new 26,000-ton ‘mega-ferry’ to be given the hopeful name of BONANZA. The origins of this vessel were somewhat unusual. She was one of four over-night ferries which had been ordered from Polish builders by the Stena Line of Gothenburg as long ago as 1979. The shipyard workers of Gdansk and Gdynia were, of course, at the forefront of the brave Polish struggle for independence from Soviet domination in the 1980s but in the process they frequently ‘downed tools’ and disrupted production. By 1986, only two of the four ships had been delivered and Stena’s patience finally ran out. They cancelled the orders for the remaining pair.

The third vessel had been launched in 1984 without name or ceremony (although apparently the original intention had been to call her STENA BALTICA) and she lay, engined but otherwise unfinished, until 1988. Olsens saw an opportunity and bought her through a London finance company. They announced plans to send her to the Bremer Vulkan yard at Vegesack for completion as by far the largest ferry yet to run on their Kristiansand-Hirtshals route. However, in the event, she remained laid-up in Poland until the following January, when it became known that Olsens had sold her to the Cretan line ANEK. It was rumoured that they had made a pleasant profit on the transaction. Her new owners had her towed to Perama, near Piraeus, where she was completed. She entered their service as KYDON II in 1992, later being renamed EL. VENEZELOS.

My friends had told me about this chequered history and it certainly is out of the ordinary. She is 36,261 gross tons, registered in Greece, with her home port in Chania, in Crete.

Two of us have been on this ship before, but for my other friend it was to be what we described as a 'mini-cruise'. We were up on deck watching all the surrounding arriving and departing vessels in Piraeus, and I noticed that here on board the swimming pool was empty of water and netted. Oh dear, I'm getting used to that sight - what a shame. As we sailed away I remembered my out-of-date chart at home of Piraeus and the surrounding areas. Our car journey yesterday was so interesting because I could trace our route to Perama, on the ferry across to Salamis Island, and then our drive around part of the island hillside roads to look down or across to the ships.

Piraeus Harbour

Perama to Salamis Island


We set off on our long journey south to Crete, from here in Piraeus Great Harbour, and I was pleased to see that the broken harbour entrance light and jetty has been repaired. An MSC cruise ship damaged it a few years ago (goodness knows how), so I do hope they have paid for that building work.

Here we go

Mykonos Palace

Hellas Liberty

Nissos Chios

New harbour light and jetty


After we left the harbour I was able to walk around the ship and enjoy what I could see today. We spent time in the forward lounge, then walked aft, enjoying the flow of the design of this big ro-ro passenger ship.

Part of the Restaurant

Part of the Self-Service Restaurant

The double-height Disco and seating area

A ticket cover

We are at sea

Calm seas

List of decks

Forward Bar and Lounge

Routes

Real cabin keys

I loved the styling of the stairs

Life ring, earlier in the day


The sea was calm, the sun shone, we had the day ahead of us to chat, eat, sleep or do nothing to our hearts' content, and that's what we did.

By late afternoon we had to prepare for arrival in Crete and in fact we arrived earlier than expected at 6 p.m.

We had just disembarked at Chania

Lovely light in the golden hour


We disembarked in beautiful late afternoon sunshine, took a few more photographs, and then walked into the small town of Chania. A nearby cafe was offering cool delights and we could also watch part of the World Cup Football Match of France against Croatia: no wonder there was little traffic on the roads nearby.

A little later we could return along the quayside and check in for our return journey on EL VENIZELOS back overnight to Piraeus. We were able to board soon after 8 p.m. ready for departure at 10 p.m.

It had been a wonderful first day at sea on a very interesting ship.

Ships seen:
El Venizelos (ANEK) Line, Blue Horizon, Festos Palace, Apollon Hellas, Hellas Liberty, Nissos Chios,


To be continued...

SUMMER 2016 - July ferrying, Part 3

Sunday 17th July 2016
My alarm clock heralded the arrival of ANEK's KYDON at the island of Crete's port of Souda. We had permission from Reception staff to stay on board until 7.30 a.m. which was a better option than disembarking at 6 a.m. Passengers can always request this facility, as the ship stays here for the day.

Map showing Souda and Kissamos

Kydon at the port of Souda


Photos taken, we disembarked into another sunny day at 31⁰ even now at 7.30. We walked from the quay into the nearby little main street, checked the bus timetables, and then enjoyed a breakfast outside one of the local cafes. We caught the bus to Chania town, and then walked the short distance to the main Bus Station, ready to catch the hourly bus at 10 a.m. west along the coast to near the port of Kissamos; this took an hour. Kissamos is the little port on a wide and sheltered bay, surrounded by high mountains, with sandy beaches, a few restaurants with rooms, local shops, and wonderful views all around. We made our way to our favourite beach area, settled on steamer-like chairs under the trees and prepared to enjoy the day doing nothing much.

View from my steamer chair of part of the beach and bay at Kissamos, with our next ship Vitsentzos Kornaros in the far distance


Cold drinks soon arrived with a waiter, together with a tea tray for me, filled with a lovely china teapot, cups and saucers. Sand was under foot, with narrow wooden walkways between the seating and trees, and in front of us was the huge bay of sparkling blue sea; a couple of miles away we could see our ship for the overnight sailing to Piraeus. We spent the next few hours paddling, dozing, walking and talking, until 1.30 when we decided to move the few yards back to one of the nearby restaurants for a delicious lunch.

We arranged for a taxi to pick us up later and take us to the port of Kissamos and we arrived there in time to collect the booked tickets and go on board VITSENTZOS KORNAROS of Lane Sea Lines. She was built in 1976 at just 6,387 gross tons, as PRIDE OF WINCHESTER.

Vitsentzos Kornaros

Close up

Embarking by way of the car deck

Our route to Antikythera, Kythera and Piraeus

One of the cabins on board

Deck plan

Airline-style seating

Out on deck

Lounge seating looking forward

Lane Sea Lines logo

Forward view over Kissamos bay

Man and dog ready for ramp up and ropes off


We sailed at 5.20 with the ropes removed as the ramp came up; the inevitable dog was on the quayside checking up on the activities. He stood quite near the ropes man and, when the order came to let go, the dog was not paying attention and as the rope came off the bollard we saw him suddenly leap up with the shock of it happening very near him! Luckily, I believe there is a photographic record of the surprised dog with all four legs off the ground.

Sailing from Kissamos, with the dog on the quayside


We soon realised just how rough the seas were outside the area sheltered by the bay, although it was sunny and pleasant on deck for a while. Two and a half hours later we arrived at the narrow entrance of the port of Antikythira, and it was a great relief to get away from the rough seas outside. We haven't been here before and found the whole exercise of getting the passengers and their vehicles off and others on the ship quite, well, extraordinary in these extreme wind and sea conditions. No sooner were we within the narrow entrance to the tiny bay than we had to turn to port ready to get our stern lined up with the quay, with our turning circle extremely limited by a white buoy on the port side and mountainside rocks on our starboard side.

Approaching Antikythera through the narrow entrance to the bay

White buoy to be avoided

View from midships as we turned

The port came into view

The ramp came down, with the Bridge officers watching intently and giving instruction as necessary

Watching from the Bridge

Nearly there


Most of us passengers headed forward at first to watch the turn, then to the stern to overlook several deck officers instructing the brave ropes men down on the ramp. It was obviously not easy to tie up on the quay, so the ramp was partly down, ready to be lowered at great speed as we finally approached. The wind and sea was having a powerful effect on the ship even within the relative safety of the little bay, and everyone admired the amazing seamanship that enabled us to get one rope ashore. Many of us applauded the crew for doing their jobs in what seemed to be extremely difficult conditions.

Racing off

Rushing on

A car coming on board fast

Ramp up fast


Passengers raced ashore when instructed, others rushed to embark when told to do so, and then one big car reversed up the ramp and onto the ship at great speed, again when told to go, go, go.

Heading out of the bay

The rocks were so close

Goodbye Antikythera


I think the whole exercise took about 20 minutes from when we entered the bay to when we left it, but goodness me, I think it took great skill to make the call at Antikythera. Presumably only small ships like ours, at 6,387 gross tons, are the only ones able to do it. I was told that in the winter there are only 55 inhabitants on this island, but it is popular in the summer when the ferries can get there.

Our route back to Piraeus


I think I will draw the proverbial veil over the next few hours, as the sea conditions became very unpleasant and we three ferry folk felt unwell. I took no more photos that day, as I was seasick (ugh), and then we simply took to our beds very early hoping to endure the overnight hours until we reached Piraeus early tomorrow. I soon slept soundly and in no time it seemed to be morning, thank goodness.

Ships seen: Kydon, Vitsentzos Kornaros


To be continued...