Ferrying in Greece September 2019 Part 12 (the final one)

Saturday 21st September 2019
Today is going-home day. Oh well, there's lots still to see and do before I sail from Aegina at 2.15, back to Piraeus. Breakfast was available on the landing near my room, with a wide selection to choose from. I could take everything into my room and enjoy sitting on the balcony with it, as I watched the happenings in part of the harbour. Plentiful supplies of fresh coffee were constantly available.

Then it was time to pack my bag and leave it with Reception and head for the waterfront.

A vessel from www.alldaycruises.net

Near the All day cruise vessel

War memorial and cannon

Colourful view

Further along

Kittens

Fresh fruit and vegetables

Umbrellas and beads

One street corner


I walked through the back streets, parallel with the water, and marvelled at everything on sale in the street stalls or in the little shops and cafes. There were pretty umbrellas/parasols, clothes, shoes, jewellery, flowers, and of course fruit and vegetables.

Families and fishing boats


Back on the quayside there were many families out for a Saturday morning stroll, as they looked at the fishing boats and other craft.

Apollon Hellas arrived

View from the jetty

A Cosmote vessel (not one of the horrid ones)


Much later I had a coffee and then watched AGIOS NEKTARIOS arrive.

Agios Nektarios arrived



Lots of passengers disembarked and then we foot passengers were allowed on. Officially we departed at 2.15 but although the stern ropes were off, we then had to listen and wait for the ship to get her anchor up from the deep water far ahead of her bow. I realised that it took six minutes to do this, as she seemed to inch forward rather slowly.

Soon we were on our way and sailing across the sparkling water towards the Great Harbour of Piraeus. As we passed the shipyards way over on our port side I could see several small vessels low in the water, but only one had a name visible - BLUE STAR 1 That was interesting as there is a newer BLUE STAR 1 currently in service, which I saw tied up in Piraeus a little later. I could see the occasional IMO number, although not clearly, on other vessels.

Part of Jewel of the Seas

This may be Vision of the Seas

Dionios Solomos

Sifnos Jet

Menekratis

A little reminder of the last ship I was on - Agios Nektarios


Once we arrived in Piraeus port we turned and tied up and I could disembark onto the hot quayside. I walked out of the port gate and onto the busy pavement outside, and found a large air-conditioned establishment that I knew from other visits. It was wonderfully cool inside and I enjoyed my meal and drink, tinged with sadness at having to leave the port of Piraeus. I was pleased that my companion Jonathan B had time yesterday to visit the Telstar Bookshop that many of us know. They stock so many interesting maritime books and magazines. He had met and talked with Mr Costas Papaconstantinou, who asked to be remembered to me and sent best wishes. He was very pleased that Jonathan B had called in to visit.

Ships seen: Agios Nektarios, Apollon Hellas, Blue Star Paros, Blue Star 1, Jewel of the Seas, Nissos Rodos, Something else (Vision?) of the Seas, Dionisios Solomos, Sifnos Jet and Menekratis. There were others that I couldn't identify, but interesting to see.


Now though it was time to get back to Athens Airport and my flight home to the UK. The weather and sea conditions for my first few days in Greece had certainly been unexpected but I have enjoyed a fascinating ten days travelling on various ships to always interesting places, and in good company.

Ferrying in Greece September 2019 Part 8

Thursday 19th September 2019
Well, that was a short night. By the time we walked back to the Gramvoussa Bay Hotel and our rooms it was well after 1.00 a.m. All too soon my alarm told me to get up and finish packing and then we were off again, walking back to the port for a departure at 9.30 a.m. We looked back for the last time to see the Gramvoussa Bay Hotel in the early morning light.

Gramvoussa Bay early morning

Sun still behind the mountains as we walked to join Ionis yesterday morning, an hour earlier


Yesterday I had taken a photograph of their leaflet which showed its wonderful location. Another photograph that I took yesterday was of the sun rising behind the mountains as we walked to join IONIS, but that was an hour earlier.

Gramvoussa Bay Hotel leaflet


Today we are leaving a little later but we could see the lovely little IONIS ahead of us and she is our ship for the day, on our 11 hour sail to Piraeus. We will be calling at Kythera (just for a change) on our way. We had booked a cabin for this trip and were happy to see the monogrammed linen on the bunks as we left our baggage and headed to the Bar.

Monogrammed linen in the cabin


The steward was rather surprised to see us again but soon had my cappuccino organised and a cheese pie too. My friend Jonathan B had a chat with the Purser and found out after we sailed at 9.30 a.m. that there were just 37 passengers on this sailing from Kissamos Bay.

We enjoyed a lovely relaxing day at sea, watching the sea, sky and sun, and talking.

Bright lavender-coloured doors to the toilet facilities


We called at the port of Kythera about 1.15 p.m. and there were many more passengers and their luggage and vehicles waiting to come on board. One vehicle was a high-loaded lorry with a net over it and, after looking at some of the contents under the net, we decided the driver was what in England we would call a scrap metal merchant.

Boarding at Kythera

We think he was a scrap metal merchant

High and dry

Oh dear


We noticed that a big wreck was high and dry outside the port, up on the volcanic rocks. My friend told me afterwards that it was the cargo ship NORDLAND which ran aground in 2000. It simply looks like a carcass of a vessel.

Then we sailed out into the shipping lanes heading for Piraeus, and it was lunchtime for us.

Ships in the distance

Costa Victoria



We took more photographs of the little IONIS. She was built in 1977 and I remember seeing her last in Piraeus Harbour on Monday 18th July 2016 when she was with Leve Ferries. She is certainly smart to look at and well looked after internally, and we felt all the staff on board were very proud of her.

Viking Star

Blue Horizon

El Venizelos



We arrived in Piraeus just before 9 p.m. and disembarked from our little ship, which looked quite small compared with others around. A taxi took us to the Queens Leriotis Hotel a few miles just out of the port and round the bay. I've stayed here before and remembered what good views could be had here from the sea-facing rooms - ships heading in and out of the Great Harbour almost all the time.

The day ended with a glass of something delicious enjoyed on a balcony looking out to sea after a lovely day sailing in Greek waters.


Ships seen: Gramvousa, Balos, Gramvousa Express, Spirit of Athos, Skylark, something from DFDS out in the Adriatic/Aegean Straits, Costa Victoria as we sailed towards Piraeus, various UASC container ships, the shipwrecked Nordland near Kythera, and Jonathan B said he identified Blue Star 2 and Blue Star Paros as we sailed along, Viking Star, Blue Horizon, El Venizelos in Piraeus


To be continued...






.

Ferrying in Greece September 2019 Part 5

Monday 16th September 2019
Another blue sky and warm day, lovely. We had arranged to meet at 10 a.m and I had been down to the harbour already and photographed WORLD CHAMPION JET arriving and departing.

Watching World Champion Jet from the shade

Then she was off, past Arctic Flounder


We could then get a taxi out to Agios Dimitrios church, which is on one of the hillsides outside Ermoupoli.

Church of Agios Dimitrios



The taxi driver gave us the number to ring when we wanted to return to town, and we were left to enjoy the views, and the peace and quiet around us. My friend enjoyed seeing the cats which seem to have made their home near a wall and bushes. The church gates were gilded with the date of 1936, and padlocked against entry. The brickwork of the church looked very attractive in the hot sunshine and just inside the gates we could see the bell hanging from an arch. We wanted to see this in use, because it is known that passing ships always blow their whistle/horn when passing this church and bell. Usually someone from inside the church then rings the bell to acknowledge the ship. Today it seemed that we were to be the only people acknowledging the ships.

Nissos Mykonos



NISSOS MYKONOS soon sailed into view and we waited for her signal. It never came but we waved for several minutes as she sailed past. It must be something about public buildings in parts of Europe not being open on a Monday perhaps. Anyway, a while later another ship BLUE STAR PAROS came past and this time she did blow her whistle and again we waved and waved to acknowledge her. Several other ships could be seen at a distance sailing near Tinos.

Nissos Mykonos sailing round the headland and into the harbour

The bell that should be rung

Blue Star Paros going into the harbour and Nissos Mykonos leaving

The gilded ironwork gates


Duties done we called a taxi and were taken down to the Cathedral to enjoy looking around that.

Inside

Ceiling


Walking down again we stopped for coffee and cake at the Hermes Hotel on the waterfront, and enjoyed seeing the model ship KANARIS in a glass case.

Model ship Kanaris

Just round the corner



This afternoon at 4 p.m. we are due to sail on BLUE STAR PAROS north to Piraeus from here in Syros, but now we had time to enjoy a Greek lunch before collecting our luggage from the hotel and heading for the port. Three other ships were due in so all the passengers were herded into separate concrete areas, with one port official policewoman objecting to anyone taking photos in the port. Her shouted instructions were not well received.

Blue Star Paros



BLUE STAR PAROS arrived and we boarded her for another trip. We had booked a cabin so we could leave our luggage and enjoy the facilities for our sail to the mainland. First however we went out on deck and from the stern we could see someone waving. A man standing nearby thought the female was waving at him, but she pointed at us and we recognised the lovely lady that we met at the Apollon Theatre yesterday. How kind of her to come and wave us goodbye as we sailed away from her island!

A church we didn't visit, high on another hill

Neorion shipyard and Arctic Flounder as we left the harbour at Ermoupoli



As we left the breakwater and the shipyards we rounded the headland and I could photograph the Agios Dimitrios church that we enjoyed seeing this morning.

Agios Dimitrios from the sea, on board Blue Star Paros



Then we were off at speed non-stop for our 4 hour trip. We could enjoy the views as we passed islands, we could enjoy tea in the Distinguished Class Lounge and then come up on deck to enjoy our arrival into the Great Harbour of Piraeus. We had watched sunset earlier and were thrilled to see the colour of the sky with the dying light all around us.

Glorious sky

Again

The other postcard I found in Ermoupoli, showing Blue Star Ithaki


We could see various cruise ships and ferries in the harbour, and realised that our overnight departure from here in Piraeus was now to be on BLUE GALAXY. We had booked on ANEK's EL VENIZELOS but because of the high winds at the weekend all bookings had to be changed.

Celestyal Crystal

Koningsdam

Mykonos Palace

Blue Galaxy


Once ashore just after 8 p.m. we hurried round to the port office to check in and collect tickets and then boarded BLUE GALAXY. We were told that the ship had 600 passengers on board. The ship was due to leave at 9.00 p.m. so it seemed that we had hardly found our cabins and left the luggage, than the departure preparations were under way. We enjoyed a substantial dinner in the A La Carte Restaurant and watched as the lights of Piraeus Harbour were soon left behind.

Moonlight on the sea


Tomorrow we arrive in Chania, in Crete, ready for some more adventures, and have arranged that we can stay on the ship until 7.30 a.m. after a much earlier arrival.


Ships seen: World Champion Jet, Nissos Mykonos, Blue Star Paros, Naxos Jet (far away off Tinos), Fast Ferries Andros (far far away off Tinos), an unknown warship, Arctic Flounder, a tiny tug, Kanaris (the ship model in the Hermes Hotel), two tankers Amilla 1 and Michalis outside Syros harbour, Dionysios Solomos seen at a distance;

Out at sea: Horizon, Seven Seas Voyager, Nissos Chios, Dream (superyacht), Blue Star 1

In Piraeus Port: Koningsdam, Celestyal Crystal, Nissos Samos, Mykonos Palace, Kriti II, Blue Galaxy, Speedrunner III, Highspeed 4



To be continued...