Lush, Lovely Limnos (Λημνος)

Field of Poppies on Limnos

After Chios we made a quick run to Lesvos.  We really liked the island of Lesvos when we visited a few years ago and would have liked to spend more time here but we wanted to take advantage of the predicted southerly winds to get north.  So we made overnight stop at Plomari on the southern coast.  Plomari is where our favourite Ouzo, BARBAYANNIS, is made so we made sure we had some with dinner that night.  Once again we were the only sailboat in the harbour.

Our favourite ouzo

On the town quay in Plomari

 

The next morning we made our way to Sigri, a delightful village with a great anchorage.  As we arrived early evening and were going to leave at dawn we didn’t go ashore but admired the town from the cockpit.

Sunrise over Sigri harbour in an early morning start

  

The predicted 8 knot southerlies that were going to take us to Limnos (also spelled Lemnos) never materialised but a light 4 knot breeze from the southeast did let us sail along at 3.5 knots for half the passage.  Initially we were side-on to the quay in the main harbour of Limnos, Myrina.  Side-on mooring is a very easy way of mooring for us.  Then when a charter fleet of 7 yachts came into the harbour we had to re-moor in the Mediterranean style stern-to – not our favourite way of mooring as Songster with its cut away keel is not the best boat for going backwards in a straight line.  The charter yachts left the next morning so once again Songster was by herself on the quay.

Approaching Myrina, Limnos

Songster alone on the town quay

On our first full day in Myrina we walked around the town admiring the beaches, beautiful stone houses and lovely cobbled streets.  Then we explored the Venetian/Ottoman castle overlooking the town.

 

Bob looking heroic before starting the climb to the castle

Castle walls

View of the harbour from the castle through fields of wild flowers

Town beaches looking north from the castle

That night a wind picked up about 11pm.  We checked all the lines and fenders, added some more lines and went into anchor watch mode.  Bob took the first watch.  The wind gust were pushing Songster sideways and we kept inching towards the concrete quay.  Finally at 3.30 am, Bob woke me up and said we had to let go the mooring lines and anchor out in the bay.  The anchor set well and I started my anchor watch, sitting bundled up in the cockpit with a book and cup of coco.  It was rather nice watching the sun rise a few hours later, despite the howling wind.  Normally when at anchor we set a GPS anchor alarm but as we had anchored in the middle of the night we thought it best to stay awake to be sure.

The happy consequence of our middle of the night anchoring was that we befriended the Kiwi couple who we anchored next to.  Tina and Jonny are a lovely couple who we really hit it off with.  We rented a car together and drove all around the island see the sights.  We visited the Commonwealth WWI Cemetery at Moudra. The Gallipoli campaign was staged from Moudra Bay in Limnos and the site of many hospitals for the sick and wounded who were evacuated from Turkey. Always a sobering sight. 

We then visited an archaeological site of one of the oldest European settlements dating to the 7^th millennium BC.  Finally we went to the north of the island to the ancient ruins of the temple of Hephaestus.  Throughout the island we passed lush fields of wild flowers, farming villages with green pastures and fields newly planted with spring crops.  It is quite a beautiful island - very green and lush. 

Commonwealth WWI Cemetery

Archeologists digging at Pollocani

Sheep grazing

The temple of Hephaestus.  Sadly closed when we arrived but had a good look through the fence

One of the things about this sailing life is that you tend to easily meet people who you really hit it off with but then, although you keep in touch through Facebook and emails, may never see again.  That last bit is a little sad but I find it quite amazing how frequently we meet kindred spirits whose company we really enjoy.  So although our interactions may be as short as a day or two, I find meeting these kindred spirits really enrich my life.  Such things rarely happen in the suburbs, or at least didn't for introverted me.