Leros and Patmos

Leros

We enjoyed Leros. We wanted to check the Marina as it is one of the places we are considering wintering the boat. There are many potential spots so don’t read too much into that statement. Leros marina is about a 15 minute walk to the nearby town.

War made a big impact here. The island has a huge natural harbor and that was a big draw for all countries. Italians were here, once they linked to Germany in WWII, it wasn’t long until the british came to try and retake the island. It was a bitter battle and the scars are still visible on many buildings.

We did see a fascinating war museum built into a “warehouse”. Essentially warehouse tunnels were carved into the mountains. There were many artefacts on display including helmets from the various countries, guns, munitions, and even some vehicles and a plane. The soundtrack played in the tunnel was very emotionally intense as orders were screamed during a battle and overshadowed the exhibits.

As a result of the Italian influence, there are a lot of art-deco buildings in the downtown. We decided to take in a

movie and we were the only occupants besides the projectionist in a classic deco one screen theatre with a balcony.

The marina was a bit different because there were more “live aboards” than we’ve encountered elsewhere. Usually you see people traveling or chartering a boat. At this marina there were more people who were living the sailing lifestyle. We enjoyed a nice view, great showers, and laundry. Internet was very poor which seems to often be a theme at marinas.

The family is getting very familiar with the boat now and everyone has a role. Margaret and Theo are most involved when we depart and come in to port as there is more to do at those times. Margaret is primary crew but Theo is starting to take on small duties. Both Sheila and I skipper the boat. I’m glad we are both active captains since it can be fun but tiring to sail these distances.

After a couple nights, we set off for Patmos. Patmos is most famous as a religious centre with a monastery dedicated to St John the Baptist. He is believed to have authored the book of revelations from a cave where they’ve since built a church. We were able to enter the cave and see the ancient icons. In the thousand years since they built the church, there have been a few additions so there are about 4 stories of meandering rooms, stairways, and levels.

Up top of the hill overlooking the town is the monastery dedicated to St John. It was at one point a very wealthy place and has walls fortifying it to protect from raiders. We were able to tour the buildings, many churches inside, and the museum where you can see relics, icons, and books. The region is fascinating because it brings the life of the saint into closer perspective.

Through trial and error we found a great restaurant near the boat where Sheila & I enjoyed a fabulous meal from simple ingredients. We savoured the soup, salad, and main as we watched the changing light of the setting sun over the bay. This is a hard life indeed!

On to Mykonos.