Pubblicato sul blog di "Tre uomini in barca" il 3 settembre col titolo "Costa orientale":
Sembra che Meltemi not want us to pass the eastern end of Crete rages for days on our two kayaks with a continuous burst of 50-60 km per hour, of course, always to the contrary!
We have, however, now learned to know well both the coast and the sea and so we try to use to our advantage the terrain, when stepping off the mountains protect us and to paddle back to shore when in fact we are exposed along the valleys
flat ... In some cases, however, was very challenging to paddle in a sea that gave the weather forecast storm with winds of 8 in Beaufort, so that one day, in the Gulf of Ierapetra beaten by violent gusts, has approached a speedboat from 150 horses with the second pilot tied securely with a snap auction of water skiing: they wanted to know if we needed help, but between those waves they seemed more scared of us ... we thanked them with two big smiles of denial. Moving to Cape Sideros
instead, the extreme northern tip of the island, this one with a real stone lighthouse on the rocky coast battered by wind and sea, known as downright dangerous for navigation, we found ourselves between mountains of water that break on our kayak and further bubbling was very slow and laborious.
hoped to find refuge in the first cove sheltered from the wind and waves, but we came at a military base not reported on the maps and the three boys call us of course forbidden to land, ordering kindly proceed to the next bay: another 5 km of rough seas, when it was setting sail in the evening and at night without seeing anything is not so nice!
But fortunately for us we found a micro-sand beach and soon after we met the Coast Guard in a tent: the military were brought up to understand that end, we had to do. The hospitality of the local
was excellent and despite everything we spent a memorable evening with Nikos and his friends, around a table laden with Cretan dishes, meat of wild rabbits and cakes homemade cheese, sweets, watermelon and raki.
Among the many rooms and down amid the waves, we have found ways to visit the archaeological site of Kato Zakros, the fourth Minoan palace on the island, "hidden" behind the four taverns that adorn many colorful fishing boats along with the wide natural inlet of the sea of \u200b\u200binnumerable shades of turquoise.
disappoint the beach instead of Go, with its forest of palm trees that the legend was born from the seeds of dates "spit" from the pirates and who stands up for all the postcards of the island: its exotic atmosphere is indeed ruined by the presence of water games and as much as 6 rows of umbrellas, whose only quality is not to have hats of cloth but woven palm leaves.
Too much confusion leads us to resume immediately, notwithstanding the continuous Meltemi impassive to whiten the sea ... there are still several days and we kept three of "spare" in case of need, but we do everything possible to finish the circumnavigation of 'island in the allotted time of 30 days, hoping in the mercy of wind and sea ...
Posted the 3rd of September on the "Tree men on the boat" blog: It Seems the
Meltemi Does not leave us to pass the oriental Extremity of the island: It Blows furiously for days around our two kayaks with 27-32 knots!
We now know the coast and the sea and so we try to advance offshore when the mountains protect us and to paddle near the coast when the wind rises.
Some days it was very difficult to paddle with winds 8 Beauforts: in the Ierapetra bay there were violent gusts, and a motorboat approached us to know if we needed help, but into that sea they seemed more frightened than us...
Passing Head Sideros, the extreme north-oriental point of the island, with a true stone lighthouse on the rocky coast, exposed to the wind and to the sea and known as decidedly dangerous for the navigation, we met mountains of water, broking foamy on our kayaks: paddled there was very slow, difficult and fatiguing indeed.
We hoped to find a shelter bay just behind the head, but unfortunately there was a military base, not signalled on the maps: three boys have obviously forbidden us to land there and have kindly ordered us to continue up to the next bay: more than 3 miles on rough sea, at the sunset!
We fortunately roused one little sandy beach and suddenly the Coast Guard appeard to understand if we were ok. The hospitality of Nikos and its friends was excellent and we spent in Ormos Tenda an unforgettable evening, around a table full up with greek dishes, meat, cheese, sweets, watermelon and raki.
While we paddled up and down the waves, we have had also the opportunity to visit the archaeological site of Kato Zakros, the fourth minoic palace of the island, "hidden" behind the four taverns that adorn the ample bay with some colored local fishing boats.
The Vai beach disappointed us, with its palm grove, that the legend says borned by the date seeds "spit out" from the pirates: its exotic atmosphere is compromised by the presence of the aquatic games and of 6 lines of beach umbrellas, whose unique quality seems to have not the textile hats but made in palm leaves. The big confusion immediately pushes us to come back to the navigation, despite the Meltemi continues to bleach the sea.
We calculated three days "more" in case of emergency, but we would to finish the periplus of the island in 30 days, Hoping in the Clemency of the wind and of the sea.
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