Mile building: Marmaris — Athens

This crossing is a good practice for both the Bareboat Skippers and the Yacht Master Coastal. Everyone will have a possibility to have night shifts under the supervision of an experienced captain. There will also be training of opening and closing borders. Sailing to the Greek islands will allow you to see the beauty of nature and the sea, and get to know the special features of yachting in Greece, such as lack of convenient places for mooring, which is very good for practice. Intermediate route points may vary depending on the weather forecast and wishes of the crew.

The starting point of our trip is Marmaris.

Next comes our first Greek island — Symi. Here we will open the border, a Schengen visa. Symi is a wonderful island, with a beautiful marina and a neoclassical coastal town. In ancient times, the city’s urban economy developed thanks to the extraction and export of sea sponge. Now you can climb to the top of the hill to see a magnificent circular panorama, and admire the ruins of the Castro fortress, which was rebuilt on the site of the ancient Acropolis. As on all Greek islands there is a huge number (about 500) of Orthodox churches. The most interesting of them is located on the southern outskirts of the island — the monastery of Panormitis, built in the XVIII century in honor of St. Michael the Archangel.

The next island we are planning to visit is the volcanic Nisyros. The island is also of a mythical origin. Once, Poseidon got angry with the giant Polybot and tearing a piece of rock from the island of Kos threw it at the giant. He could not get out from under the rocks, and that’s where he is still. This explains the frequent small earthquakes and the eruptions of the Stefanis volcano. It is worth to go up the volcano and admire its lunar landscapes with craters and the smell of sulfur. By the way, the island is very green, in comparison with its neighbors, but there are absolutely no sources of drinking water on it. Local residents collect rainwater, as in ancient times, and it is delivered to them every day from neighboring islands. And as any Greek island this one also has Orthodox sights. In the capital of the island of Mandraki, the most picturesque white-stone town, from each street of which you can see the sea, there is a church and an icon of the Virgin of the Cave.

After Nisyros, we will sail to the island of Astypalea, which has the shape of a butterfly. In the narrowest place, the width of the isthmus connecting both parts of the island is only 160 meters! In the Middle Ages, the island was also a haven for pirates who traded in the Aegean, so here you can become a real treasure hunter.

Practical program. It can vary in complexity depending on the crew. But in any case, it can be suitable for all levels.

* Yacht design and marine terminology in English and Russian. (So that you can talk to the charter company and understand the commands of a foreign skipper)

* Preparation for going to sea (check-in, inspection of the yacht, purchase of products)

* Work on the deck (setting sails, changing sails)

* Work with the helm 

* Navigation

* Planning of the crossing

* Maneuvering

* How to act in an emergency

* Mooring, anchoring

* What they don’t write in textbooks or Good marine practice.

In addition to training, you will have interesting conversations, enjoy the gentle spring sun and sea. But even if the weather is not great there is pleasure and adrenaline in cold and strong winds.