DISCOVER THE SERENE ISLETS OF THE DODECANESE

Day 2: Pserimos - Plati - Leros (21 nm)

 Next day we started early, planning to visit 1-2 swimming spots before reaching the port of Panteli, in the eastern coast of Leros island. First, we made a short stop in Pserimos bay Gialos, a bay at the east side of the port, and then we sailed to the islet Plati, just at the western coast of Pserimos. We were amazed by the scarce rock formations and the crystal, transparent waters in the area. After a lot of swimming in that amazing place, we headed north to Leros.

The port of Pateli is a traditional, small village and there is a Medieval Castle mounted at the top of the surrounding mountain.

 The Castle, along with the windmills at the slope of the mountain offer an impressive spectacle of the bay of Panteli. So, we preferred this picturesque village from the town of Leros, despite the the operation of the organized marina in the main port. When we arrived in Pateli, the small port was already full, so we had to moor the yacht in one of the large buoys near the port. In the evening, we visited the port by our dinghy and had dinner in one of the tavernas by the shore; a beautiful experience!

Day 4: Lipsoi - Patmos (12 nm)

 The next day we sailed to Patmos, one of the sacred islands of Christianity, where the Relevation of John was composed. The monastery dominates the view on the mountain, not very near to the town though. Before reaching the port of Patmos, we had a nice swim in the northern bay, by the rock of Agia Thekla. In the afternoon we berthed in the port; as there were no spots available in the north-wind-protected marina at the east, our available spot was on the northwest side of the port, again affected by the north wind. However, eventually we secured the yacht, like the other boats around us. The town of Patmos lacks the cute looks of smaller destinations, as the island is a major tourist attraction.

Day 7: Return to Kos (48 nm)

 We left the longest part of the return route for the last day, totaling around 7-8 hours of sailing under normal conditions. Hence, we started with the first light of the day, so we could enjoy as much as possible the last day of our sailing trip.

The route was interesting, as we sailed near many of the islets we had stopped before. In the afternoon, we made a stop at the eastern coast of Kalimnos island, bay of Palionnisos. We were surprised by the wild natural beauty of that place, with sharp mountain slopes down the sea level. In the large bay we found buoys to berth, and we visited the tavern nearby to enjoy treats and the wonderful view. Soon, we took our way to marina of Kos, for the remaining 20 nautical miles of the route. We arrived in the afternoon as expected. We spent the last evening visiting the historic town of the island.