10 DESTINATION AFLOAT THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN, JULY 9-10, 2016www.theaustralian.com.au/travel

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We set sail in the teeth of a storm; not a meteorologicalone visited by the Greek gods, but an economic one. InAthens at the end of June last year, queues snakedaround corners at cash machines and string-vested taxidrivers in clapped-out cars railed against prime ministerAlexis Tsipras, or the Germans, or both.

Like mariners since ancient times, we sailed awayfrom the growing maelstrom, but not before we hadclimbed to the Parthenon and ambled around the village-like Plaka district, tucked under the Acropolis.

One of the advantages of chartering a boat in the Sa-ronic Gulf is that Athens is your home port. It may be lesspopular with holiday-makers than the Ionian Islands orCyclades, but it is no less enjoyable and the islands ofPoros (where flotillas also have a base), Hydra and Spet-ses are all within reach on a leisurely week-long cruise.

The great trick, when sailing in a new area, especiallywith just one precious week to spare, is to wheedle insidetips from those in the know.

Red-haired Stamatus, a skipper with our charter com-pany Cosmos Yachting, was the key to our future happi-ness. We pored over the chart with him, marking the besttavernas and quiet bays. Cosmos also conjured up a relayof free taxis to take us to a wine and spirits warehouse andon to an up-market supermarket, then back to our boat, aroomy Bavaria 40 called Camara. By teatime, everythingwas stowed and we were away, with Athens spread outlike a white cloak behind.

Further squalls, neither meteorological nor economic,blew up as we put up the sails — the three male Duncans(one husband and two grown sons) each knew best.

It’s decreed by the gods that every year we come to-gether for a sailing holiday and that each holiday beginswith a huge row before contentment prevails. By the timewe reached our first port of call four hours later, the god-dess Athena had worked her spell on them. And anyway,who could be squally in Perdika, a fishing village on Aegi-na with a shambolic charm, and a string of cafes and res-taurants under arcades along the waterfront?

The Saronic Gulf is a good location for novice and in-termediate sailors, with or without a professional skipperon board or in a flotilla. Distances are short and windsgenerally light. And what these islands lack in the show-stopping white sands and turquoise waters, they gain inpeace and authenticity. This, we are told, is the realGreece, with plenty of compelling historic sights.

Epidaurus on the western mainland was on the routeand an 11km taxi ride took us from the harbour to the 4thcentury BC theatre, with its famously perfect acoustics.Other temples that can be visited from the water areAphea on Aegina and the majestic Temple of Poseidon atCape Sounion, one of the great sights of Greece, on theeastern mainland.

The weather was glorious, the sea warm. Soon wewere becoming Greek: all smiles; what will be will be. Ar-riving at bustling Poros, we were guided to the only re-maining quayside slot, reserved for official boats (“no

problem, you are welcome here; the owner of your yachtis my friend”). By now there was no cash in the machinesand Greece was two days from default.

In a pretty street behind the seafront, we found Dimi-tris, a taverna recommended by Stamatus and most defi-nitely “real Greece”, specialising in superb steaks. “I don’ttake cards,” said Dimitris, “but if you want to conserveyour cash, pay me when you get home, no problem.” Wepaid him with our cash. In the same vein, no mooring feesare charged in any port, however prime the spot. Youcan’t help but love the Greeks.

On the day before official bankruptcy, we woke in akind of paradise, at anchor off Dhokos Island, beneath anolive grove in a bay empty save for a tiny white chapel. Notaverna here, but no matter, for we could eat on board.After a long stint as a cook on charter yachts in the Carib-bean many years ago, preparing meals afloat is secondnature to me and I prefer it to cooking at home, whichseems boring. Food tastes wonderful on a boat.

By lunchtime we were in Hydra, the Saronic Gulf’s an-swer to St Tropez, having squeezed into the tiny, packedharbour with its marble pavement in front of a semicircleof elegant houses and equally elegant shops.

The cash machines were full again, delivering €60($90) a day to Greeks and limitless amounts to foreigners.The carefree atmosphere continued; it felt like just an-other heavenly day. We stayed the night in Hydra, diningat a family-run ouzerie just behind the waterfront.

A long, peaceful sail the next day brought us to a covein the channel between Angistri and Dharoussa, as lovelya place as any in Greece with its white rocks and crystal-

line blue water. On shore there was a simple taverna withsunbeds on the rocks. In the galley I began to prepare thesea bream we’d managed triumphantly to catch en route,constantly glancing up at the view through the window.In the late afternoon light, the distant mountains of thePeloponnese were smudged purple grey.

But on the day when Greece became bankrupt, thoseOlympian gods decided to show their displeasure. As wesettled down in the cockpit to watch the sunset, theythrew down everything they had in the weather cup-board — fierce sun, blue sky, black clouds, boomingthunder, daggers of lightning, a psychedelic rainbow,mounting wind goading the sea around us into a horriblechop and a tornado that we watched in real alarm as ittwisted closer and closer before passing just 3km away.

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ChecklistCosmos Yachting has bases in Athens, Lavrio, Corfu, Levkas, Skiathos, Kos, Rhodes and Paros and offers a varietyof yachts. A Bavaria 40 sleeps up to six and charters usuallybegin on Sundays. A skippered yacht costs an extra daily rate and flotilla cruises are also available. The season is April to October andJune and September are good months, not too crowded andwith light winds. To bareboat charter, the charterer must hold a relevant sailing qualification. Additional costs are for cleaning andfor an outboard for the tender. Linen and towels are provided but bring your own swimming towels and perhapsa comfy pillow, to make up for sleeping on a hard berth.When swimming ashore in rocky bays, wear suitable footwear in case of sea urchins. Bring plug adaptors and aphone charger. Be prepared for galleys that are equipped with the basics; opt for a boat with a good-sized cockpit tableas all meals are likely to be eaten there. More: cosmosyachting.com.

The joys of sailing the Greek Islands

FIONA DUNCAN

Time to breathe

Clockwise from top: sunset on Hydra harbour; brightly painted boats on Aegina; the Temple of Aphea on Aegina; bustling Poros; sailing with Cosmos Yachting