POROS TO PAROS. Impounded and Confused.
Leaving Poros
Poros was as pretty as the books say, with typical balconied Venetian houses climbing up the hill in higgledy fashion, crowned by a very elegant pale blue tower.
We had a walk around the town, which hugs the coastline, and found that the moorings on the south side of the town, along the channel facing the mainland, offered better shelter. One to remember in the future, and although there are warnings about shallows, there seemed to be plenty of room and good space to manoeuvre.
We spent the rest of the day on domestic tasks. There are always jobs on the to-do list. Firstly, there was a small hole in the bimini where it had caught on a shackle on the boom, so my dormant sewing skills were called into play to make a patch.
Colin had bought some sail repair needles and thread and it proved to be easier than I had feared. Only a few bloody fingers! I also made a canvas screen to hang down from the bimini at the stern. We have found previously that when the weather is boiling hot, there is a need for shade from the stern, and it also gives some privacy when berthed in a busy town quay.
We had a lovely meal in a local taverna, accompanied by mandolin
Karaoke.
Zorba the Greek of course...very atmospheric. One day I’d love to bring my fiddle here and join in.I'm sure some Scottish fiddling would go down well with the locals.
It would have been easy to settle here for a few days, but Colin was keen to make use of the benign weather forecast.We still have a good long way to get to our rendezvous point in Kos.
So we set off at sleepy 7am towards our next target, Kythnos.
There wind picked up from the N as predicted and we managed to sail about halfway to around the barren but wind farmed island of Agios Yeoryios. After that the wind failed, as predicted and we had to motor the rest of the way to Kithnos.
We arrived in the idyllic bay of Ormos Kolona at mid afternoon. The clear water and white sand of the sand bar reminded us of a very similar spot in the Scillies, where there is a sand bar between St Agnes and Gugh.
The water was inviting for a swim and in I plunged. It was cold! 18 degrees according to the boat sensor. A few quick boat lengths did the trick and numbness kicked in. I hope the temperature increases by the time our visitors arrive or there will be complaints!
We walked up the small hill to visit the little whitewashed church and were rewarded with wonderful view of the bay with its clear water, and profusion of wild flowers. Colin also managed to spot a bit of wood. His eyes lit up as he claimed it for a project...no doubt photos will follow.
The next morning we reluctantly left this little piece of paradise to set off for Paros.
There was little wind and it was pretty much on the nose most of the way. We have been trying to do as little motoring as possible but there was no avoiding it this time. We sailed for the last 2-3 hours arriving in Paros at about 5pm. We were surprised at how small the harbour was. On initial view, there were no berths free within the harbour itself and the outer wall did not look too inviting, with a roll coming into the bay. We suddenly spied an inner harbour slot and slid in nicely, using the provided lazy line. Perfect. Hurrah! Crack open the beer......
'Excuse me....excuse me' a loud voice hailed, 'You cannot be here ..the harbourmaster will not allow. He will come sometime'
He also said something about Ariadne but I wasn't sure whether he meant a boat of that name or whether he was just talking local mythology ...
We decided to brazen it out, but there was a certain anticipated dread that we would face some sort of retribution. Lovely peaceful night but the inevitable and dreaded :
' SUMMERTIME' shouted from the pontoon as we awoke.
Military crew cut hair, full combat clothing and kicking boots, the harbourmaster was rather a daunting figure. ' You must move' He gave no ideas about why or where we might move to but we didn't feel that we had much in the way of negotiating power. He didn't seem to be in a chatty mood.
So we upped and offed round to the outer wall. It was just as rolly as feared and we were soon surrounded by a flotilla of large catamarans pitching about. Brilliant.
Anchors crossed everywhere.
[ 2 days later our original berth remains empty..Grrrr]
The harbourmaster instructed us to go to his office to pay the fee (7 euros a night), but whilst there wanted to go through our paperwork in great detail. This didn't go well . I'll let Colin explain.
Paros is beautiful, but aside from that, it is a bit of a romantic pilgrimage for us . We both graduated 39 yrs ago and after our final exams, about 15 of us came to Ios and Paros to celebrate. This was the time we really became a couple so that it has very fond memories for us. We wandered the streets trying to remember key places. Most are blurred in the muddle of memories, but we were really pleased to find that the island's character has changed little. The old whitewashed houses are mostly tidier and in better order. The shops are smarter and more commercialised. When we were here before it was full of hand made sandals, rugs, embroidery and local honey etc. Now there are smart clothes and jewellery emporia. But the fantastic twisty alleys remain and the profusion of tiny churches are well maintained and loved.
I went to the famous Orthodox Church of Ekatontapyliani [ church of 100 gates]site of pilgrimage.
It was beautiful and well worth a visit. Skirts are quaintly provided at the entrance for those in shorts to maintain modesty. I hope this pilgrimage brings good rewards.
C. Having incurred the wrath of the harbourmaster I was summoned the next day to pay my dues. I tried to strike up conversation but that did not work. "We don't know what to do with you English, it is very complicated". Sensing a Brexit reference I took up the challenge. "There are many of us who want to be European" says I indicating our oversized EU flag flying below the Greek courtesy flag and our Saltire.
"If you want my opinion, you should get out. In fact you should have a vote amongst the other countries as to whether you should stay or go". So a radical new view on Brexit from presumably a Grexiteer.
"Show me all your boat papers". Everywhere we have been so far they have only required to see our UK registration card showing our official boat length to calculate what we need to pay. But this guy wanted more. "Where is your DEKPA?"
The DEKPA is a document to show you have paid the Greek tax allowing you to sail. To get one can involve visiting several different offices to register and pay different parts of the dues.
When we arrived in Corfu last year they offered a one stop service. They had issued me with a receipt and a form at the time. I remember inquiring if this was all I needed as the form did not say DEKPA on it, to be told that all I needed was evidence I had paid. No-one has asked to see it since.
My adversary was now in the ascendent. "If I were you I would get one as soon as you can" says he, with a slightly malign grin, "before you get into trouble!"
I was slightly perplexed by this turn of events and would normally have a good think about things, perhaps with a beer to help with decision making, but right before me was the Port Authority Building, and I decided to take affirmative action and address the issue straight away.
I climbed the stairs and was directed through a series of offices to the rear of the building. These offices were populated by about 20 Port Police officers clad in the kicking boot outfits.
No heads were raised in welcome or interest as to who I was or why I was there. It was about two hours before finishing time on a Friday afternoon, the offices were stuffy and hot and no-one wanted a new hassle. I tried a polite cough - nothing. "Excuse me"......... after a long pause the large guy in the corner slowly lifted his head and looked in my direction. I started to approach him but a large hand was raised, palm towards me to arrest my progress.
It was then I noticed another yachtie sitting on a chair, hunched over a large form. He was manfully trying to complete this product of the Greek state, but was clearly in difficulty given the sweat on his brow. This did not auger well.
Eventually the large chap looked up and beckoned me to approach the other side of his desk. I explained the situation and as the tale unfolded his face became grimmer.
"You have been sailing in Greek waters and mooring in Greek harbours without the proper documentation for the last year?" says he. " Well you could put it that way, but no-one has asked for documents before today and I was assured I had all the documents I needed" I replied.
Can I see your insurance documents - they were duly handed over. "These are last year's," and flung back in my direction. I had put the wrong ones in the folder but knew they were on my phone, somewhere. As I struggled to find them the atmosphere worsened. Eventually I got them, but without the Greek translation!
There then followed a long discussion about what I had paid, to whom, whether in cash or by card, in single payment or in separate payments. Did I visit different offices, Did I have a Greek tax number? How could I own a boat in Greece and not have a tax number?. Each of these conversations was then relayed around several different officers in Greek until a consensus emerged as to whether an offence had been committed or not. At one point there was a suggestion that the office I had dealt with in Corfu had overcharged or in some way mis-administered and were at it in some way. They were going to call them up to enquire!
Eventually, after consulting the highest Authority in the building, it was agreed that I had paid the tax, the documentation showed this satisfactorily, but I was remiss in not having the official DEKPA certificate. I protested that how was I to know this, and as a visitor I had to trust that the people I was dealing with knew what they were doing.
Not sure this went down quite as intended, but by this time my new friend Costas, and I were getting on a bit better. He gave me a form to fill in and as I reached gleefully for the biro on his desk, he put a restraining hand on my arm. "we cannot do this all today, come back on Monday" I protested that it would only take a couple of minutes and we had planned to leave in the morning but he was resolute.
He then played his trump card! TEPIA. Tepia is another tax on boats sailing in Greek waters that the Greek government has been trying to bring in for many years. It has repeatedly failed to implement the tax as they did not have the infrastructure to collect or administer it and were in protracted discussion with unions and other groups as to how this could be done.
The most recent information was that it was due to be law as of 9th May, i.e. yesterday. But I had enquired in Preveza before we left and was told that nothing was in place and it was expected that another extension to the implementation date would occur.
It then became clear that the only other poor soul in the office not wearing combats, the yacht owner sitting in the corner, was heroically trying to fill in a TEPIA application form. Apparently the new law was in force,. And as the second yacht owner to enter the office under this regime, I was going to have to do the same.
Costas showed me the website and with a bit of a flourish put all my documents, including my vital receipt, in a folder and ushered me out. And, he reminded me, we were not to move the boat till Monday. Impounded again!!!!!
I headed straight back to the boat and got going. It was actually quite straight forward after downloading the user manual and within half an hour I had registered as a user, registered the boat details, had a calculation of the tax due (110 Euros per month) and my unique payment number all safely stored on a downloaded application. Just as well because half an hour later when I went to check, the site had crashed. Presumably many thousands of boat owners are simultaneously trying to get legal. All I have to do now is find someone on Monday who knows how to accept my payment.
Anyway there are many worse places to
be required to spend a few days than Paros.
And the last time we were here in 1980 things were much worse. Our group of just graduates had hired mopeds and gone off round the island. Most were wrecks without brakes and most people fell off. M cut her chin open.
There was a significant amount of acrimony with the hire guys when we got back.They confiscated our passports. One particular feisty character summoned his brother the local Policeman to sort us and we were made to pay punitive damages.
The hire place is right in front of the harbour and my memory is that the principle pugilist bore a remarkable resemblance to the harbourmaster. About the right age difference as well.
Poros was as pretty as the books say, with typical balconied Venetian houses climbing up the hill in higgledy fashion, crowned by a very elegant pale blue tower.
We had a walk around the town, which hugs the coastline, and found that the moorings on the south side of the town, along the channel facing the mainland, offered better shelter. One to remember in the future, and although there are warnings about shallows, there seemed to be plenty of room and good space to manoeuvre. We spent the rest of the day on domestic tasks. There are always jobs on the to-do list. Firstly, there was a small hole in the bimini where it had caught on a shackle on the boom, so my dormant sewing skills were called into play to make a patch.
Colin had bought some sail repair needles and thread and it proved to be easier than I had feared. Only a few bloody fingers! I also made a canvas screen to hang down from the bimini at the stern. We have found previously that when the weather is boiling hot, there is a need for shade from the stern, and it also gives some privacy when berthed in a busy town quay.We had a lovely meal in a local taverna, accompanied by mandolin
Karaoke.
Zorba the Greek of course...very atmospheric. One day I’d love to bring my fiddle here and join in.I'm sure some Scottish fiddling would go down well with the locals.It would have been easy to settle here for a few days, but Colin was keen to make use of the benign weather forecast.We still have a good long way to get to our rendezvous point in Kos.
So we set off at sleepy 7am towards our next target, Kythnos.
There wind picked up from the N as predicted and we managed to sail about halfway to around the barren but wind farmed island of Agios Yeoryios. After that the wind failed, as predicted and we had to motor the rest of the way to Kithnos.
We arrived in the idyllic bay of Ormos Kolona at mid afternoon. The clear water and white sand of the sand bar reminded us of a very similar spot in the Scillies, where there is a sand bar between St Agnes and Gugh.
The water was inviting for a swim and in I plunged. It was cold! 18 degrees according to the boat sensor. A few quick boat lengths did the trick and numbness kicked in. I hope the temperature increases by the time our visitors arrive or there will be complaints!
We walked up the small hill to visit the little whitewashed church and were rewarded with wonderful view of the bay with its clear water, and profusion of wild flowers. Colin also managed to spot a bit of wood. His eyes lit up as he claimed it for a project...no doubt photos will follow.
The next morning we reluctantly left this little piece of paradise to set off for Paros.
There was little wind and it was pretty much on the nose most of the way. We have been trying to do as little motoring as possible but there was no avoiding it this time. We sailed for the last 2-3 hours arriving in Paros at about 5pm. We were surprised at how small the harbour was. On initial view, there were no berths free within the harbour itself and the outer wall did not look too inviting, with a roll coming into the bay. We suddenly spied an inner harbour slot and slid in nicely, using the provided lazy line. Perfect. Hurrah! Crack open the beer......
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| On gravestone within the church |
He also said something about Ariadne but I wasn't sure whether he meant a boat of that name or whether he was just talking local mythology ...
We decided to brazen it out, but there was a certain anticipated dread that we would face some sort of retribution. Lovely peaceful night but the inevitable and dreaded :
' SUMMERTIME' shouted from the pontoon as we awoke.
Military crew cut hair, full combat clothing and kicking boots, the harbourmaster was rather a daunting figure. ' You must move' He gave no ideas about why or where we might move to but we didn't feel that we had much in the way of negotiating power. He didn't seem to be in a chatty mood.
So we upped and offed round to the outer wall. It was just as rolly as feared and we were soon surrounded by a flotilla of large catamarans pitching about. Brilliant.
Anchors crossed everywhere. [ 2 days later our original berth remains empty..Grrrr]
The harbourmaster instructed us to go to his office to pay the fee (7 euros a night), but whilst there wanted to go through our paperwork in great detail. This didn't go well . I'll let Colin explain.  | |
| Not all chic and tidy |
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| Orthodox church |
It was beautiful and well worth a visit. Skirts are quaintly provided at the entrance for those in shorts to maintain modesty. I hope this pilgrimage brings good rewards.
C. Having incurred the wrath of the harbourmaster I was summoned the next day to pay my dues. I tried to strike up conversation but that did not work. "We don't know what to do with you English, it is very complicated". Sensing a Brexit reference I took up the challenge. "There are many of us who want to be European" says I indicating our oversized EU flag flying below the Greek courtesy flag and our Saltire.
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| Fantastic domes |
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| double eagle of Byzantium |
When we arrived in Corfu last year they offered a one stop service. They had issued me with a receipt and a form at the time. I remember inquiring if this was all I needed as the form did not say DEKPA on it, to be told that all I needed was evidence I had paid. No-one has asked to see it since.
My adversary was now in the ascendent. "If I were you I would get one as soon as you can" says he, with a slightly malign grin, "before you get into trouble!"
I was slightly perplexed by this turn of events and would normally have a good think about things, perhaps with a beer to help with decision making, but right before me was the Port Authority Building, and I decided to take affirmative action and address the issue straight away. |
| Trendy barbers |
No heads were raised in welcome or interest as to who I was or why I was there. It was about two hours before finishing time on a Friday afternoon, the offices were stuffy and hot and no-one wanted a new hassle. I tried a polite cough - nothing. "Excuse me"......... after a long pause the large guy in the corner slowly lifted his head and looked in my direction. I started to approach him but a large hand was raised, palm towards me to arrest my progress.
It was then I noticed another yachtie sitting on a chair, hunched over a large form. He was manfully trying to complete this product of the Greek state, but was clearly in difficulty given the sweat on his brow. This did not auger well.
 |
| Apparently more than 400 churches on the island |
"You have been sailing in Greek waters and mooring in Greek harbours without the proper documentation for the last year?" says he. " Well you could put it that way, but no-one has asked for documents before today and I was assured I had all the documents I needed" I replied.
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| front of orthodox church and monastery |
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| Frankish castle.. made from reclaimed materials |
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| Beautiful church of Apollo |
Not sure this went down quite as intended, but by this time my new friend Costas, and I were getting on a bit better. He gave me a form to fill in and as I reached gleefully for the biro on his desk, he put a restraining hand on my arm. "we cannot do this all today, come back on Monday" I protested that it would only take a couple of minutes and we had planned to leave in the morning but he was resolute.
 |
| 400 Churches! |
The most recent information was that it was due to be law as of 9th May, i.e. yesterday. But I had enquired in Preveza before we left and was told that nothing was in place and it was expected that another extension to the implementation date would occur.It then became clear that the only other poor soul in the office not wearing combats, the yacht owner sitting in the corner, was heroically trying to fill in a TEPIA application form. Apparently the new law was in force,. And as the second yacht owner to enter the office under this regime, I was going to have to do the same.
 |
| A Gorgon apparently |
Costas showed me the website and with a bit of a flourish put all my documents, including my vital receipt, in a folder and ushered me out. And, he reminded me, we were not to move the boat till Monday. Impounded again!!!!! I headed straight back to the boat and got going. It was actually quite straight forward after downloading the user manual and within half an hour I had registered as a user, registered the boat details, had a calculation of the tax due (110 Euros per month) and my unique payment number all safely stored on a downloaded application. Just as well because half an hour later when I went to check, the site had crashed. Presumably many thousands of boat owners are simultaneously trying to get legal. All I have to do now is find someone on Monday who knows how to accept my payment.
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| good place for a sundowner |
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| Mind the Portes ! Scene of ferry disaster . |
And the last time we were here in 1980 things were much worse. Our group of just graduates had hired mopeds and gone off round the island. Most were wrecks without brakes and most people fell off. M cut her chin open.
There was a significant amount of acrimony with the hire guys when we got back.They confiscated our passports. One particular feisty character summoned his brother the local Policeman to sort us and we were made to pay punitive damages.
The hire place is right in front of the harbour and my memory is that the principle pugilist bore a remarkable resemblance to the harbourmaster. About the right age difference as well.
YOU seem to be having the usual adventurous time. I'm sorry but I find the account of difficulties with the Harbour Master hilarious. Very impressed with the AIS work.Take care
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