Kythnos Island and sailing

After a week of Greek sunshine, culture and food, and daily swimming in the Aegean Sea, we awoke wonderfully relaxed this morning. Guests arrived to breakfast at their leisure, and lingered over coffee and conversation. Looking out at the impossibly clear turquoise and azure of the bay around us and tempted by the long sandy beach, we donned our swimsuits and packed our beach bags to go ashore.

The first to arrive opted to kayak around the gorgeous bay in which the Panorama was anchored, or to don masks and snorkels to investigate the rocky shoreline and the sea grass beds. Visibility was incredible, so it was easy for the kayakers to see sponges and tube worms just below the surface, while the snorkelers spotted colorful wrasses known as sea peacocks, bright red cardinalfish hiding under rocky overhangs, and large schools of juvenile barracuda. Others chose to hike up the hill to a small church, for amazing views of the twin bays below. Our morning was rounded out with swimming, relaxing in the sun and sand castle building by the youngest at heart.

Back aboard, we shared another delicious lunch before getting underway to begin our journey back to Athens. After a week of complete calm, we finally found a bit of breeze this afternoon, and immediately unfurled the sails. With sails up and engines off, we cruised the Western Aegean in wonderful quiet. With just the sound of the breeze on the canvas and in the rigging (and the click of our cameras as we photographed the sails!), we spent a final afternoon relaxing on deck before reluctantly going below to pack. By late afternoon, the wind had died, so we furled the sails, lit off the engines and gathered in the Lounge for a lively discussion of modern Greece with our guides Effie and Tzemma.

As we celebrated our week together with the Captain’s farewell party, we looked once again at the city of Athens and the Parthenon on the Acropolis. We shared photos and very lively conversation, and felt grateful for sharing such a wonderful week with each other.