The island of Ithaca (or Ithaki as it is known here) is the homeland of Odysseus, the hero of the epic poem, The Odyssey, written by Homer in the 8th or 9th century BC. This morning, we set foot on the soil that took the protagonist 10 years to return to after the battle of Troy. In his own words, Ithaca is a “rough land,” though perhaps this perspective has changed through the millennia. Remaining lightly developed and populated, Ithaca offers a more authentically tranquil experience of local life on the Greek Isles.
With mountain vistas looking down vibrant green slopes that become modest white sand beaches, it is a wonder that this gem in the sapphire waters of the Ionian Sea is as secluded as it is, especially considering that the world has known about its existence for almost 3,000 years. After a tour of the island by way of meandering cliff edge roads, a brief rainstorm takes the edge off the morning heat and clears the skies as we board the Sea Cloud. The wind starts to pick up slightly, which usually is not a positive development on an expedition, but then again, most expeditions aren’t done via a four-masted sailing ship. The nimble crew takes to the rigging and soon the blue sky has a little more white in it as the canvas unfurls and catches the favorable breeze.
The steady hum of the engines fades and dies and yet our speed barely diminishes. It should be noted that the vessel’s maximum speed under motor power is roughly 10 knots and yet, under the captain’s guidance, we approach a very respectable 11 and a half knots with cloth still to spare for another day. We are racing along due to the crew’s ability to harness the raw potential of the wind. Far from ornamental, these are true working sails.
Relaxing on deck or learning about the gods and heroes of Greek myth, we continue our own odyssey through the Ionian Sea, away from Ithaca, but forever keeping it in our hearts.
