Review of Greek Water Yachts
In June of 2018, my wife and I did a short naturist sail with skipper Antonius on the 40 ft. Andreas. We visited three smaller Greek islands in the Lesser Cyclades: Koufonisia, Iraklia, and Schinoussa. Our ferry was late in getting us to Paros, but we decided to leave even though we would be sailing in the dark for the last hour or so. Antonius assured us this was completely safe, as he had lots of experience in night sailing. Since this was a naturist sail he took the lead and soon we were all nude after leaving Paro’s harbor. When we got to Schinoussa he pulled us into the slip singlehandedly, which I understand is no small feat in the dark. We had time to go out to dinner, and even do a little exploring of the island in the morning. On every island, he always suggested local places for us to visit.
The next morning we were off to Koufonisia, but not before stopping at a beautiful bay on the way. Since he grew up in the area and has been sailing here his entire life, he knows idyllic, out-of-the-way places. At one sheltered bay he took us to, we could see goats running around on the coast, hiding from the sun in the shade of stone fences. We spent a few hours there, swimming and drinking wine. Antonius swam to shore and hiked a bit by himself. I should mention that even though there was only three of us, it never felt uncomfortable or awkward. He gave us all the privacy we wanted. He also told us little known facts such as that many of the Greek islands are dry and water is shipped in by ferries. One night I was awoken by a ferry that docked in the harbor. It reminded me of the scene in “Close Encounters” when the mother ship lands. There were bright lights, loud sounds, trucks driving off, trucks driving on, supplies moving, people disembarking and embarking. And then within a few minutes, it’s all over and peace returns to the harbor.
Of the three islands we visited, Koufonisia was our favorite. We had a great meal with the skipper at a restaurant where everyone seemed to know him. The island also has several of the classic Greek windmills that have been converted into bars and hotels. Later that night we went to a bar (Scholio). It’s a former school built of solid stone where the music sounded wonderful. Our final stop was at Iraklia, a more subdued island with a nice harbor for swimming and a great rooftop cocktail bar.
Our sail was a wonderful look at the Greek islands and we’d highly recommend Greek Water Yachts! And if you’re a naturist, they will cater to you.