We left our anchorage in Italy in the early morning for the 250-mile crossing to Greece. There was not a breath of wind—perfect for a motor catamaran. Just a few hours in, we were greeted by dolphins. The water was so calm that we could see the remoras on their backs.
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We had our watch change at midnight and rang in the new year with some bubbly water. The next morning the sunrise outlined the Greek islands on the horizon. 
Ahh… the islands of Greece… Everywhere you turn feels like a scene straight out of Mama Mia. When I was 11 years old my parents chartered a small sailboat and we cruised the Greek islands for five weeks (this was part of the preparation for our sail from Germany to California). I’ve dreamed of returning ever since. I was afraid that it had changed in the intervening years or that I had romanticized it but, to me at least, nothing has changed. A restaurant owner we spoke with said he felt like there had been a huge decline in Greek generosity; not long ago gift-giving was customary, and it has all but disappeared with the surge of tourism. (Sidenote: We didn’t understand what he was talking about until we arrived in Turkey, where we are always given a small token or offered free tea, even when we’re not buying anything.)
Our first destination was Kefalonia. (For a good movie featuring beautiful views of the island watch Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.) Not much is open on the islands in winter, so we were on the lookout for an open taverna. 
Kalamata olives. If you are wondering how they taste… you cannot eat olives straight off the tree, they taste awful. They must be brined first. 
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We didn’t find an open taverna but we did come across some local traffic.
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The next day we explored our first grotto (sea cave).
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We had a month to slowly make our way east toward Turkey before our 90 days in the Schengen Zone ran out in February.
We could only stay in Santorini for a day due to coming winds, so we didn’t get a chance to go up to the town. But we visited the hot springs, which are a small bay with warm water bubbling up from the seafloor. 
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Every village we visited had iconic white-washed buildings with blue trim, narrow, cobbled streets, and a small bay with fishing boats. 
This sweet lady and I had a long conversation while she kept patting my shoulder and smiling. Neither one of us had any idea what the other said.
Windmills date back to the 12th century and were primarily used for grinding grain. 
We brought these guys a few carrots and they were quite pleased. 
You get the sense that time has stood still in some of these villages.
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We found a lot of cuttlebones, or cuttlefish bone, on the beaches.
Wine and cheese with views of Santorini and a windmill. We could hear the goats’ bells in the distance. 
Stray cats are everywhere, but they are treated like royalty, with big bowls of food and water set out daily. If they are “fixed” they have a small cut on their ear. 
.Another Grotto
The Temple of Apollo overlooking Naxos harbor. 
We upload new content to our photo albums almost daily if you want to follow our travels.
This adventure has been a delivery of the boat from Spain to Greece. We’re currently boat-sitting while cruising Turkey before we head back to Greece to turn over the boat to the owners. If you are looking for captain services for a charter, delivery of your boat, or boat-sitting, please contact us or visit our professional website PacificCaptains.com.
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