Pilos, Methoni and Naval Battles of the Peloponessos October 20 - 24, 2001 We were able to motor sail most of the 51 nautical miles from Katacolom to Pilos in the Bay of Navarinon (36 55.1 N, 021 42.0 E). Predawn departures give an enjoyable opportunity to watch the sunrise over the water. Sunrises tend to be starker than sunsets as the atmosphere is clearer, causing less refraction. Some say that the green flash is more evident with sunrises as the upper limb of the sun flashes across the tangent of the earth's surface through the tranquil dawn air. The entrance to the Bay of Navarinon is dramatic, protected by a couple of narrow high cliff lined islands, one of which, Nisus Pilos, has a high natural arch through it. Coming south around this island, the large bay, roughly 2 miles in diameter, opens up, with the Venetian fort and its extensive walls on Ak Neokastron dominating the headland above the town of Pilos. As we motored past the headland we saw two warships at the town pier. At first I thought one was a British ship, as I saw what looked like the Union Jack, but it was a modified flag of St. Andrew on a Russian Tank Transporter (Hull #158) out of Sevastopol. The other ship was a Greek frigate, the Navarino (Hull # F 461). We went past them and over to the "marina", another one of unfinished status, clogged with a large number of smaller local fishing and pleasure boats. After making a circuit inside the breakwater, we moored on the outer wall as all the inner pontoons were occupied. Later Kajsa, the Swedish boat we met in Katacolom, rafted off us, as there was no other mooring space for them.  We made the mistake of calling in as indicated on signs at the entrance, only to be asked to bring our papers in when alongside. No help was given as to where to tie up. I wanted to stay away from authorities in case we get charged for a cruising permit.  I had a good wander around the massive fort and through town. The two ships were in town to commemorate the Battle of Navarino fought on Oct. 20, 1827, and had parades, band concerts and open house on both ships. We dressed up (I put on a tie and jacket for the first time since London a year and a half ago), and went to a reception held on the quarterdeck of the Greek frigate. Naval quarterdeck receptions and cocktail parties are the same all over the world, an awning stretched across the helicopter landing pad, several bars set up plus tables of hors d' oeuvres, white uniforms, a ship's band playing (in this case Greek and balalaika music) in the hanger, and transient conversations in several different languages. The Greek naval uniforms are very similar to the Royal Navy uniforms including the executive curls on the officers' shoulder boards. There were also many officers from the Russian ship next door. Next day we had a tour of the Russian ship, and saw several armoured troop carriers and tanks in the hold. They flew the flag of St. Andrew at the bow and the Russian flag at the stern while alongside. Log #23g (cont'd) We left mid afternoon next day for a quiet motor sail 8 miles down the peninsula to anchor in Methoni, a most enjoyable sandy harbour bounded by a large Venetian fort, with the tip of the peninsula guarded by a picturesque Turkish fortified tower. I spent an interesting several hours exploring this open but deserted fort and tower. Apparently this fort, captured by the Turks, was the prison for Cervantes who included his experience as a Turkish prisoner here in his tale, "Don Quixote". The long sandy beach was one of the nicest we have been to in the Med, and one of the few we have seen since Tunisia. I even enjoyed a fresh water shower (cool) at a beach shower point. The town is ancient, being mentioned by Homer as "being rich in vines", but now is a pleasant fishing/agricultural community with a low key tourist base, providing good stores, restaurants, internet café, and a pleasant small town atmosphere. Next day Kajsa anchored astern of us, with only Rune on board, as his partner Joan had to return to the US regarding a family illness. He indicated that after we left Pilos, next day the port authorities came down and demanded he come to the office with his papers, especially his cruising permit, which fortunately he had. I'm glad we had left earlier. It looks as if Pilos is not a port to go to if one does not have all the paperwork, including the EU-illegal cruising permit. He also expressed an interest in cruising in company with us for a while, as he was single handing again until Joan got back. No problem, as we were going in roughly the same direction across the Aegean towards Turkey.  The southern portion of the Peloponessos consists of three long peninsulas separated by two 40 miles-wide bays. To transit ESE towards the Aegean, each of these bays is a long day's trip. Where we were at Methoni was about 10 miles up from the first cape, Ak Akritas (Akra, Ak, or Ay = Cape), and we had to cross the first bay, Messinsakos Kolpos (Kolpos = Gulf) and go around Ak Tainaron, the second southernmost point (about 36° N Latitude) of mainland Europe (Gibraltar is further south by a few miles). This cape is also known as Cape Matapan, the area of a WW II naval engagement between British and Italian ships as described below. In order to get around Cape Matapan to a safe anchorage in daylight, we left Methoni at 0700, before sunrise which was not until 0748. We motor sailed into a light force 2 NE breeze which later in the day shifted to SSE, still allowing us to motor sail. At the far side of Messiniakos Kolpos we coasted down the barren mountains of Capo Grosso. As Rod Heikell in the Greek Pilot says,"if any cape should be called 'gross', it is this one." It is a huge precipitous mass of barren rock bulging out the west side of this middle peninsula ( 36° 26.9 N, 022° 22.7 E ). Near the southern part of this cape there are some large caves, visible from the sea, which in classical lore were the entrance to "Hades" located at Tainaron, on this central peninsula. Given the bleak, hostile, isolated terrain of this area, such a legend is understandable. No human habitation was noted along this massive foreboding stretch of rock until around the southern part of Capo Grosso at Yerolimena. However, we wanted to round Ak Tainaron, and so continued down, around Cape Matapan (Tainaron) and a few miles up to anchor off the hamlet in Port Kayio (36° 25.7' N, 022° 29.2' E). We were subsequently stuck there by storms for a few days, and did some interesting exploration of the area as described in my next log. Click here for brief descriptions of The Battle of Cape Matapan and the Battle of Actium which took place off the Peloponessos.
		Next log