1. ROOM WITH A VIEW
WHEN IT COMES TO EXPLORING
THE GREEK ISLANDS BY BOAT,
THE MORE THE MERRIER, RACHEL
MACDONALD FINDS.
Waking up to the first rays of the sun and
turquoise blue Mediterranean waters below,
experiencing the Greek Islands by boat was a
sight to behold – especially when our room
had a view like this.
Hopping on board in Athens, we had set sail
to explore the Greek islands over six days. As a
group of six friends – and one patient skipper
aptly nick named‘Dad’– we quickly adapted
to boat life and island time.
The day’s routine soon consisted of finding
a quiet bay to anchor for a wake up swim and
breakfast, before spending the afternoon
sailing in the balmy Greek sun towards the
next port of call.
The afternoons and evenings were spent
exploring the various islands’townships
and surrounds, sussing out the best of the
local cuisine on offer. We consumed copious
amounts of beautiful fresh tapas – seafood,
salads and cheeses – over many glasses
of local rosé, embracing the lively Greek
hospitality of these quaint island towns.
The weather was fantastic – even with it
being one of the hottest weeks of Summer –
which meant conditions were perfect to learn
the ropes of the boat. At any opportunity to
get the sails up, it was all hands on deck.
The final day was an exception, as we clung
on for dear life while the boat faced huge
swells – turning both the living quarters and
most stomachs upside down.
The great thing about exploring these
islands is you rarely get bombarded with the
usual tourist upsell. Time becomes irrelevant
when exploring the streets of whitewashed
homes, bougainvillea flowers and locals
eagerly engaging in conversation about their
doings of the day.
Amongst all this constant exploration of
islands and consumption of fresh food were
moments of calm – with all the conditions
necessary to grab a hat and a good book, and
just listen to the wind catch the sail as our
vessel glides through the Mediterranean Sea.
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY / MARTIN TAY

2. A typical midday mezze of Greek deliousness
prepared onboard. Fresh salads, olives and
hummus served with a freshly baked ciabatta
– picked up before departing the port for
breakfast.
Sails up and on the move between islands. Often we’d coordinate
with another yacht to meet for lunch along the way – or start a
game of racing each other towards the next port.
This beautiful island
is a favourite holiday
destination for local
Greeks. A charming
historical island
township sprawls around
the water, lined with
streets of cafes,
galleries and bars.
Horse and cart taxis
provide a background
jingle while making the
most of the islands
many gorgeous beachside
tanning spots.
All islands provide various menus of
beautifully cooked, fresh seafood.
With these small communities so
realiant on the sea, there is always
an abundance to go around.
Squid is a commonly sourced delicacy,
with many clotheslines hung outside
restaurants to lure in customers,
while more importantly, drying the
mornings’ catch to an optimum state
before grilling.
A spectacular sunset to
conclude the day.
Agistri, the first port
of call is set within
a stunning landscape of
surrounding islands. We
arrived right on time
for one of the most
impressive sunsets of
the week – then walking
a short 20 metres
from the boat to the
island’s selection of
tasty eateries.
Agistri
Spetses
Ermioni
ATHENS
AGISTRI
POROS
ERMIONI
SPETSES
PERDIKA
The sail up under a blue
bird Greek morning.
Poros