I zigzag my way around Turkish peninsulas to Rhodes, an island I once cycled around and got to know very well. And I imagined what it would be like to sail into this harbour, passing under the Colossus (a huge statue of the sun god Helios) that once towered over the entrance and shone far out into the night with its fire…
Today, two bronze deer, a stag and a doe, flank the harbour entrance on the left and right. Also nice. – Here, too, I head straight for the best spot, moor the ArgoFram, inform the patrolling police and go shopping. Then I continue on to the equally huge marina, but only to refuel.
I want to continue, taking advantage of the favourable sea conditions as far south as possible, so that I am ready for the crossing to Crete… Even though it is beautiful and warm on land, out at sea, slight changes in the wind can suddenly turn conditions upside down!
Soon I reach Plimmyri. This is not a place, but rather a “forgotten” harbour for fishermen – a place of retreat that has silted up. I approach cautiously, and because there is hardly any space next to the four fishing boats, I hang onto the boat with the pirate flag… It is the fishing boat of the rather eccentric Georgiopuli, or Georges for short.
This fishing boat is everything to Georges: his workplace, home, storage and means of transport. He lives in Crete, but only for a few months of the year. The rest of the time he is out in the Aegean Sea, fishing and selling his catch locally, including to the only restaurant far and wide that is known for its fish specialities. – Here you can see Georges and his fellow fishermen Marius and Alecos.
When I ask him what he thinks the weather will be like for the crossing to Crete tomorrow, he simply replies: ‘On sea, only the stupid dies…’
I go for a swim on the beautiful, empty beach, then eat at the restaurant here (probably fish from Georges?) and try again to strike up a conversation with Georges. He warms up… And begins to tell me about his life: for many years he was a helmsman in the army, travelling on a patrol boat similar to my ArgoFram. Since then, he has been living on the sea, in the Aegean, hand to mouth. And I can feel how much he loves the sea, how it flows through him. He knows all its pitfalls, reads the winds and follows the fish that bring him the most cash. And he probably senses that I’m not here to stay. So he gives me the following tip: “When you get around that cliff, there, the sea changes. It picks up; tomorrow, the wind and waves will come at you from the north-northwest. You won’t see that in any weather app, but between Rhodes and Karpathos, and between Karpathos and Crete, there are currents that aren’t recorded anywhere and can lead to unpleasant surprises. The same will be true between Crete and the Peloponnese at this time of year. Your boat is good. Go with the sea and you’ll make it.”