We cruised overnight northwest through the increasing Meltemi winds from the northeast to reach the island of Sifnos and anchored in the harbor of Kamares.
After breakfast we shuttled to shore and got on our coaches to the village of Kastro. Once in the cliffside town, we followed our guides Gemma and Kriton through the town for a brief history, getting acclimated so we could explore on our own. Kastro also provided us with breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea below. Some even had the courage to venture down the short, but steep, walk to the iconic Church of the Seven Martyrs. Those who chose to stay in Kastro were delighted by the many pottery shops that the island is known for. Once back in Kamares, there was a little time before heading back to Sea Cloud to enjoy a coffee and watch the fishermen in the port.
Back aboard for lunch, we sailed out of the harbor and were treated with a presentation by historian Tom Heffernan on the “The Great Betrayal: Venice’s Treachery Against Constantinople and its Subsequent Control of Greece and the Cyclades,” after which the Captain sent the crew aloft to set sails for a relaxing afternoon.
This evening Expedition Leader John Frick also gave us the history of the Sea Cloud, which was followed by an open house in the original cabins of the Merriweather Post family. With champagne in hand, all of us had the chance to see the extravagant rooms, after which we had a wonderful dinner provided by our talented chef team.
The evening ended with a showing of “Around Cape Horn,” a classic black-and-white square-rig sailing short film.
