We left Tinos with that satisfied, well-fed glow that only a good sail and a great dinner can give, turning Elvire’s bow toward Syros.
The wind gave us one more honest day of sailing. Not wild, not lazy — just steady and dependable. Enough to let Elvire 3 stretch her legs properly. She heeled gently, cutting a confident line through the Aegean as if she knew this stretch mattered. It felt like a closing chapter sail — reflective, unhurried, the kind where you spend as much time looking back at the wake as forward to the horizon.
By late afternoon we eased into Finikas Marina, lines thrown, fenders out, engines quiet. Finikas had that calm end-of-voyage feel — a sheltered bay, a handful of masts swaying, the low murmur of crews rinsing salt from decks and telling their own versions of the week’s stories.
And then came the strange part. Saying goodbye to Ian. He was staying on with Elvire, while we packed light for the next leg. There’s always something slightly surreal about stepping off a boat that’s been home.
We left Ian there with Elvire 3, safely in Finikas, and made our way by taxi to Ermoupoli to catch the night ferry back to Athens. Watching Syros fade into darkness from the ferry deck felt different from leaving the other islands.
written : 2022
