Trawler Blogs

CRUISING TO HISTORIC SOUDHA BAY
Envoy is currently anchored at Mourtos on the Greek mainland opposite Corfu with my brother Charles aboard.

It’s great to visit destinations we missed during 2010 and we find one in Agia Pelagia – a spectacular beach in a great setting though ridiculously crowded ashore. We’re the only boat anchored here but like some other beaches an irritation is high-powered sports boats towing skiers, banana boats etc. To be fair they only seem to operate from about midday to 1700 (a good time to be ashore!) and the rest of the time is peaceful at anchor.

Agia Pelagia’s crowded narrow beach

At this location, like many, it’s difficult to find a place to put the RHIB when going ashore, but a fisherman kindly offers us a place and helps us moor alongside his boat.

Our RHIB is moored alongside a fishing boat in Agia Pelagia

The taverna owners tell us the tourists are mainly Greek on package tours and not spending much money. Many don’t have much to spend with the austerity measures, a 25 year-old qualified nurse saying she’d changed to waitressing as her nurse’s wages had reduced to 400 Euros (about NZ$670) per month – extremely low even per week. Her husband, a plumber, was told by his employer that he’d get paid when he could afford to pay him.

Next day we move further west to the small town of Ormos Bali, where often too much swell prevents anchoring but we find it calm this time and with no sports boat activity – bliss!

Ormos Bali’s beachfront

Ormos Bali viewed from Envoy at anchor

Later we have dinner ashore to the sound of live Greek music and traditional dancing, though the two performers seem mostly intent on getting the diners up to dance with them.

Dancers in traditional Cretan costumes

Like most overnight stops so far free fresh water is available from the small craft jetty and we replenish Envoy’s tanks using our portable containers and Chris’s pump.

One of our favourite destinations of all time is Ormos Milati on the northern side of the mouth of famous Soudha Bay, protected from all except rare easterlies and it’s here we anchor next.
Although it’s one of the best anchorages on the coast we’re the only boat anchored here. Ashore are excellent sandy beaches with clear water, although in typical Greek style large portions of the beach are covered with deck chairs and umbrellas. Here we have the first rain shower in many weeks.
Soudha Bay itself is a four-mile long sheltered inlet running east-west containing a NATO naval base and the town of Soudha and a NATO naval base where we see several warships including a submarine. Tight security reigns here and armed patrol boats guard the warships. At one stage we approach too closely and a patrol boat roars over with blue lights flashing and siren sounding and instructs us to move further away.

Warship anchored in Soudha Bay

Artillery on the headland above the bay’s entrance still provides protection.
There is also a military airfield nearby, and jet fighters regularly roar over our heads.

During WW2 the Allies suffered heavy losses of ships in Soudha Bay at the hands of German bombers.
At the head of the bay is an Allied war cemetery, beautifully maintained in a wonderful setting, with the graves of 446 New Zealanders, mostly aged in their 20s, along with a lesser number of Australians who died during the German invasion of Crete.

Soudha Bay’s Allied war cemetery with Envoy anchored in background

The war graves are perfectly maintained and cared for

Although the battle was lost a big contribution to the war effort was made because the German paratroops were so decimated that Hitler never used them again. Also the invasion of Russia was delayed due to heavy German casualties in Crete, resulting in the freezing Russian winter taking a heavy toll and contributing to the eventual annihilation and capture of the German forces at Stalingrad – a critical turning point in WW2.

We also visit the German War Cemetery at Maleme, the scene of some of the fiercest fighting of the Battle of Crete. This is located on Hill 107 overlooking the airfield, and held by New Zealanders. They were decimating the German paratroopers on the airfield below until German aircraft arrived and wiped out most of the Kiwis. The cemetery is well designed and maintained, containing the remains of 4,460 young German men, disinterred from about 60 graveyards around Crete to be finally laid to rest in one location. It is typical of the generosity of the Cretans, that despite the appalling atrocities of the German soldiers to civilians during their occupation, they donated the land for the cemetery.

The German graves are also in a peaceful and cared for setting

The Cretans fought very fiercely and bravely against the German occupiers eventually forcing them to retreat to the town of Chania, where they remained under virtual siege until surrendering to the British forces (not wanting to risk their chances with Cretan partisans) before the final collapse of Germany.