Zeerover is one of those places where you instantly slip into the Caribbean vibe. On the west coast, with your feet almost touching the water, there’s no menu at the first window—just a handwritten si

Cherry Street Pier in the state of Philadelphia (USA) is a former shipyard from 1919 that has been transformed into a vibrant, creative hub on the Delaware River. Once a cargo loading and unloading hu

During our stay in the Netherlands, we go to Meerkerk, our home base. This time, in april 2025, we ordered a spare drone (in case the original one decides to fly away in Greece :) and as a test we flew around in Meerkerk. And actually were very happy with the results! It's a beautiful place to live and stay in the Netherlands. And typically Dutch, with all the water and green plots of farmland!

We were very charmed by the village of Klima in the south of Milos, where the famous fishermen's houses with their colorful doors are located right by the sea. These houses are called syrmata. The houses are built into hollowed-out soft rock, where fishermen in the last century stored their boats to protect them from the strong winds and waves. The ground floor serves as a storage space for the boats (during winter), while the fisherman lives on the second floor during the working season, where there is a living area with a sleeping space. We made a short video of these characteristic houses!

South of Athens, at the tip of the mainland, stood an ancient Greek temple that is definitely worth visiting. Perched high on a cliff above the sea, the Temple of Poseidon proudly stands. Standing among the ancient columns, watching the sun set and set the Aegean Sea ablaze, we felt like our journey had come full circle. The current temple was built between 444 and 440 BC, during the Golden Age of Athens. It replaced an earlier temple from the 6th century BC, which had been destroyed by the Persians. The temple is dedicated to Poseidon, the god of the sea, and served as a sanctuary for sailors seeking protection for their voyages. Naturally, we had to make a stop here! Originally, the temple had 34 columns, of which 16 still stand today. Each column is about 6 meters high and made from local marble. In the center of the temple stood a bronze statue of Poseidon, reaching up to the ceiling. Cape Sounion held great strategic importance for Athens. The location provided an excellent view of the sea routes and served as a lookout point for enemy ships. It was also a sacred site where sailors made offerings to Poseidon for a safe crossing.

The Lassithi Plateau at the island of Crete is a wide, fertile plain over 800 meters above sea level, surrounded by peaks, dotted with villages and fields as far as the eye could see. One of the first things we noticed was a row of stone windmills. There were about 20 in view, but once, there were over 10,000 of them! These windmills used to pump water from the ground for irrigation - a lifeline for agriculture here. The Lassithi Plateau has long been the agricultural heart of eastern Crete, with a unique microclimate and plenty of groundwater. Even today, the 18 villages around the plateau live primarily from farming. We flew our drone to capture this sweeping valley from above - the perfect blend of natural beauty and human ingenuity.

Vai Palm Beach, located on the east coast of Crete, is a unique and exotic destination known for its beautiful beach and natural palm forest in Europe. With approximately 5,000 trees, this forest covers an area of ??approximately 250,000 square meters, making it the largest natural palm forest in Europe. The origin of these palms is the subject of various legends; a popular myth suggests that the forest originated from date pits left behind by pirates. However, botanical research has shown that these palms are an endemic species that has been present in Crete since ancient times. ? The beach itself is a crescent-shaped bay with fine golden sand and crystal clear, shallow waters. The unique combination of the exotic palm forest and the beautiful beach has earned Vai its nickname "Bounty Beach", especially after the famous Bounty chocolate commercial was filmed there in the 1970s. This choice for Váï emphasised Bounty's slogan as 'a piece of paradise on earth', with the exotic atmosphere of the beach reinforcing the tropical association of the chocolate bar.? What? That commercial wasn't shot in the Caribbean?! That's right, it was shot in Crete, Greece!

During our visit to Crete, we saw so much activity in the olive harvesting process. It turns out that the season for picking olives runs from November to February. Crete plays a crucial role in Greek olive oil production: approximately 200,000 tons of olive oil are produced annually on the island, out of a total of 430,000 tons in all of Greece! We visited on oil factory and filmed the entire process: from picking the olives, collecting them in nets, transporting in burlap sacks, ready for the ride to the local live press, within 24 hours after picking! At the local olive press, the olives are cleaned of twigs and leaves, washed and ground into a homogeneous brown paste. This paste undergoes centrifugation, till it is pure extra virgin olive oil. The oil is then stored in 1,000-liter tanks and then bottled in tins to protect it from light. The oil is then distributed to both local and international markets, allowing consumers worldwide to enjoy high-quality Cretan olive oil!

Welcome to Gramvousa Island, the first landfall when sailing from the Peloponnese to Crete. This island is renowned not only for its breathtaking beaches and historic Venetian fortress but also for the mysterious shipwreck rusting along its shore. The wreck is that of the Dimitrios P, a cargo ship that ran aground near Gramvousa in January 1968. The exact cause of the stranding remains a topic of speculation. Some suggest the ship was overwhelmed by severe weather and rough seas, while others believe it was abandoned by its crew due to mechanical issues. Whatever the true story, today the wreck forms an iconic image in the turquoise waters surrounding the island.

Embarking on our journey to the Samaria Gorge, we set off in our rental car, eager to explore one of Europe's most renowned natural wonders. The Samaria Gorge is a canyon located in the middle of the White Mountains Forest Preserve. And the White Mountains massif (known as Lefka Ori in Greek) truly lived up to its name. Due to heavy rainfall the previous night, the mountain peaks were beautifully covered in snow. Snow on Crete? Yes indeed! The highest peak of the White Mountains stands at 2,453 meters, with more than 50 summits exceeding 2,000 meters. As we drove towards the Samaria Gorge, sometimes weaving between goats, we enjoyed the stunning views of the snow-capped mountains.

Kythira is an island that belongs to the Ionian Islands but is geographically located south of the Peloponnese and Crete, at the entrance to the Aegean Sea. This strategic position has historically made Kythira an important maritime hub. Over the centuries, the island has been influenced by various cultures, including the Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman civilizations. Kythira is known for its unspoiled nature, picturesque villages, Venetian castles, and stunning beaches with crystal-clear waters. We have moored at the quay of Kapsali Bay, which features a beautiful sandy beach and the characteristic white-and-blue houses of Greece. Here, I recorded a video overlooking the bay, with our catamaran as the only vessel in the bay.

The Caves of Diros are considered to be one of the most beautiful cave systems in the world. These hidden wonders lie deep in the limestone hills of Mani and stretch for about 15 kilometers. The caves are millions of years old and are filled with breathtaking stalactites and stalagmites, formed by centuries of dripping water. We went on a boat trip through the underground lakes of the caves. The silence was impressive; the only sound we heard was the soft splash of the oar and the echo of our voices. All around us were spectacular rock formations, mystically brought to life by soft lighting. The caves were already inhabited 6,000 years ago, archaeologists have found ancient artefacts here, such as ceramics and tools. The water in the caves is a mix of fresh and salt water and remains at a constant temperature of 14°C all year round. What makes these caves so special is that you sail through the narrow passages, and sometimes even have to duck for the ceilings or walls that come very close. After every bend you are surprised by all the colors and shapes!

This is one of the most famous castles in Greece, and deservedly so. It covers 62 acres on a low peninsula in the south of Peloponnesos, close to the beautiful settlement of Koroni. The fortified town of Corone, as the Venetians called it, was of great strategic importance. It controlled the trade routes to and from the East which gave rise to the nickname "the Eyes of Venice". The castle flourished from the 13th to the 17th century and the port played an important role in the development of trade with the East. Over the years, the fortress passed from the Venetians, to the Ottomans (1500-1685), back to the Venetians again, marking the beginning of the Second Venetian Empire (1685-1715). With the second period of Ottoman rule, the castle was once more back in Turkish hands by 1715. In 1770 it was besieged, bombarded and heavily damaged by the Russian fleet, but it was retained by the Ottomans until 1828 when it was handed over to general Maison, head of the French expeditionary force in the Peloponnese shortly after the Battle of Navarino.

Experiencing rituals in other countries: I love it! We filmed the Greek Orthodox holiday of Epiphany on January 6th with the ritual called the "blessing of the waters". ? The Greek Orthodox priest blesses a cross and throws it into the water of the harbor. This symbolizes the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John the Baptist. ? Young men (and in some areas women) dive into the water to retrieve the cross. It is considered a great honor and blessing for the person who brings the cross back to the priest. ? Before the ceremony there is a church service and after the ceremony there is a party, music, and traditional meals. Flares with colored smoke are set off on the water We were moored with the catamaran at the quay of this harbor, which was full of people, and 30 meters in front of us the ritual took place! So we had a front row seat and filmed everything with our drone. Epiphany literally means "appearance" or "manifestation" and marks the end of the Christmas season and symbolizes the renewed blessing of nature, water, and community.

We look back on Sailing in 2024 with great pleasure! 5 countries visited 12 weeks of guests aboard 28 video's 30 blogs written 1700 nautical miles sailed Watch a compilation of all the images from 2024 here, music on ? !

We anchored in the bay of Laganas and while we were anchoring, we suddenly heard a puff coming from the water. It turned out to be a sea turtle that swam at the back of the ship and came up for a moment. We were surprised, because we knew that this bay was famous for sea turtles, but we did not expect to see one right away. And it was impressive, because the sea turtle was at least 1 meter long and weighed 80kg, which means that she is certainly more than 50 years old. The sea turtles have become the symbol of Zakynthos, they are called Caretta caretta and can grow up to 1.20 meters and weigh 100 kg. They mainly eat jellyfish, shellfish and seaweed. The breeding season runs from May to August. Females come ashore at night to lay their eggs in holes, after which they cover them with sand. A nest can contain up to 100 eggs. After about 60 days the young turtles hatch. They navigate to the sea by following the moonlight. The caretta caretta is very threatened by pollution, fishing and tourism. We spent 3 days in the bay, saw a sea turtle behind our boat a few times every day, but often 8 tourist boats immediately came to see the turtle very close as it tried to swim to the beach.

Cameo Island is a small private island in the bay of Laganas. In the drone video you see the entrance to Cameo Island which is already special: the wooden walkway that hangs above clear blue water. The gracefully fluttering white cloths that can be seen above the beach create a dreamy atmosphere, especially when they stand out against the blue sky. The island is therefore a popular location for weddings. We flew the drone over this small cove so you can clearly see the color of the water and the beautiful surroundings with the cliffs!

On the east coast of Zakynthos is a small hidden beach, Xigia Sulfur Beach. It is set in beautiful surroundings with steep cliffs and the water has healing properties. There are natural sulfur springs that flow from the cliffs into the sea. This makes the color of the water a beautiful light blue and the water contains collagen and sulfur, which helps to relieve muscle and joint pain, improve skin problems such as eczema and acne, and stimulate relaxation. We flew the drone over this small cove so you can clearly see the color of the water and the beautiful surroundings with the cliffs! Fun fact: around 45 seconds into the video, look at the top right corner. There comes a small square white object down from the hotel, diagonally over the green trees you see it go to the bottom left corner on the beach in 10 seconds. You could order ice cream and snacks on the beach at a small stand, but there was no food, it came per order via the white container attached to a nearly invisable zipline, from the restaurant above the steep cliff down. Now that's a delivery service!

Navagio Beach, located on the Greek island of Zakynthos, is known for the iconic shipwreck of the MV Panagiotis. In October 1980, the cargo ship, believed to be smuggling cigarettes, ran aground in the bay due to bad weather and poor visibility. The crew abandoned the ship, which has since been beached and given its current name; previously it was known as Agios Georgios. The beach, surrounded by high limestone cliffs and clear blue waters, is only accessible by boat. However, due to safety risks from landslides and erosion of the surrounding cliffs, the Greek authorities have decided to close Navagio Beach to visitors until further notice. This measure was taken after incidents in 2018 and 2022 involving landslides, partly caused by earthquakes in the region. Visitors can still admire the beach and shipwreck from cliff-top viewpoints, but we were lucky because of our private catamaran to get real close to the beach and the shipwreck! We took our drone with us so we could film the shipwreck even closer.

In the northeast of Zakynthos there is a beautiful sheltered bay. And that is not easy to find, because the wind often blows from the northeast, so right on the coast of Zakynthos, the so-called lee side. It is then difficult to find shelter. Yet we found this bay that protected us from waves, we had a quiet evening and night here and beautiful white cliffs to look at, where swallows regularly flew in and out. And if you looked down, you saw the beautiful bright blue water.