We didn’t know that Samos wine is to Greece what, for example, Champagne is to France or Port is to Portugal: the signature, iconic alcoholic drink! So there are plenty of wineries. But our harbor master tipped us off about a small winery producing organic Samos wine. We set off for the eastern part of the island and rented a car for the trip. The winery, Hatziioannou Estate, is located in a beautiful spot in the green hills on the east side of Samos, naturally surrounded by vineyards. They are exclusively dedicated to the production of high-quality organic wines. We received a warm welcome and were invited to sit at a large table overlooking the tanks and wine barrels. The inspiring owner shared his story with us, explaining how he started the winery together with his wife and sons. Watch the video of our arrival at the winery, the tasting, and the lovely owners here!

We arrived at the island of Chios and, as is typical during this time of year, we were the only boat at the quay. We did notice some kind of rack sticking out over the water when we tied our put up at the quay. It turned out that we had docked right in front of the only restaurant that was open, and their specialty was “sun-dried octopus,” which was lying there drying in the sun. Even though the weather was sunny, we still needed some extra electricity—for example, to run a load of laundry. During the low season, electricity is often turned off for sailors, and that was the case here as well. We asked the restaurant owner if we could roll out our 50-meter power cable to the restaurant to get electricity for two days. Of course, we were willing to pay for it. But Greeks are often so hospitable and friendly—it wasn’t necessary. It was around lunchtime, so we showed our gratitude by having lunch and drinks there. A win-win situation! I filmed the restaurant and how our electricity cable was set up—funny to see, also the octopus and the tree in the restaurant!

The capital of the island of Lesbos is located on the east coast and is called Mytilini. The Castle of Mytilini can be seen from almost every viewpoint in the city — not only because it stands on a high hill, but also because it is one of the largest castles in the Mediterranean. The first structures date back to the Byzantine period (6th century), likely built on the remains of an even older ancient acropolis. In the 14th century, the Genoese Gattilusio family significantly expanded the fortress while they ruled Lesbos. The castle was built to protect the city from pirates and enemy naval attacks. After the Ottoman conquest in 1462, additional walls, bastions, and storage areas were added, giving the complex its current impressive size. The castle covers about 60 hectares, highlighting its strategic importance; located close to the Turkish coast, Mytilene was for centuries an important military and trading center in the Aegean Sea. We spent the entire afternoon walking across the grounds, passing remains of Ottoman bathhouses, water reservoirs, underground storage spaces, and an old mosque.

Molyvos is often considered one of the most beautiful villages in all of Greece. When we moored our boat in the harbor, we immediately understood why. Here, it feels as if time has stood still. The medieval castle on top of the hill dominates the view and has witnessed both the Byzantine and the Ottoman eras. We sent our drone up to capture the beautiful village of Molyvos from a bird’s-eye view.

You don’t expect to walk through a mini-desert on a Greek island — yet suddenly the Ammothínes appear right in front of you. This area on the island of Limnos consists of fine sand dunes formed by strong northern winds and ancient sea currents. Over thousands of years, the sand was carried inland from the coast and accumulated between old volcanic hills. Because the area is so vast and difficult to explore on foot, we launched our drone to admire the beautiful dunes and this seaside mini-desert from above.

We were amazed as we entered the Dardanelles Strait in Turkey. Along the coastline there was so much going on: ferries, trains, towns, and monuments. It almost made you forget to look at the water — until suddenly large dolphins started leaping in front of our bow and diving through the bubbles created by the front of our catamaran hulls.

At one point, we noticed the anchor light wasn’t working. Apparently, after six years the battery was dead. We were able to buy a spare anchor light, and I went up the mast to replace it. The first time, we thought it would be easy—just replace the light or the battery—but it turned out that more work was needed. The anchor light had to be unscrewed and the two wires had to be reconnected in the terminal block. And all of that at 22 meters up, right on top of the mast. After some instructions from Gilles, I went up the mast again, this time bringing tools along in the side pockets of the “chair” (bosun’s chair) in which you’re hoisted up. It worked, and the anchor light was shining brightly again at the top of the mast!

Suddenly, they were here again: dolphins! Between 2 of the Sporades islands, we saw them jumping in front of the boat. This was during the week we had guests aboard, so we celebrated the presence of these magical animals together!

You might be wondering: why mention the airport? What’s so special about it? Well, here’s why. Skiathos, a Greec island at the Sporades islands in the North-West of the Aegan sea, is a relatively small island, yet it has an international airport. And that is exactly what makes it so spectacular. The runway is short and squeezed in between the sea and the built-up area. As a result, aircraft have to approach extremely low. From the water – especially when you’re in the harbour – you see the plane coming straight at you. It flies low over the harbour, sometimes so low that you think it might clip your mast, and then immediately hits the brakes as soon as it touches down on the runway. The first time we experienced this, it really startled us. You hear the sound, look up… and suddenly there’s an aircraft right above you. You rarely see planes flying this low. First there’s a moment of shock, then laughter, and after that you find yourself watching every single landing again 😉. For plane spotters, Skiathos has by now become world-famous. People stand along the road or on the beach to take photos and videos of the landings. We made a video too.

The Crazy Waters Bridge in Chalkis sits at the narrowest point between Evia and the mainland, where the strait is only about 38 meters wide. Because so much water is forced through this tiny opening, extremely strong currents are created — the reason sailors call it the “Crazy Waters.” The bridge is in the middle of the city and opens only once a day to avoid disrupting the constant road traffic. Boats may only pass at slack tide, the brief moment every six hours when the water is calmest. That’s why sailors often go through at strange times like 1:30 or 3:00 a.m. While waiting, boats are not allowed to tie up along the quay because the turbulence is so strong that it would be dangerous. Instead, everyone must anchor in the bay and wait for instructions from Port Control. We anchored there with about fifteen other boats and waited until slack tide at night. At midnight, Port Control suddenly called all boats in order — we were number three. Passing the bridge in the dark was surreal: strong currents below, quiet city lights above. The bridge didn’t lift; it actually slid sideways into the quay walls, disappearing completely. Once through, we moored safely just 100 meters further in the city. Experiencing this natural phenomenon at night, in such a narrow and powerful channel, was something I will not quickly forget!

The ancient city of Corinth is located in a strategic place between the Aegean and the Ionian Sea — exactly where Greece is at its narrowest. It's location between two seas made Corinth the “Venice of Antiquity,” with enormous prosperity through tolls on trade routes. Corinth grew into a true city-state (polis) in the 8th century BC. Corinth was also an important religious center, especially for the goddess Aphrodite. On the Acrocorinth mountain stood her famous temple, where—according to tradition—more than 1,000 priestesses (sacred courtesans) served. The ancient city has been preserved as ruins and can be visited. We arrived there at sunset, so the site was closed, but we were still able to make this video

We recently sailed the Corinth Canal with our catamaran! But before we crossed this iconic Canal, we first went up to see it from above. You can see here the drone recording of us looking over the Canal. Some interesting facts about the Canal of Corinth: • Opened in 1893 • Length: 6.3 km • Width max: 24 meters • Depth max: 8 meters • Cliffs: about 90 meters high • 11,000 ships pass through annually • 6 bridges cross the canal, at a height of 52 meters above the water

The theater is one of the best-preserved ancient theaters in Greece and is often considered a masterpiece of classical antiquity. It was built around 340 BC. From the beginning, this theater in Greece was famous for its excellent acoustics. Even whispers from the orchestra floor can be heard at the very top rows. This phenomenon is still often demonstrated to visitors, as you can see in the video I made when I sat in the top row of the theater!

Methana is a peninsula in the Saronic Gulf and is famous for it’s volcano and Thermal springs. We visited both and we loved also the charming village of Vathi were a small harbor felt very welcoming to us. Next to the fishing boats, we were the only sailing boat on the quay and after making it through the small entrance, we had a quiet stay in this beautiful scenery. Enjoy the drone flight we took over the harbor with the stunning mountains in the background.

Just as we were about to set sail here in Greece from the island Poros, our wind sensor suddenly stopped working. No wind direction, no wind speed. Not ideal when you're navigating open waters. Maybe it had been a bird? Or sun and salt damage? Or just one strong gust too many. Whatever the cause, I had to climb up the mast, attached to a line and helped with a winch. And ofcourse the new windmeter! So up I went — 22 meters high at the top of our catamaran’s mast and the camera rolling! I filmed the whole thing. Because this moment captures what it means to be a Digital Nomad: 🔹 Being ready to improvise 🔹 Making decisions to set clear couse again 🔹 Trusting your preparation, your partner and yourself 🔹 And staying calm, even with a shaky view ➡️ Want to see what it looks like up the mast, installing a new windmeter? 📹 Watch the video!

The first island we visited in the Saronic Gulf (the stretch of water south of Athens, Greece) was Aegina. In the southwest corner of the island lies Perdika. We found this little fishing village so charming that we sent our drone up into the air to admire it from above as well. You can see the colorful fishing boats moored at the docks in the sheltered harbor, and along the promenade are the whitewashed houses so typical of this part of Greece. To me, the village had retained much of its authentic character. From the harbor quay, you can see the uninhabited islet of Moni – a nature reserve that can only be reached by boat. It is said to be home to peacocks, fallow deer, and wild goats.

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 hub, it now houses art galleries, pop-up markets, and food trucks. What makes this place unique are the preserved old industrial details: think steel arches, rugged walls, and original train tracks in the floor. Artists work live in glass studios open to the public. You can also relax with a view of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. It's the place where heritage, creativity, and city life converge. In the summer, it hosts concerts and open-air movies. A hidden gem in Philly, full of atmosphere!

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!

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.

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.