Agios Thomas – Aegina

Hello Saronic Gulf.

Finally arrived in the Saronic Gulf, we spent our first night on the uninhabited island of Agios Thomas. How wonderful it is to finally be here. The very next day, we set off again to spend a special day.

 

September 15th 2024: Agios Thomas – Aegina

What do late sleepers like to do most on their birthday? That's right, get up early. But the earlier you leave, the earlier you arrive, and that was exactly our goal, as we had a lot planned.


At 07:10, we lifted our anchor and set our course to 120 degrees. With a light northwesterly wind, we slowly headed east towards our next destination. At 8 o'clock, we were finally able to set sail when the wind increased to 8.5 knots. With a speed of 3.5 knots, we weren't fast, but we were comfortably on our way and could really enjoy the journey.

 

Our destination was Aegina, the northernmost island in the Saronic Gulf. There was a lot on the agenda: Celebrating a birthday, Fistiki Festival (Pistachio Festival) and my mom's arrival.


After 18.5 nautical miles, we reached the northwest coast of Aegina, where the capital is also located. We decided to avoid the crowded harbor and anchor south of it. The harbor is not only very stressful and crowded with charter boats but also full of old anchor chains that can snag the anchor. We didn't want to deal with that. Besides, we prefer life in bays anyway.

 

My mom was supposed to arrive the same day, but unfortunately, the Greek ferries thwarted our plans, so we had to wait a day. But that's life—welcome to Greece! Once in Aegina, we took advantage of the wonderful weather and went swimming. What a beautiful arrival and a great start to celebrating Lukas' birthday.


Afterward, we went ashore and were simply delighted. The town was beautifully decorated and everything was pistachio-themed. We didn't know in advance that the pistachio festival was on this day, but we were all the happier for this experience. The island really offers everything with pistachios - even cocktails. How cool is that?! We enjoyed this great festival. We ended the day on land and plunged into the festivities. Very unusual, but lovely.

 

General Infos: Aegina

Aegina is a charming island in the Saronic Gulf, known for its rich history and beautiful landscapes. It's famous for the Temple of Aphaia and its delicious pistachios, which we were lucky enough to enjoy during the annual Pistachio Festival. The island is perfect for swimming, hiking, and exploring quaint towns with neoclassical architecture. It's just a short ferry ride from Athens, making it an easy and worthwhile destination. We were captivated by its beauty and the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the locals.

 

Hard Facts

Distance: 18,5 nautical miles