From Limnos we motored north for about 60 nautical miles in almost no wind and reached the eastern finger of Halkidiki late in the day. This is the Akti Peninsula, dominated by Mount Athos and its monasteries.

Around the peninsula

We spent several days in quiet anchorages, swimming and exploring before moving through Nea Rodha and the fishing harbour at Ierissos. A violent thunderstorm there washed Malua’s decks and burst one of our fenders. We also watched the local boatbuilder haul a fishing boat from the water on a simple sled — an old method now powered by diesel rather than oxen.

We then sailed around the peninsula itself. The monastic community is self-governing and women are not permitted to land. Later we would see the monasteries from the sea, but for now the route took us west towards the other fingers of Halkidiki.