A Week on the Water: My 5-Day Sailing Trip with More Sailing

I woke up early – it was still before 7am, 5am in Lisbon. I didn’t sleep very well. The constant move of the boat, the creaking sounds, the feeling of not being in my own bed kept me awake until late and then I woke up every hour. I was tired, but I didn’t want to sleep. The day was starting and I wanted to get up! All the other 9 people that were on the boat with me seemed to be sleeping, so I quietly put on a jumper and went outside. We were docked in a little bay, surrounded by water and a small piece of land with white rocks and green trees. The sun was rising on the horizon and except the sound of the waves it was quiet. I sat down on the deck and just stared. When was the last time I woke up like that? – With no phone in my hand, no one to talk to, no distractions – it seemed like the world just stopped for that one hour. This was my first morning on the boat during a sailing trip around Paxos, Greece with More Sailing.

When they first approached me and invited me I thought – no way! I don’t like boats. I got sick during a one-day snorkelling trip in Vietnam. During the last cruise in Pattaya I was OK, but when it ended, I was glad. It’s just something I don’t normally enjoy very much. I prefer to stay on dry land. I was also not very convinced as my niche is Portugal and Thailand, so Greece doesn’t fit in very much. On the other hand, I checked their website and the cruises looked really beautiful. After a few days, I made my decision. I would go. The worst that could happen would be getting sick and cutting the trip short and the best thing would be a nice project and some holiday, too.

Sailing in Greece with More Sailing was a fabulous experience. I enjoyed it so much that after coming back I was buzzing with positive energy for the next two days. The trip not only left me with so many staggering experiences, but I started to think of what other similar trips I can do next year. If you ever think of a sailing holiday, I totally recommend More Sailing and if you want to know more, read on!

Setting Sail

Our vessel looked striking. In the little port of Mitikas, where it was anchored, it gleamed in the afternoon sun. Our group of journalists and content creators had an opportunity of taking photos first before we entered. Quickly removing our shoes (you can’t walk in your shoes on board) we moved downstairs to see the common area and to choose our rooms. It was smaller than I had thought initially. The cabins were tiny – a double bed, a small window and very little space to manoeuvre. One out of 5 rooms had a bunk bed and even smaller area to stand – only enough to turn around and to take your clothes from a tiny wardrobe. It was rather surprising, although, now when I think about it, I am not sure what I expected. It’s a boat after all.

I was assigned the bunk bed and shared the room with a journalist from the UK, Dan. The others had double beds. Even though, at first, the setup was rather strange for me, I quickly found out that the bed was really comfortable and cozy and a huge plus was that I could sleep without worrying about bumping onto the other person.

I have uploaded a short video of the boarding – check out the inside of the boats!

Then, there was the time to meet the crew – Erik and Viktor, who were our skippers. Erik was in charge of safely getting us to our destinations. Viktor was our chef, who prepared the most delicious and wholesome meals. They were both quiet, polite and very patient to answer all our silly and less silly questions about sailing and the trip. And even though they were with us 24/7, it felt that they were there only when we needed them. It’s a skill to be the kind of a host or a guide that makes guests feel welcome, looked after, but at the same time, not be a nuisance. Both Erik and Viktor had that in them.

We set sail in the afternoon and were on the open sea by sunset. Our group had fun taking photos and videos on the front of the boat. Even though it was a bit windy and the water splashed on us constantly, we couldn’t stop admiring the views. When the sun started setting, it felt like magic! The skippers poured some wine and we made a toast to the upcoming adventure.

When it was dark, we anchored in a little bay. There was nothing and no one around. The skippers prepared dinner – charcuterie boards filled with cheeses, cured meats and all kinds of goodies. We had the time to meet each other and get to know each other better. When I think about that night, I remember how worried I was. I was surrounded by 8 strangers, contained in a very small space – that was totally out of my comfort zone. I wondered how I was going to survive this? I didn’t even remember the last time I had lived with so many people under one roof. I really needed my space, I needed to be quiet and with myself and back then it seemed like it was impossible. I couldn’t do much about it, so I kept thinking that it was only 5 days – I could do it.

This day and evening I remember as a mix of excitement, a little fear, with a pinch of awkwardness. Little did I know that it was going to be one of the best trips I have done this year.

Finding the rhythm

My first morning was exactly how I described it at the beginning of this article – magical. Yes, I was tired and I really looked tired, but I didn’t want to go back to sleep. I wanted to take this morning on the palm of my hand and put it deep in my heart. I would have stayed on that deck for a long time if it wasn’t for Viktor, who called me for breakfast. Only then, I realised how hungry I was.

The table was set and the room smelled amazing. There was everything one could want – from hard-boiled eggs to cinnamon and apple porridge (which was absolutely delicious, by the way). There were fruits, veggies and Greek yogurt, of course. I had a few things of each and felt ready to start the day properly. And when you are on a sailing boat, your morning can’t start in any other way than having a swim. This was my first one and I was a bit afraid that the water would be cold, but what a surprise – it wasn’t at all! It was fresh, but pleasant and I enjoyed swimming in the morning sun.

From then on, this was my routine – I would get up before anyone else, sit on the deck with my journal, watch the sun rising, sometimes talk to the others, who were waking up early, too. I would eat and then swim in the chilly waters. Maybe because I had that quiet time to myself, didn’t I feel overwhelmed with being social all the time? I don’t know, but I do know that these mornings were very precious to me and I think about them with deep fondness.

Somewhere between day one and day three, something shifted. The awkwardness faded, the routine settled in, and I stopped counting the days.

Paxos

We sailed to Paxos. Initially, we thought we would go to Lefkada, but Erik decided to take us north. He claimed that it would be more beautiful. I didn’t have a chance to go to Lefkada, so I don’t have the comparison, but Paxos turned out to be a stunning destination.

The first stop we made that day was at a little bay, somewhere close to the Erimitis Beach. When we approached the area, my jaw dropped. White limestone cliffs surrounded the azure-coloured waters and the white sailing boats were lazily drifting around. We turned into the bay and anchored there for a few hours. Everyone went swimming, sunbathing, SUPping and lounging. We filled our stomachs with freshly prepared gyros. We created content, we laughed, made stupid jokes. I had a feeling that everyone was just really enjoying that particular afternoon.

More Sailing has a similar schedule for each day. First, there’s breakfast, then you sail for some time. The skipper chooses a place to stop for lunch. You eat on board, surrounded by the sea and beautiful views. If there’s a beach nearby, you can take a SUP board there or you can swim. After that, it’s time to sail again and you head to one of the cute ports in the area. There, it’s up to you – you can stay long on the boat, you can venture out, you can swim, nap, or do whatever you feel like.

The Ports: Lakka, Parga and Gaios

During our trip we stopped in Lakka, Parga and Gaios on Paxos – all beautiful and unique in their own way. I never wanted to stay on the boat, there was always too much to explore on land. In Lakka, Sofia and I enjoyed the long, warm evening and took some photos, swam and drank coffee.

But, every time we stopped, I always went on land to check out the town. My personal favourite was Parga, which is very picturesque, especially, if you approach it from the boat.

Our skippers recommended restaurants for each stay and every time it was a great choice. I ate some delicious, fresh, local food and drank cold, crisp white wine. After living my fast-paced life it was like finding some balance that was missing until that trip in Paxos with More Sailing.

At the end of the trip we stopped in Gaios. The weather was turning. It was still warm, but the last rays of sunshine were disappearing behind heavy clouds. A storm was brewing somewhere on the horizon, but Sofia and I still had the time to wander off into the hills. We passed villages and beautiful, quiet beaches with no people on them. While having deep conversations about life, we enjoyed the trek and came back filled with even more energy than when we were setting off.

The last moments on board

During the last evening of the sailing trip in Paxos, we had time to go for dinner together one last time. That night some of us stayed up late and had a chat about all kinds of topics. We had some wine and went to bed about 1 am.

The next morning there was breakfast again. Sadly, there was no time and no chance for me to have my usual routine, but I was happy to spend the last moments on the boat with the people. The feeling of awkwardness and fear that I will not survive the trip without ‘me-time’ was long gone. I took genuine pleasure from spending this time with these people that life put on my path. It filled me with so much positive energy and good vibes. I had a feeling that I not only made great memories, but also made good friends. I don’t know if we ever see each other again – I hope we will – but for now, I am grateful to More Sailing for inviting me on the trip and grateful to myself that I had the courage to say yes to something that originally had made me uncomfortable.

We said our last goodbyes to the skippers and to each other and went on our way.

A few weeks later, I still think about that first morning on the deck. The world was quiet, the sun was rising, and for once, I had nowhere to be… I came back with a full memory card, a few new friends, and one question I keep asking myself: where next?

Sailing in Paxos, Greece with More Sailing – FAQs

This post was created with collaboration with More Sailing – they organise crewed sailing trips in Greece, Italy, Croatia and the Caribbean. Book your next adventure in Greece through them here.

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