Spiridakos Sailing Cruises Sunset Boat Tour

A few hours after leaving Istanbul, after two flights and no sleep, I was drinking a beer, on a boat off the coast of Santorini, Greece.

I first learned about the Spiridakos Sailing Cruises Sunset Boat Tours while doing pre trip research at home. Comparing some trips via Viator, I ended up booking the company’s “Catamaran Semi-Private Sunset Standard Cruise”, which is now called the “Premium Sunset Catamaran Cruise.”

The day of, as the time for the tour got closer, I really debated cancelling. The morning travel from Istanbul had decimated my internal clock. Getting delayed in Athens by “We Don’t Give a Shit About Your Time or Schedule” airlines – also known as Aegean Air – had majorly contributed. I was at a point beyond tired – rarely reached existence of exhaustion.  I’d even called and tried to reschedule for the next day – but was told that I could not.

So, when the van came to pick me up, I was in a state of altered reality. We drove to the marina of Vlychada and I just started taking photos to get out of my own head. Getting on the boat, I was salty at myself for booking the trip. And even saltier that I was determined to go because I’d paid for it. But most of all,  I was determined to turn my frown upside down.

The boat was clean and the vibes were good. I was the only solo traveler (per usual). But, I didn’t feel out of place or weird. Slowly, I began getting into the groove of things. I was soon drinking a beer, on a boat off the coast of Santorini, Greece.

During the 5 hour tour, the boat stopped at various key spots around the Western side of Santorini:

1. The Red Beach in Akrotiri, one of the most beautiful beaches of the island with the red rocks and the dark pebbles.
2. The White Beach and the Mesa Pigadia
3. The Indian Rock with the Akrotiri Lighthouse. The Akrotiri Lighthouse is a 19th-century lighthouse on Santorini. The lighthouse was built by a French company in 1892, making the lighthouse one of the oldest in Greece.
4. A view of Aspronisi Island with surrounding views of the Caldera
5.  Extended time at the Caldera thermal hot springs area
6. Private bay where the group Spiridakos Sailing Cruises catamarans circled to server dinner while the sun met the horizon

 

Dinner was rather delicious. They started grilling the meats and preparing the food while we stopped at the thermal hot springs. By the time we arrived at the dining bay, everything smelled delicious and I was more than ready to eat.

We had a buffet of BBQ CHICKEN BREASTS, GRILLED SHRIMPS, FRIED FISH, SPAGETTI WITH TOMATO SAUCE, GREEK SALAD, delicious TZATZIKI, BREAD and of course BEER and WINE.

It was dinner where I had one of the most invigorating conversation of the trip. A black Québécois man from Quebec, Canada and I got into an incredible conversation. We discussed what it meant to have a black experience in Canada alongside the black experience in the United States.

After that, we discussed Quebec’s fight for independence from Canada. The separatists failed after the last referendum in 1995. However, with the nationalism in Canada increasing, I was curious as to how the idea has been brought up again.  It was a leading edge conversation and personally refreshing to have the space to discuss. Let alone, have this conversation on a catamaran off the coast of Greece.

As we returned to the marina of Vlychada, I felt satisfied with myself for rallying through and really happy with the photos and experience.

It was a wonderful welcome to the vistas and landscape of Santorini.

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