Day 4, Agios Petros and the Navagio
With 81 mi2, Skyros is the largest island in the Sporades. The north part of the island is green and foresty, while the south is bare and rocky, dominated by its highest mountain, Kochila, standing at 2500 ft at its highest peak. A multitude of beautiful sandy beaches lace its coast every few kilometers, and on Day 4 we set to discover as many of them as the day and our temper and emotions would allow.
According to Greek mythology, Achilles, the greatest of Greek warriors, set sail for Troy from a small bay , Achili on the east coast of the island. The Virgin of the Caves, Παναγια η Σπηλιωτισσα, has now claimed the location, a modest chapel built on the rock in Her Name.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Our explorations take us to the beach of Agios Petros, on the northwest part of the island, a few miles drive over a crisscross of unnamed dirt roads in a lush pine forest with the sun shining through the trees. We are thankful for the GPS signal not fading, as we find our way and after a short hike, discover a gorgeous, secluded, unmanned beach, crystal waters, and groups of bathers settled in the trees for shade and comfort. Agios Petros arguably gifted us with the best swimming experience during our trip.
One of the locals pointed us to Agalipas beach with its shipwreck. Little known by visitors, a few miles of unnamed hilly dirt roads, no car in sight, our road comes to an end. With optimistic confidence, a couple water bottles at hand, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen, we take a steep path shaded by low pine trees and what a awe insiring sight- we see it at a turn of the path!
Pristine waters, seagulls flying, pine trees dipping into the ocean, no one in sight.
Records of the shipwreck incident are hard to find, but the locals, have an interesting story to share. They say an old wooden fishing boat was carrying undocumented Iraqi immigrants from Turkey, one winter night some 20 years ago, and had set sail for the port of Kymi in Euboea. At this part of the Aegean though, winter storms are common with big waves over dangerous reefs, and so it was that the boat got in trouble. The captain decided to take the boat to the shore and end its journey there, abandoning its passengers in the night, near the shore between a rough sea and a mountainside full of pine trees. All sixty passengers were saved by the coast guard, but the crew was never found.