Kayaking in Greece

Activities while there/ what’s included

Lodging – You will stay at the Odyssey Suites during your week long adventure. This will serve as your ‘base camp’. Here all meals, meetings, group discussions, and your sleeping will take place. Majority of the rooms are designed for couples, there are only a few rooms suited for the solo traveler. This location is about 2 miles away from the marina downtown, about 1/8 mile away from the beach. There is a grocery store and rental store within walking distance from this location.

Kayaking – There will be plenty of kayaking – both ½ day and full day excursions (all dependent on weather conditions). We will be provided the use of the kayaks and gear with our Scottish kayaking guide, Brian. Brian has been to Poros numerous times over the years, and knows the area very well. Your kayak is a 14 long sea yak and about 24.5 inches wide. Made in Italy they are called Rainbow. They are quite nimble, comfortable and stable. Paddles, PFD’s and dry bags will be made available for each outing. The group will be paddling within the Aegean Sea. Unlike most seas, there are no tides within this body of water. Yes, it is salty and there are some waves present (usually less than a foot). The water temperatures remain around the low 80’s.

Food – Authentic, fresh, and all soooooo good! Breakfast options are quite numerous. There are meat options, fresh fruit, breads, yogurt, and drink options (coffee/tea/milk/juice/water). If we are on the water for a day paddle, you will be provided a ‘box lunch’ which is usually fruit, a sandwich, and another option. Supper is quite the event, as this follows the typical European style meal. It will start around 7 PM and last until 830 or 9 PM. There are several courses served during that time. It is a time of reflection, conversation, relaxation and digestion. Try something new and exciting, try everything; you may be surprised and delighted. Sometime during the meal, we will have an informal meeting and talk about the next day’s schedule, and what to expect.

Culture- Katerina, Dora and/or Rik (Our hosts at the Odyssey) will take us on a morning tour of the downtown. She will provide us entertaining details surrounding the architecture of the buildings, a rich historic account on how the residents of Poros fought off the Romans  and other invaders over the years, find out why there are so many religious buildings there are on the island (more than you think), learn why the headstones in the cemeteries face in one direction, as well as many more interesting cultural facts.

An evening with Katerina and Rik – We will take a water taxi over to their farm, tour the farm, learn what it takes to grow fruit trees, and take a guess how many olive trees are on the farm. Join in the process to cook up a meal for a large group of people, take in a traditional dance, drink some wine, and watch the sunset over the mountains, and look upon the city of Poros as the light fades.

Greek cooking – A small group of people will rotate through the Greek cooking class during the week. Here you will be tasked to become the sous-chef as you prep, chop, cook, and prepare many meals – all of which will be cooked by Katerina’s staff and served later that evening. This brings a great conversation piece to the table as the ‘cooks’ take pride in their meals and describe what it took to make it. Oh, did I mention, there was wine involved?

Day trip to Hydra – On a selected day of the week, the group will take a trip by ferry over to the island of Hydra. Here you will get a walking tour of the harbor and surrounding town. Embrace yourself in the history of the island, take a walk along the stone path roads (have shoes with good traction), take a picture with a donkey, tour the historic pharmacy (no pictures inside, please), and take in a meal near the windmills overlooking the sea – while there, take a swim at the watering hole. Please note, this is a tourist attraction and some of the items for sale in the stores may be slightly elevated.

Free time – If you are not feeling up to a paddle trip for the day, take a tour of the island, and find your special place to reflect. It may be on the top of the island, overlooking numerous miles of water and surrounding land masses, sitting on the nearby beach, or it may be at one of the many ruins. You can either take a walking tour, or rent a bike, atv, or scooter. To rent a motorized bike – all one needs to provide is a driver’s license to the owners. Helmets are provided, if asked. There are several places to visit on the island, some more remote than others.