Stormy Sea, Meditations, Dolphin Delights, Sacred Waters in the Greek Islands
- Mira Sky Gaia
- November 25, 2019
- 4:04 pm
- Life Adventures
For the second chapter of this trip, my dear friend Melissa who had just lost her fiancé in a sudden and unexpected death that summer of 2015. I was speechless in shock feeling so deeply for her. The timing was such that I was just about to embark on yet another solo trip. I felt this Greek escape could lift her spirts or at least help her process. She decided to join the sailing adventure through the Cyclades. I think she knew intuitively that she needed this trip to heal, purify, and connect.
We met in Mykonos to jump start this adventure on the sea and finished our trip in Athens, one of my most favorite cities of all time!
I had recently taught her about the benefits of meditation, and she grasped on for dear life, especially now. I would catch her meditating on the front of the boat for long periods of time, watching the birds fly overhead, which was her sign of dearly departed still surrounding her with his love and attentive eye.
As we boarded the boat, gauging my surroundings, I felt immediately disappointed. After viewing the pictures of the skippers on the G-Adventures website, I had envisioned being accompanied by a strapping sun kissed sensual Grecian who I could sit back and just admire watching his muscles move as he navigated the sails. Sometimes our dreamy visions manifest, and well other times God has something more basic in store. Our skipper was Norwegian and let’s say he did not fit the same description.
We boarded and met are seemingly dull new fellow adventurers: a young and almost mute couple from Australia (the Australians are everywhere, those Ozzies get around), a middle-aged American man with bright blonde hair and sea blue eyes who I think was going through a midlife crisis as time passed, and an Austrian girl who well the only thing we had in common was that we were on the same boat.
Stormy Rejuvenating Waters
What the crew lacked in inspiration, the sea more than equated for. Our first day on the Aegean, was so rough that we could barely see, all of our muscles were constantly engaged just trying to maintain a stationary position on the rocking boat. I, while the majority of my new sea family on our extremely tight quartered cabin, were throwing up into the raging waters, was exuberantly excited, reveling every time an even bigger wave rocked our boat in 45 to 60-degree angles. I felt subtle premonitions that this was not my soul’s first time in such stormy waters.
And at one point, I remember while drenched on the outermost ridge where I could feel the surges with the greatest intensity, clenching my hands upon the support beam, my body hung dangled below!!! This was invigorating, because we all knew we weren’t going to capsize deep down. Melissa surprised me, although she sat in the more sheltered area of the boat, she took the storm with strength, well it shouldn’t surprise me now, she is one of the mentally and emotionally strong people I know!
The waters calmed a few hours into our venture, I took a rest in our tiny cabin bed where Melissa and I would be sharing a bed that sloped in the middle that night causing us to fall upon one another as if it weren’t already hot enough!
Oops!!!
I woke up to clammer, bumps, and shouting! I soon came to witness our “experienced” skipper was not able to park the boat without accident(s); hitting 2 other boats while trying to navigate into a tight dock space.
This sent the local Grecians into a frenzy of trying to help. Our skipper understood only a handful of Greek words and clearly linguistics was not one of his strengths. He shouted out “Neh” “Neh” which apparently means “yes” in his language. I thought he kept on saying “No, No” for days until I inquired about his frequent one-word banter.
Each island was uniquely charming as we sailed the now completely calm seas. The only waves were those emitted by the boat piercing the water for the remainder of our journey. Our Skipper let that be his last parking incident. Poor guy needed to calm his nerves as he washed the local beer down. We continued island hopping each day from – Mykonos, Koufonisia, Naxos, Amargos, Santorini, Paros.
Dolphin Delight
On our third day, we saw a few dolphins swimming up next to the boat. My heart leaped for joy, as I had always felt a deep connection with dolphins ever since I watched “Skipper” as a young child on television. This was the first time I witnessed dolphins in their natural state. I screamed with excitement, leaning over the boat with my hands reaching for them.
Suddenly, they swam away. The skipper reprimanded me for screaming telling me that they don’t like the noise.
I took heed to what he said, but now I was elated and wanted to see them again. I headed to the helm of the boat with my feet straddling the outermost tip of the ship, simply gazing into the meditative waters. After about a half hour, I remembered the wishes I made at Delphi and began to think about them namely how I wanted to give back to the planet. I had always had a deep yearning to help revive Mother Earth, repair our water systems clean for aquatic life and our own well-being as humans upon this planet.
As soon as I started dwelling on this thought, two huge dolphins emerged directly under my feet where I stood alone at the apex of the ship!!!
The excitement I felt was life-changing. I didn’t make a sound this time, but all the cells of my body were screaming with delight. I motioned to everyone lounging on the back of the boat to come quickly with grand hand gestures.
The dolphins waved, flapped their fins while tilting to their side in inexplicable glee as if they were telling me “yes” you will, we want that too! They joyfully clicked and swirled. They were speaking to my soul. I never felt more connected in my life as of yet.
Now the rest of the crew sitting in the back of the boat began to approach. As soon as they drew closer to viewing proximity, the dolphins disappeared back into the sea. Now, I knew even more deeply that they were there on purpose to nudge me on to my vision, my mission.
Writing about this brings back this conviction. Once I publish my hopefully successful book, I plan to create an organization, join a movement, public speak, raise awareness, do something meaningful as this experience was not happenstance it was a clearly communicated message from the “humans of the sea”.
For the rest of our journey, dolphins no longer graced us with their magnificent presence. The delight of this almost unbelievable experience will live with me always.
Cliffs Galore
I really enjoyed Koufonisia the cliffs jetting out of the water, the lack of any tourists other than Italians – they are always a welcomed treat! Biking up and down the hills to reach the remote beaches on the other side of the island, invigorated a feeling of adventure after our calm day at sea.
I biked up and down the rolling hills to the most beautiful beach with cliffs and coves. Swimming far beyond those gathered in the water, I pierced into the ocean bottom with my nose in the water. Having discovered through dozens of deep water swims in oceans and seas around the world, this is the best way to see into the blue and green abyss without snorkels.
Diving down to touch the sand, I was in my own element. I then met Melissa and Austrian girl for lunch, headed off to the cliffs, staring at the lapsing water rolling up against the rocks, an image that filled my mind since I was a child.
As an avid cliff jumper, seeker, and diver – I contemplated jumping here, but the exit seemed too dangerous. Life preservation is also up there on the list of goals:-). This wasn’t going to risk it the for the sake of an adrenalin rush. I continued climbing over the rocks and around the coastline where waves were crashing fiercely into the rocks. I stumbled upon a cave, a grotto, reminiscent of the (mythical?) time of mermaids. I luckily uploaded the photos to Facebook, so I do have a few of these precious captures to reflect upon this dream back in time.
We had an epic fresh seafood dinner that night and I drank plenty of the local beer. I deserved it after all the energy output that day. Our last stop was Santorini and well it’s true that the best was saved for last at least in a way.
Gazing at the cliffs above in awe, finally, I spotted an opportunity to cliff dive! I excitedly swam over to a large rock, while the group watched me with hesitation. With full confidence, I leapt backwards feeling momentary like a bird soaring. The delights of life!
These eagerly anticipated waters felt silky, sacred, profound. There was only one other place that I had experienced such sacred water, where I felt magic, light even a feeling of fairies dancing around me- that was off the coast of Brazil, on an island called “Ihla Grande”. Perhaps that will be the next blog life adventure to come.
Later, I did some research and discovered that the lost city of “Atlantis” is off the coast of Santorini. Now I knew I wasn’t imagining it!
