s/v Milly: Hop, Skip, Jump up the Dodecanese

Inside the Stefanos crater, Nissyros.

We are on our way to Athens. We've been told that the easiest way of getting there in the spring which is dominated by south winds is to head north up the Dodecanese and then west through the Cyclades and then north into the Saronic ending up in Piraeus, the port of Athens.

The myriad of Greek Islands are split into groups based on geology, location and history. The Dodecanese is the line of islands that run along the Turkish coast, once dominated by the Knights of St John, then Ottoman, then Italian, now Greek with all those influences. The islands, especially in spring, are greener and less barren then the Cyclades, with craggy mountain slopes, blanketed in wildflowers.

The amazing thing about the Dodecanese and the Greek islands in general is that, impossibly, they are all different. Here's a brief picture diary of our journey so far - about 500 NM.

We began our hop in charming Kastellorizo located 100 km east of Rhodes, a Greek outpost one NM off the Turkish coast. For that reason, military lookouts and a base are major players on the island. We anchored here, off the town of Mandraki.

Just a few flowers on the path up to the paleokastro - old castle with a few chapels.

Kastellorizo Town lines the harbour, said to be the finest between Beirut and Fethiye, Turkey and hence a hotspot for competing nations wanting to lay claim in ancient times.

Beautiful clear water was a consistent characteristic in the Dodecanese.

Island #2: Symi. An incredibly protected, almost enclosed, remote harbour with only a monastery built to honour Archangel Michael whose fresco images completely cover the entirety of the chapel interior.

Very decorative monastery bell tower from which bells tolled in a celebratory peal every time a ferry tooted it's arrival.

The don'ts outside the monastery. One icon blatantly missing.

I have no idea what these plants were but the blossom was at least 80 cm long. Amazing looking.

Hike up to one of the lesser peaks to look down on the very sheltered harbour. Milly is the larger top dot.

Also on Symi, Pedhi lies on the north coast in a deep bay.

Up and over the ridge from Pedhi - of course, there was a church on the peak - is Symi Town, a tangle of pedestrian alleys circuitously climbing the surrounding steep hillsides.

Just a field of poppies.

Nissyros, a round volcanic island with high steep slopes climbing to the central caldera. The quay is piled with black volcanic rock.

And the walls of the cliffs around Mandhraki's seaside promenade ooze with sulphur.

Just a little lupin

The soil nurtures wildflowers in a lovely palate.

Taken from the ruins of the paleokastro are the cabal village homes of Mandhraki. The offshore island is scarred by pumice mines.

We scootered around the island on a route given by the gregarious scooter rental guy, Mike. He guided us to an ancient sauna - a tiny cave fed by the heat of the earth below.

Emborios - a gorgeous village stretching across the ridge of the caldera. Many of the crumbling houses on single file lanes for pedestrians only are being slowly purchased and lovingly restored.

The lunar landscape of the Stefanos caldera from Nikia, the second village that clings to the edge of the crater.

The tiny round plaza ringed by cafe tables marks the town centre.

Nikia creeps along a ridge with stunning views - the sea on one side with distant islands and the otherworldly caldera on the other.

The openings around the craters vent steam and ooze sulphur

On Leros island the sweet village of Pandelli, overlooked by a castle of the Knights of St John. We had a traditional Easter lunch - lamb roasted over a fire on a spit - at tables set up on the beach.

Some ex-windmills sat on the crest of the ridge overlooking town with the castle in the background. Of course, we climbed to the top and...it was closed. But the view was spectacular, taking in the entire island.