So, we have six days to see as much as possible and to get as far as we can. To explore the Greek islands south of Samos and visit new places. The crew consists of two people. My guest also holds a skipper’s license — Day Skipper, according to the RYA classification.

Unfortunately, we only have six days at our disposal, less than a full week. After that, there’s already a plane ticket in hand, and being late is not an option. Still, the plan remains unchanged, just like during the week-long tour — to reach the island of Kos.

Day “minus one,” though not the first such day. A full inspection of the engines and absolutely everything else. At sea, fixing something will be difficult, so preparation is essential — or rather, once again checking how well everything has already been prepared.

I check the engines. In the engine room, everything is in perfect order. No leaks. Both Volvo Penta engines go through the standard Wobble procedure: coolant, oil, belts, sumps, electrics.

I meet my guest, and together we do the grocery shopping for the week.

According to the list: the butcher’s shop. Fruit and vegetables. The supermarket for everything else. And don’t forget the water!

I prepare provisions for the passage. We decide to bake pies — this is one of the things my British friend knows from Russian cuisine, and of course, I can make them. Three baking trays: two with cabbage, one with mushrooms. Plus a large pot of creamy mushroom soup. We’ll add croutons along the way.

Once again, we review the route. Electronic chartplotter navigation is good, but not sufficient on its own. We also make our estimates using a traditional paper chart. I’m all about safety — this is my backup.

We have dinner and turn in to our cabins, hoping to set off early in the morning. Ahead lies a cruise through the Greek islands.