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While this summer has been filled with lust-worthy celebrity vacations—Victoria and David Beckham in Puglia, Rihanna in Barbados—one luxurious summertime activity always intrigued me most: yachting. Photos of Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid gleefully toasting (and flipping the bird) on Tommy Hilfiger’s yacht in Monaco sealed the deal. Could I, a mere mortal—and sunburn-prone city girl—find myself on a boat, sailing from island to island, just because? As fate would have it, a little birdie (my adventure-loving roommate) told me there was a spot open on her boat through a company called BucketLust. The boat in question? A ten-person Lagoon 39. Instead of Monaco, we would sail a fleet through the Dodecanese Islands of Greece, said to have been created during the war between gods and giants. A stone’s throw from Turkey, the islands on our route were Kos, Symi, Halki, Tilos, and volcanic Nisyros. Along with sailing and day trekking into town, themed parties punctuated every night. (Costumes were highly encouraged.) As a Vogue party reporter, I was up for the task. Then I clicked on the website to investigate and the images of champagne-wielding 20-somethings reminded me of another blue water experience—Fyre Festival. I became skeptical, though much like Fyre-goers, the lure of sun, sand, and festivities won out. A couple of weeks later, I boarded a plane to the island of Kos, the launch point of my seven-day journey.
Upon arrival, I was introduced to my motley crew. Each yacht is outfitted with a chef (who does all the cooking) and a skipper (who does all the boating). Our chef came in the form of a blonde 23-year-old Slovenian named Sara Vezenšek who cooked Michelin Star-quality meals from one burner in a kitchen the size of a closet. One example of her culinary prowess? Our first breakfast onboard was a “casual” Eggs Benedict, for which Vezenšek could be seen whipping up Hollandaise sauce by hand as the boat rocked from side to side. Our skipper was Mikhail Murineanu, a tall, no-fuss Romanian who cracked one-liners while effortlessly rigging our sail to catch wind. My fellow sailors were two of my New York friends and a rave-loving married couple in their 30s from Sacramento, California, Jake and Emmie. Jake works in sales for a Napa resort, while Emmie is the nutrition director at a sports foods company. There's no one "type" when it comes to attending a boat-bound festival, explained BucketLust co-founder, Rupert Covell. "We have fighter pilots coming out from Australia, lawyers coming out from New York. This coming week we even have a few farmers from England and we’ve got a lot of people based in the medical industry as well—a huge amount of nurses, doctors and an anesthesiologist from Lake Tahoe.” Our crew of seven bonded instantly, dubbing our boat, ironically, “Off the Record.”
Before I walk you through my nautical journey, there are some things to keep in mind, should you take the trip. First, seasickness. I was overconfident in my ability to handle the topsy-turvy ways of boat life and ended up spending my first few sails green faced, clutching the side of the Catamaran. Vezenšek offers some advice on how to get your sea legs. "I would say with seasick medication, I tell this to everyone, take it on day one. The worst thing that can happen is that you may get sleepy but you're not going to be seasick." When it comes to packing, some advice: For Murineanu, who owns his own boating company, Odysea Sailing, less is more. "I always bring less stuff than I actually need because I hate having a lot of luggage." Avoid hard-cased luggage and opt for a soft duffle to tuck away after you've unpacked. Plus, Vezenšek stresses, you have to have a positive attitude. "Sometimes people think boats are fabulous but it's more like camping on water. You have to have the right attitude. But, to be fair, as Murineanu playfully interjects, "Eh, it’s luxurious camping—Glamping!"
Now, an inside look at the maritime route through the ancient Dodecanese Islands of Greece:
Kos
My stay in the harbor town of Kos was sadly quick. Prior to departure, my budget-conscious roommate booked us a room at the Maritina Hotel. Rooms were accordingly sparse, but the space was outfitted with a rooftop pool and sunning seats aplenty—what more could you need! The nearby street markets offered sterling silver baubles with evil eyes and airy dresses to beat the hot temperatures. At night, the marina comes alive with neon-lit bars and seafood restaurants. (The best sea bass I've ever had was at Boats on the Coast.)
Symi
Symi is a candy-colored town known for something fairly common yet charming: ocean sponge. There were bucketfuls displayed at every shop, and huge natural loofas lined the shelves. It was here our skipper paid a local fisherman to bring us his freshest salmon the next morning. Vezenšek was hoping to slice a few cubes to use in her poke bowl dish planned for lunch. I recommend grabbing a Frappé (a whipped Greek instant coffee drink) at any of the cafes along the marina once you dock. It’ll freshen you up after the six-hour sail from Kos. Prior to the evening’s Atlantis party (Rainbow Fish served as my costume’s inspiration), dinner was served on the boat: steak with a dill garnish, grilled mushrooms, pan fried eggplant with chimichurri, and olive oil potato purée.
Halki
Halki is the smallest island of the bunch, with only 330 inhabitants in the village of Emborio. An hour or so into our sail there, a pod of curious dolphins swam right to the bow of the boat. It was pure magic. Once we docked, we flocked to La Piazza Bar for a neon-themed day party. To get a better view of the sunset, our crew grabbed a bottle of champagne and crisscrossed between tight alleyways until we reached the top of the hill, where we could see our boats bobbing in the marina. At dinnertime, we stargazed and listened to Frank Sinatra on the front of our boat as we snacked on a cheeseboard of local bites crafted by Vezenšek.
Tilos
Prior to dropping anchor in Tilos, our boats formed a circle—an image made iconic on the BucketLust website. Guests then plopped their floaties in the middle as DJ Rob Pix spun fist-pumping tunes. Soon after, a good old-fashioned belly flop competition ensued. (Jake won us third place while wearing a gold deep sea diver costume.) Once we reached Tilos, dinner was served at a quaint hideaway called Michalis Taverna, where we ate Greek delicacies like grilled feta and lamb while a keyboardist played some lively tunes. (Word to the wise, bring bug repellant to fend off dining mosquitos.) For dessert, we geared up for the most scandalous part of the evening: The Black Party. The theme was BDSM, and it took place in the Mikro Chorio ruins high up in the cliffs. (We were warned to be discreet with our outfits on our trek to the venue as the town is religious.) Whips and chains were shrouded until we reached our destination. We danced until dawn.
Nisyros
We docked for a full day of adventure on this volcanic isle. Avoid the morning bus tours (and subsequent crowds) and begin instead with cold Frappés after fueling up rented buggies. First stop, follow the sulfur smell to the otherworldly Stefanos crater. The dormant volcano is the only one in the world where you can stand right in the middle. As we walked across the powdery moonscape, I could hear the surreal hissing and rumbles from below. Next, we made our way to the Prophet Elias Church located high above a little village named Nikia. We had timed our arrival to see the sunset collide with the little white and blue building perched at the top of the mountain. Our final destination was the Monastery of Panagia Spiliani, located at the center of Mandraki. At this point, were were a little famished, and our hungry prayers were answered by To Kafeneio tou Nicola, a restaurant at the foot of the monastery. We stayed until stars dusted the sky, getting our fill of Tzatziki, hummus, chicken, and white wine. The next day was July 4th, which meant the dress code was Red, White, and Blue. As I popped champagne with my newfound friends in international waters, I realized my summertime dreams had come true.
