Around the office there's no secret as to which of our trips is my favorite. Whenever someone calls or stops by to ask about about our paddling trips, if Crete comes up they are invariably told, "Oh, you want to hear about Crete? Then hang on, you need to talk to Nancy."People travel for various reasons, whether it's incredible views, incredible water, an opportunity for a totally new experience, or just a chance to get away. I love to paddle the coast of Crete because to me it has it all.
The first time I visited Crete with the Northwest Passage I didn't even get out on the water. Still, there was just something about the place that captured me. I was hooked. It may sound cheesy to say it felt like something out
of a storybook, but it did, like going back in time to the age of Greek mythology. The terrain is just so incredible; I spent my time hiking and staying at the little white-washed inns on the coast which Crete is famous for - it was an escape from the modern world.The next time I went back to Crete, though, I was ready to hit the water. I had spent so much time looking at those blue Mediterranean waters last time, and there was no way I wasn't going to paddle this time around.
It was a whole new way to experience Crete. The water was wonderfully calm and just as warm as the air around me. I've paddled most of the Midwest, and it was unlike anything I've ever experienced before. And though later I would go on trips that offered more challenging paddles around the Grecian islands, or yoga in the ancient ruins, that first trip on those calm easy waters is what sticks in my memory to this day.
