MYRA

Myra is a sailing schooner of the old school, built in steel and finished with gloss-varnished bulwarks and teak decks that catch the light at anchor. She was recently refitted, and the work shows in the care of her finish rather than in any departure from her character. For guests who want to feel a yacht lean gently under canvas, yet return each evening to proper comfort, she strikes a sensible balance. Her wide side decks and high rails make moving about her easy, whether she is lying quietly in a bay or making way under sail.

Inside, the mood is warm: fine wood panelling, teak-and-holly floors and a raised deckhouse salon whose generous windows bring the sea in on every side. To port, dining tables gather the whole party at one sitting. To starboard, a lounge with a coffee table invites an afternoon with a book or a board game. A flat-screen TV with home theatre, a salon stereo, device hookups and WiFi look after quieter evenings. The doubles sit ahead of the salon and the twins further aft, each with its own en-suite bathroom.

Much of the day is spent on deck. Aft, a permanent tent shades an outdoor dining table, generous seating and sunbeds facing the wake, so lunch at anchor never means retreating from the heat. Forward, more sunbeds offer open sky and the breeze while she sails. A deck shower rinses off the salt, and bathrobes and hairdryers wait below. Greek waters suit her well: short passages between islands, a swim stop in clear water and an unhurried anchorage for the night, with an experienced crew handling the sails and the table.

When the anchor is down, the inflatable platform goes over the side and the water becomes an extension of the deck. There are adult water skis and a wakeboard to use behind the Zodiac tender, a kayak and paddleboard for exploring the shoreline, a sea scooter and snorkeling equipment for looking beneath the surface, and a fishing rod for anyone content to wait. With the sun awning rigged, she is as relaxed at rest as she is purposeful under sail.