Tuesday 22^nd June, 2021.

After a lovely few days on Lipsi or Lipso whichever way you like to

spell it we were up ready for the short sail to Patmos Island this

morning. Jim saw the Silverseas cruise liner Silver Moon cruise past

the entrance to the harbour last night around 10 p.m. on its way to

Kos. The ferries are not running such a full timetable and we have

only seen two other cruise liners since we have been back. The

harbours are filling up each day but not with masses of boats and

people.  Usually if you arrive late you expect to have to go away and

find somewhere else to moor or just anchor in a suitable spot. 

Unfortunately, no people arriving so the restaurants are half empty

and it is sad to see what trouble they have gone to make their

restaurants welcoming.  Many have spent hours painting the tables,

chairs, walls with paintings and making their area very welcoming.

Our sail of 9.21 miles was very mixed with sails up, genoa in, out

again, change sides and in the end as we neared Patmos Jim had to

give up and motor on this beautiful morning with a lack of wind. No

dolphins or fish of any note to report on this lovely morning.

We arranged with Brian and Mari we would head for Grikos Bay as it

has in the past been voted the best bay in the world. We were not

disappointed as we picked up a buoy and paid our 10 euros to a

gentleman who patrols the bay in his rib.  We had a swim as the

temperature gauge showed 23.6. It was chilly to our hot bodies but

once in it was terrific.

After lunch and a couple of jobs we all went ashore for a walk and a

beer.  Before coming back to Ariel we stopped at the restaurant

overlooking Ariel and had dinner.  Very good value and a excellent

meal.  Thank goodness we did have dinner a little earlier as it wasn’t

long before it got dark and the wind got going again.

We stayed two more nights while Mari and Brian headed off to Leros

as it was very windy. Once they got closed to Leros they lost the wind

but it kept blowing with us so we stayed on the boat and enjoyed the

beautiful scenery.

The next day the wind had dropped and so we decided to walk into

Patmos town. What a silly idea as it was beautiful scenery but the

never ending road up and down the hills.  We made it and walked

around the town and Jim found himself the best ice cream of our

travels before we headed to the dive shop with chandlery for a diesel

tube in case we have to buy diesel from a garage in a container and

transfer it. On our way to the restaurant for lunch where they serve the

best chicken souvlakia Jim stopped at the garage and arranged for a

tanker the next morning on the quay. The quay is out of use for the

harbour work which is going on but he said pull up close and tell the

port police if they come down you will only be half an hour.

After a super lunch we walked back into town and did some shopping

but caught a taxi back to Grisko 6 Euros well spent. The evening was