Saturday 29^th August – Nísos Formíkoula – Port Leone, Kálamos

38:35.904N 20:53.060E

Later this afternoon, as the wind filled in, we set off again to visit Kálamos, an island that we have so far not visited.  From Formíkoula it was a short but pleasant genny run to our anchorage for this evening.

We are anchored in Port Leone, just off a deserted village which the residents abandoned following an earthquake in 1953.  The earthquake destroyed the local water supply and the inhabitants decided to emigrate rather than rebuild. 

We managed to go stern-to one of the old concrete piers off the village and went ashore to look around the derelict buildings; the only building still ‘occupied’ is the church where apparently three or four people visit from Kálamos every Sunday to clean it and say a few prayers.

There were just a few boats at anchor when we arrived and as the guy near us was due to leave it looked like we might have the place to ourselves.  However, early evening we were joined by a few other boats, but certainly not on the usual scale and we do seem to have some space at last.

The significant downside to this part of ‘paradise’ is the wasps.  We have been here only a couple of hours and I’ve been stung twice and it hurts; these are not as placid as the ones we’ve met before and there are a greater number of them.  I just hope that they are like the ones on Meganissi and Ithaca and go home when it goes dark.

Both the places we have visited today are very picturesque and there will be a photo supplement as soon as we get internet access.