Port Lakki, Leros Island

Serafina
Rob & Sarah Bell
Wed 19 Aug 2009 19:51
37:07.7N 26:50.9E

Wednesday 19th August

Very noisy night last night when the Italian flotilla burst into song to
wish one of their number 'happy birthday' at midnight. They then started
playing very loud music until 2.00 pm (but in their favour it was a good
selection...) then the wind got up again and the swell increased from
outside the bay and it all made for a poor night.

In the morning the French yacht was first to leave and as they came past us
we exchanged our international views on the concept of a peaceful bay. We
met the other yacht that was behind us (Italian) in Port Lakki this evening
and they too were rather upset and more than a little ashamed that it was
"stupid Italians". Stroke of luck it wasn't a British flotilla otherwise we
would have been doing the apologising.

We left at 9.45 am and resisted the obvious temptation to give them a
wake-up call. It was an easy downwind sail to Leros Island today and we made
the whole trip under just our staysail which was more than enough. There is
a Meltemi (local summer storms) blowing through the Aegean at the moment,
but we seem to be just east of it and so we are getting great sailing
weather.

Sailed through the narrow entrance to the big bay that leads to Port Lakki
and made our way past the ferry quay to the 'marina' here. In truth this is
just a town quay, but they have gone to great lengths to make this workable
and although they charge marina prices (24 euros for us) they provide lazy
lines, a mariner, free electric, free water (non potable) and free Wi-Fi.
Excellent showers and a laundry are also on site.

Leros along with most of the Dodecanese islands was annexed and occupied by
the Italians from 1912 until 1943 when the Germans briefly held them. Lakki
where we are at present, became a large Italian naval base in 1930 in
keeping with this they also started to construct a grand town nearby. Events
rather overtook them and the town still has the grand boulevards and huge
municipal buildings but virtually no inhabitants. More recently some of the
buildings were converted to make three asylums for handicapped children and
mentally ill adults which attracted international condemnation when the
dreadfully sub-standard conditions were exposed by the international press
in 1988.

Fairly minimal tourism here and what exists is elsewhere on the island, just
passing through Lakki's ferry quay. There is a nice feel to the place
despite looking rather too much like a film set for a second world war film.
Minimal traffic and very few people (and their haircuts suggest they are
based at the small Greek naval base across the bay!)