Karpathos

St Barbara's Web Diary
Peter & Sue Goldsmith
Sun 12 Apr 2009 12:34
35:49.30N 27:13.29E

12.00 12th April

Karpathos

We had been planning to go west towards Santorini but the weather was set to
change and so the plan changed and it was off further south to Karpathos
some 35 miles away. It soon became a gentle sail with wind from the south
east.

The wind held and it was excellent sailing until we were in the lee of the
island when the wind dropped and the engine went on. Not for long as the
wind the blew around and between the headlands making the last few miles a
bash to windward. Right under the lee of the cliffs we dropped the main and
motored carefully through the narrow gap and into a very sheltered bay. The
pilot book had said it was deserted with a village in ruins but what we saw
was a collection of new buildings and a brightly painted church. Nobody
around until a man appeared and waved. We anchored at the head of the bay
not far from his house. Our only other company was sheep and goats. It was
now cool and overcast but we were safe and virtually landlocked in this bay.

A little later we were joined by a large and very powerful inflatable carry
two men in diving gear. They tied up, stripped off their diving gear, lit a
fire, filled some fish and put up a tent! They were clearly there for the
night. Trying out there new toy.

We settled down to a fine dinner of pork chops and mushroom sauce courtesy
of the first mate. There was a little drizzle but the wind dropped and there
was just the light of the fire ashore and the odd cry from a goat as we
headed for bed.

In the morning the sky was clear and there was very little breeze in the
bay. The sound of a small boat was the man who waved yesterday. He pulled
his boat up to the quay by his house and his wife appeared, exactly as you
would imagine an elderly Greek wife to look. Short, stocky and with a black
headscarf. We watched as they loaded six live and unhappy goats into the
small boat. Their legs were tied together and it was clear that they were
not out for a sight seeing trip. The man left alone with his cargo as his
wife returned to the house.

Later the divers left and we feasted on a late breakfast (or brunch) of
eggs bacon and tomatoes before pulling up the anchor and setting off for
Crete. Our proposed destination being Ayious Nikolias the finishing point of
our Blue Water Rally in 2005. Only 4 years late!