Winters gone!

Saturday 2 April 2016

Winters gone!

Well its the first of April and we're thinking the winters definitely gone as we are seeing temperature's of 24C at the moment!!. We've just got back to the marina after a 4 day trip to test the boat. (Shakedowns we use to call them in the Navy)! The new batteries and the solar panel are working great, and with careful water consumption we guess we can stay out at sea for about a week. All the outside and inside of the boat is finished for now.... well until next winter! With just the mast to finish over the next few weeks. Our little town of Pythagorio is starting to liven up too! A cruise ship now stops twice a week and unloads lots of American tourists, so the town suddenly 'packs out' and all the bars and shops are opening. After the deal with Turkey and Greece on the refugee crisis things have apparently slowed when it come to them crossing the Samos strait, so I guess that will be good for tourism and business for the locals. They are even tidying up all the bays and removing all the rubber dingys and life jackets that have been left when refugees come ashore.

If the weather stays settled we plan to set sail back to Lipsi , the beautiful little island we stopped at briefly on our way here from Marmaris . It was out of season then so nothing was open apart from the local shop and bakery , so it will be interesting to see what it is like once the tourists arrive. Having gotten used to having places to ourselves we have to admit in some ways we aren't looking forward to having to "share" places with other people!! There's nothing quite like anchoring off in a beautiful bay knowing you are the only ones there! Quite magical and so "Robinson Crusoe!!"

We are also looking at which other islands we will travel to during the summer months ,possibly taking a couple of weeks island hopping to the eastern side of mainland Greece , stopping at islands like Mykonos , Paros etc. Exciting times, and who knows who and what we will meet and discover along the way!