Lakki and an Attack of Grecian Flu.
On 6 .October Gina contracted a flu bug which was very popular at the time. Subsequently, fashion victim that I am, I succumbed to it as well. We wallowed on the boat for a few days until, running out of books, unable to stand the boredom any more, we resorted desperate measures and decided to go sailing.
 
Nisiros and Walking in a Volcano
Nisiros (a.k.a Nissyros , Nissiros, Nisyros and Nysiros) is a small island in the Dodecanese just South of Kos. Its neighbouring island, Yiali, is a major centre for pumice mining which means that the area is quite wealthy as a result of mineral rights and the vast number of public servants needed to monitor them.
 
The 40 mile trip down to Nisiros on 12th October was motor sailed in fairly windless, sunny conditions. However we did enjoy being back at sea again. The islands of Kalymnos and Kos provided some delightful mountain scenery for our journey.
 
We arrived at Palon (a.k.a. Palos,Palli, Palas and Pala Nissirions are an indecisive lot). The harbour is small but perfectly formed with a few houses and tavernas around it . After hurling out our anchor and mooring to the harbour wall we went for a stroll into the village and hired a motorbike which was delivered to our boat that evening.
 
The capital of Nisiros is Mandrakhi. It is a pretty little place full of small white and blue houses winding up the cliffs to a monastery and fort. It is also a centre for day trip boats from Kos taking visitors to see the island's dormant volcano. While we were there the place was pretty quiet but the weather was threatening gales.
 
On the 2nd night the gales hit us with a vengeance. Waves broke over the harbour wall onto the boat. It also rained heavily. The next morning we set out on our motorbike to climb the 9km to the volcano. The rain had caused minor mud slides as well as some rock falls all of which rather tested my 20 year dormant biking skills.
 
When we arrived at the volcano we were the only people there. The main crater was about a kilometre in diameter and about 500ft deep. However, the road descended into this and brought us to two smaller craters . The larger of the two had steam and boiling mud and stuff . There was also a smaller crater. I climbed down into the larger of the two watching Gina photographing my descent (and probably wondering where the life insurance policy was). The floor of the crater had lots of small boiling mud puddles and some wee fumaroles ejecting steam and a strong smell of sulphur.
 
The scenery around was really stunning, a monastery and two villages hung precariously from the rim of the volcano while in the base were fields and around the edges was a fair amount of vegetation growing on ancient terraces. Clearly the volcano had been dormant for a long time.
 
We decided to climb out of the main crater to the ridge rim then visit the monastery and one of the villages. After a steady climb we arrived at the monastery which, although deserted, was beautifully maintained. The views across the Aegean were gobsmacking. We then descended a small way and came upon an ancient cobbled track climbing to a windmill and a small village . Again the views, both into the volcano and to the seas beyond, were wonderful.
 
We finished by heading back down the mountain into Mandrakhi for a delightful late lunch at Tony's Taverna. All in all this was one of the best days outings we have had on the trip to date.
 
The strong winds persisted for another couple of days so we decided to wait for them to abate. However, others did not have as much patience. A German charter boat next to us decided to go the next morning; got blown over our anchor line and managed to lift our anchor with theirs. They then proceeded to leave the harbour with our anchor attached to 50 metres of chain and line which, in turn, was attached to our boat, which was attached to the harbour wall. When I bellowed at them to stop they looked at me as if I were the local loony and smiled in a slightly puzzled but smug patronising way. They didn't understand English. Luckily the crew of a German boat on the other side started loudly translating my instructions to the idiots with my anchor . Suddenly they looked at the front of their boat and realised the problem. They panicked, stared at the line, stared at me, rushed up and down a bit and did absolutely nothing - they were clueless. Fortunately the other Germans understood me, were good seamen and managed to get the idiots to let my anchor go. We promptly re-anchored and headed into town for a beer.
 
Kos Again.
On Wednesday we got an early start to Kos. We had phoned the marina the day before and booked in for a night. On arrival we were met by the marinero in the pilot boat who welcomed us like long lost cousins, guided us into the harbour and had Tiercel moored up in no time. It was nice to be back.
 
We took the opportunity to swap about 20 books in the marina library, do some Christmas shopping, hit the luxury showers (wonderful) and then go out to watch the England/ Russia and Scotland/Georgia footie. Sadly both UK sides got stuffed. Naturally we drowned our sorrows with a few beers and a Chinese meal.
 
Back to Lakki.
The following day we left for Lakki where we are now preparing Tiercel for her Winter break .. We have had poor weather with strong winds and lots of rain but have met up with Peter and Kay on Tiercel's sister ship, Wild Thyme (they are passing through on their way to their Winter berth in Turkey) and had a few pleasant evenings, drinking sundowners and setting the sailing world to rights.
 
On Friday 26th October Tiercel was lifted out of the water. All went very smoothly if not quickly as the hoist moves at about 1cm a minute! The "driver" can go off & do other jobs & the hoist has still only moved a couple of feet! Better safe than sorry.
 
Rob was expecting to do a lot of scrubbing to get the old anti-fouling off, but the jet hose took it right back to undercoat. A job well done.
 
Not having left Tiercel for a long time before, we took helpful advice from "Old timers" to do such jobs as stuffing with rags any orifice we could find. This prevents birds or rats gaining access & building nests! On Sunday we, along with the remaining live-aboards had a Greek roast Pork farewell lunch in a local taverna .

 And back to Tarbert
On Monday we had a good flight from Leros to Athens, where we spent the night, did some Xmas shopping before heading home on Tuesday. Our son,Will, met us at a damp Edinburgh airport.
 
We are now ensconced in a very comfortable wooden lodge in Tarbert. It even has a BATH!!!
 
Rob is busy doing the annual accounts and starting a new consultancy project while I am revising my S.V.Q standards, ready to start work on Friday for a day or so a week.. Got to keep the brains active.