Family holiday

Becky and Andrew arrived last Thursday night with Kai and Charlie. We stayed in Kos on Friday to chill out and for Kai to go to McDonalds. Charlie had his first swim, which he loved, in a hotel pool near the marina.

and Kai decided to look a wally by walking around the marina in his flippers, mask and snorkel

Andrew and Kai had fun riding around the marina on Simon's IKEA folding bike (IKEA gave each of their employees a Raleigh folding bike for Christmas and few years ago, so ebay was immediately flooded with cheap folding bikes, which do not take kindly to a marine environment).

On Saturday we set off to Vathi, a little village on the East coast of Kalymnos. The wind was a force 4-5 on the nose, so with Charlie on board we decided to motor up to windward, just putting up the genoa for the last fast reach into Vathi.

We hook Charlie into the cockpit in his baby's lifejacket, which he does not like because it is hot and constricting, but it keeps him safe (Becky did not bring his car seat because she claimed not to be able to carry it, what with all the changes of clothes, cosmetics etc that she brought).

While Charlie sweated, Becky and Kai sunbathed.

Charlie was much happier when we got to Vathi and he could be unstrapped

We had lunch aboard when we got to Vathi, Charlie stuffing himself

In the afternoon Simon walked up the valley to the ancient Chrsitan basilica of Palaiopanayia, of which the outline remained,

with some remnants of wall paintings

and mosaics

In the evening we had dinner at the taverna at the back of the boat, Charlie loving the Greek food (his favourites are tzatsiki and kolikothokeftedes)

On Sunday morning the wind had swung to the north (again on the nose) and increased to force 5, so with Charlie on board we decided to motor up to Pandeli on Leros, where we anchored off the beach.

In Pandeli, Andrew and Kai tried to walk up the castle, but went the wrong way and ended up by the windmills. After lunch, Andrew, Becky and Kai tried again to walk up to the windmill, this time with clear instructions, but were mislead by a taxi driver, again ending up by the windmills, while Charlie had a lovely time on the beach with Lin and Simon

When Becky and Andrew and Kai got back, Simon took Becky and Andrew and Charlie in the dinghy to the beach.

The water was too cold for Charlie - he just yelled - but Kai loved it!

Early next morning Kai walked up to the castle with Simon. We got there at 8.15 to find it locked

At 8.35 the custodian arrived and opened the door. We went in to the castle and took in the fabulous views.

When Simon and Kai got back we set off for Agathonisi, most of the time with a favourable wind at last, so we motorsailed with one reef - Charlie's first sailing experience.

At Agathonisi the quay was full of fishing boats and the costguard boat, so we anchored off the beach with a line ashore.

This time Charlie really enjoyed his swimming

While Kai played piggy in the middle with his Greek friends.

and Kai and Andrew enjoyed jumping off the bows

We stayed two days on Agathonisi, with two very good meals at Ianni's taverna, Becky having goat for the first time.

On Wednesday we motored across to Arki (no wind at all) and tied up on the quay. Floating in the harbour was a hideous dead eel, and in the evening Kai fished out a dead ray and saw a dead shark on the bottom. In the afternoon we went round to the beach,

and in the evening Charlie had a bath

before dressing up for dinner

at which Becky and Andrew had their first taste of shark.

On Thursday morning we set off early for Lakki, on Leros. Kai did a brilliant job getting the anchor up and cleaning it. When we got to Lakki at midday, Becky and Andrew and Kai going straight off to the War Museum, while Lin and Simon took Charlie to the pharmacy to get something for his chesty cough. The pharmacist told us to go straight to the hospital, where Charlie was checked over by the pediatrician, who reassured us that all was well (no paperwork, no cards shown and the whole visit took no more than half an hour). We had a huge dinner and set off in the morning for Pothia, on Kalymnos, from where Andrew, Becky, Kai and Charlie will take the ferry to Kos and the airport on Saturday morning. As usual the wind started on the nose, died and then rapidly rose to a Force 4 behind us for the last twenty minutes. We got a quiet spot on the quay in the corner of Pothia harbour.