Back to Lakki

We left Agathonisi in the morning of Friday 8 August and motored across to Lipsi as there was no wind. In Lipsi we tied up to the quay, which filled up during the day, and got our first load of washing in to the excellent laundry. By the evening the wind had got a lot stronger and the quay was full on our leeward side, while around midnight boats on the windward side were having a lot of trouble with their anchors dragging. One motor yacht went out and, after two attempts at re-anchoring, took up its anchor to come back alongside. A larger, very posh Italian motor yacht also dragged while its owners were in town, leaving the crew with a real struggle to get off the quay. at one point the driver reversed hard, instead of going forwards, and smashed into the quay, badly damaging their bathing platform. Eventually they got off and went to anchor on the other, more sheltered, side of the bay. Kai, of course, insisted on staying up to help and, as he put it, to learn, and we didn't get to bed until well after midnight.
On the Saturday Lin took another big load of washing in and we chilled until evening, when there was the annual Wine Festival, with wine, kebabs and music and dancing, with the proceeds going to the primary school. But first we had long speeches. The mayor talked about the importance of wine to Lipsi and their commitment to sustainable development and combining work and education, noting that when he talked like that in the 70s and 80s he was branded a leftist, but now everyone recognised that there was no alternative for Greece. It also sounded very good, but who knows what is the reality in Lipsi.

The mayor's speech

The dancing began with local kids dancing in their traditional costumes,

and after a few dances everyone was invited to join in, with the mayor leading the dance.

On Sunday 10th August we had a good brisk sail with a Force 4 northerly down to Leros, where we planned to stay until the Theodorakis concert on Wednesday night. We had thought of stopping at Arkhangeli, but decided that it was a bit windy to anchor there so went on to Lakki, where we tied up on the town quay. Over Sunday night another group of Syrian refugees were brought in by the port police.

Kai complained how bored he was during the day, but had a great time in the park with his Greek friends every evening.
On Tuesday afternoon Kai went to the top of the mast

to take panoramic photos of Lakki for his school photography project.

He stayed up there for almost two hours, making a blog

and phoning his friends.