Evening in Poros

This is the hottest we’ve been yet. We have no thermometer on the boat, but we are pretty certain that we were above 30 degrees in the sun before it finally went over the hill. The pavement off our stern had that heat haze over it. When we finally had some shade the place woke up. Heads popped out of boats, shutters on homes opened, shops opened up again. The final ferry came in for the evening and anchored for the night.

A couple walk by and she stops and comes back to ask us how we got here from Canada! “On a plane” we reply and we have a short conversation about boating here and at home before he drags her off. Having watched the Sailing Holidays flotillas arrive in several ports, we are impressed with the concept. The privacy of your own vessel between 2-4 of you, the security of a number of boats traveling together, the comfort of someone friendly waiting for you at the quay when you arrive to direct you in, catch your lines, and coach you if needed, and the added comfort of knowing that if anything goes wrong, there is someone to assist you. When you arrive at your destination, you have someone who can tell you what is available in town and give you directions for the next leg of your trip. It makes perfect sense.

We decided to take a walk up the road and into Poros proper (the quay is mainly just the ferry terminal). A short walk and we are in another town preparing for tourists, only a few have arrived so far. A thermometer in the shade reads 24 degrees and hour after the sun has gone behind the hills. Yes, it was warm here today.

We stop in a market and pick up a few vegetables and then stop at a restaurant for an order of saganaki, which we have been craving. There is a man and three women at the next table and we end up in conversation with them They recognize us from the dock. Three are from Britain, one is from San Francisco. The older British couple own their boat and have a son in Vancouver and come there quite often. They give us loads of suggestions for places to visit in the next two weeks and say that they will try and see us in the morning. In the end they give us a card and say they hope to see us again.

Back to the boat for a shower and a nightcap. We are surprised to see that the German boat next to us has left. Now we think this batch is a bit silly too. It is dangerous to run at night here, even the ferries don’t usually run at night.

We think we will sleep well since we are in a harbour, on a dock, and the ferries don’t run at night.

We are wrong. Kirk is being attacked all night long by hungry little blood suckers and I am being kept awake by his battle. Finally I suggest he close the hatch. Then I alternate between too hot and too cold all night.

Oh well, it is what it is.