Thursday 2 July 2015 - Leros

We are weather bound in Leros.  The forecast is for gales every night for the next three days at least and perhaps more.  The wind is not too strong during the day but the overnight gales each night may mean that the sea state will be too uncomfortable for us to venture out.  We are keeping a closer than usual watch on the weather forecasts.  So we are just taking it easy.  We got up late and after breakfast had a walk around the town.  First we find the Vodafone shop and finally get my telephone’s SIM card unlocked.  What a relief.  We are now in touch with the world.  We also found the chandlery, the supermarket, the bakery and the fish market.  I have bought a few things to fill the store cupboard.  We did see an ATM, but it had a large queue of people trying to take money out, so we didn’t bother even trying.  Our next door neighbour says that he tried to get a new gas bottle, but the island is entirely out of gas and they can’t get a new delivery because with the banks closed, they have no way of paying for it.  So another aspect of Grexit shows up.  We are OK.  I have a full gas bottle on top of the one I am using and that will last until we go home.  Of course, we also have the BBQ if we need to cook.

Back at the boat after lunch we are very hot.  We are told there is a beach around the corner, so we walk over.  It is really just stones, but there are steps into the sea and the water is wonderful.  We feel much better for that and have a drink at the taverna on the beach..

Back at the boat we prepare for drinks and dinner with Christopher Robb, who is in the boat next door.  We have found somewhere that sells ice, so we make a large jug of Pimms.  It is a very pleasant evening.  It was also very informative because our guest knows how to install our bug screens on the hatches to our cabin.  Apparently they can be sealed in after all.  So after owning the boat for 13 years (almost to the day) we have just learned to install the screens.  Maybe I won’t be bitten to bits in the night any more!

Not sure what we will do for the rest of the week, but we are safely tucked up so the bad weather shouldn’t affect us.  We may be able to leave by Sunday, but we shall see.  If we are just sightseeing around here I won’t bother to post any more installments until something interesting happens.