We didn’t get up as early as we ought to, but we made it away just
before ten. We have topped up the
water and we have plenty of food on board so we are ready for anything. We head for the next island south of
Kos, which is Nisiros (or Nisyros as some books call it). It is a very small island almost square
shaped and is a volcano. This
volcano, while technically active does not have lava flows, but just fumeroles
and bubbling waters.
The weather forecast is for virtually no wind, but when we get out of
the harbour the wind is blowing at about 8 knots, so optimistically Richard
puts up the mainsail. But it was
to no avail. What little wind
there was, was on the nose (not as predicted). So it was a motoring day.
The sea was pretty calm, so it was a pleasant if boring journey. Only one little glitch. Our electronics are not working
properly. In particular the wind
instrument is reading the wind 60 degrees further off the wind than is
true. We do not know what has made
it do this. Richard tries to
calibrate the instrument under way, but that creates worse problems because
although the wind reading is now correct, the autopilot is 60 degrees off! So Richard puts the wind instrument
back where we started and the auto pilot works OK. But the last time we had similar problems, about 5 years
ago, the whole brains of the system (called the course computer) had to be
replaced. We hope we can just keep
going with the autopilot for the rest of the season and then make enquiries
about repair. It may be a case of
replacement. The system is now 14
years old and there have been a lot of changes, so an upgrade may be the
answer, if an expensive one.
Anyway, with auto pilot working OK we make it into the harbour at Palon (otherwise
Pali) on Nisiros. It is a very
little village with two long quays for yachts. We manage to moor on anchor stern to with help from others
on shore taking our lines. There
appears to be water and electricity, but we haven’t found anyone to find out
how to connect to it. Anyway, we
have a full tank of water and the solar panels take care of most of our
electricity needs, for a couple of days anyway. It is now nearly midnight and we still haven’t had anyone
come to collect any mooring fees.
We have a little walk around the town, which doesn’t take long as it is
so tiny. The reason to come here
is to go up to the volcano and walk in the caldera. To do that we need transport. So we have hired a car. We will take it later in the evening and then visit the main
town called Mandraki. First it has
got very hot and a swim in the sea is imperative. There is a little beach just the other side of the harbour,
so we rush there, and have our swim.
The sea is getting warmer, easier to get in to, but not as
refreshing. We don’t usually stay
to the end of July, so we will see how it goes. After our swim we have a cold drink in a taverna on the
beach and then shower and dress to go in to Mandraki.
Mandraki is a strangely set out town. It is very long going along the sea coast, but the houses
only go back one or two roads and there does not seem to be any real centre. It is quite cute really and has another
one of these monasteries built high into a cliff, but we don’t bother to go up
to it. We have a drink on the sea
front and watch the sunset (or most of it) and then go back to the boat. I am really now feeling the heat. Even sitting in the late evening sun
has got to me.
On the boat, it is much cooler with a nice breeze. So we have a simple meal on board. I am
now cooking peppers and taboule to use up vegetables which are thinking about
going off. Tomorrow we will drive to
the volcano.
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