The town of Parioikia stretches along the waterfront, and gets quite busy at the ferry dock, with tourists coming and going and hanging out in the tavernas and cafes. It would be easy to travel unscheduled around the Cyclades by ferry, as agents meet the ferries with signs of rooms and scooters to rent.

Luckily the anchorage off the beach is far enough away from the hustle and bustle as to be mostly unaffected. The water is clean and clear for swimming, and the dinghy dock is close and convenient. In the five days spent here waiting for the wind to abate, we've done chores, the laundry, shopping, a haircut, and a couple of meals ashore. I've come to welcome Meltemis, as the wind takes the heat away, and it's great sleeping weather.

One day when the wind was at its strongest, we took the bus to visit the nearby town of Naoussa. We're glad we didn't take Halekai there this week! The boats tied up behind the breakwater were bouncing and rolling around, and there was no good anchorage close to town. There was quite a swell and breaking waves at the beach. We walked along the waterfront, where octopuses were laid out to dry in the sun.

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