Friday April 19, 2013
We woke up to another bright sunny day tied to the large concrete pier in Halki. After a light breakfast we walked along the harbour front. The water is so clean it is almost transparent. Thousands of small minnows hang near the surface. Above the harbour there are small walkways winding around the houses. Many of the houses are unoccupied waiting for the British and Italian residents to arrive for the summer. They have small gardens with all kinds of flowers and herbs all out in bloom. We worked our way up the hill towards 3 windmills overlooking the harbour on the South side past a small military post and the helicopter pad. The views of the town and the bright blue sea are fantastic. On the way back we passed the coast guard station. He has a small row boat about 6 feet long. He had complained to Brian that he was stationed here by himself without a real boat. We all wondered what he had done wrong in his last posting? In the afternoon it rained so we hid in the closest internet café and met Spiros again. He told us that the Phoenicians settled here first, building a port and a castle at the top mountains about 1 ½ hour walk away. Dinner was at Café Babis consisting of homemade Halki cuisine. Appetizers were spagetti with fried onions, fried octopus balls and small soft shell shrimp. For dinner we had swordfish, lamb chops and more octopus. All of it was homemade and fantastic. Irene spotted a shower head in bathroom and we are returning tomorrow at 9 for showers! All in all a great day.
Howard and Brenda on board Necessity, Halki Greece