Well, we've been here for just over a week now and are increasingly glad that we made the decision to discontinue our planned cruise through the Cyclades. When we first arrived we had a couple of lovely days but since then the wind and rain haven't stopped! In fact, we didn't get off the boat for four days. The wind generator is working overtime and keeping our batteries topped up nicely and we should be getting a new solar panel within a week or so. We did manage to take the dinghy out through the canal into the Mirabella gulf for a potter around the other side of Kolikitha. We were looking for some WW2 submarine pens that we'd been told about but didn't see any evidence of them.

We've had quite a few nights out with friends that we made last year and Andy has joined the pool team at the Miakoda bar. We took the car out for its first spin today - a trip into Agios Nikolaos to stock up at Carrefour and Lidl. We were driving around Ag Nik remembering that last year we did it all on the bus with our trusty Rolser trolley - how things have changed now that we have wheels!

We popped into the marina and saw a few familiar faces, we were met with the same amazed tones as last year when we said that we would be staying on the anchor for the winter. At least we don't have to put up with creaking ropes, squeaking fenders, wandering cats and noisy rigging!

We've been spending our time on board reading and playing cards and scrabble. In fact we obviously play too much scrabble as the cats have now started to join in! Perhaps we should get our guitars out and get a bit more practice in.