Monday 20th May
As mentioned in the previous blog, the Greeks are trying hard to preserve their natural wildlife. To this end, in 1992, they established the National Marine Park of Alonnisos, Northern Sporades. In addition to the island of Alonnisos, where the Mediterranean Monk Seal evaded us, it covers five smaller islands; Peristeri, Kira Panayia, Yioura, Skantzoura and Piperi and no fewer than twenty two uninhabited tiny islands and craggy rocks. As many of these are 'no go ' areas for boats, the island we decided upon was Kira Panayia. Not described as uninhabited, because it actually has a monk living on it. One solitary monk and lots of wild goats. We anchored in a sheltered deserted bay called Plantitis, that had a very narrow, shallow entrance, but after the river in Devon that Simon and Sue got us navigating up, this was a breeze!(Cheers Guys!)

The landscape was barren, we couldn't see where the monk lived, as that was the other side of the island, but we did see lots of goats. Some were ambling across the craggy rocks, stopping for a chat, others were traversing slopes (without a rope and carabiner), a few ventured down to the beach and some just stood there looking out to sea, as if posing for a photo.

For the bird watchers among you, we spied a pair of Eleonoara's falcons soaring in the thermals on the cliff, but sadly my camera wasn't good enough to capture more than two black dots in the distance. We also watched the fascinating Cory's shearwaters skimming across the sea in large flocks, then diving down on a mission to catch some poor unsuspecting fish. Their speed and agility was phenomenal and watching them pop up again after a dive was comical as they seemed to be jet propelled. On our dinghy ride around the bay we spotted three black sea birds with elegant long necks sat in a line, each commanding their own rock. The middle one was fanning his feathers out, stealing the limelight from his neighbours. The jury is out on whether they were cormorants or shags - Wendy ? Rob? Tina ? maybe you could advise? The final birds we spotted, were a pair of cheeky Mediterranean Gulls. Well to say 'we spotted' is a bit of a fib as it was the other way around- they spotted us. They decided to roost for most of the day on our dinghy, sadly used to being fed I guess, or maybe just being friendly.

I don't want to end this blog on a low note, but I do want to say that sadly on this beautiful island we got to see for ourselves the extent of the plastic pollution and other rubbish that is dumped in the sea. So much had been washed up on the deserted beaches we swam and took the dinghy to. Believe me when I say, it is more shocking in reality than any photos or posters. The rubbish on one beach including would you believe 2 fridge freezers? Ricky and I have made a pact to collect a bag of rubbish from the seabed and shoreline wherever we are. To ease our conscience as we are enjoying this wonderful sailing adventure? Perhaps? But if everyone, instead of moaning how awful it is (that was me) and stopped pontificating over whose fault it was (the not my rubbish brigade) and did something - it may just make a teeny tiny difference. And in my book lots of teeny tiny = tiny and lots of tiny= small and lots of small = large!

As I said, I don't want to end on a low and depress you, so, rather than have our main photo for todays blog a sad one of the rubbish on the beach ( they are in the gallery) I have chosen our temporary crew on Dinghy watch - Cliff and Roxanne.