Wednesday 22nd May
Studying the charts, and the weather as all good sailors do, we decided we would stay a way off the East side of Evia on our journey South to the Cyclades in the hope of catching some good wind. It would also mean that we could break our journey at the island of Skiros, the final resting place of the poet Rupert Brooke, whose First World War poem 'The Soldier', made me cry at school. I can remember painstakingly copying it out in my very best fountain pen handwriting, along with others by Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, then illustrating them with a border of poppies. Let me jog your memory if you had the same English teacher as me or if not I am sure you will recognise it by the very fist line ( although my IT skills do not stretch to drawing a poppy border on my I phone) .....

"If I should die, think only this if me :
That there's some corner of a foreign field,
That is forever England."

Told you it was sad ! On a happier note, staying off shore a tad we did get the wind, not a lot but enough to not need the engine until the last couple of miles. We anchored, just as the sun set in the bay of Linaria, North of the Port. It was supposed to be just an overnight stop, but the following morning, as the port was so close, just a walk up over the hill, I got Ricky to drop me off on the beach, in the dingy and I went to stretch my legs. It was a steep walk, but I did get to take this photo of Ricky rowing back to the boat without him knowing (albeit a blurry blog!!) but at least you can see the lovely view.

When I reached the port (not too far) It was a lively place with a local feel. Looking at the prices advertised, it was a tad expensive to park your boat there, but then they had made a real effort to welcome visitors with information about the local fauna and flora as well as providing practical things like electricity hook up and a laundrette. I did a bit of shopping, then found a cafe where I sat with coffee and cake, people watching, while I waited for my personal water taxi to arrive to pick me back up.

Next stop - the island of Andros in the Cyclades!