Lakki Marina
Second time round

It didn't take us long to get around to  Lakki. The more we visit the island  of Leros (this will be our third time here - once last year , twice this year)  the more we like it. It has a sophisticated vibe without being over the top. Whatever you need you can find it. The anchorage is very big and very sheltered but this visit we chose to go into the marina and have water and electricity on tap.  When we visited last year, we congratulated  the staff on the outstanding showers, toilets and laundry. To our horror all of these facilities are now closed, as is the office and 3 staff are now operating from a table and 4 chairs under 3 large umbrellas on the dock..  The reasoning behind this is very complicated and very political and frankly I found  it all very hard to understand  when Stelios (chief marinero) tried  to explain it all. Basically,  the marina is going up for auction but they don't know when but  they are hopeful that they will get it back.  Yet another case of the local municipality screwing things up and not really knowing what they are doing.

So, we arrived  at the marina, Stelios took our lines and we actually stayed for 13 days !!!! Because of the lack of facilities, the cost per night was halved which helped.

Two years ago, when we were on Ikaria, we met Valeria and Pia, two lovely Italian ladies. Andreas  had been keeping in touch with Valeria via  Facebook ever since  and had received a message from her saying she was on a sailing holiday and would  be in Xerokambos in a few days time.  Would we be able to meet? Yes of course  but we were in Lakki but no problem as we would get a taxi and meet her and her two friends for lunch. Stefano was the boats owner and his crew were Valeria and Giavanni. We enjoyed a lovely long lunch in our favourite beachside taverna and left several hours later.

They arrived a day or so later in the marina after we received a phone call from Valeria to say that her and Giavanni were flying back to Italy and could we help Stafano take his boat round to Artemis boatyard as it was due to be lifted out of the water but this was being rescheduled for a few days time due to high winds, by which time they would both have left and would be unable to help him.  Of course we said yes. Artemis boatyard is west of the airport runway here on Leros.

So we had a farewell group hug on the quayside and said our goodbyes to Valeria and Giavanni.

Talking of goodbyes  - while we were here,  we said goodbye to Mal and Karen and also Stefan.  It's that time of year when boats are being lifted and cruisers return to their home country. Mal and Karen's boat was being lifted in Agmar Boatyard which is on the east side  of the airport  runway and they  were heading back to Scarborough.

Stefan was heading back to a boatyard at Corinth.

The day before we were due to help Stafano, Andreas had a phone call from Mal.  Their boat had been lifted, and they were heading home.  Horror of all horrors,  they could not remember turning off their domestic or engine batteries. Could we go and check. They would authorise us having the keys and boarding their boat. Of course we would.  We did. They had left their batteries on. We switched them off. They could be rest assured.

We experienced two storms whilst we were here.

The first started with a threatening sky. We were out shopping at the time,  noticed the  sky and very quickly afterwards a huge rain squall making its way up the anchorage. We dashed into Poppy's taverna just before a huge downpour and equally huge winds. It lasted just a couple of minutes but continued  to  make its way towards  the mountains. The first rain since  March!!!

The second storm was forecasted for 3 days later (Friday). It was to bring Southerly winds and be a biggy.  Stelios did an outstanding job by checking that we all had extra lines and that the back of our boats were not too close to the quayside as the winds would be pushing us on. He was moving boats around to ensure that they were safe from both the sea state and the wind. Friday arrived and with it a bible black sky, thunder and lightening that lasted for hours and howling winds.

By Sunday normal service had resumed and we left for another of our favourite islands, Nisos Lipsi.

Muse for this post:  A good life is when you  assume nothing, do more, need less, smile often, dream big, laugh a lot, help others, and realise how blessed you are.