The moon waxes and the solstice approaches

The Pentecost bank holiday weekend has provided a good opportunity for many Greeks to take a break and make use of their summer houses and sea side cottages. Many Symiots now live and work on Rhodes or elsewhere but still own family properties on Symi which they make use of whenever they can. The island has been busy all weekend and there is still a great deal of activity in the harbour. The Juliet has been replaced by a large black power yacht, the Excellence ,and a veritable Armada of sailing yachts has descended upon the island. Over in Pedi yesterday houses that have been closed up since Easter were alive with the sounds of happy children, Greek music and the occasional restraining parent. Brightly painted fishing boats are back in the water, agleam in their new livery for the year. The sand at the head of the bay has been raked over, the gravel and sea weed cleared from the road and the fringe laid out with beach umbrellas and sun loungers. The new tamarisk trees are struggling a bit but will probably 'take' - they don't mind having their feet in salty water.



As the moon waxes and the solstice approaches the tides are becoming more extreme. Although the Mediterranean does not have much of a tidal range to speak of, when the houses are built practically at sea level and the quays are so low, a difference of 50 cm can make all the difference between afloat and aground in the shallower parts. Interesting when coming alongside in a small dinghy! We can expect continued unsettled weather until after the summer solstice. Most of Greece has experienced quite heavy downpours and thundery weather. Here on Symi it is quite breezy with temperatures in the mid twenties and a lot of high cloud cover.

The first truckloads of melons have arrived and hawkers with fragrant heaps of honeydew and Ogen melons are parked in Chorio and the harbour. A few more weeks and the watermelons will come into season. At the moment they are still a bit on the small side and it is the sweet melons that dominate.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana
www.symivisitor.com