The Sea is Bottomless Blue

The sandstorm that brought visibility down to less than 2 kilometres yesterday has blown away on a chill north westerly wind. Clean white and grey clouds glide over a pale blue winter sky and the sea is bottomless blue. Occasional squalls of small white waves whip through the Nimos channel and end their journey in a splash against the fuel jetty.

White gulls, white ducks, white washed houses - the prevalent colours are echoed in the streamers of Greek flags strung between the lamp posts along the quay near the memorial as preparations are made for Monday's Dodecanese Day parade.

A lone steel-hulled yacht lies alongside the quay, behind the Symi II. The yacht has travelled as far as I have and from much the same starting point as I recognise it as being a Bahrens design, built at a shipyard in Durban sometime in the eighties! She is closed up and secured with no signs of anyone about but she is flying a big billowing red ensign.

There are not many people about today. It is not really a day for outdoor pursuits unless very well wrapped up. A gaggle of teenagers from the high school has just chattered past, the wind plucking at their scarves and fluttering their books. The occasional passing motorcyclist can only be identified by the bike, all drivers being equally anonymous, clad in jeans, anoraks and mittens, hats pulled down firmly over eyes and scarves up over noses, the only clue to gender being wind-blown tresses.

The forecast for the next few days remains unsettled with the possibility of strong winds and heavy rain. The snow ploughs are still out in many parts of Greece and we are one of the few places that is not being battered at the moment. Turkey makes a useful wind break at this time of the year!

Have a good weekend.

Regards,
Adriana
The Symi Visitor