It has been an unsettled and stormy week, fairly typical for the equinox. I went over to Rhodes to help sail our boat back and we were quite fortunate in our gap in the weather. After heavy seas and rolling swells while we were lying in the little bay off the boatyard we hit a lull that lasted just long enough for us to get across to Symi. The island had a cloud pulled down firmly over her head and was looking mysterious indeed (see picture) 
but the wind only started to pipe up as we reached Pedi. Sorting out our mooring lines and anchors in a brisk south easter was an interesting experience, particularly as the fishing boats are starting to lay their moorings prior to relaunching. Avoiding picking up any lines around the propeller in the process was tricky but the old girl is now neatly trussed up in her usual corner of Pedi bay. Depressingly, the birds were already circling, waiting to resume their interrupted tenancy of our rigging and wheelhouse!
The wind blew all night and by next morning Symi was well and truly storm-bound. I took the accompanying picture from the corner of the Kali Strata. Harani and the clock tower side of the harbour suffered the most damage with a number of broken windows reported, cold drink fridges were blown over and awnings carried away. The storm only blew itself out quite late in the afternoon. The Proteus was held in Tilos until conditions had calmed enough for her to continue south but she still had some difficulty in docking late in the afternoon as the cross wind was knocking her crabwise across the harbour. The Dodecanese Pride could not run at all yesterday and its schedule is still a day in arrears.
Tomorrow, 25 March is a religious and national holiday in Greece. There will be a parade in the harbour, for which the school children are rehearsing at present. As the holiday falls on a Saturday many businesses and offices will be closed on Monday as well, making it a long weekend. Oh, and the clocks change on Sunday!
Have a warm dry weekend.
Regards,
Adriana
www.symivisitor.com
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