April Update

A lone wild cyclamen sheltering under a plumbago on the Kali Strata.

Wednesday morning's Blue Star was on time as it was the smaller, nippier Paros - the Diagoras is having her annual haulout.

Friday morning's scene at the clock tower, waiting for the Blue Star.  As you can see from the angle of the palm fronds, it is quite windy today. It is not very clear in this photo - and I could not get any closer for a better shot - but a site hut and barricades have been put up around the clock tower and the end of the quay. This is an impromptu customs and immigration enclosure for processing yacht arrivals and will ultimately be moved across to the other side when the new commercial harbour is completed.  In the meantime from now on all yachts clearing in from Turkey or other non EU ports will have to moor here to go through formalities.

The random plantings outside the police station aren't sure if they are going to flourish or fail at this point.You can see part of the barricades in the background.  Lots of flowers have been planted in the various planters around the harbour.  Now we need some rain to help them settle in.

With the new set up at the clock tower vehicles waiting to board the ferry now have to queue up in the area that is usually the Nireus Hotel's water frontage. I should not image that they are best pleased by this new development.  That is their outdoor furniture stacked up on the end of the jetty.

There is a strong southerly wind blowing today, kicking up lots of dust and spray, giving the sky a murky grey-pink colour.

Looking across Yialos from the Mouragio-clock tower area towards Petalo and Pitini.  The stubby silhouettes on the skyline are the old windmills and that is the ridge that divides Yialos from the Pedi valley and Pedi bay.  The scar across the hillside is part of the spectacular scenic motor road that connects Yialos with Chorio and the rest of the island.

Looking across Yialos from the Mouragio area towards the Kali Strata, the Kastro area of Chorio and the Vigla mountain behind. In the summer the shoreline is not usually visible for yachts but in April it is still quite empty.

Those tables and chairs are now ready for customers.