This is not strictly speaking a ship’s log, but it will tell you when and where Al, Jenny and SNORK MAIDEN are currently sailing, and what’s happening aboard – within reason and occasionally unreason.
We find ourselves in Crete in June. Of course we meant to be with the actual Snork Maiden, sailing off the French Atlantic coast by now. Instead we are experiencing the Cretan Summer, although an odd one. The weather is cooler than is usual for the season – temperature in the mid 20s with a West wind, sometimes quite strong, mainly in the afternoons. The colour palette of the olive groves and meadows has changed from yellow and pink to white and blue and the whole landscape has a paler quality. Even the insects are different. The cicadas are there, apparently in ones and twos with no night noises yet, and even the mosquitoes are holding back.
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It’s been a while. It was my birthday Sunday 31st, and Al’s June 4th . So first, a big warm thanks to everybody who remembered and got in touch in whatever way. Of course we don’t remember everyone’s birthdays all the time. I think that during this weird time we probably all think about our friends, people we used to know, people who we knew who have died or we have lost touch with. So I suppose I am trying to say that as humans even we introverts have a mental social life!
Last week we made a trip out to Balos (Βαλος). This involves an 8km drive on a dirt road then a 40 minute walk down paths and steps to the beach and lagoons below. The lagoon is warm and has a few fish. It’s little more than knee deep so we snorkelled over to the other side before the 40 minute treck back up. Worth it though. By the time we left, we had the whole place to ourselves. From our house we can see the dirt road that runs along the Gramvousa peninsular and on Saturday nights particularly, we see many headlights as cars come back from viewing the sunset.
Polyrinia
This is one of my favorite places in Western Crete. Not only can we see it from our bedroom window, it is a great walk. Originally a Minoan settlement, it became a Roman fortress and still exists today as asmall village at the bottom of the hill. There is a church still in use and a small chapel nearer the summit. It’s a magical place for me, and has a real draw. Wild flowers and insects abound, and there are a few sheep. There’s also a woodworker in the village who plays loud rembetika music (more of that soon) and plies you with raki if you stop to look at his work. Gratefully accepted and spent lots (2018).
Polyrinia from the West
What else? We are still looking at possible plots for building (more about this coming soon). This is a panorama of the latest one we have seen, only around 500m from where we are staying now. Yes, it looks like an olive grove but from an imaginary first floor it looks out to the sea and the (proper) mountains.
I need to stop here. Al has cooked the supper and I need to launch this already belated blog. Please feel free to comment – no sign-in necessary.
