Kayaking on Milos, Day 3

My third day of sea kayaking on Milos was to prove a bit less strenuous than day two. For this trip I was joined by Rebecca and rebecca, two US students studying in Europe. We picked them up in Adamas and headed to our launch site, little cove beside the fishing village of Mandrakia on the northern coast of the island. The main goal of today's paddle was to explore the sea caves along the coast to the famous beach and cove at Sarakiniko, east of Mandrakia.

Although only short in distance this leg took quite some time as we explored a variety of caves and sea canyons cut into the volcanic ash. I needed my headlamp in one as it went in quite a way and round a bend. We were sheltered from the SW wind but there was still a gentle swell that was amplified in a few of the narrow chutes and caves. What at first looked like rubbish in the water turned out to be small lumps of pumice broken off from the cliffs.

We went along as far as the ship wreck of a coastal trader that ran aground in the 80s. A mast leaned out an angle above the water along with a few other segments of the hull but most was below water or gone.

After exploring the wreck we pulled into the narrow white cove at Sarakiniko and onto a small beach. Rebecca and Rebecca were eager to try the famous cliff jump from the white ash cliffs into the clear (but cold!) sea. Rod and I decided that our skills were better used in photographing their attempts. They each made two jumps, first from a low cliff then one much higher. When I get my photo issue fixed I'll post some up. This cliff line had some strange uprights sticking out of the rock that were the remnants of a wharf built here by the Germans in WWII when thy occupied the island.

After a snack we headed back the way we came and back past our launch spot. We headed west to our lunch spot, passing the island's desalination plant, the source of their water, on the way. Rounding a small headland with a ruin on it we pulled a lovely cove with a beach and the hamlet of Fryopotamos. All the buildings were deserted, it is evidently a weekender and summer vacation spot for locals. We had a pleasant lunch in front of the beach cabin that when open would be renting beach chars and selling snacks. We had the place to ourselves however apart from a young German couple who arrived just as we were exploring the church below the ruin on the headland.

For some reason Rebecca had been cold during lunch as the Sun kept toying with breaking through the clouds but never making it for long. Anyone would think she'd been jumping in the water!

The Sun came out for our headland exploration then it was back in the kayaks for the trip home. Along the way we pulled into the tiny harbour of the village of Mandrakia, a very picturesque spot with some lovely small vessels moored and the church in the background. Some of the locals were in their boathouses that are dug into the cliff face, with only the brightly painted doors showing.

A short paddle back around to our starting cove finished a lovely day's paddle. After getting back to Petrinella's Guesthouse and a welcome shower it was time to explore on land. Rebecca and Rebecca were catching the 9.30pm ferry to Santorini so we decided to go up to the village of Plaka first then head down to the port at Adama by taxi and have a celebratory seafood dinner there.

As we made our way up to Plaka we passed the football ground with a match in progress. Turns out to be the annual match between the two Dynamite Clubs ahead of the Easter Sunday explosive festivities (blog post with details to follow). Plaka was what you picture a Greek village to be but it was rather windy! It climbs up the hill to the base of the rock outcrop atop which sits the Castro, originally a Venetian lookout and fortification. We decided to climb up the path, the wind battering us all the way. The view from the top was pretty spectacular but it was hard to take photos as the wind kept trying to rip the camera out of my hand.

A hasty retreat back to village level saw us finish our exploration of the laneways. Our walk back past the football ground coincided with the end of the match and several large explosions as supporters of both teams detonated their homemade bombs! As we were getting into our taxi at the Guesthouse the street was blocked by a procession lead by one of the teams on a truck with followers atop and following in cars. They couldn't get any further so everything ground to a halt right beside our taxi that was then trapped for several minutes. Everyone jumped off the truck and let off more explosives almost beside us.

We eventually made it down into Adamas and found a nice-looking seafood restaurant just as the rain that had been forecast all day arrived. Given the choice of cold, ind and rain or a warm restaurant we took the second option and wined and dined till the ferry was due. The restaurant was notable for the number of cats underfoot, one of which took particular interest in the girls' food supplies they were taking to Santorini.

Eventually I headed off for a taxi back up the hill comfortable in the knowledge that I would soon be in warm bed. Rebecca and Rebecca had a two and a half hour ferry ride to Santorini, arriving at midnight after which they would have to find their way to the campground and pitch their tent. Hope you made it OK!

Another great day of paddling and meeting new friends.