Monday 16th September 2013
Our good ship LOUIS AURA has been here in Mykonos overnight, so all the passengers can enjoy another day exploring the ship or the island before we sail just before midnight tonight. After enjoying breakfast on the aft deck I watched the activity around the ship and local harbour nearby, before going up to my favourite table in Venus Deck 2 for coffee and water. That is where the Guest Relations Manager found me and my friend, to issue a personal invitation from the Master of the ship (Captain Goumas) to visit the Bridge tomorrow morning when we leave Patmos. How wonderful: it seems we are VIPs on board (thanks to a certain American friend) and this is one of the treats. I already had fruit and wine put in my cabin, so thought that was good, but a Bridge visit will be special. We accepted immediately and with thanks of course.
That afternoon we left the ship and headed for the little local harbour nearby and took the water bus along the short route to the main town, enjoying the slight sea breeze and the views from the water. It was two Euros well spent.
We could look at the shops, buildings, architecture, winding alleys, heading for the famous windmills. The maritime museum was closed so we had tea in a nearby café instead, which had a very soporific effect in the heat, but we overcame that and walked up the last incline to the windmills.
We also saw the famous pelican and recited the limerick about its beak:
A wonderful bird is the pelican;
His beak can hold more than his belican.
He can hold in his beak
Enough food for a week,
Though I’m damned if I know how the helican!
—Dixon Lanier Merritt (often incorrectly ascribed to Ogden Nash)
The sky had become overcast and it was not worth staying in town to watch the famous sunset over the sea, so we took the water bus back from the little town harbour to the quayside near our ship. By this time the sky had darkened, and the wind had increased so we were glad to get back on board.
It was decided to go out for dinner that evening at the nearby Taverna Matthew, which is a favourite restaurant with my ferry friends when in Mykonos, so the story of my meal there only last month will have to be told another time.
On the way we could see passengers returning to the LOUIS OLYMPIA which had arrived to spend the afternoon and evening here in Mykonos.
We set out to walk to the Taverna and discovered it was beginning to rain slightly, and there was a strong wind. Our ship was beginning to rise and fall with the increasing size of the waves slapping against the hull, and we noticed that nearby was a Jetoil vessel doing the same, even as the tankers reversed onto the vessel to collect their fuel. The thought of the meal on shore plus the weather quickened our steps and as we arrived at the Taverna we found the owners were putting up strong screens to protect the diners on the terrace. The food was ordered and cooked whilst we waited, and we tried to ignore the strengthening wind outside.
When we left the Taverna there was lots of spray to be seen on the quayside and lots of noise from the wind which was turning into a gale. The walk back to the ship was quite difficult and we had to run behind the last little buildings for shelter to avoid the spray and waves astern and near the LOUIS AURA.
The Jetoil ship hurriedly decided to leave port, which we considered a good move, as she was parallel with us and fairly close. At least she would be less of a hazard when it was our turn to leave harbour. She had some difficulty in getting away but finally had enough speed and the right heading by 10.00 p.m. to get into the middle of the bay before turning and leaving Mykonos.
We stood on our aft deck for a few minutes to watch the sea conditions, but the movement of the ship and the strong winds made it almost impossible to take steady photographs; it was certainly interesting to watch.
I went home to bed wondering if I would wake up in the morning to find we were still in Mykonos…
Ships seen: Superjet of Seajets, Margarita Ch., Tere Moana, Celebrity Reflection, Ekaterina P, Superferry II, Blue Star Ithaki, Highspeed 5, EKO 1 (the Jetoil tanker ship), Ifestos 1 the tug, Louis Olympia
To be continued….
