Sailing Day 4 and 5

September 6 and 7:  A crashing thunderstorm started in the middle of the night, followed by torrents of rain that lasted well into the day.  Everyone chose to hang out inside the cabin - reading, snacking, and chatting.  Betsy started advance work on a Nicoise salad by boiling potatoes and eggs.  At some point, Phil pulled out his iPad to run the movie Minions for the group.  It's a "prequel" to Despicable Me, creating a backstory for the silly critters, working on the premise that they need to serve the most evil boss they can find.  Although presumably a kids' movie, the jokes and 1970s music connected with our gang, creating a new clutch of Minions fans.

When the wind and rain subsided mid-afternoon, we escaped outside to stroll around town. We visited a grocery store and a bakery (for a small town, there are a lot of bakeries), but most of the shops seemed to be closed already (Tuesday early-closing?).  

Betsy and Jan as a team finished preparing the Nicoise salad, which was accompanied by fresh bread and olive oil.  We began dinner with an Ouzo tasting, the licorice tasting wine (apertif).  Phil had brought back a small bottle of locally produced Ouzo and a bigger bottle of mass-produced ouzo, which was claimed as the best available, and we tried both.  There was no consensus on which was better - a 50-50 split on preferences.  Later that evening we had baklava for dessert, another local specialty.

Wednesday started with an ominous red-orange sun, but the wind had dropped.  Because further foul weather was predicted, we chose to remain at Lefkas for another day.  Phil and Ron visited a telecom store to get their devices working again - fortunately the fixes were simple and quick.  We then stopped at a bakery and a coffee shop to get breakfast treats that we carried back to the boat.  The rest of the morning was spent on boat chores, like refilling the water tanks and getting minor repairs done.  Betsy assembled a Greek salad for lunch which we had with raisin bread.

Because the day continued dry and calm, we joined Ron and Jan for a walk. Phil led us through town and uphill to a monastery with terrific views east over Lefkas and the marina, north over the lagoon, and west to a beach. Curiously, the monastery had a little zoo with exotic birds (including various chickens, a turkey, and a peacock), some sort of deer, and a few squirrels (one with gorgeous red and gold coloring). We walked back downhill, past some attractive villas, to the stoney beach.

A handful of guys were preparing to launch their kite boards, so we watched while they inflated the leading edge of the kite, donned the waist band that anchors the harness, then picked up and tested the rigging controls and kite.   They carried their boards down to the surf, set the kite at the right angle, and fell back into the surf before setting their feet on the board.  Once set, they adjusted the kite and took off across the water.  Kite boarding looks fast and fun, once mastered.  There were also the remnants of several historic windmills on the beach whose purpose was unknown.

The buildings around Lefkas are 3 or 4 story structures, with pastel-colored stucco on the exterior and concrete blocks and concrete framing on the inside. They are not very old, but we spotted at least one ancient Greek Orthodox church with lots of gilt inside.  The pedestrian plaza has many souvenir shops, cafes, and restaurants as befitting a vacation destination, and the quayside is lined with fish restaurants. The buildings-In the main part of town have wrought iron balconies on the upper floors, reminding cz of New Orleans.  Stray cats and dogs wander all around. The cats beg for food at the eateries? I do not know how the dogs get by ( although some have collars and presumably owners) . On the outskirts of town we saw some pathetic looking sheep and a few goats patrolling a junk yard. Vegetation includes fragrant shrubs, palm trees, and long needled pine trees.

The marina where the Debs II is moored is enormous, modern, and well-equipped.  We have access to toilets and showers, a swimming pool, garbage bins, a grocer and a chandler, as well as repair services.  The first night was covered under our Moorings lease but the other 2 nights cost 73 euros each, based on the length of the boat.  Because of the weather, the marina is packed. We can see hundreds of masts from our prime spot near the footpath to town.

After our 7-mile walk, we arrived back at the boat in time for a dip in the swimming pool, happy 15-minutes, and dinner at the Lighthouse Restaurant, with a jolly owner who recited the whole menu to us.  We strolled a little in town.  Phil bought a sporty new bathing suit for 15 euros.  

We retired early after ensuring that the boat was battened down.  Around 3:00 am, another round of storms hit with high winds and lots of rain that lasted all morning.  We think the storms had been predicted, but were expected earlier.