Suddenly Summer

 

The weather improved the very next day. At the first sign of things settling down we were off, heading for the nearby anchorage known as Bungalow Bay and then onward to Port Kalamos.

We toyed with the idea of Kioni on Ithaca but preferred to anchor again in a bay near Frikes. It appeared a popular choice but, as the afternoon drifted on, the wind had its usual Ithaca acceleration and the lunchtime crowd disappeared. Eventually there were just the three boats and one of them only stayed for a session of kite-surfing. We’re made of stronger stuff and bounced in the swell all night.

Then suddenly, seemingly overnight, it was summer and we were looking for the cooling winds of Vasiliki and Sivota where we wallowed contentedly, doing very little for several days in each. But with my birthday approaching something a bit different was called for, the plan being to head back up the coast of Lefkada and have another day in Bungalow Bay before sneakily getting into Palairos on the mainland before the chartered boats returned.

Sweltering breezeless even at anchor changed our minds. Even I was tempted into the sea to cool off, my first swim of the year. OK, so the contrast was enough to give me palpitations but I did it. Briefly. However, the experience made us realise we’d be a lot better not tied to a concrete quay radiating the heat like a carpark.

Meganissi beckoned across the short stretch of sea with happy memories of previous years tied back to the rocks in Abeliki and Port Atheni. We picked Abeliki for the short walk to supplies at Vathy but also, the decider, its own pretty taverna. So here we linger. And the sea is perfect for a dip.