After a late morning start, buying bread and meat, we set off with significant apprehension, knowing that the forecast was wind from the north gusting F6/7, with significant wave height. The forecast didn’t let us down and although we’d planned to try for Amorgos or turn back to Lakki if it really was too rough, as we approached Levitha after 25 miles of bouncing along in 25 knot winds, 2 metre waves and Ann being sick for 3 hours we decided we’d had enough, and went into an idyllic sheltered bay on the south coast of Levitha with about a dozen mooring buoys, where 8 boats had already tied up and people were swimming and sunbathing. A complete contrast to our sailing earlier with two handkerchief sized sails.
Using mooring buoys comes at a cost, tonight it was eating in the basic Taverna up on the hill! This is the only settlement on the island (population 5 in 2009) and what a delight it was. We enjoyed goat in lemon sauce and grilled fish. The final bill was understandably expensive, as, apart from the goat, everything has to be brought in from neighbouring islands and a tractor delivers to the Taverna. A logistical challenge since no commercial ferries operate here.
Also no internet, all power from solar panels and wind generators. The toilet was interesting, being flushed from water decanted from a barrel in a cut down large plastic bottle.
