In a change to normal practice, we drive to the dive shop today. Hubby’s route is one-way and I’m picking him up somewhere the other side of Sami around lunchtime.
Even the most laid-back professional diver cocks up sometimes, and today Albert (silent T btw) has got us a good mile or so from the harbour when the phone rings - you forgot the keys - so we head back in, and pick up the shop keys, otherwise we would return to a locked and empty dive shop later. We then head back towards Itheca once again, passing yesterday’s second dive spot, and round the island to its most Easterly point, where both our dives are taking place.
Firstly we descend rapidly to 20m to find an engine, and then a machine gun turret, now at 25m we find the other engine, and finally st 37m it’s the fuselage - a Jungers 88 Ju aircraft that suffered at the hands of an English war ship. Because it was made of aluminium it’s not rotted and is mostly in good condition.
We move on, all of 100 yards east, to the next drop, it’s the edge of a sea wall and we steadily sail over the top of the shelf and gracefully descend down the wall as we gently move along it too. Plenty of life here, lobsters, fish, plants, it’s a great place. It’s also wonderful to be able to ascend and decend at will and effortlessly, just a deeper breath or not will have the desired effect, as good as being in space. Ataining 28m we’re pushing it a bit, and the cost is we all go into deco overdraft so on our return we spend around 15 minutes at the safety stop, normally it is only three, but we’re rewarded with fabulous geographical phenomenon where the earth has buckled under its own weight and also by a huge snail trundling along the rock seam. It’s finally time to return, across a mill-pond stretch of water and back to the harbour.
After purchasing sandwiches from the deli I head off to pick up the husband, knowing exactly where he is thanks to ”Find Friends” on our phones. Equally he has seen where I was diving. So I pick him up on the back lane of the tiniest village, and we devour our late lunch before heading off on the afternoon adventure, the last far-reaching drive of our week on Kefalonia.
First stop is Poros which is a smallish town on the eastern coast, pretty enough but can’t say it had much appeal. We tried to visit the Minoan tomb that dates back to 1350BC but it closed at 15:15, just before we arrived.
Then onwards to the southern-most town of Skala. It’s clearly the happening place, with hotels lining the road from about 4km out, not high density but very obvious. The beach is lined with brollies and sun-loungers. We check out the Roman villa, but it’s also closed by the time we arrive. A quick wander around the town reveals loads of restaurants and gift shops. It’s not my ideal holiday destination but obviously is the popular choice.
The return drive through the countryside is delightful, I manage to get up to 70 km/h for the first time all week, only for a minute or two though. It’s amazing scenery with beautiful poplar trees standing out against the sand coloured rocks and earth.
We return via the bar, and try out the rosé (no choice!) which at €14 is quite pleasant. We watch the training video for Fridays adventure, of which more on Friday the thirteenth!
And then it’s shower and dress for dinner (it’s all relative and just means a fresh pair of shorts and a nicer shirt.) Tonight’s restaurant of choice is Poseidon, no prizes for guessing what cuisine. As we’re eating, a procession comes towards us, bands, local costume, priests and many followers, who head along the pier to an area decked out with tables and chemists, where the consume a BBQ feast.
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