Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Vai / Kato Zakros

A really early start for the trip to the east. We made it to Sitia and decided to go to Vai first (then down to Kato Zakros) and followed a long windy road via Palekastro. Vai was empty when we arrived and we had a quick look round before deciding to stay. Parking was a reasonable €4 for the day.

Kitted up by the rocks and snorkelled round to the south. There was a strong northerly breeze across water but happily it wasn't too choppy. Again, very sparse plant life, but found Vai very good for the fish, and saw a small grouper under rock ledge. I took a few pictures, mainly snaps of fish because there were plenty in the shallows and it was nice and light. I was back on the beach as a trio of spearfishers arrived and were making preparations to go in; Yas and I then went up to the top of the headland for view.

It was starting to get busy. There were some greek families on the beach and other sun-bathers arriving; and an incredibly loud Italian show off, yelling, posing, and bossing Nicole about. Itanos wasn't far away and I'd read some good things about the place. Nice scenery along the coast and some quieter bays nearby, we walked about looking at the ruins. Was a great place to swim - regretfully I didn't go in here (I'd only just swum at Vai and it was a bit windy).

Inland it is extremely arid and the creaky information board and shelter, and spindly and spiny plants gave it a deserty wild-west feel. Leaving Itanos we travelled south though wild scenery and along fairly bendy roads south to Zakros and on to Kato Zakros.

Decided first to see the Minoan palace (it was extremely hot, 40°C+) then to cool off. Yas liked the terrapins in the pools there. I had a short swim, then decided to get the rest of my kit and camera and see what the cliffs were like. It was much more varied than I expected and the plant life was quite colourful and there were lots of yellow snakelock anenomes, as well as the usual fish etc. I could have swum here for a lot longer. When I got out I realised I'd been stung and had on my shin a patch of dense wavy red lines. Anenomes possibly - though I was pretty sure I didn't go over anenomes - or a bunch of jellyfish tentacles.

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