Kalenya Bay - 36° 37' 41" N 29° 3' 40" E

Our lazy days are now punctuated with hikes on shore to walk the ship's dog, Luna. She gets very excited, bounces into the zodiac and takes her position as the maidenhead, with ears flapping and a big smile.  We have explore St Nicholas Island, Knights Island and the mainland around Kalenya Bay.



Kalenya Bay has a restaurant and services for boats on a small flat at the bottom of a mountain. It is the mountain we climb. Mehmet, our wiry, cheerful skipper and dive master, bounces up the hill with as much enthusiasm as his much-loved Luna, with the rest of us huffing and puffing behind.

Goats, wearing bells, bleat and ring in the distance as we hike along with Luna and two Anatolyian Sheppard puppies (who found and followed us from behind the restaurant) chasing squirrels, insects and each other. The views are amazing. We are able to pluck mulberries (black, white and pink) from the trees as we climb, along with the sweetest, juiciest oranges. Beware, however, of the beautiful oranges in the perfect looking trees. These are a super-sour ornamental citrus, pretty to look at but completely inedible. Even you, Liz Stringer, would have a hard time munching down one of these!

Sadly for me, I (Kate) have developed an ear infection so am no longer able to dive. The upside is I am able to read every trashy novel in English onboard the boat.

Sam, Sandra, Sean and Luna on the bow