I am back in Milos for another year with a few weeks as assistant guide for Sea Kayak Milos
The place remains a sea kayaking paradise with beautiful clear water and stunning beaches and many visitors choose to explore the coast by kayak.
Some days are all about the kayaking - particularly if the wind is strong or the group is keen to learn new skills, but others seem to be more about logistics - at least from the assistants point of view.
Yesterday was one such:
Three of the paddlers needed to catch the afternoon flight and as a result be off the water by 3pm when I would take them (and all their baggage) to the airport. The boss had it all organised as usual with an earlier than usual start and a trip plan that enable part of the group to bail out.
All I had to do was collect my three from the garage (was called Jet Oil which was a nice short distinctive name but now Aegean like almost everything else around here) take them to Mandrakia Church to meet a couple with their own transport and then on to the launch beach which is close by.
Get to the garage and I can see a likely candidate, but the other two are sitting in a car which of course needs returning to the hire shop. So, I follow them into town and we all wait for the hire shop to open and the early start to evaporate - mind you, there is plenty of time to transfer all their luggage which sort of fits in the car I am driving. Eventually the hire man opens up and after dealing with some other customers (don't ask why one of my three is not at the front of the queue) in that charming Greek way, we set off for Mandrakia.
At the church, there is no one to meet, but at least this year I know I have come to the right place and don't have to entertain the idea that I have misunderstood the arrangement. As we are here somewhat later than planned, it is possible that Rod has been here already so we head off to the put in beach, meeting Rod on the way. It turns out later that the customers have cancelled due to a back injury but hope to paddle with us on another day.
Parking the car in its favourite shady spot at the launch site, the girls are a little perturbed that this is where their luggage and valuables will be spending the day, so I don't mention where we leave the car keys.
The actual kayaking is pretty uneventful though I am definitely a bit slow with my share of organising the team for the water, and one of our 'experienced' paddlers who wanted to be in a single kayak (most day trip people opt for a double) clearly isn't and it takes Rod's gentle words of encouragement to get her going - note to self, be more assertive.
Perfect paddling conditions and happy paddlers but a looming deadline in terms of the flight for some. After 'one last cave' the assistant and his three charges make it back to the beach exactly on schedule. All the luggage is safe and the girls decide that they will change clothes here rather than at the airport, which turns out to be a lengthy process during which I sit and watch the clock and grow ever older. Thankfully, we make the airport in time for check-in and they are very happy customers.
The place remains a sea kayaking paradise with beautiful clear water and stunning beaches and many visitors choose to explore the coast by kayak.
Some days are all about the kayaking - particularly if the wind is strong or the group is keen to learn new skills, but others seem to be more about logistics - at least from the assistants point of view.
Yesterday was one such:
Three of the paddlers needed to catch the afternoon flight and as a result be off the water by 3pm when I would take them (and all their baggage) to the airport. The boss had it all organised as usual with an earlier than usual start and a trip plan that enable part of the group to bail out.
All I had to do was collect my three from the garage (was called Jet Oil which was a nice short distinctive name but now Aegean like almost everything else around here) take them to Mandrakia Church to meet a couple with their own transport and then on to the launch beach which is close by.
Get to the garage and I can see a likely candidate, but the other two are sitting in a car which of course needs returning to the hire shop. So, I follow them into town and we all wait for the hire shop to open and the early start to evaporate - mind you, there is plenty of time to transfer all their luggage which sort of fits in the car I am driving. Eventually the hire man opens up and after dealing with some other customers (don't ask why one of my three is not at the front of the queue) in that charming Greek way, we set off for Mandrakia.
At the church, there is no one to meet, but at least this year I know I have come to the right place and don't have to entertain the idea that I have misunderstood the arrangement. As we are here somewhat later than planned, it is possible that Rod has been here already so we head off to the put in beach, meeting Rod on the way. It turns out later that the customers have cancelled due to a back injury but hope to paddle with us on another day.
Parking the car in its favourite shady spot at the launch site, the girls are a little perturbed that this is where their luggage and valuables will be spending the day, so I don't mention where we leave the car keys.
The actual kayaking is pretty uneventful though I am definitely a bit slow with my share of organising the team for the water, and one of our 'experienced' paddlers who wanted to be in a single kayak (most day trip people opt for a double) clearly isn't and it takes Rod's gentle words of encouragement to get her going - note to self, be more assertive.
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| On the water at Mandrakia |
Perfect paddling conditions and happy paddlers but a looming deadline in terms of the flight for some. After 'one last cave' the assistant and his three charges make it back to the beach exactly on schedule. All the luggage is safe and the girls decide that they will change clothes here rather than at the airport, which turns out to be a lengthy process during which I sit and watch the clock and grow ever older. Thankfully, we make the airport in time for check-in and they are very happy customers.
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