Thursday, May 15, 2014

Day 129

The wind was too strong to kayak, so I got some bleach and killed the life forms in my water bag tube.
Day 129
4/25/14
My first crossing was from Tinos to Mikonos.  A southwest wind flowed over the region,  but a small archipelago protected me from the south and so I enjoyed a calm tail wind.
My drinking water tasted strongly of chlorine.  I had rinsed the tube many times, but I guess not enough.  There was also dead scum in the tube.
Zeus battled the Titans on Mikonos.  I paddled past boulders that, legend has it, are the petrified testicles of the giants slain there.
Up ahead, in a small bay, I made out two or three large ships.  I got closer and started taking pictures.  The largest ship, with big letters written on the side, declared "rescue zone."  A  smaller vessel, with a crane and other heavy machinery, reached out to the half sunken tanker with a ramp.  It appeared as though I had wandered onto a modern salvage site.
I was fairly close when a worker on the shipwreck noticed me.  He called to the guard on the motorboat with the flashing lights who turned around and stepped on it to make up for not paying attention earlier and letting me get so close.
The motorboat skidded to a stop about 20 feet from me. 
"You can't be here,"  the guard told me.
"Okay,"  I said.
"You can't take pictures."
"Okay." I had all I needed.
"You must go very far from here."
"Okay."   I was already on my way.
From Mikonos I crossed to Dragonisi.  A light shone from the island's cliffs near the water.  Maybe it was a large white sheet suspended from a rock, or a mirror?
I paddled towards it and discovered a sea tunnel cutting through the island-mountain.  I have made many crossings, but this was only my third serious passing.
From the other side of the island I was able to make my third and final crossing for the day to Khatapodhia.
Without any sheltering land to the south, I paddled the last five miles into a headwind.  I passed a tiny island just off the small one before I began looking for a place to land.
A church, about the size of two horses and the only human structure on the empty island, sat just above some low flat rocks.  I wondered if there were sacramental cookies in there.
I could try to make a landing, but I decided to look further.  Around a couple more headlands I found a small beach and landed.  The beach was surrounded by cliffs.
"I declare this place a clothing optional utopian kingdom of one!"  I called to the rocks.
I tried climbing the cliffs, but could not make it all the way up.  I found a tiny stream and just enough cell reception to get a forecast for Sunday.
Friday night I lay in my sleeping bag.  My eye was stinging, probably from salt.  I tried to blink it away.  The sting got worse.  I blew my nose a bunch of times.  Tears rushed down my face and I had trouble breathing.  I recalled chemical warfare training.  I got a grip on myself and slowly the attack subsided.* 

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Nautical miles paddled:  21.5
Current location: 37.409284, 25.565861

*I have a theory as to what caused it, as in other places where I have theories, all the clues I used are in the text. I am not allergic to pollen, bees, or even poison ivy.

2 comments:

  1. Are you allergic to chlorine? (PS: I think you posted a few of the photos more than once)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know. Without a computer it's too hard to sort through and delete the doubles.

    ReplyDelete