It is midnight and naturally it is dark. Above me I can see thousands, probably millions of stars in the night sky. There is no light pollution here just clear air, an expanse of black sky and an uncountable number of silver sparks of light. To my left the sea is lapping against the shore, gently, undisturbed it is simply making its usual nightly visit; inspecting the rocks and then trickling away again. It stretches out into blackness and who knows what is living in it, who knows what may be only a few feet from me? All I know is that its sound is hypnotic and it is lulling me to sleep. It’s so quiet here, so perfect…
‘Good night darlings!’
A joker boat roars into life and bounces off into the darkness.
‘Who’s got the rubbish?’
‘Anyone else coming with us?’
‘I want another beer.’
We are at Agia Marina and we have been here since around five in the evening. Jenine has been dancing with a beach umbrella and showing off her ‘lump’ that will very soon turn into a child. Neil has been swimming; Ian has been cooking on the barbeque, other friends have been chatting, swapping stories, dishing out salads and having a merry time. I have been very good – only two beers tonight – I have an early start in the morning. As it’s Sunday, there will be a cruise ship in from Cyprus, I am expected at the leather shop at six in the morning and I can’t do an 11 hour day on a hangover – not in July.
I check the time – it is just passed midnight, if we leave soon I should be able to get home for one and have five sober hours sleep.
Our party checks the beach for debris and we put the rubbish in bags, kill the barbeque and leave everything as we found it earlier that evening, only darker. The other boats set off leaving only us; Ian’s boat with him, Jenine, Neil and myself. A quick trip back to Yialos, a taxi to Triada and into bed to sleep and dream of pleasant evenings on the beach in July…
The boat won’t start.
Everything is aboard, everyone is ready but nothing happens when Ian turns the switch.
In the distance we see the other boats vanish into the blackness and realise we are alone.
Ian tries again – no joy.
When we arrived at Marina that afternoon I had pointed out, as we got of the boat, that a key had come out of the ignition and was that important? Someone said not to worry about it so I didn’t. I go to remind Ian about this in case it has a bearing on our predicament but he is busy checking pumps and lines and other nautical things that are over my head.
Time ticks away, as does the amount of it I am going to be able to use for sleep before the heavy day tomorrow… today.
Another attempt… no. And no mobile phone reception to call for assistance either.
I contemplate the walk over the hills to home – about an hour and a half if I am quick…I contemplate staying on the beach for the night and walking over in the morning…
I remind someone about the key that fell out but the others are all giving Ian their own advice and he’s not in the mood for any of it – imagining expensive repair work or a new engine or something.
But the night sky is very pretty and the torch light on the water is making interesting patterns and so what if I don’t sleep? At least I won’t have a hangover in the morning.
The boat starts.
Apparently a key had come out of the ignition and needed to be put back in. well, thank you very much…
We cut through the water and head towards the harbour. The moon is large and directly ahead casting a ghostly light on the silk like black sea as we head towards the set of fairy lights that is Yialos.
Where we finally climb ashore near the taxi rank at sometime approaching one o’clock. We decide to wait and see if we can get a cab as a walk to the top of the village is not an attractive prospect. And as we wait the harbour continues its life around us with cars and bikes and people busying past; night life goes on down there at all hours during the summer and I don’t often get to see it. I do see, however, the leather shop opposite and remind myself that I will be back there in five hours as a taxi pulls in…
This was back in 2003 – by the time we got home and to bed it was 2.30 and I managed two hours sleep – in case you were interested.
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