Symi visitor numbers, boats and refugee thoughts
There were a lot of fun things to watch from up here on Wednesday as the harbour was the busiest I’ve seen it for a long while.
It started with the Panagia Skiadeni going out at 7.00 and the Blue Star Paros coming in at around 7.35. Later in the day a cruise ship called in and took up the far side of the harbour so when the Panagia came back it had to moor up where the Sea Dreams usually goes; that had to wait out at sea while the Panagia got its passengers off and then that went out so the Sea Dreams could come in. Somewhere in all of that the Nikolaos came in and let its passengers off before going back out to wait in the bay. Later, the Sea Dreams went, the Panagia came back, the Nikolaos came back, picked people up and went, and the Panagia went, and all the while the cruise ship, the ‘Salamis Filozenia’ was still there with its passengers enjoying a day on Symi, and that finally went in the evening. Not sure it was all in that order but it was certainly a complicated dance of swapsies. Bravo to the harbour crews!
We went down to Yialos in the evening and had a drink at Mediteranio as the sun set. Then we walked along to Haris taverna by the taxi rank for dinner: beans, garlic bread, beef, seafood risotto, lamb kleftiko, all for a very nice price thank you. The harbour was busy and in these days of fewer visitor numbers that was good to see. There were also the sailing boats in and a few larger yachts.
I heard a story (and this may not be true) that one of the reasons for fewer charter boats and large ships, like the ‘gin palace’ yachts and gullets, is to do with insurance. Apparently the companies are having to pay higher insurance in case their boats get used for people trafficking. I can see what the insurance companies mean; if they lease a boat and then it gets used and impounded and there are insurance implications. But there have been no refugees coming to Symi for months now, not since last year really. There have been no impounded boats since last year and it looks like the people traffickers of Turkey have been put off, certainly in our waters. I’m not sure what’s happening further north, but here, even the local charity is turning its attention to Symi needs, as there has been no need to shelter and help poor refugees for a long time. Now if the insurance companies (if that rumour is true) could get wind of that and lower their caution and rates, then perhaps we will see a return of more gullets – we have had quite a few still – and other pleasure yachts for the rest of the summer.
Up in the village the square continues to be the centre of attention, particularly in the late afternoon and evening, as is usually the case. It’s a great place for a quiet coffee in the morning, at either Rainbow of Lefteris’, there is breakfast to be had at various places including the Olive Tree and Mandeios, and there are the shops to looks around. After lunch, and after the beach, Rainbow has proved popular with visitors from 3pm onwards – I assume Neil’s presence has something to do with that! And then later, both bars become busy for the pre and post dinner socialising session, and football when it’s on, oh, and that tennis thing in the afternoons – not sure what that’s all about but it has something to do with purple and green and rain, usually.
So, good to see Symi busy on Wednesday (and other days when I am not around) and let’s hope that the customers customise the other bars and tavernas and shops while they are here too. I know, customise is not the right word there but it sounds like it should be. I don’t like ‘patronise’, though it’s probably correct, it sounds like people are talking down to the shops and business. But there you go; some photos from Wednesday and some good news about visitor numbers.
