I wrote this piece many years ago, when the old Skopelitis was the local ferry running between the small Cyclades. I've been to Amorgos twice this year (2012) on the Express Skopelitis, and on one trio the Express Skopelitis did dock at the old harbour.




Approaching Donoussa
At Donoussa, larger ferries use the new harbour. The Skopelitis uses the older, smaller harbour nearer to the centre of the village. The Skopelitis no doubt continued to use the older quay as it was more conveniently placed for deliveries, especially in the days when there was even less in the way of wheeled transport than there is today. There is still little in the way of transport on Donoussa, but more than there was a few years ago. [Note from England: in summer 1998 the Express Skopelitis was brought into service; being larger than the old Skopelitis, she uses the new harbour. The Skopelitis I refer to here is the old, original, Skopelitis.]
On other islands the Skopelitis docks by way of her "car ramp," on the side of the ship at the back. "Car ramp" is probably too grand a word for a ramp to an area of the Skopelitis that could in theory carry two small cars. In practice, the area is so crammed full of boxes, parcels, and (especially at Easter) slaughtered lambs packaged up like mummies, that there is no room for a car.
At Donoussa, a small gate on the front deck is used for embarking and disembarking. The locals and regular travellers in these parts know this know this. Most other people see what is happening. However I have known passengers wait around at the back of the boat for the ship to dock - when the ship has docked and undocked at the front. I remember that at Donoussa one English chap was most irate about it. As the Skopelitis was pulling away from Donoussa, he kept demanding that he be returned to Donoussa, and that the Skopelitis should dock 'properly'. He was told words to the effect of "hard luck mate, we'll take you to Koufonissi and you can come back tonight." He had wanted to get off at Donoussa but he stayed on the boat. The only way back was by the same boat on the return trip. It is easy to laugh - but everyone has to learn the ropes somehow. If I had wanted to get off at Donoussa the first time I was on a ferry that called in there, I could well have missed it! I thought about my first trip to the Cyclades, when I was hovering at the ‘wrong’ end of the Panagia Tinou waiting for her to dock, without realising that the other end of the ship was tied up to the harbour. At least that chap knew that the island was Donoussa. The islands do not have name plates like railway stations, and often novices have no idea where they are. One young girl asked me once as we approached Katapola "The boat, does she go on to Chora!" For those who do not know, Chora is inland and uphill.
It is easy to laugh... But... At Naxos, the Skopelitis usually docks at the small boat harbour. Once when I was waiting to catch a fast boat at 3.15 (I hang my head in shame, the Skopelitis left at 3) the Skopelitis was moored in the big boats quay. Confusing. I never discovered why, and if I had wanted to catch her, I might have waited in vain at the wrong quay. I kept my head down - as I felt like a traitor not going on the local boat - but arriving at 5.30 instead of about 10.30 is quite an advantage.

"The Real Greek" by Lucretia Stewart

http://www.travelintelligence.com/travel-writing/real-greek

Kalo Taxidi - the Sequel. Approaching Donoussa on the old Skopelitis

I published my book "Kalo Taxidi - Notes from Greece and the Greek islands in July 2011. I am now working on my next book about Greece, and adding some extracts to my blog.

_______________________
APPROACHING DONOUSSA (1990s)

At Donoussa, larger ferries use the new harbour. The Skopelitis uses the older, smaller harbour nearer to the centre of the village. The Skopelitis no doubt continued to use the older quay as it was more conveniently placed for deliveries, especially in the days when there was even less in the way of wheeled transport than there is today. There is still little in the way of transport on Donoussa, but more than there was a few years ago. [Note from England: in summer 1998 the Express Skopelitis was brought into service; being larger than the old Skopelitis, she uses the new harbour. The Skopelitis I refer to here is the old, original, Skopelitis.]
On other islands the Skopelitis docks by way of her "car ramp," on the side of the ship at the back. "Car ramp" is probably too grand a word for a ramp to an area of the Skopelitis that could in theory carry two small cars. In practice, the area is so crammed full of boxes, parcels, and (especially at Easter) slaughtered lambs packaged up like mummies, that there is no room for a car.

At Donoussa, a small gate on the front deck is used for embarking and disembarking. The locals and regular travellers in these parts know this know this. Most other people see what is happening. However I have known passengers wait around at the back of the boat for the ship to dock - when the ship has docked and undocked at the front. I remember that at Donoussa one English chap was most irate about it. As the Skopelitis was pulling away from Donoussa, he kept demanding that he be returned to Donoussa, and that the Skopelitis should dock 'properly'. He was told words to the effect of "hard luck mate, we'll take you to Koufonissi and you can come back tonight." He had wanted to get off at Donoussa but he stayed on the boat. The only way back was by the same boat on the return trip. It is easy to laugh - but everyone has to learn the ropes somehow. If I had wanted to get off at Donoussa the first time I was on a ferry that called in there, I could well have missed it! I thought about my first trip to the Cyclades, when I was hovering at the ‘wrong’ end of the Panagia Tinou waiting for her to dock, without realising that the other end of the ship was tied up to the harbour. At least that chap knew that the island was Donoussa. The islands do not have name plates like railway stations, and often novices have no idea where they are. One young girl asked me once as we approached Katapola "The boat, does she go on to Chora!" For those who do not know, Chora is inland and uphill.

It is easy to laugh... But... At Naxos, the Skopelitis usually docks at the small boat harbour. Once when I was waiting to catch a fast boat at 3.15 (I hang my head in shame, the Skopelitis left at 3) the Skopelitis was moored in the big boats quay. Confusing. I never discovered why, and if I had wanted to catch her, I might have waited in vain at the wrong quay. I kept my head down - as I felt like a traitor not going on the local boat - but arriving at 5.30 instead of about 10.30 is quite an advantage.
　

Aubergine, the vegetable that refuses to conform

I remember sitting in a small cafe cum shop in Dounoussa.  A lot of ladies were buying aubergines.  The owner smiled, and said to us "everyone is having moussaka today!"

Aubergine, the vegetable that refuses to conform

Kalo Taxidi - Donoussa - Spring 1993

Donoussa - Spring 1993
I went from Naxos on the Skopelitis (fare 913dr). I left Naxos at 3 p.m. and reached Donoussa at 8 p.m. The boat was carrying huge quantities of building materials (thin marble slabs, bags of cement, and large sheets of wire mesh) and the loading and unloading of these delayed us somewhat.

I had called in at Donoussa on many occasions, but this was the first time I had landed. The village was larger than I expected, and I had not realised that there were buildings on both sides of the beach. The beach then acted as a track between the two sides of the village.

I was half expecting accommodation on Donoussa to be primitive, but after my "luxury" find on Iraklia I also half suspected that standards could be good - and they are. More luxurious than Iraklia in fact. People with rooms met the boat and I chose a very pleasant lady who spoke just enough English for us to get by. She lives in a house through a stained wooden door off the beach just beyond the Taverna Aposperitis, but the rooms are not in there. My room was one of a block of three - across the beach, up the track to the left and about half way up the hill on the right hand side of the road - be warned that the hill is short but very steep, especially when carrying a rucksack and wobbly kneed after a long trip on the Skopelitis. Other rooms seemed to be under the same management.

I had a twin bedded room, with modern furniture and even wicker lamp shades and a lace curtain; private bathroom with WC, shower, and basin - again very clean and modern; constant hot water to the shower; and in the lobby area between the bedroom and bathroom a kitchen area with full size fridge, electric hotplates, and sink unit - plenty of crockery but only a frying pan to cook / boil water in - but at 2000dr a night I was more than satisfied. Particularly as outside there was a spacious terrace with sea views. It is easy to spot the building from outside - there is an open air shower (not needed) in the garden. Incidentally the water supply was brought to the cellar by a green hosepipe, and then pumped round the buildings. I don't know where the pipe came from and it may sound Heath Robinsonish, but there was no problem with the supply whilst I was there.

Another good point about my accommodation. I was to catch the Skop. at 7.30 p.m., and intended negotiating with my landlady for the use of the room during the day. On my last morning, before I had chance to ask, she said I could stay in the room until 5 p.m. without any extra payment, i.e. to give her chance to turn it round for new arrivals.

One sore point about Donoussa. A taverna in the middle of the beach. The taverna was just getting ready to open up for the season when I arrived, and the music (Greek) was belting and thumping out at what sounded like disco levels in my room (half a village away), and could be heard all over the village. It was on and off spasmodically throughout my stay, from breakfast to mid evening. I never ate at that taverna (I hadn't brought any ear plugs!).

A guide book had mentioned a 5 hour walk to Kalotaritissa - I walked halfway there (the uphill half) in about an hour and a half, with several camera and binocular stops. It was an easy route to find, and not too strenuous to walk, through attractive countryside. There were more buildings in Kalotaritissa than I expected to see but I did not see any signs of life (peering from above through binoculars!)

On my first night only To Kyma was serving food. To Meltemi had opened by the third night, there was movement and signs of the Blue Lagoon getting ready for opening, and there seemed to be another eating place between To Kyma and the Blue Lagoon. The General Store had a table and chair outside for drinking at, but the signboard showed that food was served, presumably in peak season only. Whatever used to be to the east of To Kyma has gone - there is a huge hole in the ground.

I liked the atmosphere at To Kyma. The couple running it were very pleasant as was young Maria, aged about 12, who may have been their daughter or grand-daughter - on my first night she had been helping my landlady tout for customers, was then waitressing as well as carrying boxes of supplies up from the harbour and re-arranging furniture, and when I left at around 11pm was doing the washing up. Quite a live wire! The local fishermen gathered there and they were very friendly and tolerant of the tourist intrusion - although there were only a handful on the island. Once I was bought a drink, and at lunchtime the fishermen shared food with me. The old boy in the General Store was also very friendly. I went in to buy some cans of drink to take on a walk and he would not let me leave until I had sat down and drunk another (which he would not let me pay for).

I was surprised at the range of food on sale at the store at To Kyma - small by e.g. Amorgos standards, but you would not starve if you were self-catering. Shoppers were staggering out with bags of aubergines, and the fishermen were joking that everyone would be having moussaka for dinner.

I didn't notice a bakery on the island, but throughout my stay I noticed people buying both long sticks of bread and small rolls - which suggested that it hadn't all come off the Skop.

I had an early dinner at Meltemi whilst waiting for the Skopelitis (which arrived promptly at 7.30 p.m. - the restaurant started serving at around 6.30 p.m.). There was quite a varied menu but a slight problem - all the "exotic" i.e. meat, items, were to be delivered by the Skopelitis which I was leaving on. I later saw Mr. "Meltemi" dragging away from the Skopelitis a huge cardboard box, presumably full of meat. I doubt if the Skop has refrigeration facilities for use during the 5 hour journey!

[2011 update - too large to travel on the new Express Skopelitis, but a prominent feature of the car park in Katapola are large refrigerated lorries - which are used to transport food on the larger ferries.]




An extract from my book about Greece, "Kalo Taxidi".

Donoussa

I was half expecting accommodation on Donoussa to be primitive, but after our "luxury" find on Iraklia I also half suspected that standards could be good - and they are. More luxurious than Iraklia in fact. A number of room owners met the boats, and we accepted the room offer made by one Greek lady. The block of three rooms was very modern, and situated on the far side of the bay up a very steep path, the steep part was short but especially when laden with a rucksack it seemed almost vertical.


The rooms were very well furnished (and even had wicker lamp shades and lace curtains, and modern pine furniture), and as well as a bathroom each had a small kitchen area with sink, fridge and hot plate. The water supply was brought to the cellar by a green hosepipe, and then pumped round the buildings. I don't know where the pipe came from and it may sound Heath Robinsonish, but there was no problem with the supply whilst we were there. There was also an open air shower (not needed!) in the garden.


So my fears of primitive accommodation on a small, Greek island were again unfounded. Outside there was a spacious terrace with sea views.

[1993]