A Sea Change

I think that was our flight passing high overhead as I clipped the lower-off on Sea Breeze - oh dear - but never mind! Nice to get another 6b in the bag, followed in double-quick time by yet another - the time spent growing some thick skin has worked, the current tally now stands at 98 - which isn't too shoddy!
Suddenly the place has gone rather quite, which is great, we had the crag to ourselves today, and the sun continues to shine. The 10 day forecast doesn't show any rain either - so all in all things are tickety boo! Now where's that guidebook.

Rejuvenation

Three weeks in - 80 brilliant routes, 10 minutes rain - that just about sums it up.
My climbing has pretty much tailed of in recent years, from fanatical to just keen! I seem to spend most of my time checking stuff for guidebooks and grabbing the odd days climbing here and there. Kalymnos has been a revelation, every crag has been great, the routes have generally been magnificent - even in the lower end of the grade spectrum that I now operate in. The old pattern of pick a crag and go climbing, then do the same tomorrow and the day after has been really great. There are still huge swathes of cliff we haven't been anywhere near, and finally as the season draws to an end it it starting to quieten down nicely. Regular reports on the UK weather from Dave Gregory, plus three e-mails all saying how grim it is back in the UK, have got me wondering - do we really want to go home!

50 Not Out

Almost another week rolls buy, the cliffs are still busy and the weather is still sunny. We have had one 10 minute shower (it didn't half come down - the early scooterists got well wetted) and it has been windy on and off, but I have climbed almost every day.

Two days ago we had a rest and visited 'Nicholas the Sponge Diver' and had a drink at his 'paradise taverna' on the remote north east coast of Kalymnos; Turkey looked no distance away at all across the water.

Yesterday we visited Dolphin Bay, a beside-the-seaside crag with a great ambience. We bumped into the FRCC contingent yet again (not sure who is following who) and the whole atmosphere was very convivial. They are all off home in two days - when we said we had over two weeks left mutterings of 'jammy beggars' were heard! Then it was back to Kastelli - uncharacturistically deserted this time to knock of five more routes to bring up my tally so far to 50!

Rock On Tommy!

A few of days later and we have the car (a bright yellow Fiat) and I have done a bit of climbing, 18 routes so far up to 6a. A quick storm has freshened things up nicely so climbing in the sun is a pleasure rather then a chore.

First thoughts, grades a bit soft and quality ratings a bit generous, we will soon see if they are representative - still a great spot though!

It has been real treat, can't remember that last time I went on a pure climbing holiday - and wasn't scurrying around checking stuff.

Today is Sherri's birthday so we went snorking, a novel experience and all a bit spooky, not sure what's lurking down there!

Kalymnos

Well that was easy! The flight only took just over 3.5 hours, a brisk tail-wind meant we were covering the ground at at over 600 mph. Two taxi-rides and ferry and were were there. A meal and a beer on the terrace overlooking the Agean (Greek Salad, Moussaka and Dolmades) and it really felt like we had arrived.

Next morning we took a walk out to the headland to the north just to get a look at the area.

First thoughts:

1) Hot - a shade temperature of 28 C is to hot to climb - for me at least!

2) Busy - the crags look like they are heaving - I counted 50+ climbers on up on Oddessy

3) Scruffy - the amount of litter scattered in the hedgerows looks like Spain did 20 years ago.

4) Very friendly locals.

5) Lovely unspoiled spot (always excepting the litter!).

The scooter culture looks a bit dodgy - we might hire a car instead!