We had been watching the glass bottom boat set out for excursions every day we have been here. We agreed that a sunny day with flat water would be the day to go out. By chance, on our next to last day here, we were walking past the boat, saw that it was only 15 euros each. In addition the departure time was just a half hour away. It was sunny and the seas were calm so we decided to go for it. First we picked up Leslie's necklace, repaired expertly for free! We bought a chocolate tart and apple pie slice to fortify ourselves for our sea voyage and boarded the ship. All told there were a dozen passengers and three crew on our 90 minute trip. The first stop was the wreckage of a Spanish Cargo ship. Not an ancient cargo ship, this one ran aground on the shallows in 1953. It sat there upright and seemingly intact for 21 years until it was bombed by the Turkish Airforce in 1974 when they invaded Cyprus. They blew the ship to bits and we floated right over top of some of the larger bits. We could see the engines, the conning tower and other scattered bits. Then we floated over a few of Cyprus's world famous sea sponges. There are only a few left after overfishing cleared them out. These sponges were famous due to their durability, they could last 30 years and not break down. Unfortunately they grew so slowly that a one of a decent size would have 100 years old. It is estimated that the Cyprus sponge population will need 200 more years to fully recover. Next stop was a swimming hole where five hardy young folks jumped in. The ride in the sun with a gentle breeze and waves lapping on the side of our boat was most enjoyable.
Constantine Claus
The walkway on the coastal trail
Fortifying indeed
While at the dock the windows did not impress
But the ship next door was impressive
An art deco masterpiece
Out to sea are we
The sandy bottom show up brightly
The view back to the Archeological Site
An excursion boat
The stretch of the beach where we drove the day before
Ship wreck central
It may seem like a jumble of bits
But the guide on the boat listed off all the parts
As if it were obvious to anyone
This is part of the engine, I think...
A railing along a deck
Perhaps more of the engine
This sponge would have been over 100 years old
Out in the water the windows are much more impressive
Shallows ahead, beware!
The mouth of the river is somewhere out there
Mesmerizing
The patterns are so cool
Jumping in for a refreshing dip
Digging the sun
The anchor is ready
it is 16:00 and time to head back to port
A waterpark!
A tiny church tucked away
More rocks to be wary of
Cutting a wake
Our destination ahead
Deco delight
A great color of blue
Magic hour lighting
We could get used to this place
Tiny dog walking super fast to keep up with it's owner
A deep orange glow for our sunset
