This boat is called the Bediah and it's been in Kalymnos for a couple of months now.



Some geezers are restoring it down at the far wharf and it just looks great. It's got a huge front that soars almost vertically out of the water.

Maybe'll get made into one of the tourist boats that carries Germans, English, Swedes and Dutch all around the little islands for scheduled pleasure.

If so it would feel like a slight waste. The Bediah should be getting used by PIRATES! Arrr.

Welcome (back) to Kalymnos

This is the bronze mermaid at the entrance to Pothia harbour, the chubby, cheery sea-whore who welcomes one and all to Kalymnos.

And she's starting to see a bit of business again. Winter is officially over and the first tourists have been spotted this week: climbers returning for their fix of limestone.

You can spot the climbers a mile away: slimmer than anyone else on the island and always wearing very pracitcal-looking Northern European leisure gear.

We watch some of the climbers disembarking the "Star" and being met by a Kalymnian who happily loads their packs into his boot

"Ah you have a new car" says a French accent.

"Yes," beams the Greek, and an old friendship, albeit a commercial one, is resumed.