June 24, 2016. Santorini

Today we went with "Sunset Oia" on a cruise with a small catamaran, circling the caldera and Islands that make up Santorini.  

First stop was Nea kameni, with its volcanic sulphur hot springs mixing into sea water.  

Second stop was Red Beach on the opposite side of the island.  Chloe snorkeled and saw some fish, but was not allowed to go that far from the boat because jet skis were crossing nearby.

The red rock and sand are iron-rich. 

Next stop was the White Beach, which is circled by a calcium rich wall. Some pumice, also. 

I met one of the crew members, a very nice architecture major, Maria.  She is a young Greek woman who piloted the catamaran and helped with all boat jobs.  She pointed out to me the entrances into caves dug by people from the water straight into the mountain, which are used for storage.  

After some snorkeling in the perfect water

We sun bathed in the catamaran just above the water and then ate a lunch of chicken grilled also on the boat. 

Sunset was equally beautiful to what I called the rock show. From the sea we could admire the layers of rocks, sediment, and lava rivers that tell the story of the island with its volcanic past, the formation of the "caldera" and unpretentious natural beauty. 

 And then came the memorable sunset...

Ate grilled sardines at 10 pm when we returned to the hotel, a fresh and delicious, simple dinner.