Ah! peace and back to nature.

On the last afternoon on the beach near Agios Stefanos before the flight home there was nobody around except Boo, Bev and me. The sea was as calm as a millpond and the soft contours of the Islands opposite rose up out of the sea. The little boat swayed gently in the swell and there was no sound other than the lapping of the water against its side. As the sun started to set the warmth dropped and we decided to go for a stroll.

A flock of seabirds flew in from across Kamari Bay and on mass dipped into the sea. Again and again they dove down and vanished into the water after a shoal of fish. I’d never seen anything like it before.

As we strolled along past the ruins towards Club Med a black sea urchin seemed to have lost its way lying on the shoreline while others clung to the rocks around the ruins.

A red damselfly basked on a piece of driftwood on the beach a strange place to see such a delicate creature.

We stepped out towards the rock pools and a small crab disappeared hurriedly into the sand, we almost missed it as its camouflage matched the sand so well. Hugging the rocky shoreline a long green and black striped fish swam in a small shoal. They had trumpet like faces, unlike eels. Earlier in the day the fishermen were benefitting from an abundance of sea bream as they swam close to the walls along the front in the bay.

We’d driven down to Paradise in the morning as the last of the sunbeds were removed until next summer and the Goats spread out across the road taking full advantage of an empty beach and no cars other than mine.

Back up to the apartment to pack and the Black and Grey Rooks helped themselves to Lucy’s dog food and water bowl. As the season was ending it was clear that the wildlife was ready to take back their home.