Pentecost

Or Whitsun, known here as Ayiou Pneumatos, 'of the Holy Spirit', is the bank holiday apparently most popular for taking ferries between the mainland and the islands. I would expect Christmas, Easter and the BVM on 15th Aug to be equally popular but perhaps I just don't notice those so much because I am less likely to be down at the port myself.

Behind the throng of foot passengers are three neat rows of cars lined up along the quayside waiting to board Ferry Boat Proteus. Cars, vans and trucks in the foreground are waiting to collect arrivals or deliveries. Shortly a great stream of cars and lorries will disgorge from the back of this ship and wind their way through the twisty roads of the island.

The ferry has come from Volos in Magnesia, Thessaly, via the island of Skiathos and is about to head off to the vast island of Evvia which is the most direct route to Athens. This is the Port of Glossa which is the spiritual home of this particular ferry. Most of its crew are from this village and it tends to spend both New Year and Easter moored in this harbour. At midnight on New Year's eve the crew set fireworks off from its deck and at Easter it is not unusual for a lamb to be spit-roasted also on the deck.