We are in the wonderful lagoon of Spinalonga, home to a former leper colony and a beautiful spot to wait for favourable winds to go west.
Yesterday we stayed on board while the southerly blew and created a sea state that was too choppy for our little dinghy to go ashore.
Today dawned calm and bright, so we went exploring. We noticed that our neighbouring boat did not have a dinghy so we stopped by to volunteer to pick up supplies for them. There was no sign of an owner, but we did meet a beautiful grey tabby cat.
And this little cat has an amazing story, as we learned from its French owners who we met on shore.
Last year Cyrille and Damien were at anchor here during a spell of strong gusts blowing off the mountains. Their cat Yse liked to hang out on the Bimini roof. During one particularly strong gust the poor cat was knocked off her perch and landed in the water. It was 4am in the morning and her owners were still asleep. When they woke, they could not find Yse anywhere and sadly concluded that she had fallen overboard and had succumbed to the waves. They were devastated to lose their feline friend. They posted pictures on social media, appealing for any sightings of her.
Fourteen months later they received a message from a Belgian resident saying that she had spotted the missing cat, safe and well, and being cared for by a local. Miracle of miracles, the cat had somehow swum the 500m to shore on that fateful day, and lived on the kindness of strangers ever since.
Cyrille and Damien rushed back from their location in the Pelopponese, over 100 miles away, and the family were reunited. Now that’s a good story!
