Well, here I am happily on Symi once again. What’s going on here?

On the transport front, despite what their website says, Blue Star Ferries are still using Blue Star Patmos on their Wednesday and Friday calls at Symi. For the past week, SeaDreams have been using King Saron on their day excursions from Rhodes instead of the advertised Symi II. Yesterday the tiny Zeus D appeared on a day excursion trip from Rhodes for the first time this year.

Transport on and around the island itself is still in very early season mode. No taxi boats (waterbuses) are operating yet, though half the boats are now back in the water and moored in Yialos alongside the freshly repainted ticket counters. The Poseidon has been out and about on her “round the island” trips several times a week. The Symi Bus is running to early season timetable  – no 15:00 from Yialos or 15:30 from Pedi yet, and the last bus is still 21:00 from Yialos/ 21:30 from Pedi. The Panormitis bus is running as usual.

Tourist infrastructure in Chorio and Yialos is nearly up to summer levels – most tavernas and cafes are now open (and of course some are open all year round anyway). Beaches are still being worked on after the extremely wet winter and only Nos and the Katsaras section of Pedi are serviced yet.