Net cleaning in Samothraki harbor

In April, 2006, CHARLIE was tied up in this harbor and the fishermen had just returned from their early morning work at sea. The boy on the dock was feeding the net through his hands and cleaning out the shells and other non-fish items. We watched him with amazement when he would casually reach into the net and pick out a sea sluggy looking creature and pop it into his mouth. This cleaning process takes several hours and then the nets are carefully placed on deck, covered with wet rugs awaiting their use the following day. Whenever we needed advise about wind or sea conditions, we learned not to go to the Coast Guard, but always ask these men. You can see the harbor wall on the right. During bad storms, the waves spray over the top, but the wind gets so strong that even the ferry boats do not attempt the harbor. Judy and I once were asked by the Coast Guard NOT to leave the harbor, but we asked the fishermen and they pointed to a spot on the chart and told us, "There, no wind." We snuck out of Samothraki when the afternoon siesta closed everyone's eyes, and, amazingly enough, when CHARLIE got to the point where the fisherman had placed his finger: NO WIND. They know the sea.