Writer's Retreat on Ikaria Island?

One day, as I was browsing online, I found a one acre property for sale near the village of Karkinagri on Ikaria island. It had a small house on it. I fell in love with it, contacted the broker, Eleni Mazari and a week later flew from Rhodes to Ikaria with a one day layover in Athens because my connecting flight was cancelled due to force 11 winds over Ikaria. Flight and ferry cancellations due to weather seem to be the normal and accepted conditions of life in Greece.

Landing on Ikaria

Yiorgos

Yiorgos, a handsome man with a beard and smiling eyes, who was referred to me by Matina Tsamoudaki, the owner of the Karkinagri Studios where I would be staying, met me at the airport and drove me to Agios Kirikos where I had already stayed for a month in March of 2017. 

Agios Kirikos harbour

From there, I boarded the small, coastal ferry that luckily was running and two hours later we arrived in a small harbour of Karkinagri. 

Arriving in Karkinagri. The harbour is to the left side of the centre of the photo.

The harbour of Karkinagri is quite small with a concrete ferry quay that also acts as an additional breakwater protecting it from the west and an inner harbour for small fishing boats.

Karkinagri inner harbour.

I checked the depth and it looks like Eidos at 10 m. LOA and 2.5 m. draft could fit in without much problem. A few days later, there was a force 9 wind from the south with large breaking waves over the rock breakwater, but the next day the fishing boats were still there undamaged. The harbour is also safe during north winds. It is quite small though and I wouldn't recommend it for big yachts.

Karkinagri harbour during a southerly gale.

Karkinagri hard standing.

Just outside of the harbour, there is a small hard standing for fishing boats which are hauled out on logs. However, it doesn't look suitable for yachts.



Eleni, the manager of Karkinagri Studios and Apartments got me settled in and then I went to the only restaurant that is open in winter for some fried smelts with greens and a glass of wine. It had been a busy day.
We had rain on Saturday but on Sunday, Eleni, the manager told me that Nikos, the owner of the property that I was interested in, could show it to me. I was entranced by the beauty of the land and the surrounding area and didn't want to leave. I tried to play it cool, but when we returned to town, immediately  emailed Eleni with my offer. 
On Wednesday, she took me back to see it again and to answer my many questions before finally agreeing to call Nikos with my offer.

***

The land is located near the mountain hamlet above Karkinagri. It is where people used to live to avoid pirate attacks - their houses made of stone and sometimes even built under a big stone, to blend into the rocky background.
 

Road from Karkinagri to property.

Road from Karkinagri to Trapalo. Turn left in front of the motorcycle to go to Karkinagri Pano.

From Karkinagri we take the road that heads east in the direction of Trapalo and after crossing a culvert over a rushing creek, turn left and head uphill following the creek. 

Road to abandoned hamlet.

It is a rough road, best navigated with a 4WD vehicle, on a donkey or by walking. Eleni's car manages quite well for most of the way, but due to the recent rain, the road developed ruts from flowing water and in one place on a corner, we encounter a huge boulder that recently crashed from the mountain above. Eleni however is a skillful driver and manages to drive around it and is able to make it almost to the end of the road at which point she turns it around to point downhill.
"The battery is old, I need to get the car going on a hill," she says.
 

Eleni's car gets stuck in a rut. Good thing it's on a slope.

However, before she can move the car to the side of the road, it gets stuck in a deep rut and so we leave it where it is.
Within shouting distance, there are a dozen or so other stone houses, the last one marking the end of the road with rusted road equipment parked on the side of the road.

A stone house in Karkinagri Pano.

Another house in the hamlet.

Road building equipment on the side of the dirt road.

From here, we will have to walk.

The Ionian Magazine - visit to the past

Almost eight years ago, in winter of 2010, I needed a job and decided to create one instead. Thanks to a generous angel seed money from my younger son, Justin, The Ionian magazine was born.For the next five years, the magazine hit the streets of the Ionian islands and neighbouring coastal mainland every month for the six or sometimes seven months between April and October.

However, in 2014, I became ill and after recovering, decided to change my priorities - it was time to go sailing again and focus on my own writing. My older son, Ryan took over the publication in 2014 and the October issue of that year was the last one published.

Enjoy reading.

Still searching for my home on land.

After Athens, I decided to head over to Rhodes because it's warm and sunny in winter. I also had hoped that it would be less crowded than Athens (it is) but more bustling than Ithaka (it is). But it is a city and I am a small town girl. Can't help it. It has a nice waterfront all around the north-eastern end (great for walks or bike rides), beautiful old town (shops and restaurants closed in winter) and a lively downtown. But it is expensive. There are designer clothes in the shops and land for sale very much out of my range. I rented a car for a day and drove around but did not fall in love. Maybe because it's winter... I think I'll head back to Ikaria.

I found my dream home in Greece

With a small piece of land on Ikaria Island. I saw the photos just recently on www.ikariarealsestate.gr and now I want it. Badly. Almost as badly as I wanted my boat, Eidos 15 years ago. I would be there right now if I wanted it more, the heck with the month worth of rent I just paid for here on Rhodes. I want what I want. 
But, a part of me calls for caution. I have been in love with land before - a piece on southern Crete in Saktouria. View, fresh water spring, olive trees, room for a garden. And when I finally saw it, I still liked it but not as much. Not enough to put my money down. The surrounding area was too dry, the road too close, the land too steep. the nearest village too dead and the nearest town too touristy. I don't know, it just fizzled out. 
So, this time, I'm being a bit skeptical and if I hadn't just paid for a month worth of rent, I would fly there immediately, just like I did on a one way ticket from France to Florida (for $1500 last minute price), when I first saw Eidos' photo on the www.yachtworld.com website. I don't regret it, but now I want to take some time to be a bit rational. 
Just like when meeting a man I am very attracted to, I need to wait to see if the feeling is mutual and not rush in. Yet, with property, there is no need for the land to like me back, or is there? It just offers itself to me and I can have it. 
But this piece of land is remote. A half hour walk from the village - no road access only a path for goats, donkeys and humans. The run down cottage on it needs a new roof and everything else. It's basically four walls. But it's made of stone and it's a start. I could make it livable for summer soon enough and besides, I still have Eidos to live on before I sell it. Or not. So many things to think about, but I am committed already without seeing it. I wish I could buy it now. 
So, I'm looking at www.aegeanairline.com for flights. The earliest I could go is this Sunday but the price is higher than later this month or in February. There are only two flights a week - Sunday and Thursday from Athens to Ikaria. Both days are predicted to be windy, so the little ferry from Agios Kirikos to Karkinagri won't be running or will be delayed. And yes, there is no road from Agios Kirikos to Karkinagri either. It doesn't matter. I want to be there. 
There is a road but from the town on the north side, which has the expensive hotels. As it is, it will cost me 25 Euros to stay in Ag. Kirikos. And money is an object because I want to have as much as possible to buy the land. 
If I rent a room by the month in Karkinagri, it will be cheaper.  
Just booked my flight to Ikaria for next week. I'm sure this is my home. Can't wait to go there.

I can already imagine it all renovated. Love at first sight.

Buy or Rent?

Here is a nice place for rent in Vathi, Ithaka for 350 Euros a month. 

Very nice, but only in winter as during the summer it is rented out for much more to the visiting tourists.  Maybe I should just go back to Ithaka and rent it instead of buying a ruin? Tell that to the romantic in me...