We got up at 8:00 and had breakfast and then walked into town. Some people walked down the trail to the port, the rest of us took the cable car. It was a great way to see the stratigraphy of the caldera wall up close. At the port we boarded the glass-bottomed Calypso and soon headed out to the active Nea Kameni Island in the middle of the caldera where we disembarked and climbed to the top. The trail climbs less than 200 meters, passing three craters. I was surprised to see there was no fumarolic activity. The view from the top provided a 360° view of the caldera which allowed me to determine that the wind was blowing from the NW during the Minoan Eruption. The worst thing about our visit was that it was too short. We had to get back to the boat, after a little more than an hour.

Once aboard, we sailed across to the older volcanic complex of Palea Kameni, both islands are basaltic and suggest caldera resurgence since the Minoan Eruption ~1630 BCE. The attraction at Palea Kameni is a hot spring that warms a small cove. Most people swam to it from the boat. I had forgotten my bathing suit so I did not. The swimmers returned after half an hour and we sailed for the island of Thirasia on the west side of the caldera. The strait between Nea and Palea Kameni is quite shallow and a reef is beginning to form on the blocky bottom. We watched with interest through the glass bottom.

After docking at Thirasia six students and I walked about 150 m to the west where a restaurant was situated on a covered concrete pier. We walked out to the end and put two tables together and ordered lunch. Most of us had grilled kalamari, which was excellent. The combination of the food, and phenomenally beautiful setting made perhaps the nicest lunch I have ever had.

We returned to the boat. Bob, Anne and Drew had walked up to the village at the top. It was their first time on the island. We were soon underway, headed for Oia at the NW point of the Santorini Crescent . Bob, Anne, Drew, and seven students got off there. Most rode donkeys to the top. The rest of us went to the home port and took the cable car to the top. Once there, I split from the group to find an internet café to send anniversary wishes to Joan. After 10 minutes, I found one on the main road.

I caught up on two days of email and headed back up the mountain to look for an anniversary gift for Joan. I found a beautiful gold and white gold bracelet inscribed with meanders. I think it appropriate that it was bought on our anniversary.

I returned to the hotel and soon joined Anne and Bob to help them finish a bottle of Cretan red wine. Then the four of us headed downtown and found a good second floor restaurant after photographing the sunset overover the caldera. We walked back to the hotel along the narrow cobblestone walkway. I showered, and retired around midnight.