The weather has been quite different for January 2026 on Crete. Compared to the two previous years it’s been a fair bit colder with lots of rain and a lot less sunshine. The past two years we had very little rain and we really do need the rain here on Crete, in order to accommodate all the tourists during the dry summer months. Therefore we welcome the storms and copious amounts of rain that we have already experienced this year, because in between the storms we still have the beautiful warm sunshine. We plan our beachcombing trips around those sunshiny days.
A tiny chapel we found while exploring the coastline at Kissamos
Debbie and I and sometimes Lisa, have this year already visited Georgioupoli, Skaleta, Stavros, Kissamos and Frangokastello. All of these coastlines have yielded lots of beautiful seashells and I suspect the stormy weather is partly responsible. But last week I had a really strong urge to visit Frangokastello again. The last time we went there was in November 2024. There was nothing there then and there hasn’t been much along this stretch of southern coastline for a good number of years. Hence the reason we don’t often make the long journey there.
The majestic castle at Frangokastello
When I first came to live on Crete in 2009, I would often go beachcombing to Frangokastello, collecting seashells that I call my ‘Turtle Flippers’ These seashells were found all over the beaches there, but not anymore, sadly. Fewer and fewer seashells are washing up on other beaches too. The ‘Turtle Flippers’ are important in the creation of my best selling ‘Baby Turtles Race to the Sea’ design and at the end of last summer, having sold another 34 Baby Turtles artworks, I had run out of suitable shells to create more.
Amongst a vast pile of seashells and ‘Turtle Flippers’
However, last week my intuition told me that February was a good time to go back to Frangokastello. I visualized the main beach beneath the castle and imagined it littered with my turtle flipper seashells I did this several times in the days before we went.
It was a beautiful day last Saturday and warm enough for the first time this year, to strip down to our vest tops and later, to change into our shorts! I was so excited to get onto that first beach by the castle and I was not disappointed! I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the piles of turtle flippers (among other seashells) and noted that they were scattered all along that part of the coastline. It was truly amazing and a visualization turned into reality and come true!
My precious collection of ‘Turtle Flippers’
The second beach we normally visit at Frangokastello didn’t yield much but the last and final long stretch of coastline was also abundant with different seashells, most notably the larger cowries, some of which were quite stunning! The whole of that long beach was interesting and we were sorry when time ran out and we were unable to stay any longer. It was a really fabulous day and Debbie and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!
The shack on the far beach at Stavros
On the social front, January and February so far have been quiet with not much going on. But I’ve made the effort to go out at least every Friday, sometimes going early doors to catch up with Patrick and other friends and later, to spend time with Robert and his sister, Heleen, who has been visiting from The Netherlands for the past month. At Robert’s request I created a Seashell Mosaic Mixed Media Painting of Heleen’s beloved cats, Jackie and Bailey.
Heleen’s Artwork
At this time of year when I am not out beachcombing I am busy creating, to build up my stock again for this coming summer season. My landlady put my rent up again by over 100 Euros a month! Sadly it is not as cheap overall to live in Greece as it once was. I will have to raise my prices again, if only because I can never keep up with demand in the summer.