The Winds of Crete

Talking of life not always being a ‘bed of roses’, I have been having a nightmare during my last few selling days on the beach!

Crete is well-known for its gusty winds and in fact, there is even a book that has been written about them. However, they are usually down-graded to a pleasant breeze at this time of the year and mostly through the summer months. Not this year unfortunately – they have been really strong and consistently so throughout the day. This has presented all kinds of problems for me on my selling days.

Two weeks ago I had barely set up for an hour when I had to pack up and write the day off. This has never happened to me before. Last Monday my pictures were flung off the display panels, bubble wrap was flying all over the place and it took me a nerve-wracking hour to pack everything up at the end of the day. Thankfully my pictures are so robust that there has been little damage, but it doesn’t stop me worrying about them. Added to this, I am trying to work on my mosaics whilst also holding on to the parasol. I didn’t feel confident about putting it up on Monday but realised that I was turning black in the sun – despite always using a high factor sun cream. Then today the strong wind returned with a vengeance and I was on tenterhooks and ‘high alert’ the whole time I was at the beach! I had secured the display panels as best I could with ropes tied to the table and heavy stones to prevent them from flapping in the wind. But nothing was a match for nature’s strength and by 3.30pm I had to abandon my pitch again!

It hasn’t helped that everyone I’ve spoken to in the last few days has said the same – “I’ve heard it’s going to be like this all summer!” No! That’s not what I want to hear right now! This is my livelihood we’re talking about. What if this is true? What am I going to do? I don’t usually check the weather forecast during the summer. After all – this is Crete and once the summer starts it’s here to stay for at least the next 5 months. Now I am not going to venture out until I know what the wind speeds are for the day. I will also have to change the days I sell on the beach if my usual day is going to be a gusty one.

I know that the UK has been enjoying some lovely weather lately and I wonder if this has anything to do with our current unseasonal weather? It’s quite bizarre but when the UK has good weather (which is not very often!), Crete tends to have some dodgy days. I am really pleased for all my family and friends in the UK but at the same time hope it’s not the pattern of weather to come here in Crete.

Born optimist that I am, I prefer to think positive and hope the nice weather continues in the UK, for once and that these fierce winds of Crete will soon die down. Best for both worlds, I hope!

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