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I had the most amazing time kayaking in Cyprus, and really enjoyed the rest that Cyprus had to offer. We finished the week with a long paddle around Cape Greco, the south-east tip of Cyprus. I have just this second found out is the home of the Ayia Napa sea monster, which would have been good to know at the time, or maybe not. You NEVER KNOW.
The main visible result is a rather patchy tan, ranging from "What sun?" on some parts to "Blistered and peeling from radioactive fire!!" on others.
The overall problem I have with sea kayaking is that I get massively sea-sick*, which is strange for such a little boat which bobs, pitches and rolls with every swell and wave ... ulp. I remember a disastrous early date with ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) tsukikoneko on a boat in heavy seas off Cape Point, and to be honest I am still amazed that she wanted to see me EVAH AGAIN. But she is sweet that way. So anyway, I probably fended off the Ayia Napa sea monster by feeding it my breakfast. Let me tell you, it's quite something to throw up over the side of a two-foot wide kayak in open sea swells and not capsize. I am a master of that, at least. On the plus side, we were being shadowed on shore by the vehicle and trailer, so I could put in at any convenient beach and spend the rest of the day with the support team. On the minus side, Cape Greco is all cliffs until you get right around to Protaras. There is one tiny landing spot just around the Cape, and I powered ahead with strong and vigourous strokes to put myself ashore at this haven from the sea. Actually paddling means that you are less affected by the swells and are also distracted. Overall, I don't think sea kayaking is my thing. River kayaking maybe. Anyway, we put in at some sea caves only accessible to very small boats from the sea. We had lunch (I ventured as far as eating a Snickers) at a crystal-clear bay. The afternoon in the support vehicle was a little more interesting - it proved rather hard to navigate once we were off the main tourist routes, but we managed to find our way in the end.
We went to Ayia Napa on the last night there, and had a great time. Basically central Ayia Napa is a nocturnal town where the main industry is bars and clubs, populated mostly by English tourists and English bar workers. The final day was spent in a variety of other boats, and the afternoon was spent in admin, cleaning up, returning kit and generally looking around. Dekelia Garrison is large, compared to most of the other military bases I've frequented - it took me a good half-hour to walk from the front gate (there's an excellent fish and chip shop opposite) to our accommodation.
The flight back arrived at Gatwick at 02h00, and I had a scary minute or two being quizzed by passport control. There's always the chance that I might not be allowed back in. I crashed at the TA centre, where someone kindly showed me to a bed and then I was roused by someone else swearing at me for sleeping in their bed**.
* I've decided to preempt any mocking on the part of the rest of the regiment by telling everyone immediately that I get massively sea-sick and sea kayaking is not really an option for me.
** Given that the bed is an issue bunk in a store-room, it is hard to see his logic here. I've been annoyed all day at this.
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