You might not be alone

[MartinB]

Just got back from a great holiday cruising the Ionian. Anchored in a secluded east facing bay on the uninhabited island of Atakos, on a moonless night. A swell was working itself against the boat and onto the beach with the waves breaking in lazy sighs. The milky way was a celestial tiara against the black sky and the night was still warm. Stepping into the pitching tender from the security of the boat was a little unnerving but eventually a wave picked me up and landed me on the shingle.

On the beach the only thing I could see were stars and the yacht's small anchor light. The plan was to see if my little compact digital camera could capture anything of the Milky Way with it's maximum exposure of 16 secs at 400 ASA mounted on a flimsy tripod. Peering up at Cassiopia getting my head beneath the viewfinder I felt something pressing itself against my hand, and a slight tickle. WHOAAA F***!!! Scurrying noises and a shadow moving to beneath the dinghy. Got the torch on it (night vision be damned) - a huge rat - size of a small dog. More rustling behind and another pair of ratty green eyes in the torch light ...and another and...perhaps they just wanted to see my images but I was off!

And no, my camera couldn't capture the clearest Milky Way I've ever seen

Ha ha - next time I'll photo the rats, or perhaps not

[Ant]

Sounds really fun Martin, good to have you back!

I thought that the waves sighing onto the beach sounded perfect untill the dog sixed rats that is!!! :shock:

Would have run a mile before finding out what they were...

Ant

[CELESCOPE]

nice one Martin ,glad u had a great time , but surely not scared of rats eheheh , i was the towns rat man when i lived in cornwall , used to shoot a couple hundred a night .

ehehehh

[MartinB]

I'd take you with me next year Rog but I reckon Jackie would kick us both overboard

[Jeff RV]

Maybe they just wanted a picture to show there nippa's

Jeff.

[themos]

ooh, Astakos eh? It's for sale apparently. I was on holiday in Greece during August (in Sifnos and Lesbos) and I see that light pollution is beginning to be a problem anywhere near beach resorts.

[MartinB]

Different island Themos. I was on Atakos which is much more remote - off NE Ithaca well away from the bright lights of Nidri. Here's a daytime pic of the bay along with yacht (which I only have a 1/5 share of)

[proflight2000]

Dont know about the boat, i want that little house on the left, what a place to live.