Tired.

Five minutes later, administration for missing bag completed, we leave the airport building to get in the taxi...

No John....... no taxi.

Oh well, into the dented Mercedes with Club Mistral posters on the side and off to the hotel. Out through the airport gate, turn left and into the hotel - must be the shortest transfer ever. There's John, not knowing the Greek for 'no' or 'stay' and thinking it best to stay with the bags.

Hello to George and Kostas and up to the rooms, balconies giving views across a wide bay, whitecaps on the water.

First, the admin. Steve introduces us to Alex, German, tall, slim with hair in blonde rastas - impeccable English - and we sign to say we understand the insurance and that we can swim for 15 minutes. He shows us the station, our pre-booked boards, how to sign ourselves out on to the water (for safety reasons - so that they know who's out) and the mechanics of the rigs.

Down to the launch area, narrow, between a Mistral flag and a buoy and in a little area of wind shadow. "Careful where you launch -outside this channel its rocks and we like to look after our fins".You're out of your depth 5 metres from the shore.

Into the shortie, on with the harness, Screamer 278 and a 5.2 Naish. "That may be too big" warn Alex and Steve in unison. "Doesn't look that windy" say Roger, Roger and John.

Three minutes later. "Can I have a 4.2 please?"

Meet Alexandra the Club Viva rep - they're all intent on us having a good time - is nothing too much trouble for these guys?

Change pre-booked board down to Screamer 268. Sail over to Devil's Bay ('its one hell of a place'!) And gybe on the flatter water using a 4.5.

Lunch in the local taverna overlooking the azure-blue water of 'Chicken bay' (the speed lagoon). Watch sailors practising the elusive gybe on a mirror-flat surface. "We've got to go there!"

Stay in the main bay after lunch. Sail till 5pm. Tired.

Three German couples and a French guy are the only other people booked in. We are embarrassed by their fluency in English and by our inability to utter more than the occasional word in German or French but we share the common bond of windsurfing.

Force 5 - 7 Beaufort again! Screamer 263 and 4.2. Roger L is flying on a Mistral Edge, where does he find that extra speed?

Francoise, our new French friend, is on the beach, blood streaming from a head wound. Stitches from Alexandra, one day off, and he's back on the water with a helmet providing protection.

Another English voice! Tony is staying with his partner in a village along the coast. He drives to the mountain above the bays to check the wind each day before driving down and hiring some kit.

Amstel (local beer) and pasta or squid for lunch. No need to rush cos' you know the wind will be there!

Sail to Chicken Bay after lunch. A little disappointing - the wind is more gusty and with small sails when there's a lull, there really is a lull. However, it is safe in all conditions and easy to plane all the way through those gybes.

Each morning you look out to check the conditions. 'Scorchio, scorchio!' & 'Gustio, gustio!' with almost monotonous regularity.

Try the Wave 257 with a 3.7. Its fun.

Philosophically, we decide to hire 50cc Yamahas and look at some of the island. "You only ride on the asphalt roads OK?", "OK"

Over to the main town, stunning views back over the bays and then we ride up into the mountains. Villages perched precariously with eye-watering white houses reflecting the sun as they scramble up precipitous slopes, friendly people genuinely pleased to say hello, quiet roads. Down to the coast on the other side of the island, no wind, unbearably hot, stopping in isolated bays to refresh with a cooling swim.

Lunch in a taverna in a small fishing port, delightful sandy beaches hidden around rocky headlands, surprisingly, when asking the way, being answered by the warm west country accent of Betty from Bristol who came for a holiday 6 years ago and liked it so much she stayed.

Back over the mountains to the bays in the late afternoon to see sails leaning into the wind, white trails across the water, everybody planing and having fun! There had been no wind anywhere on the island but, in this corner, there it was, blowing. Freaky.

Steve is tired and plans a snooze before we go out later but then drives us to the secret wave beach in the Club Mistral Mercedes. Small waves on the shore. A small sandy cove with a champagne wind. Two German campers parked - they are staying for the next two months.

Back to sail for the rest of the morning. Roger L makes use of the rescue boat as his 2.9 provides too little power for the wave board as the wind temporarily lulls.

After lunch there's no-one on the water. Its too windy! Force 9 gusting 10.

Decreases to 8 so out we go using 2.9 and 3.3 sails. Steve and Alex warn us about going too far 'cos the inflatable rescue boat has some difficulty when its that windy.

Sail till 5.30 then decide to call it a day - what a day! Steve has hurt his ankle and is having difficulty walking.

John passes Alexandra's test (with help from Francoise) to see if he'll be allowed to come back but has a little problem with the Club Mistral questionnaire - the questions are a bit tricky!