Kleftiko by caique

The sea caves at Kleftiko are reachable only by boat, and the boat that goes from here is Nikos's, built in Syros in 1974.

You leave at nine from the jetty below the house, stop twice on the way — once at Gerakas, once wherever the water looks right — and reach Kleftiko before the day boats from Adamas. Two hours there, swimming in and out of the caves, then lunch on board: whatever came up that morning, grilled, with bread and a salad.

Back by four, sunburnt. Nikos speaks enough English to be funny in it, and will tell you the pirate story whether or not you ask.