Halfway between Ormos Kerio on the southern tip of Zakynthos and Methoni on the Peloponnese lie 2 very remote and small islands called Nisos Arpyia and Nisos Stamphani. Crossing from Zakynthos, we anchored in a small bay on Arpyia called Ormos Limani.
It turned out to be a special stopover for us, en route to Methoni, with only a couple of local fishermen in small boats for company.
At sunset we took the RIB and crossed the channel to Stamphani to visit the monastery there. It was built in 1241 and heavily fortified to defend against pirates sailing these waters. Until recently only one monk and a flock of sheep remained on the island. Now the monastery is empty and overgrown and seems abandoned, with old books gathering dust and relics of a bygone era slowly disintegrating.
Walking around the monastery and the living compound, we became completely engrossed in imagining life as it must have been for the monks.
Today's Photo of the Day shows the monastery compound with Lady Roslyn at anchor off Arpyia in the distance.
