Skyros Blog

Atsitsa Bay Diaries - Week Three

By Skyros Holidays

Wednesday 15th August 2018

Sarah Bridge is our transfer manager this year, spending her summer based in Atstitsa Bay and ensuring everyone safely arrives and departs from their Skyros Holiday. She will be writing a weekly blog about life in Atsitsa so check back each week to keep up-to-date. This week Sarah is giving us an insight into the big 40th anniversary celebration.

Turning 40 is a great achievement right? So you have to have a party! Which is why last week saw a huge party at Atsitsa Bay to celebrate the birth of Skyros Holidays all those years ago. Much-loved friends and neighbours from across Skyros island joined participants and Skyros Holidays’ founders Dina Glouberman and Yannis Andricopoulos in a night of dancing, feasting (some great food from our chef Takis) and speeches to mark the occasion. 

The evening opened with the mixture of music, fun and spontaneity which Skyros is loved for as Tom Morley led the community in an energetic bout of drumming in the courtyard – there were clowns and even an impromptu appearance by a car in the centre of the action – and then Dina and Yannis both took to the floor to tell their stories of starting Skyros Holidays and how the community spirit which is the key to Skyros Centre and Atsitsa Bay was first created. 

Later in the evening participants new and long-standing shared their memories of Skyros which were very moving to hear: the words ‘life-changing’ were said many times, by those who were staying for the first time as well as from those who had come for the last 10, 20 and even 30 years. There were tears as well as smiles as people heard the effect that Skyros had had on people’s lives over the years and all those there will remember that night for years to come. 

‘Here’s to the next 40 years!’ said one participant and with the presence of so many children coming with their parents to share the Skyros experience, it felt like the next generations were already making their own Skyros memories. 

Hard though it might be to believe, the party wasn’t the only memorable moment in the first two-week session of the season. Most of the Atsitsa Bay community went into Skyros Town on the night of the eclipse and were treated to some stunning views of the moon slowly disappearing in the clear night sky over the Aegean sea.

Later in the week our gaze was once more turned skywards as we were treated to an amazing star-gazing night by Karin Shelley-Martens: the few passing cars were probably surprised to see 30 people laid out on yoga mats under the stars halfway up the hill from Atsitsa Bay! Karin’s husband Bob was on duty spotting satellites as Karin showed us everything from the planets to a black hole and he was hard at work during the day too, crafting a beautiful painting of Achilles living in disguise on Skyros. With daily courses including clowning, massage, writing, singing, sketching, yoga and abseiling and Dina’s own New Beginnings, it was a fortnight rich in activity – but thankfully in Atsitsa Bay there is always space and time for quiet contemplation as well.

Sarah

Atsitsa Bay Transfer Manager

See the full programme of Skyros holidays here and download your own programme here.

What would you like to hear about next week? Let us know in the comments below.