Konnos Beach to sea caves and church

Yesterday afternoon a walk around Konnos Bay from Konnos Beach to sea caves and church.

Then on return swim in the sea.

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/p9pCIXAf2D

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/7PzGpNYiOX

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/qGFm8uh0EH

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/ie85TiPPFJ

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/ElLqPFY7Xc

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/vI8lhGdIqq

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/2Ri0xhTFLz

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/wHqJQPPkRX

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/wtYhwcEzIq

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/VvqBVesLDG

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/VA0ah2v6AG

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/zLP5nXle1U

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/ETGQihCKmv

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Mike's Watersports Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/ShB8FSN3tN

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/t6MiRuhaUP

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/ftiaUbYq8w

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/8jtXipZLVi

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/o6kJu9CsM5

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/H8EChoT3Dc

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/01T6lDfCGB

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/iF6C2hx13p

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/R4AbUV1TJ1

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

wedding party bus causing nuisance Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/GDtsTzkKW2

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

church above sea caves Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/7ROKvasIM4

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

fresh orange juice Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/ICIPbHZJf2

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

church Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/0fESVL0r25

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Blue Lagoon Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/zMgYIwMbXY

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

coast path Konnos Bay to church and sea caves Konnos Bay Cape Greco National Park #AyiaNapa #Protaras #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/hNHsPMVbSs

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) October 14, 2018

Boat trip on Napa King II

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Sail to Famagusta yo vrw from yhe green line.

Then on to sea caves at Cape Greco, drop anchor at Blue Lagoon for swimming.

Boat trip on Napa King II

Napa King II

Boat trip along the coast.

Famagusta, to view from the Green Line, the ghost town of Famagusta, deserted since the Turkish invasion of 1974.

From the boat the full horror of the environmental destruction of Sirena Bay can be seen.

Then on to the sea caves at Cape Greco, passing Kono Bay on the way.

Then drop anchor at Blue Lagoon for swimming.   

Boat trip on Napa King

boat trip on Napa King

Famagusta

Lovers Bridge

Boat trip on Napa King, or strictly speaking Napa King II, to Famagusta, Cape Greco and Blue Lagoon to drop anchor and go swimming.

Famagusta is a ghost town, and has been since 1974 and the illegal invasion and occupation by Turkey.   Famagusta is viewed from afar. Boats can only go as far as the UN monitored Green Line which divides the island.

The Sunrise is an excellent fictional account of Famagusta c 1974.

Napa King was destroyed in a fire. It was then rebuilt. The story is told in a  book Cambridge University Press  teaching English as  a second language.

Aphrodite sails in the afternoon, yellow submarine morning and afternoon (passengers permitting).

There are occasional evening sailings.

• PHOTOS Boat trip on Napa King

Boat trip on Napa King

Famagusta

Lovers Bridge

Napa King II sails from Protaras Pier at eleven o’clock in the morning.

It sails to Famagusta, where on a clear day, a very good view of the ghost town of Famagusta, a ghost town since the illegal Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus.

The Sunrise is an excellent fictional account of Famagusta c 1974.

Napa King II then sails to Cape Greco, to vist the sea caves, drops anchor at Blue Lagoon for swimming off the boat.

Aphrodite sails in the afternoon, yellow submarine morning and afternoon (passengers permitting).

There are occasional evening sailings.

The boats need to be granted permission to collect passengers from Pernera.

Action needs to be taken against the pirate boat, which leaves the gate open at the end of the pier and ropes coiled on the pier. An accident waiting to happen.

• PHOTOS Boat trip on Napa King

Napa King II boat trip

sea caves

dropping anchor Blue Lagoon

swimming Blue Lagoon

enjoying the trip

Napa King II and Dolphin yellow submarine

Pirate boat once again has left gate open at the end of the pier, ropes for people to trip over. An accident waiting to happen, someone is going to fall into the sea and drown. A crew member from one of the other boats shut the gate.

Rough sea, any rougher and the boat would not have set sail.

Set off for Famagusta, then returned. Too rough? No, passengers left behind and had to be picked up.

Boat full. Not because of many tourists, only one boat setting sail not four.

Good view of Famagusta.

Famagusta a ghost city, deserted since 1974 following the illegal Turkish invasion and occupation.

The Sunrise is a worthwhile fictional account of Famagusta c 1974.

Swimming at Blue Lagoon where the boat drops anchor for half an hour.

On return trip, lunchtime, beach deserted, rows and rows of empty sunbeds, no tourists.

On the boat tea and coffee served with cups and saucers, not takeaway cups.

Excellent tuna and salad bap.

Boat spotlessly clean and ship shape.

Napa King II sails from Protaras Pier to Famagusta, then to Cape Greco and sea caves, where it drops anchor in the Blue Lagoon for swimming.

Usually four boats, trips in the morning and afternoon along the coast from Protaras Pier. Last May only boat trips in the morning. This year, with  no tourists, only one boat is setting sail in the morning, one in the afternoon.

Boat trips 14 euros a trip (children less).

Note: Thompson tour company are charging 35 euros, a Russian tour company 60 euros, for a boat trip. Do not be a mug and let tour companies rip you off. Walk along the Coast Path  to Protaras Pier and pay the boats direct.

• PHOTOS Napa King II boat trip

Napa King II

Napa King II

passengers

Famagusta

sea caves

jumping into the sea at Blue Lagoon

Lovers Bridge

Boat trip along the coast from Protaras Pier, to Famagusta (to view from offshore), then to the sea caves at Cape Greco, drop anchor in Blue lagoon for swimming.

Famagusta usually a blur in the distance, today, following several days of storms and rough seas, incredible clarity.

• PHOTOS Napa King II

Napa King II

Napa King II passing Fig Tree Bay en route to Cape Greco

Of late, the Napa King II, has sailed to Cape Greco, dropped anchor at Blue Lagoon for swimming, then Famagusta on the return leg.

Today, at my request, Famugusta first.

Usually Famugusta is a smudge on the horizon. Today it was as though we were much closer, all the hotels easily visible as individual buildings.

I asked. It was exceptional weather conditions, low humidity, the wind off the land, and as a result, heightened visibility.

Then set sail for Cape Greco and Blue Lagoon.

We sailed much closer to the sea caves and Lovers Bridge. We were able to do this as no other boats around and the wind and current ideal conditions.

We dropped anchor at Blue Lagoon to allow 20-30 minutes swimming.

Sea Dream II was moored nearby, only problem it was not moored, people being towed on a line, potentially very dangerous.

On mooring at the pier in Protaras, Aphrodite II moored nearby. A very noisy boat, it was noisy when it set off. Not a pleasant boat trip.

The last few days the pirate boat moored at the end of the pier has left the gate unlocked, any one, a child, could walk off the end of the pier. I walked on board and raised this. They claimed it was kids, opening the gate to dive off the pier. I have never once seen this. My response was lock the gate as does the other boats, then you will not have the problem.

The crew and the boat very rough. Not a boat I would feel safe sailing in.

Hotels all-inclusive, is having a devastating impact on local businesses and damaging the local economy. Napa King II is seeing numbers down compared with last year.

It is time the government got its act together and outlawed all-inclusive.

Napa King II sets sale from the Protaras Pier, 11am and 2pm every day during the season. There are also occasional night trips.

Boat trip on Napa King II

Napa King II

Famagusta seen from afar

sea caves

Napa King II boat trip to Famagusta, then Cape Greco with a stop for swimming, then return to Protaras.

As the boat set sail from Protaras Pier, Zorba the Greek. The last time I heard played was at a St Joseph’s Day party in Athens in March with Paulo Coelho.

To Famagusta is a little misleading, the boat sees Famagusta from afar, then returns.

Today was clearer then most days, the mountains in the occupied north of the island could be seen, and Famagusta, usually a smudge on the horizon, could be clearly seen.

Famagusta is a ghost town, and has been so ever since the Turkish invasion and occupation of 1974. A situation to which the rest of the world turns a blind eye.

Cyprus is now facing a second crisis, as bad as the Turkish invasion with the destruction of its banking sector, theft of money from bank accounts.

Froma Famagusta, Napa King II sails to Cape Greco, where sea caves a little church and Lover’s Bridge can be seen.

Anchor is dropped to allow people to go swimming.

Napa King II then returns to the pier at Protaras.

On board a charming Russian translator for Russian visitors who may not know know English.

Napa King II sails from Protaras Pier twice a day, 11am in the morning and 2pm in the afternoon. There are also occasional night sailings to watch the sun setting.

Nappa King – Protras – Famagusta – Cape Greco

Nappa King setting sail for Famagusta

Nappa King about to set sail

Famagusta seen from afar

The Nappa King sails from the pier at Protras to Famagusta, then to Cape Greco.

On the way to Famugusta, passengers are picked up from a little jetty at Penera. This saves a 15 minute walk along the coast path. A pleasant enough walk, but not so pleasant when the temperature hits 40C.

Famagusta is viewed from afar.

Famagusta is a ghost town. It has been left in a derelict state ever since the Turks invaded the island in 1974. An illegal invasion to which the rest of the world turns a blind eye.

Caves are viewed at Cape Greco. Napa King then drops anchor in Blue Lagoon for swimming.

The trips last two hours. Two sailings from Protaras Pier, one in the morning at 11am and one in the afternoon at 2pm. On Tuesday and Saturday evening there is a trip at 6pm to watch the sun setting, then as it turns dark, to view the stars.