Royal Air Force Yacht Club

There is a small island of the Dodecanese named Tilos and it lies 34nm WSW of Rhodes. Beautiful bays nestling at the feet of majestic cliffs can be found for those seeking shelter. The main harbour is Livadia and for six months of the year two Port Officers, Barbara and Ian Dunsire preside. To the north, Turkey looms and 60nm NE you will find Marmaris, current winter home of the RAFYC Mediterranean Division.

In early October Tilos was invaded, not this time by the sea-borne armed forces of Italy, or Germany, or Turkey, Phoenicia, Greece, Cyprus or even Attila the Hun, but by the combined services of the Riverside House Fleet.

As we drove down the winding steep slope to Livadia we could see our ensigns fluttering above Nina (Adrian & Tina Boyd), alongside Mora (Tony and Judith Hall) and Amethyst (Geoff and Trish Hodson, Sally and Clive Roberts). They had all checked out of Turkish waters at the island of Symi and were now persona grata with ‘Eddy', the Greek Lady Harbour Mistress. (Port Officers tip.... Don't mess with Greek lady harbour mistresses)

After a hard windward passage with nearly 30k over the deck, they were safely rafted up awaiting our arrival and the hidden delights of our tiny island.

After a lot of catching up, punctuated with plenty of pre-prandials, we adjourned for Dinner! Ian and Barbara whose knowledge and hospitality on Tilos are in the legend class, had booked a table for twelve alongside the sea in a beach taverna. Roughly seventy-two lamb chops later (six to a plate!) we declared the opening night of the first club rally to Tilos, a noisy success.

 The next day the sailors took the island's bus from Livadia to its only destination. The other village is called Megalo Chorio (49 houses, two churches, one taverna) and is the home of the Port Officers. It adheres miraculously to an almost vertical rock face. After a serious quenching session at the taverna run by Dina (Yes! Tilos has one too), the party went on an illustrated flora and fauna hike up the mountain led by the Club Guide. They took in the spectacular sky- high castle where the locals used to hurry aloft, when passing pirates appeared. They saw the very rare Bonelli's eagles and Eleonora's falcons plus ravens, wild cats, swallowtails and goat after goat.

Later as the sun set over the backdrop of the castle, Ian provided a master class with his barbeque on the roof terrace. We were surrounded by a silent audience of darkening golden mountains. The setting was just magic.

The following evening we all met for a farewell drink on Nina and Mora. The water was crystal, stars crept out, a soft zephyr cooled. We were at peace, twelve souls, a tribe in a foreign land, gathered and bonded together by the RAFYC.

 Our next meeting will be slightly different, it will be Christmas in Riverside House.

John Chitson

(Ian and Barbara live on Tilos in the spring and autumn, they welcome all RAFYC members who are sailing in the area.

(Contact them via the members handbook)