QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA—
Since its release in November 2024, Australian author Shelley Dark’s debut travel memoir about her transformative solo journey to a storied Greek island, called Hydra in Winter: An Island Escape in Search of a Greek Pirate, held the #1 spot in at least one Amazon Australia category, and sometimes all—Travel Writing, Humour Essays, Solo Travel, or Travel Tips—from December 2024 through March 2025. It was also nominated as a Notable Book for 2025 by one of Australia’s top literary critics, Samuel Bernard, in Australia’s national newspaper, The Weekend Australian.
When Dark learns that her husband is related to an infamous Greek pirate, she sets out on a mission to uncover the past. In 1829, her husband’s great-great-grandfather, Ghikas Voulgaris, was one of only seven Greek pirates who narrowly escaped the gallows to become one of Australia’s first Greek convicts, and the only one to leave descendants. While Hydra in Winter is a light-hearted travel memoir, it also uncovers a little-known chapter of early Greek – Australian migration and highlights the tiny island of Hydra’s pivotal naval role in the War of Independence.
While Dark is drawn by Hydra’s reputation as an enclave for literary figures including Leonard Cohen, George Johnston, and Charmian Clift, she is more intrigued by this much older history. Armed with an insatiable curiosity, Daniel Klein’s Travels with Epicurus in her bag—and with a tight two-week deadline—she arrives focused and determined.
But Hydra has other ideas. Right from day one, the island works its magic.
In this effervescent and whimsical diary-style memoir, the author documents her progress, weaving together beautiful descriptions of the island and its people, thought-provoking reflections on aging, self-discovery, and a growing passion for writing. It’s filled with amusing observations, warm encounters with the locals, and the heady joy of finding a new interest.
As Dark tries to uncover the truth about the pirate’s family—her in-laws—by researching the powerful ship owning family of that name, and as she discovers more of island’s history and unique architecture, her playful narration brings readers along for the ride, sharing laugh-out-loud moments while encouraging them to reflect on life’s bigger questions.
“What struck me most about Hydra? It’s not just the stunning setting—that’s a given. It’s the way the island sidesteps all the pressures of modern life,” Dark said. “There are no cars—just donkeys dozing along the deserted quay or plodding up cobblestone steps past whitewashed buildings. Even in winter, the bougainvillea refuses to give up. The hills turn green with winter rain, and in the tourist off-season, the locals greet you as if you’ve just been away for the weekend. No one understands the word ‘hurry’. Hydra in winter doesn’t just slow you down. It makes you re-evaluate your pace entirely.”
Her search for answers leads her not only to the island’s archives where the helpful staff temper her urgency, but also on breathtaking hikes over hills and along quiet trails with views of the glittering Argolic Gulf. She delights in her apartment, situated right on the port inside a shipowner’s mansion—built by the pirate’s family—and in the local cuisine, delicious Greek wine, and fresh seafood. What begins as a frantic search for answers morphs into something much richer: a deep connection to the island, its people, and its history.
Since her island visit, her travel diary has taken on a life of its own. Hydra in Winter: An Island Escape in Search of a Greek Pirate is a little jewel of a book—light, funny, and heartwarming. It whisks readers away to the Greek islands while quietly inviting them to reflect on what truly matters in the rush of modern life. Perfectly sized for an afternoon escape or a long-haul flight, it will appeal to history buffs, travel lovers, procrastinating novelists, and anyone dreaming of Greece.
“Reading Hydra in Winter is like drinking a bottomless glass of champagne—bubbly, refreshing, and bound to make you laugh,” said Kyra Geddes, author of The Story Thief.
Recently, in Neos Kosmos, Dean Kalimniou, a noted Greek-Australian writer and poet, called it “a real page turner” and “a singularly unique and endearing book”.
Hydra’s charm so inspired Dark that she decided to write a historical novel based on Ghikas Voulgaris’ extraordinary life. Son of Hydra, is expected later this year, followed by the story of the pirate’s Irish wife, Mary, and further travel memoirs.
Now a full-time writer, Dark has honed her craft with courses at the Queensland Writers Centre, Australian Writers Centre, Macquarie University, and the Sydney Writers Studio. She is an active member of the Sunshine Coast Creative Writing Institute (WRITE ON THE COAST), a not-for-profit set up to foster creative writing, and a member of the ALL WRITE CLUB, a dynamic group of sixteen writers based in all states of Australia. She and her husband, former cattle farmers from Queensland’s Granite Belt, now live in the paradise of the Sunshine Coast.
Hydra in Winter (Shelley Dark Publications, 2024) is available on all platforms. Find it in Greece at the Hydra Historical Museum Archive.
