Monday June 13, 2016

Photo: Empty shells of buildings on the western side of Kea. We see lots of buildings like this – concrete construction of just a frame. Some are right next to completed exquisite home sites.

The weather forecast was for 7 knots of wind at 0900 increasing to 13 knots at 1200, 23 at 1500 and 25.8 at 1800. We wanted to leave early and get to our next secure harbor so we departed at 0850. Ann, without any help, untied the shorelines and rowed back to Canty as Paul was hauling up the anchor. He had fixed the clutch/throttle so we can “drive” again. I was at the helm.

We head out of the harbor and head north around the point. We put a reef in the main and sail between Kithnos and Kea. Seas become heavier as we round the point at Ak Tamelos on the SW tip of Kea. We ease sails as we come off the wind and then roll up the jib and shake out the reef. We were each “competing” for the fastest speed while at the helm. I was 8.5 knots, then Ann hit 9 knots but Paul won at 11.3 knots. Max wind was 35.2 knots for the 24-mile trip.

At 1215 we come into a large bay called Limin Ay Nikolaou and nose into Ormos Livadhi but decide to go to Ormos Vourkari. We anchored in 9 meters but the anchor didn’t hold for more than a couple of hours so we moved to the wharf where about a dozen other boats are tied up and look comfortable. This was much better but there was still a good bit of sailing around with the boats on both sides moving side to side in the wind – 20-25 knots.

Gradually the wind dies. We had dinner aboard. Paul went to bed early, Ann read and I am working on this blog – listening to loud music ashore. Lyrics are all in English but it isn’t my taste in music. YMCA!! Rap!!

Of significance as the day ends is the rain. It is just spits of rain initially and then it stops and starts again each time a bit heavier and a bit ago we had thunder and lightening! Forecast is for 0.1mm/hr after midnight. We are getting it.