The forecast was good for an early departure from Syracuse. We had been there far too long due to the weather and knew that with a good forecast everywhere new people would inevitably arrive that we knew and we would be delayed further.

By now the anchorage was as full as it had ever been with 21 boats, a third of which were mostly American flagged and catamarans, very unusual. We joked that there were trying to create a new state in Syracuse!

As the sun was setting and we were getting the boat ready for the o'dark thirty departure, yet another American catamaran arrived and anchored close to us. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be friends Judi & Dan with their boat Koa who we had met in southern Sardinia the year before last and who we had last seen in Malta over a year ago. How could we leave without seeing them? We couldn't and decided to stay for one more day.

We were very happy to have had the chance to see our friends again and caught up on what we had all been up to over a delicious lunch overlooking the anchorage. Thank you Judi and Dan for turning up when you did.