Wow! This rarely happen to us - sailing fast and in the right direction! The winds have been perfect. 15-20 knots on the beam and a little abaft of the beam. Necessity even hit 8 knots! (Her hull speed is 7.4).
Departed Ios under a bright blue sky with little wind. A very tricky passage through the Andiparos Channel (Stenon Andiparos) that separates Paros from Antiparos. Saw ten feet but with a bow watch and careful conning we slipped through and into Paroikia, Paros for a delicate Med Moor.
Next morning the crew was up early and we put to sea in less than 30 minutes. Sails set and we ripped to Kithnos. Got there in excellent time. Set our hook in Ormos Kolona, a nice sandy spit surrounded by high hills full of goats. Nice refreshing swim in 26 C water, meal on board followed by drinks in the cockpit under a full moon. Many smiling faces.
Up and at it early the next morning for another rippin' sail only this time through heavy freighter traffic. Some were up bound for Piraeus (the Port of Athens) with others were down bound for the Peloponnesus. One freighter bore down on us (he was not broadcasting on the AIS) at an uncomfortable distance and just then the winds picked up shooting us across his bow!
Entered the incredibly chaotic Port of Hydra on Hydra Island. Boats med moored 2-3 deep - never saw anything like this before. We nerved up and pushed Necessity deep into the mayhem. Awesome location to pull over at for a few days.
Now which house is Leonard Cohen's?