Winds in the Mediterranean are given different names depending on the direction and season that they blow. The Meltemi is the name of the Summer & early Fall wind which blows from the NNE in the Central Aegean. We've been hunkered down for the past several days waiting for it to blow out and it looks like today will be the final, yet strongest day. We should be moving along again tomorrow...

We're anchored and swinging around now at Neorion Bay, just east of Russian Bay where we've been tied stern-to for the past several days. I was down below earlier this morning when our neighbors on Blue Dreams hollered to say that one of our two stern lines ... the one with the chain looped around a rock on shore... had somehow broken loose. Within seconds we were nudging against their boat, with their dingy and boarding ladder caught between us. Chris and Ty were on deck quickly and cast off the two stern lines while I started the engine and powered away from Blue Dreams. With gusty winds forecasted for the remainder of the day, I decided not to re-occupy our spot. It was perfect when we first arrived, but then others came in on both sides of us and it became a bit crowded. So after a quick radio chat with the skipper of Blue Dreams to confirm that his boat wasn't damaged, we moved Interlude to the center of Neorion Bay next door.

We've spent the afternoon on Meltemi Watch. The winds are blowing 15-20 but the gusts are considerably stronger. Chris had her hat blown off her head while down INSIDE the galley from one gust. There have been several times where the wind blew strong enough to create clouds of spray on the surface of the water. Boats are swinging in circles and bobbing to and fro like plastic toys in a bathtub. There is a fire on the other side of the hills to the South of us with airplanes dropping water to douse it. Watching all of this action and remaining alert to the situation around us has provided afternoon entertainment and kept us plenty occupied.

We're hoping the winds will subside enough so we can go ashore tonight for dinner. Then tomorrow we'll head south to Hydra ... an island we've been reading a lot about and are anxious to visit. I'll try to post another update once we get settled in there late tomorrow.