We stayed for a day's rest in Rocelle Jonica and to allow the waves to calm down in the entrance and to chill. There were several other yachts waiting to leave as well early the next morning.

As we left at 06.00 we kept dead centre in the channel as advised by the marina and saw 2.7m as the lowest in the channel and 2.5m as we turned at right angles just off the breakwater to miss the sandbank.

We had very light winds around 7 knots (Apparent) so that includes any wind we create moving along. As we crossed the Golf di Squillace (Bay of Squalls) we had some more swell but not like the last year where it was very up and down. At 14.55 the Italian Coastguard came over and shouted across "where from, where to and how many on board?" We answered his questions satisfactorily and off he sped with a big wave goodbye.

Having crossed the bay next up was to round the headland and pass through the marine reserve between Capo Rizzuto & Colonne. This year we made good way; last year we had a huge current and couldn't get around the headland to Crotone easily; it was like treacle and we passed the same group of wind turbines 5 times i.e. we were sailing backwards.

We emailed ahead to ask for a berth in Yacht Kroton Club. We were here last in 2016, as last year we moored up on a pontoon nearer the entrance. But with the high winds forecast we felt it would be better further in the harbour. We were shown into a space between two local Italians by the Marinero and given two good lazy lines. The Marinero recognised me and Njord but not Vic: he was very puzzled and once I gave him our last date from my records so he could find us on his computer he asked if I had changed my husband. The last time Jon our crewmate and I checked in.

We stayed two nights the most important being Sunday. For at least a week the forecast has shown very strong winds and we are still in an area of low pressure.

This screen shot shows the weather; the more purple, the stronger the winds on this particular programme. But it does make a pretty pattern !

We saw 37 knots of wind as the highest and had a funny moment when the Italian boat to our starboard side arrived in full wet weather gear thinking of going out. The Italians on our port side popped their heads out of the cockpit and an exchange of "you must be off your rocker" with hand signals to match went back and forth like a ping pong ball over our heads. The sensible Italians won and the others retreated back to their car.