Communique

s/v Emma.

D ATE : 23.08.10
T IME : 19:16:03
L OCATION : 37 290 5600 N
◦

23◦ 270 900 E

W EATHER : Sunny
W IND S PEED : 34.0 knots
WAVE H EIGHT: 2.0 m
V ISIBILITY: 8.0 NM

The Islands of Greece

Islands of Greece are

Green and Beautiful,
Green and Beautiful,
Where olive trees grow,
On the slopes below...

So sang Gregory Peck, David Niven and James Robertson-Justice in Mr.

Peck’s second greatest movie. I’ve got to say they’re right. Although
it’s quite warm.

So after a bad start to the day we got some info from a tanker putting
the wind speed in the Saronic Gulf in the manageable force 5’s - that
just left the 25 min dash into the Saronic. By 1.30 the wind was
dropping and we went for it. I had the entire crew in lifejackets and
harnesses, strapped into the cockpit as we left. Even if one of the
crew did leave the mooring warp behind.

Luckilly I went out sailing, the boats under motor looked like they
were submarines and rocking like anything.

25 mins of hardcore high wind sailing later and we turned the corner
at the southern most tip of Greece and started broad reaching down to
the island of Poros.

The islands of Leros and Kheros (or Navarone as it’s better known)
were sighted to starboard. 5 hours later and we’re rafted up in Poros
town. Only problem encountered - every time I enter the 40 degree
cabin to navigate I sweat off sunblock, and immediately burn. Bimini
on tomorrow I think.

Plus because there are 2 young families on the raft, we’ve banned
music after 10. May get more than 3 hours kip - result.