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Any way, all was resolved. Rope anchoring is a risk due to the low angle the rope takes up, even with a "chub" weight to hold it down. This is the second "cut" we have suffered in two years. We are very much looking forward to leaving tomorrow; harbours rot ships and crews! Skiathos has been a great base port and we have made many friends.



Above are two very important men on Skiathos quay, Castos, on the left and Yannis on the right. Castos is diesel, Yannis the waterman. Not many boats can do without them! An extra crewmember flies in tomorrow at 06.30 from London via Athens. We will caste off straightaway and get into the cool winds of open water at last. Our destination is Poros/Porta Helli.

16.07.2001
At sea 5nm from Poros,Peloponnisos
37.32.067N 23.37.959 East
11.07 hrs
Temp 27.8C
Baro 1014
Wind W2

Our crew arrived at Skiathos on time and we put to sea at 08.00 hrs on the 15th July. We knew the wind could become up to force 7 from the north and possibly go NE preventing us from getting to Psara. This is what happened and so we decided to do a fast down wind run direct to Poros. At times we had gusts of up to 35 knts and large cross seas, but all the wind was from the stern. Tirla sped south at up to 11 knots under only genoa and main. When the wind became too much we dropped the main and ran on under reefed Genoa. This brought our speed down to 6 knts. By 04.00 hrs there was very little wind. We are again experiencing virtually no wind and are motoring in towards Poros, a very tired crew. During the night we were passed by a tug pulling a huge barge. In the darkness, for nearly 200 meters between them, was an unseen steel cable. If you did not understand ships navigation lights then night time is a potentially very dangerous time!