David's Diary: Monday, June 9, 2003

Russian Bay, Poros to Livadi, Serifos

Today is a big passage day -- around seventy nautical miles. Karalee and I are up before daybreak to get dressed and prepare Dragonsinger. As the sun rises in the sky we pull up the anchor and motor out of Russian Bay.

Poros Town

In about twenty minutes we are passing Poros Town. Only a narrow body of water separates Poros from the Peloponnese and we watch as ferries go back and forth between the two. In the gathering light we have a good view of the town. We have to keep close to the moored boats to avoid the shallow spots in the channel. Soon we are past Poros town and heading out towards the Cyclades.

Livadi, Serifos, Greece

As we head east the wind picks up. About half-way through our passage the wind has risen to over fifteen knots and we are sailing with only the genoa out. As we round the southern part of Serifos the wind increases to over twenty-five knots. The gusts are severe and Dragonsinger heels as each of them meets us. We finally start heading into Livadi where the wind is still blowing around fifteen knots with five knot gusts. We lower the anchor and I get in the dinghy to stick my head in the water and visually check the anchor. The children find this hilarious as my bum sticks up in the air as my head is underwater. The anchor is set, but Dragonsinger still yaws back and forth in the wind. We have arrived in the Cyclades and the Meltemi wind is blowing just as Ron Heikell's Pilot Guide has warned us it will.