Monday, June 05, 2006
Greetings from Tapestry,
We stayed four days at Roccella Ionica at the free marina, which we learned was
actually called Della Gratzia. Rain and squalls rolled over the mountains
behind us all four days, accompanied by occasional lightning and thunder. We
engaged ourselves in projects to keep busy, sealing teak, cleaning bilges and
mending pumps. It was time well spent. Occasionally boats would leave, but
generally they would return once they got out into the fierce winds and waves of
the Med. We were happy we hung tight.
This morning the barometer was back up and though there were still dark
clouds over the mountains, the winds had subsided. At six we cast off and
motored out of the harbor into reasonably calm seas. We are currently crossing
"The Gulf of Squalls" en route to Levkas, where we will enter Greece.
We are motor sailing in about ten knots of wind. We hope to make landfall by
tomorrow night before dark. In order to do that, we will have to maintain an
average of over five knots. It seems we have an opposing current, so we have a
long challenging sail ahead of us.
We are currently sailing a little north of east. It is cool and sunny and
seas are small. It is a delightful sail. We have a two day window, then
another low pressure with its accompanying fronts will descend. We hope to be
safely moored in Greece by then.
Currently, we are in the Ionian Sea. Something I learned that surprised me is
that the seven seas are all in the Mediterranean. They are the Ligurian, the
Tyrrhenian, the Ionian, the Adriatic, the Aegean, the Sea of Crete, and the Sea
of Marmara. So, that's a little trivia for today. All the best, Hank and
Julie