Day 1 from January 31st 09.00 to February 1st 09.00
January 31st, 2017
The first day of our passage was busy and exiting, as expected. We started the preparations at 5am, testing the iridium sat phone, cooking the first day’s meal potatoes with mustard, lemon and rosemary, deflating the zodiac and putting it in the storage. Most importantly, we reassembled the parts of the Hydrovane and today, we’ll try it for the first time. The Hydrovane – “the car” as Yorgos calls it because of it’s price, is our new auto pilot powered by the wind, alternative to our Raytheon mechanic auto pilot with the nickname Otto, who’s hungry for electricity.
The weather forecast predicts 15-20 kts of wind, rain and clouds for today and it all started early with a strong squall before our departure just to add to our delayed schedule
09.30 We weigh the anchor and blow our horn as a farewell to lovely Saint Barth and our friends. The wind is from 150 degrees and we hoist only the genoa. Yorgos tests the Hydrovane a few times until he gets the grip of it and after a short while – he’s So Fast!- the pretty red vane cover starts swinging and turning, steering Filizi laboriously. What an amazing invention this is!
The waves are growing bigger as we sail towards Saba but all bight the forecast, the sun is bright, the sky is blue except for few fluffy white clouds. Dozens of flying fish jump like silver darts above the waves. A typical day in the Caribbean sea.
11.30 I’m repairing the torn hutch cover for the fore cabin with UV resistant thread. -” There’s a leak in the hatch and we may have water on our bed.” Yorgos says and I have a Magyver’s idea and attach a plastic vinyl inside the cover (Magyver was a TV series, with a guy who could improvise solutions and tricks from …scratch. A hero of my youth!!). After I use the same vinyl at another leaking window. Oh how much I hope it works!! After that, we put protective rubber tubes on the lifelines on the spot where they touch with the genoa sheets and doing that we can call it a day. I prepare a big salad to accompany the main course. We have lunch when we reach close to Saba, marveling at this steep- sloped volcanic island, the tip of which is always hidden in a cloud.

19.00 After sunset the squalls began as clouds loaded with wind and rain filled the sky. Our speed went up to 8,5 kts at some point and we had to reef, the rain was torrential and we put on our oilskins and so I forgot to check if my Magaiver trick on the hatch worked. But it will rain again that is a certainty in the tropics.
February 1st
00.00 I’m doing my shift wearing my oils, still kind of wet. Yorgos is sleeping here at the cockpit, waking up every 15 minutes asking me how I’m doing. The swell is terrible and the movement so horrendous, I constantly have to  hold tight or I my fall.  But we practiced with the swell  being anchored at Gustavia’s anchorage…
I’m tired and my eyes are heavy. Funny! We spend half the time trying to stay awake and the other half trying to fall asleep. The lemon slice shaped moon set early tonight and now the sky is lit by myriads of stars. Towards the east, the light of Jupiter draws a silver line on the black velvet surface of the sea.
03.00 The waves are big, really big and as they brake  I feel the fresh spray on my face. They follow Filizi like chasing her, coming close one by one, big, playful, yet kind of frightening, until she heels gracefully and they dive under her keel. The bubbles of the breaking waves fly all around, rich with zooplankton, they sparkle like diamonds.
I turn to see the stern and I’m once more startled by the fluorescent “balls” of water, a luminous water highway as Filizi passes by. I breath deep feeling thankful.
The depth indicator starts moving: 6,5m … 6,0 m … 5,0 m…
– “Who are you?” I ask out loud. A fish must be under our keel. Maybe a pod of fish who knows? In the dark, solitary journey it’s nice to have someone to talk to…
04.00 Wind from 170 degrees, wind speed 27kts Waves 2-2.5 m
The night passes like being in an amusement park with BIG staccato waves and violent motion. Back from the stern, the liquid mountains approach and then disappear under our keel and we wonder if they would ever get into Filizi.
Yiorgos wakes and starts his shift.
-“A bird!” he cries suddenly. In the dark of the night, a bird flies over us and  lands on the boom. The bird seems to be resting  and we observe trying no  to scare it.
We sleep in  shifts. My fatigue is so intense by now that the second I rest my head on the pillow, I fall asleep immediately. After all it is natural as it takes a great physical effort just to stand upright because of the swell..
06.00  Sea spray on my face  and I’m awaked

-” Sorry darling. It was a strange wave” Yorgos apologises.
I start my shift, my favourite sunrise shift and he goes to rest at the aft cabin . When the sun is up, the light is amazing, a blues blue sky and a bright blue sea, such as seen through polarised lenses. The sky is clear, reminiscent of our Aegean Sea in the summer.
08.00 Filizi wiggles  right- left with an indescribable situation body -type suction cup onto the Fridge prepares breakfast, FAGE greek yogurt !! with juicy mango, almonds and honey from Hania.
I write (day1) and send the text with the iridiumGo sat phone to Stamatis , the blog and web designer who  made our blog, asking to publish it.