Thanks JHP. You hit the date right on the button. I've been busier than ever since I retired, so I hadn't checked the forum for several days.
No need to convince me of a crewed sail! My wife isn't quite as enamored of sailboats as I am. Sooner or later, I think she'll be willing, maybe for just a few days, but that would be a start.
We went to Biras in 1990 and I'm not sure how old it was then, but the thought of it empty or abandoned is really a weird thought. Was Bitter End there?