 The smaller ships remained at the mouth of the straits while the battleships sailed north, remaining near to the coast.The Greek flotilla, which included the armored cruiser "Georgios Averof" and "Psara" and her sisters, had been sailing from the island of Imbros to the patrol line outside the straits.When the Ottomans were sighted, the Greeks altered course to the northeast in order to block the advance of their opponents.