en_tn/act/27/12.md

harbor was not easy to spend the winter in

You can make explicit why it was not easy to stay in the harbor. AT: "harbor did not sufficiently protect docked ships during winter storms" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)

harbor

a place near land that is usually safe for ships

city of Phoenix

Phoenix is a city port on the south coast of Crete. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names)

to spend the winter there

This speaks about the season of winter as if it were a commodity that someone can spend. AT: "to stay there for the cold season" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)

it faces northeast and southeast

Here "faces northeast and southeast" means the opening of the harbor was toward those directions. AT: "it opened to the northeast and southeast"

northeast and southeast

These directions are based on the rising and setting sun. Northeast is a little to the left of the rising sun. Southeast is a little to the right of the rising sun. Some versions say "northwest and southwest."