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Published: June 30th 2008
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Today has been an interesting day. We checked out this morning at the Coast Guard station, Randi Jo and I went with because we hadn’t seen that side of the harbor yet.
Then the craziness began. I will try and give the short version.
When we got back to the boat, Lois said we should wait a little while because the winds were too strong. We waited, and actually thought we were going to have to wait until the next morning because the wind was so bad. However, the craziness got even crazier.
We all took a nap in the afternoon, and Lois woke up first. She went out on deck to discover that the winds had shifted from north to south and we were blowing right into a red mono hull. Everyone was running around trying to get fenders to put between our boat and the red one, trying to move away and untangle ourselves from their mooring.
Our anchor had come loose with the change in winds so Gunter just decided, the heck with it, we are leaving now!
What we didn’t expect was the problems with the anchor. Gunter had to pull the
anchor up by hand because the pully system was broken, Randi Jo helped him while I gave Lois directions as to our positioning. After a little while we saw something in the water, it was an anchor, but not ours, it was an old rusty, ancient looking anchor that had entangled itself in our anchor chain.
Two Frenchmen from a neighboring boat saw we were having a difficult time and came over in a dingy to assist us. One of them had on scuba gear and dove into the water and untangled the anchor with some maneuvering of the boat and ropes from us on deck. He finally got the anchor off our chain, but another 7 feet down was another old anchor stuck in the same way. It was a little frustrating to say the least. He untangled the second anchor and used a knife to cut away some rope that was also wrapped around our chain. I am so thankful the Frenchmen came, because diving was supposed to be my job because Gunter hurt his arm and I am the only other one with a little experience. I don’t know how successful I would have been freeing
two anchors and some rope and am so happy he had to do it not me. Thank you Lord for the French diver!!!!!
After what seemed like ages of struggling, we finally got OUR anchor up and were able to leave Port Rafti, the anchor graveyard behind us. The wind was still strong, but we wanted out of that port.
Our first experience sailing…….
I was feeling a bit queasy, not too bad, it helped to sit at the port helm and look at the horizon, (Gunters advice). Randi Jo got the full blown sea sickness, and was out of commission until we docked in the Lavrion harbor. We made it in one piece to Lavrion, side tied to the dock, and felt like we could finally relax.
We went to dinner at a cute little family owned restaurant, and had Greek salad, fresh calamari, with a nice white wine. I don’t usually eat things with tentacles, but I must say it was pretty tasty.
After experiencing all these crazy winds we all have a new and deep appreciation for Mediterranean sailors, especially those in ancient times. I always wondered why Odysseus got so lost
and went so off course, but now it makes more sense.
“A towering thunderhead mounted over our small
ship….
All of a sudden killer squalls attacked us, screaming
out of the west,
and a murderous blast toppled the mast backward.
The mast went crashing into the stern,
It struck the helmsman’s head and crushed his skull to
Pulp….
Round the ship spun,
Reeling under the impact of thunder and lightening…
my shipmates itching out of her-
and the gods cut short their journey home.
But I went lurching along our battered hulk until…
I lashed the mast and keel together, made them one,
riding my makeshift raft
as the wretched galewinds bore me on and on.
The Odyssey (XII, 437-459)
Now, we didn’t experience towering thunderheads or killer squalls, but I think you get my meaning. Props to the sailors of old, who sailed the Med, without motors or navigation systems!
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