Graptolite - On the Rocks
Graptolite's Sailing Log
Martyn Pickup & Heike Richter
Tue 20 May 2008 20:12
Did I say I was smug about being on a BBYC mooring buoy? Big mistake.
The wind blew up as expected during the early hours of Monday. A radio call
from 'Northern Sky' said they had dragged their anchor and were bouncing on
the reef. Heike and I took them our long line in the dingy and Colin hauled
them back afloat on Grapto's winch. 'Northern Sky' then rafted up alongside
Grapto sharing our buoy. So far so good. It's all very exciting when it's
somebody else's boat with problems. No worries, I'll be waiving salvage
rights this time Gerry.
A couple of hours later the rusty mooring buoy chain gave way and both
yachts, now lashed together, slowly waltzed towards certain destruction on
same reef. Fortunately Colin is a light sleeper. Engines were fired up and
our makeshift Polynesian double-hulled canoe escaped seawards.
After some fuelling and provisioning in Vaitape we anchored again off Bloody
Mary's restaurant and did some more snorkelling. I took a speargun but
didn't catch anything although I would like to think some fish were badly
frightened.
Dinner was had in Bloody Mary's. They do a drink of the same name with
tomato juice and vodka which I'm sure is just a coincidence.
M