TRIALS IN THE AZORES
PINBALL WIZARD
Nigel North
Thu 24 Jul 2025 02:01
Horta is a very popular stopping off point for those crossing the Atlantic, being about a third of the way across, so is busy. Very busy. Boats are often rafted up together three deep, and the marina is nearly full permanently. So I anchored out in the anchorage, and quickly found just how poor the holding is, being lava. After a couple of tries I got the anchor to hold. But things were going to go downhill very soon. A week after arrival, a big 50’ unmanned yacht anchored in front of Pinball dragged its anchor and collided with Pinball, whilst I tried to hold it off and get my own anchor up again at the same time. Finally freed I re-anchored much further up the field, but immediately started dragging myself, and nearly hit the boat behind. This is when you NEED crew, one on the engine, one up on the bow raising the anchor. I gestured to an onlooker who kindly came over to assist, and he took the engine off me. Back on the bow and I discovered my own anchor had picked up another anchor chain off the bottom, a very heavy chain, too heavy to just lift off. Just then another guy arrived in his dinghy and took charge of the chain removal, finally we were free.
Next day I had the pleasure of receiving the skipper of the boat that had dragged into ME, shouting at me that it was all my fault. He filed a complaint with the Marine Police, all lies, and so it went on.
Horta was to prove such a memorable stop.