Stormy Weather

Serafina
Rob & Sarah Bell
Wed 20 May 2009 08:45
Monday 18th may
The forecast is for some pretty bad weather due here later today, lasting
several days, so we have elected to stay here as we have got a very well
protected spot in the unfinished marina.
Very hot though for most of the day and not a breath of wind, however a
steady stream of yachts has been arriving from far and wide looking for a
safe haven from the storm.

We had a wander around the town which is fairly big but not at all
attractive or particularly welcoming. Tracked down the Turkish Baths which
are supposed to be a feature here, but they were closed!

Around 6pm the wind gradually started to pickup and the clouds began to
darken, at which point we noticed that the freighters on the town quay all
started to leave and the bigger fishing boats started coming back in to
port. By 7pm an almighty electrical storm had started all around us, but
still at a distance, but this developed into a dramatic display in a full
360 degree circle around us. Soon the sky was blazing with multiple streaks
of forked lightening dancing horizontally as well as vertically in quite the
most spectacular display we have ever witnessed. Then the wind began to rise
and with it the rain arrived. We had decided that with the wind strength
that was forecast for tonight (only 25 knots) that we could leave the bimini
up to at least keep the rain off, but when the gauge showed 35 knots it was
too late to get it down and so we just tied it down as securely as possible!
The wind continued to rise to 40 knots and we were very pleased to be in
such a secure spot for the night.

Tuesday 19th May
All boats have chosen to stay on for a few days whilst this poor weather
passes through and to add to the air of despondency it has rained for most
of the day as well (depositing a very interesting yellow dye on the decks -
pollen or perhaps something more interesting?).

Took the opportunity to get to know some of our neighbours and so invited
Peter and Mary (Kiwi) and Phil and Karen (Aussie) over for drinks. Well
actually we said tea (it was 5pm) but they arrived with wine and beer which
was a much better idea. Managed to keep off the subject of rugby and the
world cup for nearly 3 minutes......but good time had by all which went on
longer than anyone had planned, plus la change! Peter and Mary had had a
rather more dramatic arrival here on Lesvos last Sunday as they had caught a
piece of very heavy rope round their prop whilst at the south of the island
which had stopped their engine stone dead. They had managed to sail part of
the way to Mitilini and then the wind had died so they tried pulling the
yacht with the dinghy and finally managed to hail a small motor boat that
was fishing and persuade him to pull them into the harbour. A bit of wind
got up as well so they used the genoa to help them along but then as they
made the entrance to the harbour, one of the very large ferries choose to
leave and they take no prisoners! Clearly they did not recognise the plight
of the yacht and steamed on assuming it would get out of the way and in the
end they missed each other by no more than 10 - 15 metres! Finally one of
the boats here in the marina who had witnessed this, shot out in a rib and
helped them in.

Promenading: A interesting feature of the long marina quay walls here is
that many locals use them as their exercise 'walk' route and so each night
lots of people can be found walking along to the end of each arm and back
again, repeatedly. Someone seems to have spread the suggestion that this
exercise will benefit them in some way and so some even brave the current
poor weather to make this trip. The thing is that whilst a few make this an
actual exercise event by striding out and making an effort, others simple
amble along to and fro, chatting and whatever. Four or more return trips
mean that this is not a social event but something more purposeful, but the
aim does seem a bit vague! Sunday was the busiest of course but then the
weather was also a good deal more welcoming.

Security: Something of an issue here as the marina is wide open and there
are beggars and gipsies living next to it. However the area is so open and
with crews always around it is felt that the threat is perhaps more imagined
than real, but just in case we have taken to locking Serafina up with the
extra padlock on the washboard in addition to the built in lock. This
explains how this afternoon, whilst locking the boat to walk into town, I
realised in one of those dreadful few seconds too late moments that I had
just snapped the padlock shut, but the key was inside the boat! Not a great
situation, but I was confident that we were not going to be the only boat
here with bolt croppers on board. The boat immediately in front (from
Nassau, Bahamas) has rod rigging, so they were likely to be a sound bet and
sure enough their skipper emerged with a very fancy hydraulic unit that cut
open the padlock like the proverbial hot knife through butter. No
self-respecting thief should be without one of these!