Porto Vecchio, Corsica. 23rd - 25th August 2015.

Tioram 4
Tina & Tony
Tue 25 Aug 2015 14:39

Hi all,

A beautiful morning in Ciprianu bay, Corsica after a great overnight at anchor.

Tony and I went for a swim in the supercalm water ...see photos below of Tony cleaning the hull underwater and checking prop etc........not all fun and snorkelling you know ....ha ha.

On the afternoon despite a westerly forecast, the wind increased and a strange southerly swell started pushing into the bay ( open to the south ).

We have learned that any strange swells pushing into a bay on shore often spells something coming in and so we lifted anchor to head out to see to sail to another safe anchorage.

By the time we had lifted and began heading out of the bay the swell had grown significantly as Tioram and her 54ft climbed over it like an Atlantic swell.

We looked behind watching it push into the bay hoping that other yachts would have the sense to leave to sea rather than to stay.

We continued into the Gulf of Porto Vecchio where we anchored for the night in still calm conditions.

We had notice a big barometer drop and the saying ' sailors beware' comes to mind when there is a significant drop. So with anchor alarm on we went to bed.

In the night the wind increased and with a 180' turn the alarm went off. We dragged a little in the weedy bottom, monitored it and reset. With no rain but lightening all around us and two other boats dragged but not a problem to us.

By 4 am back to bed but with very little sleep. The next morning at 8am we checked around us and at the same moment as the yacht which had previously dragged past down the side of us quite close phew.....missed.

A French guy from another yacht hurried over and woke up the skipper....still asleep... in the dragging yacht....who came on deck and started his engine...

Some friends of ours, also sailors, recently sent us a cartoon of a couple asleep in their bed at home in a house bedroom. The bedhead had two chains and ropes secured to it ending in two anchors firmly implanted into the carpet.   The quote from the wife , ' Can't sleep without two anchors out!! made me smile and a knowing look from any other sailor reading this.

Sailing is exhilarating, it can instil peace and calm on the ocean.....and in the bays.....tranquil nights at anchor where you can't believe you are afloat.......then the nights monitoring the anchor in high winds.......and the cartoon.

Love to all

T and T xxx

 

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