Storm in Pedi
Vasco da Gama
Ian Strathcarron
Fri 19 Aug 2011 08:26
|
We have sailed into the sanctuary of a large marina
outside Kos town as two days of gales are predicted. The wind is
currrently blowing at 20 miles but it is refreshing as we are
safely tied up and as the sun is still very hot in the day, the wind acts
as a giant air conditioner.
The strong north westerly wind, the Meltemi, blows
every day in the Agean from July until October, but we have found it to be most
active in the afternoons, so by setting off at first light, we can
usually arrive safely at a destination in a northwesterly direction by
noon.
The last big gale struck while we were in Pedi
port, a bus ride over the mountain away from the main town and port on the
Greek island of Symi. Symi is actually a large rock a few miles off
the Turkish coast, and we were warned that anchoring was quite difficult.
Our anchor dragged at the first attempt but a space became available on the town
quay, and we just had enough space to tie up there. Later in the day,
the boats tied up on the other side of the quay were told to move as a water
tanker was coming in. The tanker arrives twice a week from Rhodes to bring
fresh water to the island. They were kind enough to fill our tanks up
as well.
As the evening approached, and the wind
howled, we noticed that several yachts, including the ones who had been on
the quay, were motoring around the bay, trying to anchor. The tanker left
and the first boat to return was a German yacht called Manana. Ian
helped the nice German skipper tie up, but soon other boats started arriving as
everyone's anchor was dragging in the gale. We had gone to bed, but it was
going to be a sleepless night, as one by one, the casualties appeared and Ian
led the rescue efforts to bring the boats to safety. Ian and the
captain of Manana helped in Escape Key from the USA. Then a very elegant
Italian couple on a small elegant boat, unfortunately called Wally II, who had
been careering around the bay for hours, approached the quay, backwards,
and Ian and the German from Manana, and Fred from Escape Key, battled against
the wind to get Wally II tied up. At 2.30 in the morning, what Ian
called 'the battlefield' was in full swing. Ginny, an English yacht, lost
its anchor and the rescue crew, now comprising Ian, the German captain, Fred and
the captain of Wally, managed to rescue Ginny and pull her in alongside Escape
Key.
I stood on our deck, trying to look helpful, but
not feeling strong enough to do anything useful. Next to arrive was
Mariella of Nice, with a couple and their daughter and a Griffon dog on
board. They were tied onto the end of the pontoon by the ever-growing
rescue team. A poor chap on a French boat, Hector, was unable to make
contact and his wife was dropped ashore by a man in a
RIB and Hector sailed around aimlessly. Next came two Englishmen
on Carib who were tied up alongside Manana. We got very little sleep
and the next day the pontoon was thick with yachts and there was a party
atmosphere, as everybody sat together on the yachts, swaying in the rough
sea and drinking beer. Ian was thanked by everybody, as he had helped
all night, and brought six yachts to safety.
We also helped in a group of Austrians on a
charter boat the next day, and just after Ian and I had retired to bed for
the night, a strong light flashed in our cabin and we heard a whistle
sounding an alarm. A German family were adrift, and again Ian jumped out
of bed and brought in the boat with the help of the crew from Manana and Carib.
Two mornings later the sea was quiet and calm
and we sailed back towards Turkey.
|