'Through the fairlead!'- Drama at Sea
Vasco da Gama
Ian Strathcarron
Sat 27 Aug 2011 12:38
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We are bobbing up and down on a quiet sea in a
beautiful empty bay in the north of Leros Island - waiting to be hauled
out! Our drama started yesterday morning as we were motor sailing out of
Pendeli Bay in the direction of Samos, when the engine conked out. Both
sails were up, there was a fair amount of wind, but the engine screeched to a
halt. I thought we should perhaps return to the safety of Pendeli Harbour
and find a mechanic, but Ian thought the best option would be to sail to the
north of the island, where there was a boatyard. For a few hours an
intermittent wind and Ian's sailing skill carried us on several tacks
towards our goal, about 20 miles distant by sea.
We negotiated successfully a channel through
various small rocks and islands, but when we were only one headland away from
the yard, the wind dropped altogether and we were becalmed, with the danger of
being washed towards the shore. Ian tried to call the boatyard, only to
get an ansafone message in Greek. At that moment a RIB appeared, zooming
in our direction. Ian waved to the driver who rode towards us and slowed
down. He spoke no English and as we have only two words of Greek, Ian
waved a rope, indicating he would like to be towed to the yard. The man
shook his head and looked doubtful, so Ian said, pointing at me 'can you take
her to the yard please to get help' and I prepared to jump in the
RIB. Should I take anything, I thought. I was aware of looking very
wild and woolly, after hours of sun and wind at sea, but with very little time
to decide, I just grabbed my sun hat and jumped into the boat.
The man obviously loved to drive fast and I clung to my hat with one hand, and
the side of the boat with the other, and wedged myself in with my feet until we
reached the quay in front of the yard. I thanked him
enthusiastically with my two words of Greek sasaferisto (thank you) and
yassas (hello/goodbye).
In the boatyard office all was calm and air
conditioned and everyone spoke English. I explained our plight and showed
our position on Google Earth. A man was sent for who drove a motorboat,
but he explained (in Greek, which was translated) that his outboard motor
wasn't working, but he could look for a fisherman friend who might take
me. I followed him and his mate through the yard into a little red car
which was parked under a catamaran, and we sped around looking for a fisherman
in a boat. The Greek fishing boats are quite small and charming, painted
white and pale blue and decorated with coloured stripes and usually a
crucifix. We found a handsome young fisherman who was mending
his nets, and he agreed to take me to rescue the boat. Once on
board I sat on the deck, but he beckoned me in to sit on a stool,
covered with a cushion, in the wheel house, The wheel house had carpets on
the floor, a small television and a GPS plotter which looked for shoals of
fish. His tobacco, papers and lighter were there (everyone in Greece
smokes constantly) and piles of clothes. As we chugged through a fish farm
he pointed to the round pens and said 'fish'. I replied 'sea
bass?' but he just looked puzzled, so I drew a fish outline with both hands
in the air, and he nodded and we both felt very happy with the
conversation.
Soon Vasco came into view. Ian had let down
the sails and dropped the anchor. He saw us coming and offered to throw a
line, but the fisherman threw one to him, and Ian wrapped it
around the mast at the front of the boat. Then Ian raised the anchor and
the fisherman skilfully towed him through the waves. This is where I
noticed that the fisherman's line was getting caught around the anchor, and I
had the pleasure of calling out 'through the fairlead' which is a
line I have heard so often when I've been tying ropes at either
extremity of the boat, and is a way of keeping the lines free of
obstructions.
It was very exciting travelling in the fishing
boat. The radio was playing 'Zorba the Greek' type music and sky and sea
looked blue and brilliant. I was also very relieved. The
fisherman helped us tie onto a mooring bouy, which is where we are now and
where we have spent the night. We both thanked the fisherman
profusely, sasaferisto and yassas we both said many times, and I gave
him a 50 Euro note with which he seemed very happy.
Let's hope the problem is not too serious or
expensive........
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