Basil Yes Dear.
12 August 2017
9th August 2017 Russian Bay
Today we left Poros town quay and explored the nearby anchorage options. strong wind warnings were in place so we needed somewhere to protect us from the North. Love Bay looked very nice with its blue parasols reflecting in the blue water but there was very little space for the boat to swing on anchor so we headed around the corner to Russian Bay which offered us a few options. We dropped the anchor in the middle of one of the bays below a lovely house with its steps coming down to the sea and a little sitting area. We were settled for the three days of winds or so we thought. As the sun began to set behind the hills the swarm of charter boats made their approach to take over the bay and disrupt our peace. One by one they dropped their anchors and reversed to the rocks before tying lines off to them. They were all very keen to be next to each other resulting the row of boats extending now into what had been our swinging area and not far off our anchor. Mike was becoming twitchy due to the potential for damage if we did swing onto them, the solution was straight forward we let another length of chain out allowing us to drop back and attach a stern line to a rock behind us.
As Mike climbed out the water with his mask and snorkel he declared "That's it, I'm happy now" , PLOP, as his snorkel dropped into the water in slow motion, like one of those Peter Kay moments. Knowing he could not grab it he also jumped as if in slow motion to catch it. Before he could enter the water the wind blew the paddle board across the stern of the boat on its line. As Mike resurfaced it was apparent he had caught his face on the line as he had entered the water, with blood trickling down from the cut which extended from his cheek across his nose and up over the eyebrow on the other side. Now I know I quite like the Captain Jack Sparrow/ Johnny Depp look but I really didn't expect him to replicate it for me. My little Captain Sparrow was not amused. This felt like it was now proceeding into an episode of Faulty Towers, Mike impersonating Basil Faulty, almost jumping up and down banging the snorkel on the boat step, breaking fragments off it to the point it wasn't worth the effort of having plucked it from the sea. I didn't feel it would go down well if I turned into Sybil, "now then Basil, I don't think that is helpful" . I just bit my lip and offered a dampened tissue to clean up the blood. "Bloody charter boats, tomorrow when this lot move we will go round the corner and tie up to those rocks. We sat in silence until in my most sympathetic tone I asked if he was ok, "I don't think it's a laughing matter", oh I don't know, Basil and Sybil did OK in their comedy of errors.
The following morning Mike sat on deck observing for the movement of boats, the only apparent movement was that of a huge motor boat that decided to moor alongside us, thrusting his engines into reverse to get up close to the rocks. With that, our boat began to drift round, towards the charter boats moored over our anchor, Mike pulled at our stern line thinking they had cut it on their propellers but no, he stood holding a perfectly intact line and a bowling. All that thrusting had blown our line off the rock. Time to get up front and start pulling the anchor up quick before the wind took serious hold of the boat and caused some damage. "She's up", that's my call to let Mike know the anchor is off the sea bed and making her way out the water, enabling him to steer the boat.
Just around the corner there was a vacant spot, the anchor was dropped on instruction and we began to drop back to the rocks. Mike took a line to the shore, using my snorkel so he could check for Sea Urchins underfoot. Despite his best efforts to pull the boat straight back the wind kept pulling it away, with the line secured to the rock it was time to winch the boat into a straight position in line with our anchor. And relax!!! To our port side and on the shore are the remnants of the Russian Naval Base that they blew up as they departed in the 1800s, hence the name.
Not many of you will know this but I am not a confident swimmer and despite all Mikes efforts to prove I am not going to drowned, and that I can swim, my confidence does not appear to be building. A second stern line needed attaching so with my heart beating fast I offered to take the line to the shore and secure it, this went without hitch and as I returned to the boat I could hear Mike saying "right turn left and swim to the shore" I chose to ignore this and climbed back on board. By 18:00 the wind had died and the sea was still so with the promise of a glass of cold wine at the Taverna I eventually plucked up the courage to swim to the beach, as long as Mike stayed close by. The swim back was much more relaxed, that will be the wine, and I did not feel the need to swim harder or faster as the water got deeper.
The following day my challenge was set, to jump in the water off the side of the boat, I would need to mentally prepare myself for this. Once again the wind died so it was ideal for me to swim back to the beach again but no wine today !! After a lot of mental preparation and jeers from Mike, "come on Jacqui it's not that bad, go on it's like the kids game, in, up, back on board and jump again till you get used to it". Three jumps, each one feeling like your falling through time, anxiously waiting and holding my breath for my body to come back up to the surface. "Right now, I want you to dive off the back of the boat".... 2 belly flops and one not bad dive, it was time to call it a day and have a glass of wine, on board though.
Today I had challenged myself to snorkel to the shore and release the stern lines as we departed our mooring. I have to admit I was anxious and assume that is why I was awake early, took the rubbish to the bins on the paddle board, and prepared the winch so as soon as I was back on board I could start lifting the anchor. On the plus side there was no breeze. As I slipped into the warm water Mike told me that when I released the second line I had to keep hold and he would pull me back to the boat, simple. I had already prepared myself to the fact that the tension on the anchor would result in the boat moving away from me when I removed the lines and I didn't want to panic myself. As I swam to the first one I could see the knot under the water, "I can't undo that under water" I could now feel my heart racing, "calm down, calm down" I kept telling myself. With the tension released off the winch I could hook the line with my feet and pull it up to the surface. Now for the second one which I tied and required me climbing up the rock to unwrap it. Feeling a bit of a prat with my snorkel in my mouth climbing up the rock I discarded it from my mouth, this was a mistake. I finally unhooked the bowling from the rock and holding on to the rope I stepped back down into the water. As Mike pulled the line I tried to swim whilst grasping the line but with the line pulling my head under I felt the only option was to let go. As I looked I could see the boat drifting away, I swam with all my might but seemed to be making little headway, I could feel I was getting tired so rotated onto my back till I could eventually grab the line that was now hanging over the side of the boat. Enough drama for one day I think......