Aigina Island
With a week to fill in until Claros can fit the solar panels we decided to see the nearby islands. Leaving the marina we had another encounter with mooring lines this time our neighbors and by the time we had cut ropes and cleared the prop we tied up amongst some charter boats and stayed until the next morning.
Boy did we have a great sail across to Aigina. Sails up and with winds of 16 knts gusting to 27knts we made a good speed of 8 - 9.5 knts in a very choppy sea. 2 hrs and 5 minutes it took us and we were pleased to get into the Aiya Marina bay and shelter. The weather settled, we tried the generator for coffee...it worked...then we tried the water maker and it worked.....what a man that Claros is. Dinghied in to the beach set out with the coloured lielows and brollies and asked about going up to the temple. We decided it would be a next day outing.
We walked the shortcut to the temple....straight up on a dirt track of errosion. Arrived to encounter bus loads of overseas students on art trips. The sanctuary was the worship site for Aphiai supposed daughter of Zeus and associated with female fertility deity dating back to prehistoric times around 1300 BC. The remains have been called the most perfectly developed classical temple in Greece and buses run from the other side of the island with visitors. We were suitably impressed with both the building and the small museum on the site.
As we left the wind had come up a little but weren't concerned enough to forgo a gyros and a beer in the village for lunch. By the time we got to the dinghy dock the waves were breaking over it and the two other yachts anchored were pounding around in the waves. It was a very wet ride back to Panormitis. We were wondering why the crew on the charter boat closest to us were waving frantically and thought they were having a laugh at our expense getting wet in the dinghy....wrong....turned the vhf radio on and talked to them and they had their dinghy rope around their prop and a couple and infant were seasick and wanted to get off and could we help. Gary and Glen to the rescue, back in the dinghy and over to the charter boat. They were Americans and were pleased that the blokes could take off their sick people. Gary and Glen deposited them on the beach with the people saying they would wait until the weather calmed and rejoin the yacht. That was not to be. The weather didn't calm in fact it got worse in fact very much worse. We were registering 40 knt gusts at anchor. Next thing the charter yacht started dragging their anchor and with the rope around the prop they had no motor so lucky for them some local fishermen went to their rescue and somehow the rope must have been freed 'cos they headed away from the rocks and off to the mainland leaving the crew on the beach to sort themselves out.
Back to dealing with the conditions ourselves when I noticed the charter boat with a French crew ( all ashore) was dragging and heading for the rocks. Again Gary and GLen into our dinghy and off to try to help when the skipper ran down the jetty, jumped into his dinghy and headed for his boat. You couldn't write the following script. He jumped out of his dinghy letting it go to the rocks and full throttled the motor on the yacht away from the rocks. Next we see a head in the water and I said to Liz "I think someone has been thrown out of the dinghy" but it turned out to be a swimmer!!!!!! who likes to swim in the rough!!!!! decked out in a wet suit and mask. He was swimming to the yacht knowing there would be no key to start the motors but he could sail and keep it from the rocks. Next comes a local, bare chested also in the water having rescued the dinghy so, we now have Gary an board with the Frenchman, the swimmer and the local in the hire dinghy and Glen hovering in ours keeping watch. Next our motor won't stay going and Glen is heading for the rocks, and the pair in the hire dinghy come to help him but that doesn't last long either and they start rowing in the huge swells. Both dinghies manage to limp to the now secure charter boat. a very pleased Frenchman whose crew was still ashore included his mother and father who would spend the night ashore.
Glen and Gary can't start the outboard so start rowing in the big swells to get back to Panormitis. Taking pity on them the 2 strangers got the hire dinghy going and towed them back to the boat. Not much else happened except hot showers a bite to eat and bed with Gary sleeping in the saloon in case of an emergency. We have Rod Heikells Greek Waters Pilot on board and he makes the comment that someone should be left on board when visiting the temple in case of a weather change. How correct was he. Tomorrow all being well we intend to go to Poros Island further south. We will see!!!!