With the forecast for further strong winds, we headed for Eufimia where we knew we could get a protected anchorage. We were able to drop anchor in the centre of the harbour with 35m of chain behind our Rocna anchor. That morning was calm enough to pop ashore and get a bit of shopping but from then we had 56 hours of NW at around 25 knots gusting to 31knots. We sat fairly comfortably, we attach a long rope ‘bridle’ from our bows to the chain and this stops Splice swinging too much. Our major problem was other boats trying to anchor on top of our chain or too close to us. The Skipper spent a lot of time on the bows scowling at interlopers and pointing out where our chain was but we held well through the windy times.

Of course we watched the other boats and they came to be known by their antics........
- ’Mr Clanky’ was the Dutch boat anchored behind us, their halyards weren’t tied up properly so they banged against the mast in the wind. His wife spent 20 minutes trying to fix it but couldn’t reach so shortly after he was sent out a couple of times but couldn’t work out what to do. We had to put up with the clanking for three days.
- The ‘Shouting Greeks’ eventually moored on the quay on day two. This couple spent more time circling the harbour screaming at each other than they did mooring. We think they only moored as they had sore throats.
- ‘Italian Bonkers’ were a mid thirties couple on a small charter boat we had seen twice before, each time with them getting in to a mess. They spent an hour or so this time trying to anchor in the harbour before Chris managed to coach them via hand signals to set properly just behind us. They then disappeared below for the rest of the day, never appearing to check the boats position, as they had done each time before... hence the nickname!
- The ‘Hungry French’ couple were another previous sighting with a propensity for trouble. This time they managed to anchor for a few hours before dragging and then spending and hour or so trying to hook. After waving a handheld VHF at them for a while we managed to get them to talk and coached them to a good space off our port side. They then came on the radio and asked if anyone could take the wife ashore for shopping as he couldn’t leave the boat and she couldn’t handle the dinghy. Normally we try to help, but we weren’t going to leave our boat at risk in 25 knot winds. She watched us from their boat as we had dinner that night in the cockpit! Maybe they will plan better next time.
- ‘Rocky the Ketch’ was one of the boats already anchored as we entered Eufimia. They sat there for 24 hours before suddenly dragging in a stronger gust. We could see they had a large mass on their anchor when it was raised and assumed it was a mud ball which is normal. However they turned and left the harbour which was puzzling. We found our later that it was a large rock that had wedged perfectly in the ‘claw’ style anchor they were using. It took 45 minutes of struggle to release it so they could return to anchor.
- Worst of the lot though was ‘Useless Blue’. This Greek couple on a large 48ft blue boat appeared in the anchorage on the third morning when we managed to get ashore briefly. Chris could see they were setting to anchor very close to our chain so started back for the dinghy. They had one go anchoring over our chain but failed and as Chris arrived they had dropped their anchor short of our chain but were motoring towards it dragging their anchor on the seabed, a guaranteed tangle. Chris interposed the dinghy and with lots of shouting they backed off. They then moored to the quay but failed to go back straight so their chain was spread down over about 8 other berths. Other boats then moored with their chains across his later. We were hoping he would try to leave early (impossible without major effort) so we could watch the fun but he was still there when we left.

We also watched a number of flotillas come in to moor. As they are inexperienced the way they moor is directed by the Flotilla Skipper not the skipper of each boat. It really does show when the Flotilla Skipper has his ‘ducklings’ well trained and briefed. From boats screaming around in almost out of control circles in the crowded harbour to calm, slow approaches with minimal shouting. ‘Med Mooring’ with a cross wind is not easy in strong gusts and some of them organised it very well. The prizes went to a Dutch Flotilla ’Sunny Sailing’ and to ‘Neilsen’ who both managed very capably......we’ll leave the names of the others out of it.

You have to entertain yourselves when sitting out a blow!

Photo: some of our neighbours at Eufimia, ‘Rocky the Ketch’ in the centre.