Back across the Ionian Sea

Not the greatest birthday for Anne! We motored two hours up to Pilos before breakfast, filled water and fuel, cleared customs, bought some cheap rope (there wasn't any good stuff) to replace the self furling one which has died. Bought a cake, had a coffee (so we could internet) and set out.

First 12 hours were pretty uncomfortable with confused sea, and changing winds, but we were motorsailing over 6kn (we think this is very fast). There were also the thunderstorms! The early hours were spent tacking between them, following their course on the radar. I did read that metal boats are in theory not likely to be struck by lightning on account of some ion behaviour, but I don't want to test the theory. There were some very big ones, sometimes one on either side with just a couple of miles between us, so noisy and flashy. I did get a pod of Striped Dolphins under the bow for a while, the ones that aren't supposed to come to boats.

The morning brought the wind back to nothing but still very rolley so a most uncomfortable day, we wondered or at least I did, why on earth we would put ourselves through such torture. Second night had another surprise. The rolling around Pelloponisos and the upper fuel tank getting low, probably for the first time in ages, has dislodged enormous quantities of black glump and the motor stopped with a blocked filter. Replaced it while rolling horribly, and went a few more hours when it stopped again. So midnight to midday I spent going over the fuel system, managed to take 40 litres out of the tank, isolate the lower one, change filters, prime system and it's going again. However there is still gunk coming from the bottom of tank and it's the last filter.

Wind has picked up and now, 48 hours into the crossing we're doing 6 knots, sea is flat, saving the motor for when we need it. A couple of diesely days coming up for me as I clean out the tanks.

Sabine fell down the ladder and hurt her back and head, noisily. We managed to find some joy working on her songs with guitar, but it was not the best crossing when…..

Early afternoon we had a treat that made it all worthwhile. Sailing at 4 or 5 on a very calm sea I saw a tuna break the surface like a dolphin coming to ride the bow wave so we all jumped up to look around and…

The next 15-20 mins there were tuna jumping and feeding all around us, right up to the boat as if we weren't there. With the glassy surface we could sea them really clearly and Sabine went to her favourite possie on the bow. She started her screams that mean she's dying of ecstasy and we looked down and saw a carpet of tuna under the boat, all heading almost on our bearing. Like a school of sardines only somewhat bigger and not swimming in fear but with intent! No idea how big the carpet was, we could only see under us, but with them jumping for a long way around we could imagine it to be vast. I took a lot of photos but you'll just have to believe us, as all that shows is the flash of colour from a few on their side. I guess the difference in movement between the tuna and the water surface lets our brain see them, but in the still photo they disappear. Sorry!

I dropped a lure in although the girls are sick of tuna, but these guys were busy, however when I finally went to sleep a few hours later one of them took it. So, you can catch tuna at 4kn mid afternoon on a little plastic squid thing in the Mediterranean! I found a proper gaff hook, but don't have a stick for it yet, and this guy fell off the hook at the boat which is just as well.

80 miles to go, there is Italian on the VHF, doing 6kn and a big dragonfly just appeared. Everything smells of diesel and dinner is ready.

Little did we know……

Rob: Anne woke me to take over at 10pm as wind was stronger (12kn or so!) So we started to move a little quicker. The forecast from a few days ago predicted 1kn N for the patch we were covering, but by midnight it was time to reef all sails and soon it was force 7 S with horrible mediterranean short steep seas, up to 3m I guess. Wore the wet weather gear for the first time, including boots (thanks mum!) and kept safety harness on in cockpit. A tough night, started seeing plates of cream buns instead of halyard winch and animals coming up the deck… only while waking after extremely short sleeps! White out rain squalls and direction changes so we were pointing into it the best we could to clear the approaching Italy, and with no guarantee of motor if needed… Anne and Sabine were fantastic, well I would have been too, if I were tucked up in bed, cosy and warm in the lovely safe boat! They sprang up and pulled ropes or steered whenever needed and didn't say anything stupid at all! Come daybreak it was starting to ease and as we entered the Messina Straits the wind died away to nothing and we had to gamble on the motor making the last two hours to Reggio Calabria, which it did.

Sabine: We all thought that we should put an entry in for this night, seeing as it was one to remember… well, what i can say is that I'm really not used to hearing a flapping noise and suddenly the whole house is now horizontal. But slowly through the night I desensitised to the lurching of the boat on the waves, and although the headache did not cease, i managed to get half hour sleeps in between jumping outside to pull a rope. Luckily for me, i have been brought up to be able to fall asleep at zurna concerts.

So for hours and hours the spine shivering creaking of ropes went on and on and on and on and on and on. AND on. The day before, I got excited about cooking something on the stove, and jumped down the stairs happily, but fell and thwacked my ribs on the metal. I also managed to hit my head, and my elbow, and my hip. Talented me! So seeing as nearly every part of my body that i need for supporting myself was a tad uncomfortable and bruised, made it even harder to sleep. Buuut yes, we are here, and we are tired, but here. glad. :)

Anne: I'm just soooo glad to be out of that mess! It was an incredibly tiring and stressful trip but we all handled it very well, especially the enduring Rob; he was Atlas bearing the earth. It's always interesting to see how you personally cope with something challenging. When at times I had to take over the helm whilst the boat was heeling and surfing sideways down foamy waves, the wind howling, everything's wet, the boat gleefully bolting ahead, my eyes wide and knees knocking with terror, I thought, well this is actually pretty exciting! Now don't get me wrong - you especially, Rob - I'm not taking this up as a sport! Got that? :)