In the "Sailors confess" series, we confess our stupidest sailing mistakes. But we are also looking forward to your confession. Send us your text, if possible with pictures, to mail@yacht.dekeyword "sailor's confession". If desired, publication will be anonymised.
I am not a yachtswoman. I've only ever been drawn to a yacht by friends off the coast of Mallorca or I've booked tourist excursions when one of my destinations was on the water. So I'm all the more experienced when it comes to motor boating. I have been going on boating holidays in Croatia for 27 years and have held a recreational boating licence since 2014. I was looking forward to the day when I could explore a different area with friends...
On a sunny day in Athens, I had the opportunity to escape the city and my internship routine. Together with my colleague and our friends who were visiting from Germany, we decided to hire a boat. It was not only the perfect change of pace, but also the first opportunity to be out on the water with a larger group of girls.
Cast off...
The ferry took us from Piraeus to the island of Angistri. From the harbour, we were able to reach the charter company's base on foot. We paid our deposit and I signed the clear form or "charter contract". With bag and baggage, we walked through the shallow water and inspected our almost five metre long hard shell. The boat was attached to a pontoon with a carabiner. Fenders were tied to the railing to protect the boat from the outside.
Once all the men (in this case women) were on board, we set off: I steered the boat from the shallows out into the open sea. Our first destination: the bay at Chalikiada beach. The sun was high in the sky - the weather seemed perfect for a day on the boat. We anchored and spent some lovely hours exploring the underwater world by snorkelling and swimming in the clear water.
We also decided to explore a little more of the coastal landscape of Angistri. So we weighed anchor and chugged out of the bay. The further south we travelled, the higher the waves became. But the more time passed, the more the clouds gathered in the sky and the wind picked up.
We all didn't have a good feeling and I decided to turn round without further ado. We set course for the harbour.
The mooring manoeuvre
As we approached the harbour of Angistri, I was overcome by a queasy feeling. We rocked over wave after wave. My friends were already nervous and I tried to calm them down as I prepared for the upcoming mooring manoeuvre. We were not to return the boat in the shallow bay, as we had done when we took over, but to go alongside at a pier. Then came the shocking realisation: there were no lines in the boat's storage space. How could I have missed such an elementary detail? Panic rose within me.
Luckily, I saw a torn piece of line dangling above the surface of the sea at the ferry pier. With my hands already trembling, I tried to grab it. At least we could hold on to it somehow. We were there on time for the handover. My friends were already holding on to the harbour wall. But the waves became a challenge and the bow turned sideways. I jumped forwards to prevent anything worse from happening.
Getting away with a scare
Let me put it this way: securing the boat with your legs is probably not the best idea. But out of reflex, I tried to keep the hard shell away from the wall. I jammed my calf in the process. After a few minutes, an employee of the charter company finally arrived and took over the boat. We all climbed up the wall. I got away with a scare and a big bruise.
This adventure without lines on board and the trembling feeling of awkwardness will stay with me for better or worse. Since then, I've double and triple-checked the lines.
