Aug8/9 Doliphin and fish farm up close too close....

Aug 8/9
Dolphins and fish farm up close, too close.
Having said how great it was to be near the fish farm we nearly had our comeuppance. At about 2 am it started to get windy and at about 3 am, our anchor dragged, and we just missed the boat anchored behind, as I gunned the engines in full reverse, only for us to charge backwards towards the fish farm and the series of rusty metal pens and bits of very solid looking wood not to say allot of fish that would cost a great deal to replace. Just as we were about to make rather heavy contact, our still dangling anchor (windlass having stopped working at the crucial moment) caught a little buoy to warn boats not to anchor near the fish farm. Either we were very lucky or very unlucky , however we now had ropes under one hull and had stopped our drift towards the fish farm with about 20 feet to spare.We managed to put out the second anchor and in the process, bash the dinghy engine so it wouldn't work, then I managed to cut away some of the line, but the anchor was stuck firm, so we decided to wait until the light of day before doing anything. It was a long wait until 5.30am. Meanwhile the dolphins came in at first light to try and work out how they were going to get the fish our of the farm. I personally think that they were hoping we would hit the thing and thus release the fish. I never thought that I wouldn't want to see dolphin around my boat but at that time I could have done without them. Sophie would have booked flights home there and then, the kids were asleep unaware, and I sat with the engines on waiting for the next drama.
As light rose, two french guys came off the next door boat, ( our kids had waved at their kids the evening before otherwise I am not sure they would have helped), one of them jumped in the water in his flippers,(at six in the morning, I am not sure I would have done the same) and confirmed our anchor was wedged, in some old rope on the sea bed. We then worked as a quartet to release the boat, and get it to safety. I think Sophie could have kissed both our french helpers, I know I almost did!!
Sophie and I then tried to re-anchor the boat, as it was still blowing hard, this was not so easy, after 4 attempts we were getting rather desperate, the problem was that all the good spots were taken and we had to go quite deep, and because we are very high sided we get allot of wind age. At attempt 5 we caught the bottom, and held, relief. Or so we thought....
At about 9am rather weary we turned the radio on for the weather forecast, waiting to hear that the storm we were in was going to decrees. An urgent weather report in French warned of increasing winds of force 8 with possible gust of 9, and very large seas. When you are already in a force 6/7 and your anchor has slipped once this was not good news, especially minus sleep. We waited all day and then did anchor watch all night. It got very windy, but the wind shifted to the west, and our little anchorage was saved from the swell. By 9 am next morning both Sophie and I were ready to book the first available flight home, this was just note fun. The kids mean while were happy playing games, sleeping and eating; no worries for them.
The wind finally went, I was able to go over to the french men and give them our only bottle of wine in thanks, and then we headed off across the bay to Port Apollo, which is actually a bay, we hooked up to a mooring and I was finally able to go to sleep.
Meanwhile a rain cloud came in, and the girls thought this a great novelty,as we haven't seen rain all summer.( Rather different from the UK I gather. When it started to rain, the girls got into swim suites and danced on the trampoline in the rain, unfortunately it only lasted 10 minutes.
More Brits.
We haven't met that many other British kids so it was great when a boat came in next to us with a little blond and a little brunette head on the bow. Bonds were soon made with Anna (5), and Sophia (4) who turned out to be cousins cruising with parents. Its amazing how quickly all the kids bonded together on the beach, exploring rock pools etc. Anna, had been living on a boat for best part of 2 years, so it was good to meet another boat child.
It was also nice for Sophie too have a chance to speak non broken french.
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Corsican adventures.
So we have bee sitting in Calvi with the wind bowing quite hard. We have been told to expect a real storm in the night from the NE. But of course that would put us on the lee shore once again. I hardly sleep a wink in a flat calm evening waiting for the onslaught, needless to say it didn't arrive, although it did get a little bit bumpy first thing in the morning.. So we are off down the island round the west side, we set off in 27 knots, but luckily are soon on a run.
Rained this morning at 6 am, for precisely 2 minutes, not even enough to get the decks wet. This is our first rain for 10 weeks or so, rather different from the English summer.
In a place called Girolatta, we catch up with Anthony and Antoinette Oppenheimer, my uncle, on their 79 ft motor yacht or stink pot as Sophie puts it. They had a terrible crossing from Mainland France, with allot of rocking and rolling including a 20 minute stop mid way across in the big winds we were expecting. Anyway AEO and their guests came to us for a rather ropy glass of wine, and next day we were invited back to their boat for lunch and some fine wines.. The girls thought the stink pots was great with its shag pile white carpet, leather sofas, gold tapped bathrooms and ft at screen TV that appeared with a press of a button.. Tallulah I think would have stayed. But we had to part ways. (Two days later the boats engines broke and the Opps and their guest had to cut short their cruise which was a real downer for them, and reminds us how lucky we are that our cruise is longer than the usual one to two week charter.
Meanwhile our water maker has packed in and to add to that our water pump from our reserve tank has also decided to pack in. After three days without showers and very little washing up and no clean cl oaths, we have resolved to replace the pump.
It has been good to remind us that water is precious. A new pump and a day spent at the laundrette and we are back on track , although we still have to be careful as the water maker needs a spare part.
Other big news is that Sienna, has learnt to snorkel in arm bands, so we can now all go and see the fish on the reefs.She gets very excited at seeing the real fish and talks nearly as much as Tallulah..
Yesterday when we were snorkeling, we found the a wreck,in about 25 feet of water, it was about 40 feet from the boat and was about 30 feet long, it had a wheel house and funnel and looked like an old steam tramp. It was very exciting as the water was so clear that the girls could see int with their snorkles. I on the other hand was very glad we hadn't run into this uncharted object, there was another boat anchored right above, it. I couldn't of slept but he did.
Today we have been anchored in a marvellous bay where there is a classic golden beach with rock and a reef at each end. The water is crystal clear,the girls have been out in the Opi. This is what is is meant to be like.
Aug 7&8th.
Dolphin everywhere.
We came into a little anchorage, that was quite crowded tonight, called Campomoro, We met the British yacht called Orca, which is a 380 lagoon, Martin and Jean invited us for tea they, are from the Royal Western YC.
The anchorage was so crowded, it made East Head look empty on a sunny bank holiday weekend, so we had to anchor near the nets of a fish farm. Little did we know but then five Dolphin came into see what was up with all these fish. We had ring side seats, as the dolphin swam around and around the nets. The whole beach emptied as an armada of kayaks, lilos,jet skis and snorkelers, came out to have a look. The girls found it extremely exciting for 5 minutes.
That evening when all the beach goers had cleared and we had all gone to bed, Sophie and I were woken up by the Dolphin breathing as they came up for air right by the boat. It was the only sound on an otherwise calm night, magic, but very noisy.
This morning Imy and I, got up before breakfast and found the Dolphin, and after ten minutes we were rewarded with a swim with them. We saw 3 of them, quite close up in the water, before they dived underneath us and disappeared to play. Another magic moment.