Oh no, not again?!

The boat has spend the summer on the hard in Naples to escape the colossal marina fees over the summer period. I arrived back at the boat a day ahead of Melanie to get her back in the water and get some jobs done. Melanie followed me the next day doing the rather torturous route via Paris that we have to do with Woody because air France will fly him in the cabin thus avoiding the huge dog cargo fees.

Melanie needed a few days R and R so we holed up on the small island of Ischia, 15 miles west of Naples. The wind was due to pick up after 4 days so we planned to jump on the back of that to do the 140 mile trip to Sicily. The wind forecast however soon crept up to be 30 to 40 knots, too much for a pleasant crossing. We chose an anchorage to weather the storm, due in at 10 o’clock in the evening. Unfortunately, it proved to be rather rolly. With the wind rising but still a sensible 20 knots we lifted the anchor and headed further round the protected south side of the island.

Sailing under just the head sail and the wind behind us I needed to alter course and gybe, putting the wind on the other side of the boat. It was dark and windy, care was needed. The wind was pulling on the starboard sheet (sail control rope), as we gybed I would have to change to the port rope.   I set up the ropes putting the port sheet on the winch and preparing the starboard for release and paused to check everything would run smoothly.

Our two main winches are electric, a rather unnecessary but luxurious addition on the boat of this size. However, they need careful use. They are very powerful and can add a whole new level of danger to winches. On top of the usual winch dangers that I demonstrated to my cost in May when, whilst loading a rope onto a winch I trapped my fingers, the power of the electric winch can break things if a jam occurs and goes undetected. The one danger I had not anticipated is what was to happen next.

Bracing myself against the rolling I began the manoeuvre. I had one hand on the port side winch control the other gripping the perfect hand hold, the rope controlling the sail that ran across the deck and tight onto the winch. Maybe in the light I would have noticed where I had put my hand but in the dark I did not. After one final check of the ropes I pressed my thumb on the winch button and slowly and deliberately ran the rope, and my fingers, onto the winch.

This set up would never be allowed in a factory because this is exactly what can and does happen. Two start buttons are required on any piece of machinery to ensure that both hands are out of the way. A bolt of pain shot up my are arm and I realised immediately what I had done. Shouting to Melanie on the other side of the cockpit ‘Oh no I’ve done it again’ I whipped the rope off the winch to release my hand. The damage however was done. 

Unable to see well I felt my right index finger, it was not good. However, we had a few miles to go and I had to get the boat in safely. I completed the gybe with my right hand in the air while Melanie got the coldest liquid she could find to put the finger in and some pain killers. Milk, same as last time, this was becoming a routine!

Half an hour later we were tucked up in a nice anchorage and able to survey the damage. I had not got away with it so lightly this time. The skin of my index finger was badly split needing 5 stitches and the finger tip bone broken. Luckily there was a good ‘cottage’ hospital on the island who patched me up the following day. Happily the tendons controlling the fingertip where not damaged. Well, it’s all part of the adventure!

We spent a pleasant couple of days at Anchor in a small bay on Ischia sorting my finger and waiting for the wind we needed to sail to Sicily

Two days later the wind dropped to a sedate 10 knots and we set off for a very pleasant over night passage to Stromboli, the most northerly of the Eolie Islands, just north of Sicily. 

This a sun downer 70 miles off shore!

The 5 islands that make up the group are all volcanic with two still active, one, Stromboli being very active. Known to mariners as the world’s oldest lighthouse, for thousands of years the volcano has spat molten lava into the air several times an hour and visible at night from 20 miles away identifying exactly where the sailor is. During the day there is a constant plume of steam.

We approached the island at 4am, 2 hours before sun rise and reliable as clock work, every 15 or 20 minutes a small flame could be seen shooting perhaps 50’ in the air and lasting for 5-10 seconds. Out at sea on a little boat it is a humbling thought that mariners having been seeing this, exactly as I saw it now, for thousands of years.

We dropped anchor at 7am and turned in for a couple of hours.

For centuries the island has been home to about 3000 people getting water from under ground wells. However, in 1930 there was a big earth quake which cracked the chambers holding the water which all drained away. The only source of water now is rain water and a supply ship that comes every day. The year round population is now only 350.

Access to the top of the 3000’ volcano is strictly controlled to avoid accidents and to get there you have to go with a guided group. Melanie and I set out last night to see natures fire work display from on top. It was a 3 hour walk up leaving at 5.30, 2 hours before sunset. Now dark as we approached the rim, we both jumped as the mountain let out a sudden roar like a jet engine and a shower of sparks shot up a few hundred yards to our right. Wow! We couldn’t see the source as it was still hidden behind the rim. 

Within 20 minutes we were looking down at 1 of the 5 glowing holes in the crater bed. 

We sat for an hour watching sulphurous steam pour from the holes with little belches of flame as the earths stomach gurgled. Then the roar would happen and sparks spewed from the holes, the molten lava falling back to earth leaving red hot lumps of rock rolling down the pile of ash. At one point two of the other holes joined in shooting flame and sparks into the sky – all this about 200 yards away and 100’ below us!

We decided to photograph postcards rather than watch the fireworks through the lens of a camera but this is pretty much how we saw it - impressive indeed.

Thrilled and humbled at the power of nature we set off back to the boat and bed.