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Splashdown on our First Med Mooring

We attempt our first med mooring manoeuver

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We had our very first med-mooring experience two nights ago.  We were located behind Cape Skyli in the skinniest of places, betwixt a literal hard place and an island of rock! It was the tiniest of anchorages and the Captain decided, in his best Kiwi ‘can do’ attitude, that we should face our fears and use the opportunity to ‘have a go’. I have been afeared of attempting the Med Mooring manoeuver and so there is no better time than when there are no witnesses!

Med mooring means you drop your anchor at the front (say, around 30 metres out), and then you back up to some rocks, and someone (in our case, the Captain) either swims or uses a dinghy to take straplines to shore that are located at the back of either side of the boat.  This person attaches these lines by tying them around rocks located onshore, thereby giving 3 points of anchor for securing the boat and largely reducing the swing radius of said vessel.  

A med mooring line afixed to the rock (left)

There was a splash and the Captain fell in during our first attempt which was laughter worthy but no venture, no foul; we got the job done and had a perfectly lovely safe, and secure evening without another human anywhere in sight. We think we did a pretty good job for our first effort and as this is the preferred type of mooring in some marinas and town quays, we will need to get used to this method of securing the boat. There’s no escaping it. Rocks are in our future.

Beautiful Italian-esque Portocheli

And then we sailed from zero evidence of other mankind to the beautiful harbour at Portocheli in the southern region of the Peloponnese which was quite busy with people as the season here begins to get underway.  Based on the green landscape that is silhouetted with tall conifers of the Cypress variety that cover Tuscany and the plethora of architecturally styled Italian villas with pools and tennis courts here, there is a distinct feeling that we are in Italy even though we’re not … yet.  It is such a beautiful spot that the former king of Greece, King Constantine 2, and his wife Queen Anne-Marie have chosen to live here. And we don’t blame them one bit. It is a beautiful place to be.

My mama loves me, she loves me
She get down on her knees and hug me
Like she loves me like a rock
She rock me like the rock of ages and loves me

Loves Me Like A Rock

2 Responses

  1. Wow that sounds like quite a task to get used to, well done on your first med-mooring. I appreciate it was better to do the first time with no one watching!!!! You are both such brave adventurers and I so love your beautiful prose and songs Connie.

  2. More great adventures, hopefully the mooring manoeuvre will go as well in the Marinas.
    Every day is a school day.

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