We should have been in Lampedusa for a week now… And we are still in Malta. It is a fact. It’s not for lack of trying. Last Monday, we were writing a few lines explaining we were ready to leave Malta to rally the small Italian island of Lampedusa and release sea turtles which had been given medical attention over the summer. It was without counting on a little refrigerator problem… Early on that is.
There is sometimes a very thin line between fortune and misfortune. It took us two days to find a someone capable of taking care of this « little » problem. Little but still important when one knows about temperatures in the area, even in September. Impossible to leave without a refrigerator in working condition, it’s that or contemplating a diet of pasta and rice for ten days. The problem is that this small unexpected technical problem made us miss favourable weather conditions with south-east winds which would have allowed us to cross in good conditions. « No big deal, it will still be OK tomorrow, we still have tomorrow before the pretty strong north-west winds », we told ourselves innocently.
Consequently, part of the crew took opportunity of the extra day in Malta to go and watch one of the most important sporting events on the island: the rowing regattas commemorating the victory of Malta over the Ottomans. Teams from the various cities of Malta train all year to win the title. The event is so important that we are surprised to discover that some big bluefin tuna farms sponsor the event…
On the next day, we sail out heading for Lampedusa with a working refrigerator. But it was too good to be true. In the middle of the afternoon we start seeing thick dark clouds form on the horizon. Then to our right, and to our left… we are in the middle of a complex storm system we have a hard time weathering for 18 hours. Night has fallen over an hour ago when suddenly… Ziiinng! Lightning tears across the sky to hit the sea a few kilometers away. Next comes a long, menacing roll of thunder startling us like rarely before. « Turn around! » And as a problem never comes alone, without wind, the engine that had been at work for about four hours, refuses to give us the extra power we need to go back as fast as possible. Beep… a light comes on indicating overheating. We are seized by a slight feeling of discouragement. Yet, we have to return to Gozo. Lightning strikes every second in every direction around us. We sail slowly toward the island. Suddenly Philippe’s head pops up out of the boat appearing a little stressed out, to tell us we are heading right into a dense, powerful thunderstorm he has spotted on his radar screen.
“I think we cannot go around this one. We have to cross it and it will hurt. » The beast is awaiting us, unflinching right between us and Gozo. We are under the impression that lightning strikes ever closer. Indeed we are heading right to the mouth of an animal we don’t really know. I remember the old tale of sailors tying a chain around the mast to deflect lightning from the boat and into the water. But a chain would be useless as we have to move forward. Sailing while trailing a chain would be like trying to run with a prisoner’s ball and chain. The most important is to keep telling ourselves there is one chance in a million to be hit by lightning, as the sea draws lightning much more efficiently than any lightning rod. We try to reassure ourselves as much as possible, but with a mast standing at nearly 20 meters we are not overly confident. I even hear myself saying that our turning around is not perceived very well up there, somewhere in heaven, and that « He » has decided to play with our nerves to the end. But against all odds, as we make way, the storm seems to move to the south. « It’s letting us go! » exclaims Philippe in surprise, eyes set on the radar screen. We finally dock in the Gozo harbor at one a.m., after a good rinsing, literally. Just before reaching the harbor, we have been under a shower as we have rarely seen in the Mediterranean. Torrents of water fell on us for forty-five long mintutes. We go to bed exhausted, knowing that the strong north-west wind (with matching seas) will start on the next day and will keep us stranded two more days. The heavens have not been very helping this time.
It is not very serious. We will just change the order of our plans. It will be bluefin tuna in Malta first, then Lampedusa. If only the sea lets us. In spite of appearances, learning to be patient is good for us Very good.
Julien and the Ocean 71 team.
