Melody
Well-Known Member
Funnily enough, here in Greece it was reported that the yacht was moored where it shouldn't have been, and ignored sound signals. When the port police interviewed the captain the only qualifications he had were a piece of paper to say he had been on a Sunsail flotilla.
The newspapers report that he was experienced and paper isn't eveything of course.
I know the harbour in Syros well. It is absolutely huge, and one of the few safe havens in a strong meltemi. There isn't just one place that the ferries moor - I've seen up to eight big ferries in there sheltering from storms.
I think they may have forgottent that Greek ferries need to drop anchor and swing round to moor stern to. The skipper says he was woken by 'a clanking noise' (the anchor chain?) and 'hooting' (sound signal that the vessel's engines were going astern?). Despite being asleep at the time he states that the ferry took the wrong course coming into the harbour. Excuse me, but if the ferry was dropping its anchor when he was woken, it was already in the harbour, so how does he know which course it took? His story doesn't quite add up to me.
In my experience Greek ferry captain are very good at boat-handling (I won't comment on their navigation esp. during football matches) and I'd be most surprised if the ferry was doing anything differently to what it had done millions of times before.
By the way, if you go to Syros, which is a lovely place, the ferries cause a big surge in the harbour and it isn't a good place to moor. There is a huge empty marina you can use. Its empty due to local politics - no-one can agree who is to manage it. No facilities but totally safe even in a big blow. .... and no ferries.
The newspapers report that he was experienced and paper isn't eveything of course.
I know the harbour in Syros well. It is absolutely huge, and one of the few safe havens in a strong meltemi. There isn't just one place that the ferries moor - I've seen up to eight big ferries in there sheltering from storms.
I think they may have forgottent that Greek ferries need to drop anchor and swing round to moor stern to. The skipper says he was woken by 'a clanking noise' (the anchor chain?) and 'hooting' (sound signal that the vessel's engines were going astern?). Despite being asleep at the time he states that the ferry took the wrong course coming into the harbour. Excuse me, but if the ferry was dropping its anchor when he was woken, it was already in the harbour, so how does he know which course it took? His story doesn't quite add up to me.
In my experience Greek ferry captain are very good at boat-handling (I won't comment on their navigation esp. during football matches) and I'd be most surprised if the ferry was doing anything differently to what it had done millions of times before.
By the way, if you go to Syros, which is a lovely place, the ferries cause a big surge in the harbour and it isn't a good place to moor. There is a huge empty marina you can use. Its empty due to local politics - no-one can agree who is to manage it. No facilities but totally safe even in a big blow. .... and no ferries.
