Journal Entry from a year ago.
Harrowing Night!
After much due diligence and research, Tyler determined it would be fine to “beach the boat”, Meaning we would sail close to shore during high tide and wait for it to fall, leaving the boat to dry out on a sandy perch for 6 hours, time enough for him to investigate a broken rudder. The beach he chose was a half hour sail from Kirkwall to the serene Inganess Bay, a perfect spot for beaching as suggested by the island locals. Expected, was a soft sandy beach, waterside campers, and fire pits, as well as old rusty shipwreck (The Juniata 1918) to explore and even, we were told, “dive off of!” What fun! Party on the beach!
photo found from the web. unable to find the owners name.
What we encountered was a barren shore with unexpected, and historically strong, gail force winds which quickly and violently pushed the boat forward, grinding the hulls against giant boulders buried beneath the sand. The heavy winds did not allow the tide to ever fully recede and we were potentially stuck and/or worse being wind fucked into the rocky cliff side. Poor Makara bucked like a wild angry horse to and fro itching violently to be back where she belonged, in the sea.
Tyler kept his calm and (somehow) made it to shore to find help. Unbelievably, as the boat rocked and moaned, Kasia made us a delicious hot meal, a barley mushroom casserole. Good thing too, we would need our energy!
Pretty soon the coast guard trucks arrived to assess the situation. Decisions were made as curious locals dotted the ridge line to record our plight on their cell phones. It was obvious we were “what was happening”!
In the shadow of an old shipwreck Tyler make use of the low tide and daylight to attach two ropes to the boat in preparation of a late night, high tide tow.
Night fell as the tide rose and as planned an enormous ship appeared from the horizon. The giant Vessel belonging to the coast guard used a sun like spot light to search us out and although it stayed safely afar in the deep it’s goggly eyed lamp shone bright.
The Giant Mother ship then birthed a tiny dingy with two men, who’s sole mission it was, to deliver us the end of a very long and heavy rope. By now the waves were hard and relentless and the men flew about in attempt of this nearly impossible task. A heroic scene unveiled. As they edged closer I watched them being pummeled by relentless surf.
Also heroic was Tyler, calmly and clearly projecting orders for us on the boat. After all, this was a mission of precise coordination. The dingy and its men arrived and although the waves were crashing them upward and sideways they managed to pass the line and without further issue quickly motored away.
Tyler and Kasia attached the 200lb line tying a nautical knot with amazing speed. By this time the Tide was bringing her A game and with every wave The Makara rocked and screamed. We felt the distant ship offer her first gentle tug.
After a few more tugs Makara floated if only for a few seconds at a time a sensation celebrated each time. The plan was working! Always with forethought and instinct, Tyler firmly told us to back up incase of a rope snap. We ducked back and Kasia and I held onto each other, she, screaming sweet nothings to her “Wee Makara” me, kind-of laughing out of pure fear.
All the effort seemed to be paying off and we were making good progress, slowly freeing ourselves from the rocks when, BOOM!! The port side rope indeed snapped and we were instantly being pushed by the gales, now crunching sideways back toward the shore! Without skipping a beat, Tyler radioed the Life Boat to tell them what had happened at the same time opening a hatch in the floor and pulling out another rope.
Jacob rushed to help tie the new rope to Makara as the waves crashed into the stern with great force. The ocean spray exploding around us made everything that much more difficult.
Perfect timing as the coast guard dingy made it back to our boat with their line and again it was quickly attached.
As if the situation weren’t chaotic enough, a blaring BUZZ noise suddenly screamed from the boat. Tyler yelled for Kasia and I to check under the interior floorboards. Apparently this insane noise had an even more insane meaning. The boat was taking on water! We ran inside. Kasia to the Starboard side and me to the Port side whipping tools, food cans, and clothes out of the way; objects which had fallen onto the floor. We cleared space enough to lift the boards and check to see where the water was coming in! Thank God, dry on both sides! The apparent cause of the alarm was wayward water had found its way into the engine room from all the rocking and the waves.
Now the tide was full up and Makaras engines at full throttle giving her all to counter mother natures wind and water power. Forces necessary in sail, but tonight, an adversity.
The giant Life boat now harboring greater pull, edged us finally off of the rocks ledge and we felt the Makara break free and begin to float. We thought this to be the end and were noticeably relieved. Finally, safe and sound. Or so we thought. Mother Nature had one last card to play. Suddenly the rain came down in sideways sheets, the wind actually picked up and all combined with the ropes pull created a trajectory strait and fast toward the rusty shipwreck. As we edged closer it grew larger, like running toward a mirror reflecting our possible inevitability. On point, as usual, the Coast Guard ship and Captan Tyler revved all engines at full throttle and with combined effort dodged the rusty wall of wreck.
Wew!
