Thursday digits and pivots.

Sometimes you just gotta tell it like it happened.

But it’s been a really long day, so I’ll give you the short version.

No filter. Red sun in the morning….

We spent the night on the dock at Alonissos, secured with stern lines and anchor as is appropriate. A big swell moved in overnight, and at about 430 am we were rocking and rolling and pulling on the lines, as were all of the boats around us. Over the course of about 45 chaotic minutes, Jason, Jemima, Simon and I ran around in the dark on heaving decks, loosening lines and trying to keep the boat safe while other boats were crashing into the dock. In the process, Jason lost the tip of his finger in the anchor chain. We added tending to his hand to our list of concerns. Thankfully we have Tara who is an ER doc on board. She quickly splinted and wrapped it. Jason made the wise decision to get us off the dock before we had irreparable damage, so we freed our lines and lifted the anchor made for sea in the darkness. At sea we were safe from the swell, but we had to get to a protected place where we could secure the boat and get Jason some medical attention. We motored over 3 hours to get back to the dock on Skiathos. The winds were gusting over 45 mph and it was a bumpy ride. Everyone hunkered down, and Jason was impressively calm and collected at the wheel. Jemima was Mary Poppins - she kept everyone calm and fed and hydrated. Simon and I put our heads together to come up with plans A, B, C and more. Hopper, Richie & Lisa were weighing in and supporting us from afar. We had an incredible sunrise - blood red (sailors take warning) - and true to form, Jason asked me to get a picture of him and his bandaged hand with it. I did.

Jason remained calm and in control of our vessel at all times, and light hearted about his predicament, in spite of significant pain. We docked safely in Skiathos as did so many other vessels. Our friends at Istion Yacht Charters got Jason a taxi up to the hospital where his wound was cleaned and stitched up. He’ll need to see a surgeon when he returns home in a few days.

With the sudden change of weather, we would have been on this dock tonight no matter what. This is a hard reality of yachting and being at sea - sometimes the trip doesn’t end the way you’d planned. In this case, it really took a turn we hadn’t expected. 

Along with the red sunrise, we were treated to a rainbow off the mountains bathed in pink light.

From about 445 am this morning, my crew and I have been making decisions and pivoting. Throughout the day, our four guests have been supportive, helpful, flexible and compassionate. As Hopper said to me in a text in the midst of all of this, this is the kind of day when you see what people are made of.

The people I am with tonight are pure gold.

While Jason was at the hospital, Simon and I took our swimmers by cab to a local beach on the protected side of the island. We pulled up some beach chairs and chilled out a bit. We decided on a swim - Kevin decided on a beer and lounging (which I can totally get behind) and the rest of us ended up really mostly bobbing, chatting and playing more than anything else. It was a decompression experience we all needed. 

We walked the beach and had some snacks at a little beach bar and generally just bonded over the whole day. We raised our glasses. “To Pivoting” Kevin said. 

To pivoting.

That our guests felt this way today, about us, and about this experience and about this day means the world to me. It also tells me that they find what we do worth supporting, and worth pivoting for.

So tonight Jason is all wrapped up and joined us for an incredible dinner and dessert put out by Jemima. He was in fine form, joking and laughing along with us at all the funny stories we shared at our table. We recognize that the weather and our circumstances will not let us get off this dock again. But that can’t change the fantastic swims we have had, and we will make the most of our day tomorrow with adventures we hadn’t planned on. Sometimes an unexpected turn leads to much needed perspective. From where we sit tonight, I’d say this group is tighter than when we began.

Efcharisto to each and every one of you. Let’s have fun tomorrow.

Love,

Heather