Our First Gale

Well in our last update we were saying the wind had not exceeded 10 knots and now we’re in a gale. Its Tuesday at 1300 and the wind log is showing 40 knots. We were out in great conditions on Saturday but by Sunday there was a gale warning of Force 7 winds. Although we are in the marina we are within 50m of the marina entrance which faces the open sea. By Monday morning there were approx 2-3 m waves breaking all the way across the entrance and sending a surge into the marina. The surge is the problem rather than the wind as the boat lifts and drops putting pressure on all of the lines and causing them to jerk. We picked up a spare bow heavy line, doubling our protection on the bow and put out extra stern lines including a heavy spring running two thirds the length of the boat (secured by pilot house to take the jerkiness out). Despite this, there is still a of movement and we have to be very careful going ashore as the Passarelle (boarding plank) goes up and down by a metre or so. Yesterday I had to put additional stern lines on an unattended 44 ft planing vessel on our starboard side. She had totally unsuitable stern lines which were already half frayed through. At 0300 today I got up to check around and found the 42 ft planing vessel which had been our port side had gone ! She had broken her stern lines and gone adrift dragging her power line and hose off the dock. I could see her up against yachts on the lee side of the marina but could do nothing myself and there was nobody around listening to the marina radio. At daylight the “marinaras” came and sorted it out and there seemed to be minimal damage.
About now is the time we were planning to do some sight seeing in Rome but we’re not going to leave Envoy unattended in these conditions. Of course there’s plenty to do to keep us occupied. Together with a great guy called we are making up some power cable adaptors so that we can source power from different types of power outlets. Wayne used to make his up as he went along but he’s more practical than me in that regard. We also need to sort out our gas bottle refilling as the bottles we have on Envoy are suitable for Spain and Turkey but not for Italy.
So in addition to that we are well and enjoying but now looking forward to some balmy weather again which, if permitting we intend to leave Ostia for Capri, the Amalfi Coast and then Sicily on the weekend.