The Elephantas

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Sunset at anchorage
The retreating monsoon often offers a parting kick in the form of sudden thunderstorms called elephantas. One such thunderstorm caught us off guard on the night of the 5th. A local GYA assistant, Jaydas woke up for a pee at 4 in the morning and noticed a mast close to the jetty. A closer look shook the sleep from his eyes and he called Dilip.

A look at the caller ID was enough for Dilip to surmise the worst and jump out of bed. We tore down to the jetty to find Antara just metres away. The strong winds and tousled seas had lifted the mooring and dragged both the boat and the mooring. Jaydas started up his dinghy and we clambered in. He dropped us to Antara and we promptly started up the engine. Yesterday's escapade and our subsequent gentle administrations saw the engine purr into prompt action. We cleared the mooring lines and motored away.

The next few hours were spent parading up and down the river till morning broke. We came back to our original mooring place and put down the anchor. We waited with bated breath to confirm that the anchor held.

Sunrise at anchorage
That done, we needed a ride back to shore and more importantly we needed to figure the best way to keep her anchored for the rest of the season. Jaydas rescued us again, when he motored up to take us ashore. After a shower and lunch we packed an overnight bag and came back to Antara.

We need to create a stronger mooring but it's a holiday, so we'll just have to wait for Monday.

Another potentially sleepless night looms ahead...


With Antara, you now have the opportunity to sail, safe in Covid times - on a large sailboat, along the coast, in the deep blue yonder! You decide and we'll design a sail just for you. 

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