Flotsam and Jetsam

Co-written by the crew.
Out at sea, crossing from Palermo to the Aeolian Islands we come across a beach ball, lilos and other inflatables, casualties from the recent stormy weather we think.
As we approach the islands we spot something else floating in the water. It’s bigger than anything of the other flotsam and jetsam we have come across. Ronan suggests it might be a dinghy that floated away from it's owner in these islands, the crew agrees.
We discuss our options; we could leave it drifting and contact the Coast Guard or we could tow it to Vulcano and figure out what to do when we get there. We choose the latter, furl the headsail, put her bow into the waves and motor up wind towards the lost dinghy. Our reason for doing this is number one ; pollution and two ; somebody could crash into it.
Upon further inspection we see that the kill-cord is still on the outboard engine, she only has one oar and no painter or any rope for us to attach to. Ruby and Ronan lie down on the deck and put a rope through a metal hoop on the dinghy. The little boat is about two metres long with a three and a half horsepower engine. We secure the rope and she is ready to be towed.

After we arrive in vulcano, Dad gets into the dinghy to see how things are. He gives the engine a try and it actually starts right away! We’re all very surprised and we begin to use the ‘new’ dinghy as ours to go ashore. She works very well and the engine’s in good nick, but it’s a bit of a squash and a squeeze as she is smaller than ours.
The coast guard’s office on Vulcano is permanently closed and when we ask around the marina nobody knows anything about a missing dinghy.
The next day Dad receives a phone call from a man who claims to have lost his dinghy recently! We’re very excited that this could be her owner. Dad doesn’t give anything away and asks him to describe his missing dinghy. Unfortunately it’s not a match so the poor man will have to search on while we continue looking for the rightful owner.

When we leave Vulcano, we head to the neighbouring island of Lipari, the capital of the archipelago. We drive by the town to see if we can find the coastguard to hand the little boat over to but unluckily there’s no sign of them in the bay.

A few days later in Panarea we are still using the little lost dinghy to go ashore. In the village we go down to the pier, on an island this is usually where everything happens. Dad talks to a port employee and he gets some good news! The port police come to the island every afternoon on their rounds so we hang around to meet them and Dad tells them our story.

The next day we have a wild ride bringing the dinghy to the village. We drive halfway around the island on an almost empty tank of diesel, staying at low revs to preserve it. Colm and Dad glance around with trepidation every time I change the speed, and we joke about having to row there with only one oar.

Thankfully we make it. We secure her to the pier, as arranged, for the police to collect. We walk away, it is the end of a short (but lively) era.Read more