After a full day and night of fun on Amorogos, my little boat and crew were ready for a change, but not quite ready to leave Amorogos. So we decided to sail around to a cove we'd seen during our explorations the previous day and anchor for the night.
Best.Decision.Ever. (Despite what would happen next... wait for it!)
Amorogos' port area is by no means industrial, large, noisy or buzzing. It's quite charming. But for the solitary lot, the type of people who thrive on quiet and peace, which my group very much was, a night at anchor bests any night in a port.
So we moved. Quick and simple, we dropped anchor into the seaweed-bottomed cove and jumped in for a swim. School children played near the shore and the crews of two other boats frolicked about near their own vessels.
A cute, Greek church sat happily atop a hill in the distance and we lay in the sea as the sunset appeared over the church, painting the sky in vibrant oranges and reds.
Get out of the water. Sunset is not the time to be in the bay.
It was a niggling little feeling I had pressing at the back of my mind.
But my friend Kerry was telling one of the most hilarious first-date stories I'd ever heard, so instead of speeding back to the boat, we kicked and lazed our way gently back toward the boat, enjoying the hilarity of the tale.
Get out of the water. There it was again. I sped us up a bit and just as Kerry reached the top step on the aft end of the boat, ZAP!
OUCH.
I quickly pulled myself over to the stairs and out of the water.
"Something stung me." I announced. But the pain wasn't terrible, just annoying... So none of us thought much of it.
I hopped into a hot shower (we'd been running the engine for showers that evening) and when I stepped out, the annoying sting had developed into a persistent burning sensation behind my knee.
"OHMYGOSHLOOKATYOURLEG!" Exclaimed another boatmate, which brought our skipper, Robin over straightaway.
"Are you dizzy? Can you breathe?" He pulled out his iphone and began typing madly, searching first for nearby hospitals and then, when I assured him I was fine and could breathe perfectly well, but my leg was now on fire, for jellyfish sting remedies.
And what was the verdict? What was the magical remedy to cure my sting?
(It did not involve bodily fluids. One website said this: "Contrary to pop culture propigated by the TV show, Friends, Urinating on a Jellyfish sting is not helpful.")
Vineagar.
Vineagar neutralizes the venom in the pods from the jelly stings. The best remedy is to keep applying vinegar, swim in salt water and stay out of fresh water, as fresh water re-activates the venom pods.
Which is why my hot shower made the stings BURN like the dickens.
Vinegar. The same vinegar you put on salads, the same vinegar that I discovered days before would repel mosquitoes and take away the itch after a bite. Who knew vinegar was so gosh-darned useful? Definitely a boat staple.
So I applied the vinegar. Over and over and over. For days. I bought my own bottle in Santorini and smelled like a distillery for weeks. But it worked.
So, that makes the tally of Christy's crazy serious-yet-okay injuries on this trip TWO,
1. Epic thumb dislocation.
2. Jellyfish sting.
I might be a little bit accident prone.
Best.Decision.Ever. (Despite what would happen next... wait for it!)
Amorogos' port area is by no means industrial, large, noisy or buzzing. It's quite charming. But for the solitary lot, the type of people who thrive on quiet and peace, which my group very much was, a night at anchor bests any night in a port.
So we moved. Quick and simple, we dropped anchor into the seaweed-bottomed cove and jumped in for a swim. School children played near the shore and the crews of two other boats frolicked about near their own vessels.
A cute, Greek church sat happily atop a hill in the distance and we lay in the sea as the sunset appeared over the church, painting the sky in vibrant oranges and reds.
Get out of the water. Sunset is not the time to be in the bay.
It was a niggling little feeling I had pressing at the back of my mind.
But my friend Kerry was telling one of the most hilarious first-date stories I'd ever heard, so instead of speeding back to the boat, we kicked and lazed our way gently back toward the boat, enjoying the hilarity of the tale.
Get out of the water. There it was again. I sped us up a bit and just as Kerry reached the top step on the aft end of the boat, ZAP!
OUCH.
I quickly pulled myself over to the stairs and out of the water.
"Something stung me." I announced. But the pain wasn't terrible, just annoying... So none of us thought much of it.
I hopped into a hot shower (we'd been running the engine for showers that evening) and when I stepped out, the annoying sting had developed into a persistent burning sensation behind my knee.
"OHMYGOSHLOOKATYOURLEG!" Exclaimed another boatmate, which brought our skipper, Robin over straightaway.
"Are you dizzy? Can you breathe?" He pulled out his iphone and began typing madly, searching first for nearby hospitals and then, when I assured him I was fine and could breathe perfectly well, but my leg was now on fire, for jellyfish sting remedies.
And what was the verdict? What was the magical remedy to cure my sting?
(It did not involve bodily fluids. One website said this: "Contrary to pop culture propigated by the TV show, Friends, Urinating on a Jellyfish sting is not helpful.")
Vineagar.
Vineagar neutralizes the venom in the pods from the jelly stings. The best remedy is to keep applying vinegar, swim in salt water and stay out of fresh water, as fresh water re-activates the venom pods.
Viola. Venom pods.
Which is why my hot shower made the stings BURN like the dickens.
Vinegar. The same vinegar you put on salads, the same vinegar that I discovered days before would repel mosquitoes and take away the itch after a bite. Who knew vinegar was so gosh-darned useful? Definitely a boat staple.
So I applied the vinegar. Over and over and over. For days. I bought my own bottle in Santorini and smelled like a distillery for weeks. But it worked.
So, that makes the tally of Christy's crazy serious-yet-okay injuries on this trip TWO,
1. Epic thumb dislocation.
2. Jellyfish sting.
I might be a little bit accident prone.
oh my goodness...that looks painful. You are a trooper!
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