Saturday, November 03, 2007

Bad week on Lake Geneva .....or how it could be worse

It was a bad week for those boating on Lake Geneva.

First up there's this, the Simplon. Its one of the oldest passenger vessels on Lake Geneva, and it plowed into the side of a dock during a ceremony to unveil the company’s newest high-speed boat (oops). According the the Geneve Tribue it was at the same place that Sissi, the Austrian empress, was assassinated in 1898.

It could have been worse - at least the boat was still afloat afterwards, unlike this one I saw on the rocks by the Parc Mon Repos:

It made an interesting spectacle for those walking in the afternoon sunshine.

But it could have be worse - at least it was in one piece, unlike this yacht just 100 metres further along the lake:

The thin hull of the yacht had snapped, leaving three pieces (the bow is just off-shot). Within a few days all was left was rubble (in particular the metal mast).

Must be sad for the skippers of both yachts - but at least it was a short leap to the rocks along the promenade and safety.

It could have been worse - this week we've been remembering the yacht Ouzo, which was almost certainly run down by the Pride of Bilboa, with the tragic loss of the three sailors.

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