Page 155 - The Tigris Expedition

The Tigris Expedition
Captain Igor’s request to continue into port was turned down. Some­
one would come out for Tigris. Slavsk anchored, and we hung on.
The legendary island was still hidden below the horizon and with
our binoculars we could barely see indistinct clusters of tall chim­
neys of oil installations.
Before long a modern coastguard vessel came racing into sight,
1 and shortly afterwards a helicopter too. We were filmed from the
air, but the officials of the coastguard vessel only waved and
I continuously circled at a distance, almost like the dhows off Failaka.
The helicopter left, but the coastguard never came closer. Slavsk
lowered its lifeboat and Yuri and Carlo came back to Tigris in top
spirits with Captain Igor. They had evidently had a grand time. The
coastguard just went on circling round while we hung on to Slavsk
on our rope so as not to drift off into the shallows.
The afternoon passed and we scouted the horizon, but nobody
else came out. The coastguard patiently kept on circling Slavsk and
us. As the sun sank low, Captain Igor finally greeted us for the last
time. He returned to his own ship followed by our last shouts of
thanks and good wishes. It was like losing a fine companion, a
former stranger who had shown so much courage and unselfish
humanity.
The sun began to set, and we were now prepared to hang on to
the anchored Slavsk overnight. Then to our surprise the coastguard
vessel came close to our side and asked if we would not accept a tow
to Bahrain. We accepted with thanks, but I asked if we were not
waiting for someone else. No, we learnt. It was they who had come
to fetch us. But they had waited for the Russians to let go the rope;
we had seemed to them to be held as some sort of captives.
On the contrary, I explained. They had helped us. They had
saved us from the reefs and towed us to Bahrain. This explanation
made no difference. No Russian ship was admitted to the Emirate
of Bahrain. The friendly coastguard officers immediately grabbed
our tow rope as soon as we shouted to the Russians to let it go.
There was nothing we could do. With heavy heart we waved to
Captain Igor, who was not allowed into harbour, and while we
were towed towards the lights of a modern city port that slowly
rose into sight, Slavsk weighed anchor and began its return voyage
to the other ships that waited patiently at the mouth of the distant
Shatt-al-Arab.
We were heading for a tiny independent nation booming in
modern development and with seemingly limitless wealth. The
great wealth of Bahrain lies not so much in its own now rapidly
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