Crews Letter #2004 06 Drinking with Young Men, and Other Deeds

Return to the Crews Page

Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen:

You should always be careful when a younger man offers you liquor from an unlabeled bottle. When he demonstrates that traditionally you sign yourself with the cross before drinking and drink directly from the bottle, caution is not sufficient. Find a seat, enjoy the moment and stop all other activity. When he wants you to match him drink for drink and the schnapps taste good, Katy bar the door. Something is going to fall off the boat.

One of the continuing joys of this life style is the people we meet.

In the marina at Lefkas, Greece, we were docked across the pontoon from a charter boat that was being provisioned by 14 Serbians. They had driven down from Belgrade and brought with them everything they would need for a three week cruise.

After the formalities of getting their 50 foot Beneteau docked and a discussion of how it is that two Americans own a boat that was built in Yugoslavia, they started unloading the cars and loading the boat. The beer, 28 cases, was warm. Fred offered cold beer and the Serbs accepted. The captain, countered by offering some schnapps to be followed with beer chasers. He told us that these schnapps are very special to a region near Belgrade. They are made with fermented and distilled plums. They are flavored with special herbs and very little sugar. In his other profession, this captain is a dentist. In that professional opinion he commented that these schnapps reduce tooth decay and mouth bacteria better than any tooth paste or mouth wash. He demonstrated that traditionally you sign yourself with the cross before drinking and drink directly from the bottle. Phyl wisely declined, gracefully. Fred was neither graceful, wise nor declining. He enjoyed the moment and the camaraderie. The moment was stretched to about three hours during which he tried to function. When a ratchet wrench jumped out of his pocket, bounced twice on the deck and took a dive in 5 metres of water, he retired to the cabin and started planning the hangover.

Martin and Jennifer joined us in Greece and helped us with the passage to Croatia. The weather was less than agreeable. Winds were never quite right, on the cool side and unsettled. During the night passages there was thunder, lightening and rain. The one night layover in Brindisi, Italy was an unexpected pleasure. When we were there in 2001, the city wall was not particularly nice. The advance party, Jasna, Mathias and Mark, decided within an hour that the city was dead and we journeyed on to Otranto. This year there is a marina. It is new and development is not yet complete. But it is operational. The restaurant was exceptional. With a waiter in tux we were led into an Italian dinner: wine, antipasto, pasta. There were other courses but we were full. The food was great. The attention was great. We were the only customers.

We arrived the first week of June in Croatia.

First stop, Okuklje on Mljet. One more rain shower and then Phyl declared, “Enough is enough! It is time for summer.”

Since then we have not had rain and the weather is generally warming. We have been back to Okuklje since. It was special in 2001 and it is special still.

For the check-in, we went to the island and town of Korcula. Officialdom on that island is geared for yachts. The quay is not. Especially it is not, if the wind is from the Northeast. For a Northeast wind the fetch is about 200 miles starting in Italy. We anchored in a Beaufort 6, in 12.5 metres of water and backed down on a medieval quay. The Port Authority Officer came to the quay to help with the lines!

Fred told Phyl, “Keep the engine running. As soon as I am ashore, run the stern lines out to full length and take up the anchor. If anything goes wrong, drop the lines and leave.”

With documents in hand Fred jumped ashore. Phyl and crew were left on a bouncing and wet Perception. The check-in was organized and simple. The Passport control officer walked to the quay to compare passport pictures with real faces. Phyl reversed the process and Fred jumped aboard.

Less than 200 metres across the peninsula they docked in a very quiet and secure marina. No damage was done. But the potential was there and the discomfort of riding a bucking boat could have been avoided if only Officialdom could find a cooperative arrangement with the marina.

Croatia is as lovely as we remembered it. Prices are up. Partly because with success, prices go up and partly because the dollar is weak.

In Dubrovnic, we met Martin’s parents, Kaj and Karen, from Denmark. They were in town for holiday and came aboard Perception for a day sail the last day of Jennifer and Martin’s cruise. Chalk up two big pluses in the “… people we meet” column.

Ease the sheet, please,

Phyl & Fred

<<Previous ^Crews Page^ Next>>