Crews Letter #2004 13 Algenon Pukesley Revisited

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Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen:

Two years ago in Turkey, we came across a rather boisterous and generally obnoxious Englishman, Algenon Pukesley.

We attempted to tell that tale in You Got To Go Check Gocek Since then we have noticed that boisterous and obnoxious are not limited to any one nationality. There are some really irritating people in this world.

Please consider the following:

Wash!

We are sailing along in a nice, but gentle, breeze. Two big power cruisers with not quite enough power to really plane come roaring up our stern. They split to pass on both sides of Perception, much closer than reasonable, and bounce us around with maximum wash. This happens often in the open sea. You can almost be certain that they will both be American boats. Arg!

Jibe Ho!

A long time a go Fred was sailing with a skipper on White Rock Lake in Dallas who solved a similar problem. A water skier made three close passes on the Sea Gull that they were sailing. The first pass was a surprise. The spray from the water-skis covered the cockpit and everyone in it. The second pass was equally close and a warning shouted at the towing boat and the skier. On the third pass there was a sudden jibe that put the boom directly in the path of the skier. He hit the boom just at his shoulders. It didn’t happen again. Arg!

Beware Baby Strollers

In crowded streets and market places, there are baby strollers used as lethal weapons. Baby on board or not, these things are shoved along without regard to the ankles or shins of the people around them. There must be an inalienable right for anyone who has such a device to wreak havoc on all who would walk or stand in the path of a baby stroller. There are no International Rules of the Road for baby strollers. Pedestrian beware.

Please Vote.

We have met a remarkable number of Europeans who feel that something is amiss that they don’t get to vote in the US Presidential election. The logic goes like this: The President of the United States is the primary world leader. He is an elected official. How then is it that the people of the world don’t get a vote? Sadly, we know that about half of the Americans eligible to vote will ignore the privilege.

Overseas Tax Haven

In Slovenia, Croatia, Greece and Turkey, more than 60% of the US documented vessels that we have seen have a homeport in either Delaware or Maryland. When you approach the people on board, it is likely they have little or no English and have never been to the US. Their boat is documented in the US to evade paying local taxes. The US is an overseas tax haven. And there are companies in Delaware and Maryland that will for a small fee, provide an address and file papers with the US Coast Guard Documentation Center.

How do you talk to a naked German?

In Gerbekse, a bay in Turkey, we dragged anchor around midnight. On our third try to reset it, it caught under another chain. We left it there for the night and called an anchor watch. Anchor watch means because the situation has a high degree of uncertainty, one crewmember stays awake and watches for movement outside the scope of the anchor. In this case we were watching for our boat and the one whose anchor chain we thought we had snagged. We take turns with the watch as long as the uncertainty exists.

The next morning Fred dinghied over to the effected boat to warn them of the possible problem and that we were about to leave. In order to leave, we would have to raise their chain to the surface and unhook our anchor from it. This could disrupt their anchor. He arrived just as the owner / skipper climbed aboard from his morning swim. He was German and butt naked.

“Excuse me. Do you have English?”

“Nein.”

Fortunately, this impasse was avoided when a younger man came up the companionway and offered that he had some English.

The skipper stood there, full frontal, as he heard Fred’s explanation.

Once he understood the issue, without benefit of translation, he picked up a towel and wrapped it around his waist and said in very clear English, “You would come over here to tell me that there might be a problem?”

“Yes. That is what I am here trying to do.”

“That is remarkable. I have never known an American to be considerate. Thank you.” he said.

“Wouldn’t you do the same under the circumstances?” asked Fred.

That question hasn’t been answered.

We are not often up at sunrise but because of the anchor watch this picture was taken.

Season – Not Determined

As we approach the end of the 2004 season, the theme for the season “To Be Determined” is more and more appropriate as is. That is to say, there hasn’t been a theme. We have had very laid back cruising, good sights and Venezia. The friends who have come on board were varied in experience, nationality and age. They have provided the spice to make us appreciate even more the cruising life. This season will go down in the log as “Not Determined” and that is a good thing.

Aweigh Anchor,

Phyl & Fred

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