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(Double
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Excerpts from our Winter
2004 Newsletter
"Sail a Cat" - BVI December 2004
All that a vacation should
be and more! Cruising World’s 4th “Sail A Cat” in the
British Virgin Islands was the best yet on so many different levels. Timed
early in December after the Thanksgiving orgy, “Sail A Cat” gave
sailors the chance not only to try out sailing on the ‘big cats’, but also to
store up some sun, fun, and relaxation to help them through the bustle of
Christmas.
Sparkling sunshine
spotlighted the sandy bottoms for safe anchoring at Anegada, Monkey Point, and
Sandy Spit on Jost Van Dyke, where we lunched aboard surrounded by pale
turquoise all around. The winds were fantastic, reaching 32 knots; our Lagoon
47 touched 12.2 – WOW – on our return from Anegada. Every day offered plenty of
sailing time, snorkeling, sipping “painkillers,” and enjoying new boat mates.
Amongst this group of 40 sailors, ALL were new to Cruising World’s Adventure
Charters and to one another, and what fun we all had!! As one couple remarked,
“It was the best vacation we ever had. ….. All we had to do was sail, snorkel
and enjoy! “
This particular Adventure
Charter was hosted by Bernadette and Douglas Bernon, now in their 4th
year of cruising. As former Editor of Cruising World magazine,
Bernadette charmed everyone with plenty of practical tips and witty tales of
their experiences so far, while Douglas, a respected psychiatrist but, by his
own admission, no mechanical genius, convinced everyone that “if we can do it,
you can do it.” Both stressed that, despite the steep learning curve, getting
“out there” brings plenty of joy, satisfaction and excitement to those willing
to push off from the dock.
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CROATIA—the Dalmatian Coast
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It was our penultimate night in Dubrovnik, and after gamboling high above, along
the 2.5-km wall surrounding the medieval city, Peter and I were looking forward
to our “date night” and a delicious Croatian dinner at one of the best tables in
a highly rated restaurant overlooking the glistening Adriatic Sea. “Oh, no,”
groaned Peter as he fidgeted distractedly with his new digital camera. “I don’t
believe it; I think I’ve just deleted ALL my photographs!” This, after a great
10-day sail from Trogir to Dubrovnik!
Our first photos were of guardian sphinxes outside Diocletian’s Palace at Split
. A guided tour of this ancient city opened our eyes to a bygone age epitomized
by an amazing banner over the entry to the palace celebrating the years
“304—2004.” (!!) It would be sad, too, to miss a shot of the glowing aquamarine
Blue Grotto on Bistevo, just off the coast of Vis.
Many pictures recorded our fellow sailors enjoying fine, often communal, meals,
on our boats. We had some great cooks on this trip, not to mention our local
skipper/guide Ivo who could easily move from skippering to “cheffing.”
What
about the picture relaxing on the square in Hvar devouring a luscious ice cream
concoction before catching the water taxi back to our anchorage at Palmiziano
(which I always remember as “Parmigiano” cheese).
Though impossible to capture in a photo, an amusing interlude was Natalie
introducing Ivo, probably during a particularly poor kick during one of the
European soccer championship matches, to the Americanism “He’s Toast!” After a
lengthy explanation, followed by even longer mental processing, Ivo exclaimed,
“But I LIKE toast!.”
Getting back to the digital dilemma—as soon as Peter got home, he discovered an
important website for other techno-fidgets, which I hereby recommend to others:
www.flashfixers.com
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KYC can arrange easily a charter for you in Croatia. In our opinion, it is one
of the best cruising grounds in the Mediterranean, with excellent facilities,
beautiful and varied islands, World Heritage Sites, and very friendly
people. The wine’s not bad either.
Kingdom of Tonga
Will we EVER return??... from Tonga
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( Carol,
Janice and Ruth casting their floral lei offerings into the sea for good
luck before our 180 mile passage to Tonga'tapu)
Even before the unexpected adventure of getting home from Tonga (see
Executive Editor Tim Murphy’s feature in September Cruising World
magazine) , there was the multi-faceted adventure of our afternoon and
evening at the “Blue Lagoon”, anchorage #14. The charter companies, and
now even the Tongans, have adopted numbering the many wonderful
anchoring spots in the Vava’u group of islands because the names are so
hard to pronounce. Approaching Foeata, as it is called, there is a very
tricky entrance with waves curling on reef in front of you as you
approach. You must favor the right side near the south end of Hunga,
watching the coral on both sides in a narrow passage about 8 meters
deep. Trusting your polarized sunglasses, you concentrate on the coral
all about you, passing up the first left-hand passage and continuing on
to the second one before going in deeper to the west, curling around
toward the beach. We wanted to arrange for a group dinner at the small
resort later that night with a local launch to pick us up from our
anchorage in Hunga Lagoon, itself a challenge to enter through a very
narrow channel marked by a 10-foot man-like craggy coral formation. The
tide must be just right, with the water in the “man’s mouth”. At 5:30
all 25 of us clambered aboard a simple, covered, cheerful blue and white
launch for the treacherous trip over the shallow reef separating us from
our anticipated dinner. One Tongan was on the bow pointing directions,
while the Tongan skipper sat on starboard, his head stretched out the
side window to watch the very shallow water, gray rocks and coral
clearly visible only a foot below the surface. GLAD WE’RE NOT DOING
THIS IN OUR DINGHIES!!! Tensions mounted and our regard for the skipper
soared as we gave thanks for his navigating skills. As the water
deepened we all breathed a huge sigh of relief to be through the maze.
Our dinghy/taxi hero Gene Duenow probably got dizzy ferrying us
all ashore. But it was all worth it for a delicious meal of lobster
salad, red snapper, steak, and cappuccino cake, not to mention a very
entertaining musical poem by the sailors on BARAVI PRINCESS—Gene,
Peg, Bill, Carolyn, Leslie and Marty.
Then it was time for the return trip over the reef, the moonless
night enveloping us. The bow man panned his powerful torch (in the
English sense) while the skipper again hung his head out the little
window, eying the bottom. How they managed to get through was a
miracle. Within minutes we could see our welcoming anchor lights. Lepa,
our Tongan fleet skipper, had stayed behind to see that the boats
remained well anchored, and we were happy to deliver a well-deserved
special dinner prepared especially for him by the owner’s wife A’amata
at the Blue Lagoon.
SOUTH AFRICA & SEYCHELLES- OCTOBER, 2004
NOTES FROM OUR OCTOBER 2004 TRIP TO SOUTH AFRICA AND THE SEYCHELLES
(We will be
doing a similar trip in November
2005)
21 adventurous sailors hit the
ground running. With a stop at
Constantia Uitsig just to drop our
bags and arrange the wines for the
Welcome Dinner later that evening,
we were off to False Bay,
Muiszenburg, Simon’s Town, The
Boulders and the Penguin Colony. Our
guide Melissa booked us for lunch at
the restaurant where the specialty
was excellent line fish.
Along the way we were amazed to see
right from the bus numerous right
whales gamboling around fairly close
in to shore; there were many mothers
and babies. Also saw chakma baboons,
wild ostrich, bontebok – a new
species for us; it means “mixed
color.
We had a fabulous view at Cape
Point, a view to Cape of Good Hope farther
to the east. Cape Point itself is
actually on the Atlantic side, and
Cape of Good Hope – Agulhas Point marks the
meeting of the Indian Ocean and the
Atlantic. All along there were
beautiful sandy beaches and small
bays.
  
  
FROM TANDA TULA
“Ferrari Safari” – a very fast and
long-ish drive toward a specific
animal sighting…we did several of
these in Tanda Tula, where the
sparse, but excellent game was
spread over a vast territory.
A new sighting for us was a Nyala, a
large antelope, vertically striped
in white like a kudu. However, the
female is totally different with
lovely white spots.
Thursday – PM Our first sighting of
a rhino – yippee! Also buffaloes,
the “big boys” first and then the
“rockettes” or buffalo girls. the
guides’ nicknames for animals are
usually quite colorful.
Watched some elephants eating –
methodically grabbed a bunch of long
grass with their twirling trunk,
broke off the bunch with one foot;
shake, shake, shake the grass to
remove the dirt, and then into the
mouth. They spend most of their
waking moments foraging for food,
demolishing the countryside,
breaking trees, scarifying the bark
of tree trunks and stripping off
long ribbons of bark.
   
"Henry" breaking up
everything lilac
breasted roller
female Nyala
Cape Buffalo
The landscape looks like the
aftermath of a forest fire –
blackened, broken, chaotic.
Dinner tonight was in a circle – our
camp chairs and individual
candle-lit tables romantically set
up under the stars.
Friday, AM - Went walking with guide
and saw a bataleur eagle and some
lilac breasted rollers. In a crazy
mad moment, led on by our “mad”
safari guide, we all reluctantly and
unbelievably participated in an
impala dung-spitting contest.
Clustered around an impala midden
(toilet spot), our guide picked up a
palm full of the hard, round and
black dung, convinced us all that it
was perfectly harmless and
tasteless, and then proceeded to pop
a pellet into his mouth and propel
it as far as possible, thrusting
body and head forward in an arching
movement. We stood in curious
disbelief… and even more so, when he
convinced everyone to do the same!!!
I can’t believe we did such a
puerile thing, but there we were – 6
or 8 full-grown gullible adults, not
wanting to be the one to say “NO.”
   
Carol in Impala dung
spit Craig our tracker
What a beauty
Helmeted guinea fowl
  
click to enlarge this
chameleon on the hunt
community spider webs
Our “Perpetual envelope pusher Craig” took up
the tracker seat on the forward left
corner of the Land Rover, binoculars
at the ready to spot game…..and he
did pretty well from all reports. At
least there were no untoward events
while he was “on seat.”
Along the way, hanging nests
surrounded by gauze-like streamers
attached themselves to surrounding
trees. These were nests of
“community spiders” and they looked
just like the white fluff that
children drape around at Halloween.
We came upon a small lion pride with
3 females and 1 male about 2 ½ years
old according to our guide. He had a
bad puncture wound under the right
eye, most likely from a fight with
an intruding male. Three cubs
alternated between suckling and
playing, while the adults lay
resting. It's just an amazingly
awesome experience to see pure
nature before you; we feel
blessed to be here.
Walking back to our tent after
dinner, about 300 Cape buffalo
foraged just off our pathway. Guides
Clinton and Rennick shouted and
threw things to keep them back from
the path. We clustered as a group
and waited for the “GO” sign as
two-by-two we peeled off to the
tents, the remainder of us
regrouping and creeping along. It
was a long way home as we were in
the farthest tent out.
Some people heard and felt and smelt
the buffalo all night long. Grasses
and paths were strewn with fresh
pats of black dung.
FRIDAY – PM
Right at the camp were 2 female
nyala with white stripes and dots
and one big-horned male dark gray
with black stripes and white fringe
on the backbone. On an afternoon
drive we saw those lions and cubs
again.
  Dinner
this night – our last – was in the
kraal with a central fire. We
enjoyed another great dinner, this
time, boervorst, chicken and ribs,
mushrooms, salad, broiled pineapple
with chocolate sauce; crème de
menthe and amarula shooters. Toasts
all round to the staff and Brian,
the liveliest of the guides.
October 10 – Sunday – arrive in Mahé, Seychelles
Monday, transfer to the Marina and board at 11:45. It’s very hot! After the
briefing, we head to Ste. Anne Marine Park to snorkel, just what we've been
waiting for.
Next day on our way across to Praslin, Craig caught a great 4-foot Wahoo. He
reeled it in;
 Mervin "dealt with it" and Rockie prepared some as sushi on toast with ginger and soy.
Yum, yum.
Anchored at ANSE LAZIO on Praslin. Dinner was fish in Creole sauce, rice &
lentils and salad, b&b. Meals on NEMO are simple, but very delicious.
Our crew on NEMO was: Mervin – skipper; Rockie – cook; Keren –
crew
Tuesday, October 12
Breakfast about 8, simple, consisting of sausages, cheese, tomatoes, bread,
butter, jam, fruit, juice, coffee & tea. Mervin did a daily briefing, after
which we did some good snorkeling from Chevalier Point back to Anse Lazio. Saw
good schools of angelfish, jacks, big parrot fish and surgeons, soft coral and
clown fish.
Craig with Wahoo :-)
“LIPLESS” in
Seychelles OR “the great Scrabble finale aboard Nemo.
Tensions mounting.
No afternoon activities for the 4 contestants, who read and rested, while the
rest of us went ashore on at the marine park of Curieuse and climbed the meandering path over granite rocks, under a canopy of
palms and mangroves, traversing a mangrove swamp littered with thousands upon
thousands of black snails. We nimbly walked on avoiding land crab holes 6”
across and the tangle of roots. Glad to have the wooden walkway of the fetid
water, sometimes even purple and orange in its stagnation – PRIMEVAL SLIME!!!
But above us were
blue skies and a wondrous granite boulder landscape interspersed with coco de
mer palms. We learned that this unique palm cannot survive near the salt water, and only thrives inland.
Back to the game,
played with “Scrabble Classique” the French version. The players refused
cocktails….at least to begin with, having to keep their minds sharp. They had
to work with more vowels than an American version; both teams struggled with
groans and bodily contortions reflecting their mental squirmings,
 trying to get
their most valuable letter on “Lettre compte triple” or “Mot
compte double.”
Words included “straits, smelt, trims, and queen." No place for “queue,” drat it.
But "hark and novas." One team tried “squeel” but the judges rejected it. Ground
Rules included losing a turn for a complete change of tiles. And you had to
toss your old tiles into the pot before drawing new ones. None of the players
liked that rule very much. And these were experienced players. Each team had a
rabidly enthusiastic, experienced player, who plays on-line at home. So this
was pretty serious business, and all the more intriguing because of this setting
on an
82-foot crewed yacht in one of the most exotic locations in the world! Finally,
down to the last few moves and a final close score of 244 vs. 239. The big
winner wordwise: “lipless” came in at 91 points.
("Scrabble Classique" photo courtesy John Latham)
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JULY 2003
Labor Day is behind us
and there's a nip in the air that we couldn't believe would really happen in
those dog days of August. As students return to school to start their new
year of studies, we want you to know that King Yacht Charters too has been doing
its homework…..far from home and, some would say, HARDLY WORK!
In July, we had the
privilege of exploring some of the San Juans and the Gulf Islands with my sister
and brother-in-law on their new Halberg-Rassy 43
 on
a Seattle Yacht Club cruise. These avid sailors
 ,
many of whom traveled to New Zealand with KYC last year, shared with us their
favorite anchorages, shucking oysters,
 crabbing
techniques, and especially their enthusiasm for sailing in the waters off
Vancouver. Their input helped us to design the trip for Cruising World
next September.
As this Newsletter goes
to press, we'll be saying 'arrivederci' to adventure charterers in Italy,
boarding a train, then an overnight ferry for Split in Croatia, to do the
sailing research for KYC's trip in June (reported above). We'll talk with local
sailors, learn the best anchorages and get the lowdown about the “Bora,”
Croatia's big wind. High on the list will be testing out the local brew,
and getting a handle on the Croatian language with all those diacritical marks.
Ireland and the Sea of
Cortez are also on our research calendar in preparation for future trips.
At least we don't have to worry about Tonga, having organized a number of trips
there in the past.
All this “homework” is
worth the effort; we feel that our many returning charterers have given KYC an
“A” for stimulating, fun and safe adventures. If you are interested in any
of these trip, let us know early. And if you'd like to do a charter on
your own, give us a call and KYC will book a boat for you.
A Crewed Charter in Paradise -Why did we wait so long?
By Linda Crosskey
As
two sailors who arc "long in the tooth" to use that charming metaphor that
compares mature people with elephants, my husband and I have done our share of
bare boat charters.
We
have always had a great time despite the responsibilities for the captain and
chores for the crew that go along with that kind of vacation. In April of 2003,
arthritic knees and a desire for less work prompted us to consider a different
type of experience when we decided to take two of our adult children and three
grandchildren on a special sailing vacation to the British Virgin Islands King
Yacht Charters had just the answer for us, a crewed charter on a 52' catamaran
out of Tortola.
Despite our lengthy sailing resume, we had never been on a large cat before,
not to mention a crewed one. Peter assured us we would love it so much we might
never go back to mono-hulls. He was absolutely right! Peter made all of
the arrangements for us, and after leaving the remnants of a nasty New England
winter behind, we arrived in Tortola for seven days of pure bliss. The catamaran
amazed us with its spaciousness. Even with nine people aboard, the seven of us
plus our two-person crew, we never felt crowded. We "f1cw" over the aquamarine
waters as we explored the hidden nooks and crannies of Tortola, Virgin Gorda,
lost Van Dyke and even magical Anegada, never spilling a drop of our pina
coladas. Once anchored, our captain triad to tire our three grandchildren with
an array of water sports; tubing, water-skiing, windsurfing, kayaking,
snorkeling, even a mini-Olympics he organized. He failed, but all had a "blast"
to use the kids' words. We adults kept busy reading, swimming, snorkeling and
consuming three gourmet meals a day that appeared effortlessly from the galley.
We all agreed that we had never had a more relaxing sailing vacation with family
memories that could not be duplicated. We may go back to bare-boating, but I
wouldn't bet on it. If you have never tried a crewed yacht charter before, don't
wait a minute longer. Call Peter today and let him plan a trip you will never
forget.
As two sailors who are "long in the tooth" to use that charming metaphor that
compares mature people with elephants, my husband and I have done our share of
bareboat charters. We have always had a great time despite the responsibilities
for the captain and chores for the crew that go along with that kind of
vacation.
In April of 2003, arthritic knees and a desire for less
work prompted us to consider a different type of experience when we decided to
take two of our adult children and three grandchildren on a special sailing
vacation to the British Virgin Islands. King Yacht Charters had just the answer
for us, a crewed charter on a 52' catamaran out of Tortola.
Despite our lengthy sailing resume, we had never been
on a large cat before, not to mention a crewed one. Peter assured us we would
love it so much we might never go back to mono-hulls. He was absolutely
right! Peter made all of the arrangements for us, and after leaving the remnants
of a nasty New England winter behind, we arrived in Tortola for seven days of
pure bliss. The catamaran amazed us with its spaciousness. Even with nine people
aboard, the seven of us plus our two-person crew, we never felt crowded.
We "flew" over the aquamarine waters as we explored the
hidden nooks and crannies of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and even
magical Anegada, never spilling a drop of our pina coladas. Once anchored, our
captain tried to tire our three grandchildren with an array of water sports;
tubing, water-skiing, windsurfing, kayaking, snorkeling, even a mini-Olympics he
organized. He failed, but all had a "blast" to use the kids' words. We adults
kept busy reading, swimming, snorkeling and consuming three gourmet meals a day
that appeared effortlessly from the galley. We all agreed that we had never had
a more relaxing sailing vacation with family memories that could not be
duplicated. We may go back to bareboating, but I wouldn't bet on it. If you have
never tried a crewed yacht charter before, don't wait a minute longer. Call
Peter today and let him plan a trip you will never forget.
[King Yacht Charters can book you on a crewed monohull
or catamaran in
numerous locations. KYC can even book you
“a stateroom option” if you
are unable to fill a whole boat yourself.
E-mail us for details.]
From the gracious elegance of a working wine estate in the Constantiaberg
Mountains, 
 a
small group (max 14) will tour several award-winning estates in this beautiful
and famous wine growing region, sampling and tasting as we go. You'll tour the
Cape Peninsula, visiting the Cape of Good Hope Reserve, the Cape Point
lighthouse, a penguin colony and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. There will be
time to ascend Table Mountain, visit the historic Malay quarter, and Robben
Island.
No trip to Africa would be complete without a safari experience, and we've
chosen one of the most luxurious tented
game camps in South Africa, Tanda Tula, situated amidst 20,000 acres of bushveld
adjacent to Kruger National Park.
Watch elephants
and buffalo from your private deck overlooking the riverbed, go on an evening
game drive, and stop for sundowners in the bush before returning to camp for
superb cuisine traditionally served alfresco around a log fire.
Fly from Johannesburg to the lush Seychelles ,
jewels of the Indian Ocean, to sail FAST
 in
fully crewed luxury aboard a 82 ft. catamaran with 8 private cabins with heads.
All food and beverages are included, as well as lots of “nautical toys.” The
flora and fauna here are unique and captivating, as are the attractive Creole
Seychellois and their cuisine.
Planned for October, 2004 Seychelles + South Africa
Excerpts from our
Newsletter
Spring 2003 Newsletter
World cruising and chartering destinations continue to intrigue us and
encourage us to look with fresh eyes at future flotilla possibilities and ask
the questions, “Where would sailors like to venture next? Are there interesting
waters to explore, unusual sights within range, or other compelling attractions?
Even returning to favorite places, we must ask, “Can there be a new focus?” For
instance, on the last sail in Greece, we sailed amongst the gentle green hills
of the Ionian islands, then transited the Corinth Canal, quite an impressive
undertaking for all sailors, some of whom had sailed in Greece multiple times.
Under “next ventures” KYC has another one brewing - a small group of boats to
sail in Croatia. European sailors (but few Americans) have long enjoyed
the beauty, romance and history of these sailing grounds.
The Mediterranean climate and cultures are so inviting that KYC is inviting
you to discover the natural beauty of the Dalmatian Coast and the Adriatic Sea.
Dalmatia and its archipelago of 1185 islands were ruled at various times by
Greece, Rome, Byzantium, Venice, Hungarian/Croat kings, Austria, France,
Britain, and Italy.
Starting from the Renaissance treasure of Trogir, we'll explore the scenic
anchorages and rocky islets of Croatia. Visit Marco Polo's birth place at
Korcula, dubbed “small Dubrovnik.” Tour a Roman amphitheater, and cruise islands
and picturesque villages, which have kept their ancient culture alive to this
day. Fertile valleys produce wines esteemed for centuries, as well as fine
olives and oil.
Planned for October of 2004.
Many of you know our enthusiasm for Africa; combine that with the lure of the
Seychelles and you'll see why KYC is planning a taste of South Africa tour, plus
a sail in some of the world's most exotic waters.
Both these trips will be offered only through our newsletter and on the KYC
website. We would welcome hearing from you about sailing with KYC in late
September 2004.
New Zealand 3-A Brief Recap
We all enjoyed our outing on NZL 40 on the Hauraki Gulf.
This yacht was one of the boats used to tune the new Zealand defense in 2000.
Dawn Riley
with Carol on NZL 40
Cranking the grinders
The results- Alinghi over New Zealand - have been in since the end of
February, but the great memories linger on for over 120 sailors who backed their
favorites in the Louis Vuitton Series and then the America's Cup. While a large
contingent from the Seattle Yacht Club cheered on One World during the quarter
finals, everyone thrilled to 2 sets of races each day on 2 adjoining race
courses as our great spectator boat jockeyed with the large spectator fleet for
great positions first on one course, then on another. Keeping up with all the
input from our excellent commentator, the local TV coverage, and the virtual
spectator was a challenge. With 3 decks, and fore and aft viewing decks, we had
many vantage points, including inside seating...and all with frosty Steinlagers
at hand. Our group “lucked out”- for all three series, the boats raced every day
for which we had tickets!! The sun continued to shine on us as we toured the
stunning South Island-by private tram, TranzAlpine rail, jet boat, bus, Milford
Sound boat, light aircraft, helicopter-even floating off Bob's Peak in a tandem
parapente.
P.S. KYC can give you great restaurant and wine recommendations! Peter tried,
but failed, to eat every rack of lamb, so there's plenty for future visitors.
PPS. Any bets on the next AmCup venue?
Galapagos February 5 to 15, 2004
Here is your opportunity to sail back in time for an adventure of a lifetime
among the primitive Galapagos Islands, a United Nations World Heritage Site.
With your private naturalist guide you can walk among blue-footed boobies and
land iguanas, swim with sea lions - and photograph to your heart's content.
Voyage for 8 days among these isolated Pacific islands on fully crewed
yachts, snorkeling in crystal water among dazzling fish, and exploring the
volcanoes and lava fields in this living laboratory of evolution where creatures
roam freely, as they did thousands of years ago unafraid of humans. You will
thrill to your close encounters with giant tortoises, turtles, seals, Darwin
finches, flightless cormorants, and Galapagos penguins, whose ancestors rode the
cold Humboldt Current north from Antarctica.
KYC has chartered two yachts: “Lammer Law,” an incredibly spacious and
comfortable 93-foot schooner-rigged trimaran; and “Diamante,” a 112-foot
brigantine schooner decorated with teak and mahogany. This special trip, limited
to only 20, is filling quickly.
Equally exciting is the optional
add-on to mysterious Machu Picchu in Peru. The 6-day itinerary includes a fully
guided visit to this sacred mountain site, plus the colorful market at Pisac and
historic Lima, the City of Kings, which enjoys a considerable legacy of art and
architecture from its colonial period. In Cuzco, enjoy a comprehensive tour
showcasing the archaeological Inca remains which dot the outskirts of the city
as well as the colonial heritage of this gateway to Machu Picchu.
From Carol's logbook from the
Cruising World Greek trip
..22 September,2002 Sunday -
Wild conditions for our crossing to Paxos. 25 knots on the nose, beating, 6-8
foot seas, dishes and glasses crashing in the cupboard, blessedly undamaged. OK
for veteran Margot, but Trial by Wind for Steve and Susan our fantastic
boatmates who have never sailed before! Tied up with great relief at the
northern quay, just inside the protected anchorage.
 Odysseas
with George helming was the last in, with the Dockside Committee in full
attendance to critique his first try at med mooring "Duck" Preston held up a
GIANT flash card (à la diving competitions) with a score of 7 1/2!!! (We were
all careful to improve our skills after that!).
Great memories from Greece-at every
anchorage, Fran Sutherland, a fine artist as well as sailor, gathered up her
sketch book and paints and went off to a quiet corner to create beautiful
watercolor images of the trip. Fleet skipper Tony, a budding artist himself, was
an eager student. Multi-Greece “alum” Margot Wolf visited in Noank for
lunch and helped hang our painting of Galaxidi
….Margot (as did several others on the trip) also “carpe-d the diem” to acquire
some of Fran's evocative paintings.
Fran Sutherland's
charming watercolor of the Cruising World magazine flotilla tied up to the
wharf at Galaxidi (Gulf of Corinth, Greece). This painting is from
Fran's travelers sketchbook and her e-mail is: minerviniland@cs.com
Cruising World Adventure Charter
from Corfu to Athens 2002 scrapbook (click on an image to
enlarge it, and place your cursor over the picture to get the title)
[file:///C:/Documents and Settings/Peter King/My Documents/My Web Sites/Sailing Charters/photogallery/photo00017327/real.htm]
A
POEM TO OUR ADVENTURER CHARTERERS IN GREECE
A Reading from the Epistle of St. Peter and
Ste. Carol:
Having arrived in Athens, our excited Adventure
Charterers had a time to pray to Poseidon for favorable seas, and a time to pray
to Aeolus for fair winds.
(But someone didn't pray hard enough!) and after
sailing from Corfu to Paxos over tumultuous waves and winds on our collective
noses, we did our first med mooring in Gaios' protected harbor (a 7 1/2 to
George on Odysseas).
Soon, watching the torrential waters of the
heavens roll off Duck's back,
We prayed to Zeus to stop his thunderbolts, and
begged him to save Fran from disappearing down a drain. (We offered a
watercolor!)
From Levkas and Spartahori, from Sivota and Sami,
and particularly Corinth, we learned there was -
a time to Med moor
stern-to; a time to Med moor bow-to;
a time to raft side-to
- ideally into the wind and with all fenders on one side, and -
a time to climb over others' decks.
There was -
a time to walk the
plank ashore; a time to walk the plank back aboard.
AND No one fell into the drink.
Along the way, there was-
a time for scootering
and shopping and searching for ice,
a time for exploring
tiny streets and searching for picturesque tavernas.
There was a time to consult the Delphic oracle
to ensure our safe return, ignoring Tony's response in hexameter verse - "OK,
you know, OK, you know, OK..
There was the time of the initial horror of 'no
toilet paper down the head' and
only 2-litre showers.
And now in sublime relief, a time of hotel
plumbing and all that hot shower water.
We learned a time for 'efaristo' (thank you)
and
a time for 'parakalo
(please).
a time for 'kalemera' (good morning) and
a time for 'kalespera'
(good evening)......whenever
that Greek time is.....
And now a time for the sadness of goodbyes to
Greece and to one another.
But a time of knowing the joy of new and deeper
friendships.
In the past year,
King Yacht Charters has booked sailors on boats in: New Zealand, Tonga, Italy,
Belize, Finland, Greece, Tahiti, Australia, BVI, St. Martin, Canouan, Abacos and
more. Where can we book your next charter?
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