Breakfast time

Returned to the everyday humdrum of life, this skipper would like to pay homage to my crew members, on what was surely a wonderful odyssey.  With my memories already beginning to fade a little, as a function of my ageing brain rather than the clarity of the many incredible experiences, I wish to share my reflections of our trip. Hopefully in doing so, I can convey to you all the love I feel for you for putting your trust, and your lives, in my hands, and I thank you all for the inspiration you provided to an old tar who thought his best days were behind him.

Prady is doing an excellent job of recording the incredible landscapes and seascapes we enjoyed for those two weeks, so I thought with love, humor, and honesty, I would reflect on the unlikely mix of men that were drawn together for those few days on the Aegean Sea, and some other aspects of our journey. It may sound like a roast at times, but you all get to respond!

Bo the raconteur.

Raconteur – a person who excels in telling anecdotes.

So it appears that I had a totally incorrect understanding of how Bo became known as “Threefingers” Sorrentino!  I was under the impression that he had lost a digit in a shoot out with a rival “family” in an argument over pasta importation rights at the Miami docks. Turns out that is nowhere near the truth. Apparently it refers to the measured depth of liquor, wine, Uzo, or Grappa, that Bo can consume in one gulp from a regular highball glass. Who knew!

Bo, you never disappointed. Your stories were always relevant and interesting, at least for the first week! After that I felt I had met the same guy, in a different airport, working on a different deal, driving a different car, in a previous story. I put it down to my wine soaked brain at the time, but on reflection, I think it was your wine soaked brain that was on “shuffle”.

I am glad to hear that you are seeking help for the sleep apnea, I was getting a little tired of the mouth to mouth resuscitation every 12 minutes! I wish you well with that, we want you around in the future.

Thank you for your wonderful meals, your thoughtfulness in bringing your own personal spice rack from the U.S., your tireless efforts to keep things shipshape, and all the heavy lifting you did launching the dinghy and during our dismal anchoring experiences.

I promise NEVER to deal out of turn ever again, even if the card game is purely for fun and of no consequence to anybody involved!!

“Prarie Dog”  Prady

Prady will forever be remembered for his uncanny ability to “pop up” on every occasion, camera in hand. His frequent appearances through the salon hatch earned him this moniker. All I can say is thank God for digital technology, without it Prady would bankrupt his family with film and development expenses.

However, as much as l enjoyed ferrying Prady to shore in the dinghy at the break of sparrows fart (dawn), to capture that certain light over the horizon, it is not for this peculiar obsession with color and form, especially if the form happened to be a naked sunbathing lady, (did you show those to Reena), that I will remember him.

Prady is the most genuinely enthusiastic person I have ever met. One cannot fail to be elevated to certain things by his infectious fury. And don’t insinuate, ever, that he cannot accomplish any task, you will eat your words.

I think the image I will retain, and will always make me chuckle, is the memory of Prady helming the boat in 30 mile an hour winds, with  6 foot following seas.  Initially hanging on for dear life, he quickly transitioned to a steady course, until you engaged him in any conversation. Suddenly we were thirty degrees of course, and “holy sh-t, something happened”

Prady, thank you for all your support in putting the trip together, thank you for your level head and your infectious enjoyment of natures wonders. And, the folks at Alimos Marina send special thanks to you for your parting gift!

Mario

What does one say about a guy who had never heard of The Moody Blues, The Hollies, or Pink Floyd!! We took this young man waaay out of his comfort zone, and he never blinked!! The Mario music evening was sheer nostalgia for the old guys, and it made up for the lack of live guitar music.

Son, I missed you when you left! You were a constant source of good humor and cheerfulness. I enjoyed seeing you change from a sailing novice to a well oiled sailing machine. One more week and I would have turned the boat over to you. The evening sail to Ios was quality time, I was amazed that you were able to helm in those conditions.

But son, you have got to come up with a better way of entertaining yourself than letting half naked women beat you over the head with a milk crate. I never considered that you would need a baseline concussion test before joining the cruise! Get a life! Maybe you could join me at the senior shuffle board contest at the home next Thursday.

I have your black shorts which I will return to you at the reunion, and the chick with the painted hand at the night club would like to go around again next year. You must have shown her something to impress her!

Good luck at the new job, you gave up an awesome week to make it to the office in time. Perhaps you should start now, to position yourself for a full vacation allowance next year. If we go to Croatia you are on the crew list.

Steph

Difficult to come up with a nickname for you. I apologize for the rumor that you are really a greeter at Wall-Mart, I admit I did start that, and feel ashamed that I could not come up with something better. We are grateful that you interrupted your pursuit of the world’s bad guys to come sail with us, and you were the easiest of people to have aboard, not to mention by far the most rigorous of us in daily ablutions!

I will say this however, if the safety of this country is in your hands, we are in trouble! You are way too nice to strangers! Nobody is stranger than Chris Gerrard but you alone had the inclination, intellect, and patience to engage the amazing mind in conversation. In fact, if Jeopardy ever hold a two man tag team competition, you guys are favorites. There are not many sailing days left this year, but you are welcome on the Chesapeake any time

Chris Gerrard

Wow, what a complicated soul. You were a veritable mine of largely useless information, an incredible workhorse on the crew, a loner at times, and a team player at others. I saw so many sides of you. I can’t say I enjoyed all of them, but you held up the mirror for me on occasion, not something that often happens.

I would never have believed it possible to buy enough cheese, salami, pepperoni, and hard sausage to feed a five man crew for seven days, for the princely sum of thirty Euros, but then again, I would never have thought of it. Our money was certainly in the hands of talented bursar.

Thank you for being the guy that did all the tasks that nobody else really wanted to do. I hope you find all that you are looking for, good luck at Swiss finishing school!!

The Rest

So, now that I look back, what would I change? Well really very little. Perhaps a better boat is all. Anything else, and it would not have been the same experience. We had an incredible cruise for a ridiculously inexpensive price. Great sailing at times, good camaraderie for the most part, and awesome scenery. Thank you all for being part of it.

I will say that next year I am considering going to Croatia, with an all female crew!!!

I will also avoid Frankfurt airport at all costs in the future, it has to be the most inconvenient transition point between Europe and the U.S.  Hardly the model of German efficiency one would expect, but Lufthansa do their best to make up for it with an old fashioned flight experience, free booze, food, good entertainment system, but the ugliest flight attendants in the air!

See you all at the reunion.  Bo, your not invited until you pay your half of the hotel room in Athens. (Threefingers, get your backside up here next spring)