Cinque Terre

Last weekend I visited the Cinque Terre with 2 of my crew mates from the yacht that I work on. Cinque Terre means 5 lands, and is 5 villages in a row North to South on the Ligurian Coast, part of Italy's West Coast. We took a train from Principale Stazzione in Genoa, Italy close to where the boat was docked. The train was old, but comfortable and the scenery changed quickly and drastically from urban to hillside villages and seaside towns. The topography of this section of Italy's coast forces a Coastal track to slice tunnels through many hillsides and cross steep valleys on numerous bridges. After 8 or 9 stops we reached the starting point for our hike through the 5 Lands, Monterossa the Northern most town of the Cinque Terra. It was nearly noon, stepping off the train the air was warm and sun was shinning brightly as the last clouds of the morning were moving away.
A cafe' , the drink same name as the place, was a great choice for the first activity upon arrival. So good that the next activity was another cafe'. Aside from 2 delicious espressos each, Matty got some directions on how to find a store that he could buy a swim suit. Casey and I had brought our surf shorts, but Matty did not have his along. On the boardwalk, we had met an intern from Venezuela named Romina. She was doing a university project at an acoustics engineering firm in La Spezzia, IT and she accepted our company for the remainder of the day. Matty returned from the store with what may be the smallest mens swim suit or

costume de bano

. Us guys got dressed in the

Italian changing room

and ran into the cool Mediterranean Sea for a swim in the warm, midday sun. Oh, the Italians regularly don't use changing rooms, so by this i mean drop trow on the beach. Romina had already done her swimming while we were drinking Coffees, she hadn't a swim suit either but opted to swim topless to our delight. After a cold, refreshing dip in the Mer we warmed up by sitting on the warm gravel beach, a great start on the trail so far and it was time to start walking.
About a 3Km walk, which was slated at 2 hours, took us to Vernazza. This part of the walk went up steep steps, traversed terraced vineyards, and wound through evergreen and birch forests. The occasional picknick stop was thrown in there and there were continually views of the Monterosso and the Mediterranean. Paragliders soaring up and down the cliff front on the thermal air, sounds of creeks and chirping birds were the only sounds heard. One really enticing feature about the Cinque Terre is that they can not be reached by roads. Travelers must seek these ancient towns by rail, sea, or foot. A great feature of this is that no traffic can be heard when hiking.
Vernazza! Immediately entered the first restaurant we came to. Pizza and beer! Next to the coffee bar, which also served the local wine! The bartender was sampling his own craft, and with shaky pours was keeping our glasses full. He was telling stories to Romina, who was then translating to us in English what he was saying, and many of his noises were complaints about American tourists trying to pay with credit cards. Meeting a quartet of American English teachers, we bought some bottles of wine and took them to the rocks on the harbor front to watch the sunset.
My groups hiking was apparently done for the day, but the night was still young. After trying at least a dozen ( i think we drank 16 ) bottles of local white wine (and a strong red), we all hopped a train to Riomaggore. I found us some accomodations there in Riomaggore by asking the bartender, who called his friend whom owned rooms. He set us up with an attick type large dorm room that had three twins.
The next day was rainy and cloudy. My big hiking ambitions were countered by my two mates, who preferred a short hike on the trails most famous section, followed by a train ride to the city of La Spezzia. Via Del'Amore, Lover's Lane was adorned with the locks that couple lock around the fence that line the trail to keep the cliffside from tumbling across the trail. This short trail lead us to the most scenic or the villages, Manarola. First order, you guessed it, coffee and a snack. The wind had churned up the sea, and here it was smashing into the villages rocky harbor. I found it hard to imagine the ferry traffic and swimmers that would be found here at the popular times of the summer. We were sharing the village with only 5 or 6 other tourists on this morning. The other memorable thing was the duet playing in the tunnel from town to the train stop.

Ligurian Coast and Cote' D' Azure

Well, my posts have become sparse as I expected they would at when nearing the end of this yachting season. The time between posts has increased due to fatigue, workload, and intermittent internet availability. There may be a dash of laziness and apathy thrown in there too. Don't worry, I haven't given up! I am not homesick, but am longing for independence, and a visit with family and friends. I have vowed to make the most of my two weeks or so remaining in Europe. Guests trips are over (last one ended on Sunday) and all that is left to do is prepare for loading onto a transport ship that will take the yacht back to the New World.
Recap, last entry was about Croatia. Amazing place, got to see more of it Torgir, and Split. Next, the yacht went South to Kotor, Montenegro. Kotor is thought of as the best preserved citadel in Europe, basically since it avoided devastation that war brought upon most of the others. After just one day and night there, we moved Southwest back through the strait of Messina for the fifth time to Viareggio, Italy. It was there that we spent the week getting the yacht ready for the arrival of our last 10 guests. Viareggio has a great beach (it was too cold to enjoy the beach) and amazing pizza. It is the yacht building capital of Italy. We found the Italians there to be extremely friendly. It was at times frustrating to plan around the workers extensive mid day siesta, but one has to admire the passion and resolve for which they enjoy coffee, long lunches (up to four hours) and large, late dinners. Italy was a highlight of eating for me (and most of the crew), and a four course dinner at an Italian restaurant with no written menu was the pinnacle of the gastro-experience. The chef there came to the table and verbally conveyed the evenings choices, and used a combination of expressions and body language to clarify that we were in his care, and all would be "malta Bene".
Our final guests for the season arrived, and we whisked them away on an eight day trip through the Ligurian Coast of Italy, and the Cote'D'Azure of France and finishing in Antibes. We did nearly one destination a day, including Portovenere, Imperia, Portofino, Monaco, Cap Farat Villefranche, Antibes, St. Tropez, and ending back in Antibes close to the Nice Airport. You may be inclined to "ooh, and ahh" at the itinerary that I have just laid out, but its not so for crew. I hardly stepped off the yacht in any of these places.
Battery is dead, and still no Euro plug. Au Voir!

Krka National Park, Croatia

Just focus on the river, the wildlife, the forest; I told myself as I surveyed the natural scene around me. I was making an effort to ignore the large and small groups of other tourists walking about me. The effort was easy due to the sound volume that the waterfalls were producing, but it wasn't ignoring as much as allowing them to move by me without acknowledgement. The allowances I mainly made to this theory were only to share the small viewpoints in various lookouts where there wasn't room enough for many viewers at a time. My ventures for the day were aimed at getting someplace at the very least partially wild. I was being patient about the fact that this intensely captivating geographical phenomenon was packed, even at the end of the "season".
Lack of information is what creates a good 90% of the label "adventure" as I know them. In 2010 nearly everything has been done, aside from so much ocean unexplored, so nearly every discovery for me is only new because I hadn't previously read or heard about what other people had done. I had a tourist map of the park, and some general directions and distances from the cab driver whom delivered me the 14 Km from the shipyard that morning. He did more than his part of simply driving the cab, a trait I have been noticing in about 1 out of 7 or so cab drivers in Europe as a whole. My driver did some interpreting, and brought me an extra distance into the park beyond the ticket gate after purchase. He even offered me a "bargain" return fare if I was ready to depart when he arrived with his next fare at 11:30 that morning. There was little chance that I would be in and out that quick, knowing that some extra exploration was my appetite for the day. With the language trouble, it was hard to deliver my point that I was up for more than the 2 Km boardwalk that meandered around the park. He assured me that the only other trail was an easy 5 Km walk down stream to the next historical town. That would not satisfy me, but I thanked him anyways and showed him appreciation for his extra helpfulness.
I had only slightly beaten 5 of the 6 tourist buses that were queued up to enter the park that morning. I used the chance to slowly view some of Krka (pronounced kreeca)National Park and the longest and most widely visited falls of Skradinski Buk. At a half dozen outlooks over the different levels of the falls, I was among only a handfull of viewers gazing down into the emerald water cascading endlessly downriver to the Adriatic. A small taverna among the other historically reproduced buildings at the site of the old mill house. Picnic tables were arranged on one overlook and I took the table at the edge of the veranda which actually hung out over the river to enjoy my coffee. The park was slowly filling, but I still wasn't hurrying to cross the river and begin searching for a trail, any trail. The park's design had been carefully considered, and each place that the stone and wooden bridges crossed the areas of flowing water requested an extra moments pause to admire the sight.
Two main reasons existed for my choice to travel alone that day, and are similar to other days where I choose to not have company. Firstly I didn't want to wait for anybody. Most times I don't mind waiting, I realize I probably am often the one that is being waited on, but not this day. The second reason applies to the first one, I didn't want to feel rushed. I was planning on taking a time out in the woods, staying still for some time to absorb what was, and wasn't happening around me. I was resistant to the idea that somebody, especially a good friend, along with me would be there and potentially detracting from the experience in those moments. At the outset of my employment aboard, I did explain that occasionally I would need time apart from the group. I think my crew mates remember and understand the statements that I've made regarding my independence and don't chalk it up to ill temper or any other falsities. It is a sensitive balance we strive for here, living at work is occasionally difficult.
The mist from the falls is illuminating in the morning sunshine. Rainbows are forming in the blowing water vapor, they shimmer, glisten, and drift overhead. Across the bridge, the paths lead deeper into the opposite side of the main falls. Diverging from that trail network is a gravel road, a narrow one lane road. I was guessing that by following what the map called this bike trail upriver I may see a more primitive hiking trail leading up the ridge. Only about a kilometer up the lane, I found this path that lead up the steep hillside, mostly on scree tracks that mingle with dense brush and small evergreen trees. The density of the trees on this trail gave the impression that it was not currently popular, but that it may once have been more heavily traveled. Gaining some elevation quickly lead to excellent views of the snaking Krka River, the canyons walls at this fork were wide, and gave room for some grassy flats and the sparsely spaced row of skinny, tall evergreen trees. Water fowl evidently loved this landscape, even from my distance I could see several ducks and a crane.
The scree slope grew steeper and the trail made longer switchbacks. On the other side of the ridge, my ears were sheltered from the roar of the falls, only perceptible now was the chirp of the grasshoppers. Below me was still the rivers calm and wide section. Across the water were the other hillsides of the canyon walls. Cairns marked the trail where the landscape was more open and the trail less discernible from the many scree tracks. These cairns were small, most of them would have fit on a frisbee and none were taller than a foot, save one cairn that was about three times larger than all of it's friends. The scree was very consistently fist sized or smaller, and it's angular shape made for easy footing. The shoulder leveled out into a ridge, and revealed the first view at altitude of the falls below. Regrettably , I could also view from that vantage the old hydroelectric dam building and machinery. Additionally, two abandoned buildings slumped atop the adjacent ridge, far across the Krka and canyon from my position.
I took a seat among the warm rocks, pulled my camera and notebook from my pack, and resolved to have a rest and enjoy the view upriver towards the fork. This was the best viewpoint and best direction lending that it was the one that included the least man made junk, not to mention it was facing ESE, making it ideal for catching some mountain sun. The rocks were almost comfortable, I took my shirt and shoes off and reclined back against my pack, feeling the warm rays radiating down on me. So much time spent at sea level had me craving some time spent higher up, I was reveling in the peace and open space below me, and devoured a snack along with my surroundings. I attempted to photograph a spider in it's web, busy wrapping up a fresh caught fly. My efforts weren't in vain, my simple camera wouldn't focus on the small spider, but was instead focusing on the leaves behind it. A praying mantis was hunting next to where I laid out, and was an easier subject due to its background. Despite my patience and effort in getting photos and video of it attacking and eating another insect, I was only able to photograph it walking around atop the rocks. I headed back down to river level after about an hour on top the ridge, I wanted to use the the rest of my day next to the flowing water.
Next to the river below the falls, I found a nice tree to lean back against, got my book out, and read in the sunshine. At this time I realized that swimming was allowed at this lower point in the river. Signs prohibiting swimming, camping, fires, fishing, and leaving the trail were placed along the trails prior to that level. The river was cold, but not cold enough to force me to get out immediately. The water was great, the river bottom and sides were solid rock covered with a thin layer of mossy growth and mineral sediment. The rocks were slightly slippery, but comfortable to walk on. The depth went from well overhead to a few inches and back to deep again. I would swim to a rock to stand up on and warm up in the sun. I was getting cold rapidly, and so made a strong swim under the wooden bridge and up to the rope barrier that closed off the bottom of the falls for swimming. I put my feet up and rode down stream in the current on the way back downriver. Shivering, I laid back at my tree and read, warming up in the sunshine. Did I mention getting the beers from the beer garden? They were so good and cold. Excellent day at a national park in Croatia.

Owner Trip/Tender Delivery

We hosted the owner, his wife and his guests for two weeks in the Greek isles and Kusadasi Turkey. After a couple days in Rhodes, the yacht left for Kusadasi, Turkey. The guests toured Ephesis, and the next day I flew back to Athens while the yacht left for Patmos. I was on a mission to unpack the new tender that had been shipped there to Athens from New Zealand where it was built. I was to get the new boat splashed in the water, and deliver it to the yacht's position in Santorini, about 150 miles away.
The first complication was customs in Turkey. I had been stamped out of the country along with the rest of the crew the night prior to my leaving for the airport, because at that time there was no plan to have me fly from there. Luckily the agent whom I was picked up by that morning had connections with the customs and immigration officials and all was put correct by simply making a quick visit to their office. The nature of my trip was interesting, I was arriving as a tourist on vacation and there to visit my "uncle Mike". Mike is the agent in Athens who we have great faith in; he has been extremely helpful to the yacht's crew. As this was the situation, I did not bring any crew clothing or equipment. Everything that I needed to outfit this new boat would be purchased in Athens.
My next complication was at security in the Izmir airport, about an hours drive from Kusadasi, Turkey. I had packed in a hurry the previous night at a late hour since the whole arrangement was last minute. Having packed my normal size toiletries meant that many were over the 3 or 4 oz travel size limit for carry on. It turns out I also had packed my Spyderco folding knife; as a rule I don't like being on a boat without a good knife. I made it through the first x-ray at the airports entrance before I even remembered that I had the knife in my bag. Determined to get through security with it, I brainstormed and quickly decided to put the knife in-between my phone chargers and wrapped it with my headlamp to help disguise it in the x-ray machine. I wasn't sure this would work, but I had scoped who was watching the x-ray monitor in the security lane that I was going to use. She looked very passive, and it may have been that she wasn't paying any attention at all. I have once passed a smaller knife through security x-ray in the basket underneath my wallet, this gave me some optimism that I would arrive Athens with my favorite knife.
They busted me.... on the toiletries though, wanting to take four bottles from my bag; sunscreen, toothpaste, shampoo, and shaving gel. In an effort to save these, I hurried back to the information counter, the security guys held my passport at the desk so I would not have to go through again. The baggage service had already closed, so I had no choice but to go through with carry-on. They did take those four items and actually would not let me board until I personally tossed them in the "liquids" trash can. I got to my window seat with my knife in my bag, but lucky for the other passengers, the ever-vigilant security force had saved the jet from my shaving gel.
The flight was quick, but I still had a difficult time keeping my eyes open. A cab was waiting at the baggage claim for me, and whisked me to the marina. The new tender was still in the trailer, another shipping agent there explained to me that they were waiting for another truck to arrive. The way they got the boat out of the container was interesting. They backed a flat-bed truck up to the door of the trailer, lifted the front of the boats cradle, and dragged it out and onto the flat bed. Then, rigging to the boat itself, lifted it up and drove the trailer out from underneath the tender. The crane placed the boat down on the ground while the sponsons where inflated, and the agents had to run to the store for a wooden bung to replace the threaded transom plug that was not shipped with the boat. We also put up the t-top bimini and I checked that the engines still had lubrication in them from the sea trial. I stayed in the boat while it was picked up and placed in the sea, they were in a hurry to get the crane free for another project. The fuel truck arrived and I put 300 litres of gas into the tank to fill it.
Now supplied with fuel, some safety equipment, and navigational tools I was ready to go for the next morning. I had an ex-pat named Gary to help me deliver the boat. He had worked on the yacht in Athens for the week when we first arrived there after the Atlantic crossing. Gary offered to sleep on his friends boat for the night, and therefore tying the new tender up next to would be looked after. The next morning we got started at 0710, using the charts and some waypoints I had entered into the handheld GPS. The first hour was nice smooth water, and the boat was running perfectly. The next hour saw the waves increase in size bit. Dodging ferry and shipping traffic and jumping some of there wakes ;i was making good time. Gary steered a bit while I did some inspections of the boat, took some photos, and did some navigating.
This new tender was fast, comfortable, and a blast to drive. The smooth water of the early morning was lost to wakes of ferries and cruise ships, but the deep V shape of the hull was slicing through the chop and swell. Out of the Gulf and past the Greek mainland I began threading the islands on a SouthEasterly heading for Thira. At least one fuel stop would be needed, or at least wise. The first landfall made was in Serifos for some petrol. The mooring man there was beyond wierd. He gave Gary and I the creeps. Upon entering the harbor, I was looking for somewhere to tie up to the quay. This creepy guy was yelling at me in Greek and called Gary and I Malakas, in Greek meaning f*&ing idiots. Gary went ashore and spoke to a captain whom he knew, this proved to be very helpful in getting fuel. The crazy mooring man started his act on me, touching my hands, neck, and speaking very close to my face. He pushed his walking stick down on my toes, and did his creepy thing for which I found out later he is infamous. I felt forced to hurry the fueling, pay and get out of there even though I had initially planned to stop and have a coffee break there. Gary confirmed the odd behavior of the man from speaking to his Greek captain friend. Weeks later, I would laugh at the thought of my crewmates taking a chartered sail boat
Next stop would be Ios, I anchored the boat in a nice bay in front of a great beach. Gary and I picknicked on the sandwiches and Nescafe coffees that his girlfriend had made us. I took a swim and it was a magnificent day in the Aegean. The little windlass on the tender was so easy, a caveman could do it. I took the tender around the point to Ios harbor. Tied up to the quay there and received some petrol from the truck I had arranged. I purchased some cleaning supplies from the little market; a bucket, soap, magic erasers, and two chamois. Gary and I spent a couple hours cleaning the tender, in hopes to deliver it to the next island of Santorini fairly clean, if only a little salty after the last run of about 45 minutes. Ios is a great place, and cleaning the boat there in the sunny and peaceful harbor was very enjoyable.
On approach to Santorini, I was in contact with the yacht via cell phone. Our eta's to the island were almost exactly the same as we closed on converging courses. The captain directed me to bring the tender in close to the yacht as speed so as to get some photos of the new boat in the light of the setting sun. The owner was up in the bridge as I brought the tender in fast towards the yacht and I believe he was excited to see his new boat. Once the yacht was moored, and the tender tied up to it, the guests and crew were all on the aft to welcome me and bombard me with questions about the delivery. The day was potentially my most fun work day on record. I received a lot of praise, and a personal thank you and well done from the boss was a compliment.
That evening, to all of our pleasant surprise, was the anniversary annual volcanic eruption reenactment. Using fireworks, and flares they did a great show from the caldera that lasted about 30 minutes. After that show ended, we turned our attention to Thira atop the cliff for a hotel's fireworks display.
Our trip continued on to Mykonos, a day in Paros, and on to Poros. Poros is a great little island just off the mainland Peloponnese Peninsula. Next day on to transit the Korinth Canal. Going through the three mile long ditch was exciting, and we were not expecting the sudden strong blow upon exiting the canal. I had to pick up Kim, the nurse, and carry her back inside the wheelhouse. The wind was blowing so hard and yacht now smashing through the waves on the bow that she was too scared to walk back the 30 steps by herself. The new tender in tow was now getting airborn off the wave tops as we towed her along at 18 knots into 25 knot head winds and two meter short and steep seas. Galaxidi was the destination, and the point of departure for the tour the guests took to Delphi, another famous Greek and Roman ruin location. The entire city of Delphi is sacred, a place to worship the gods, and women were taken to a nearby island to give birth as it was forbidden in the sacred city.
Back through the canal, and the trip finished in Athens. I am still here in Athens on the yacht, today its Saturday September 25th. The yacht has been here in the city since arriving and dropping guests off here on September 4th. Tomorrow we leave for Split, Croatia.