The custodians of the boat

1. A 57 year old Austrian, Frankie, and his German wife Gabi were the skipper and crew, cook and custodians of the charter boat. On a boat of their own they have been roaming the oceans for six years now. When in need of funds both work on charters to accommodate the likes of us. With thirty years experience of sailing, Frankie was knowledgeable about boats and he spent many a minute telling us about it. Once a restaurant owner who decided the trade was too stressful, now a skipper on many a boat.

2. With water between each boat, much water at times, how surprising it was to find our hosts knew every boat and the people on them. Seemingly spread out, but such a small community. Wolfgang, our contact, managed 40 charters and by his account the job was a worrying business at this time of year. The day we arrived, one man had broken a leg on his first day of his trip, our boat had flat batteries and needed a new alternator and so it goes on he informed us. However he had successfully been involved in the business for 12 years.

3. Swimming in constant warm water was a joy despite the slight anxiety there could be stinging fish or a shark suddenly popping his head out of the water. On one occasion the current was strong. To observers on the boat my swimming was taking me further away from the vessel, whilst I believed progress was being made. The skipper felt obliged to rescue me, lest I was really taken out to sea.

4. Snorkeling provided many a moment of captivation. The colours of the fishes were vibrant particularly the bright blue and yellow variety and the long tailed bat fish. Others saw baracudas and large makerel.

5. Fishing. On board one is obliged to find one's own food on occasion. The most that could be mustered was one medium sized tuna. The killing, gutting and cutleting was adeptly accomplished by Karstein, who being Norwegian is used to such matters. No cellophone or plastic wrappings on our food.

6. Daily life on board comprised reading mainly. All members of the group settled amicably with their books. In fact conversation was sparse the majority of the time apart from the skipper who told tales of the seven seas every day. Lest we were not listening some of the stories was told again either in German or English depending on how the fancy took him. There was no wish to talk about Afghanistan. An express wish to leave such matters behind was stated at the beginning. One learns more about the place from the latest book by Rory Stewart entitled 'the places in between' The man, a diplomat, amongst other things walked from Herat to Kabul in 2002 with a mangy massif he picked up on the way. He has not yet reached Kabul.

7. I am intent on searching google upon my return to seek out the Cathars and the Crusades in Southern France. The holy grail was an integral part of a fiction by Kate Mosse. The history has now caught my attention.

8. Shattered lives has had a great impact on me. At once a tremendous admiration for the Iranian woman, Camila Batmanghelidjh and the retold lives of the children she helped emerged from the book. The reading of it has engendered a sounder understanding of how the shooting of the young people this year could possibly happen.

9. Island hopping tomorrow!

The weary traveller