Courtesy flags

[25931]

After very many years of fiddling to change the courtesy flag yesterday I went mad and spent €3 in Ayamonte on six little plastic clips (dog lead style) and equipped the halyard and the Portuguese and Spanish flags as we returned. I wonder why it's taken me so long to do such a simple and obvious job.

 

[Bertramdriver]

Something called "boat narcosis ". A state of mental paralysis induced by excessive exposure to sun, sea, alcohol and chill out. The only cure is large amounts of adrenaline supplied by unanticipated chaos and confusion brought on by other boaters.

 

[davids0865]

Something called "boat narcosis ". A state of mental paralysis induced by excessive exposure to sun, sea, alcohol and chill out. The only cure is large amounts of adrenaline supplied by unanticipated chaos and confusion brought on by other boaters.

TeHe

 

[Slow_boat]

Okay, then;

What courtesy flag should I fly in the Basque region?

If I fly the Spanish flag, I'll upset the Basques, if I fly the Basque flag I'll upset the Spanish. If I fly both I'll upset both. Likewise if I fly none.

Come to that, is there any point in spending the winter learning holiday Spanish? Or would learning Basque to visit the Rias be like learning Welsh to visit Cardiff?

 

[GrahamM376]

Come to that, is there any point in spending the winter learning holiday Spanish? Or would learning Basque to visit the Rias be like learning Welsh to visit Cardiff?

I doubt Basque would be much use, Galicia and the Rias have their own language in many ways it's more like Portuguese than Spanish. We were amused when some youths in a skiff were alongside chatting and my wife was speaking to them. One said "you speak Gallego well" she replied no, I'm speaking Portuguese", which is her native language.

 

[TonyMS]

In the Spanish Basque country I don't recollect seeing any Spanish flags, and we certainly didn't want ours to be the only one, so we flew the Basque courtesy flag alone. Not even the Royal Yacht Club in San Sebastian flew a Spanish flag.

On our first visit to N Spain we spoke no Spanish. We then went to Spanish classes, and, on subsequent visits, found our rudimentary Spanish useful and appreciated all the way from Hondarribia to Baiona. They may speak a regional language among themselves, but seem very happy to speak Spanish to visitors.

Tony MS

 

[Bertramdriver]

Just reminded me of a Kiriacoulis charter coming into Poros a couple of years ago with several pairs of knickers and bras hoisted on the courtesy flag stay. Would that constitute a courtesy pennant or an "invitation to treat?"��

 

[KellysEye]

In the Basque region we flew the Spanish flag with no problems, we did see boats with the wrong Spanish flag (plain) the right one has a crown in the middle. Jane is fluent in Spanish so we got on well with the locals.In Corsica definitely fly the Corsican flag otherwise there will be trouble, they hate France.

 

[jordanbasset]

In the Basque region we flew the Spanish flag with no problems, we did see boats with the wrong Spanish flag (plain) the right one has a crown in the middle. Jane is fluent in Spanish so we got on well with the locals.In Corsica definitely fly the Corsican flag otherwise there will be trouble, they hate France.

We also just had the Spanish flag, like you never a problem, although ours did not have the crown on it, I always thought either were okay

 

[KellysEye]

>although ours did not have the crown on it, I always thought either were okay

Most boats do fly the flag with no crown and we did until we realised it isn't the Spanish national flag, so we bought one with a Crown as we thought it was the right thing to do and be seen to have.