EME
Active member
Actually I have no idea where the concept of being ‘Shangai-ed’ comes from. I guess it has Asian naval implications but I’m sure somebody will tell me.
The story could also have been pre-fixed as ‘Schengen – what is that?’ or additionally ‘She’s coming home (via Portugal)’. but the latter would just raise the hopes of English sports fans and that would be unfair given the trouncing the ‘World Champions’ received at Parc de Princes recently. (‘She’ is in fact Diana II).
I digress; this is a ‘boaty’ story in part. It should have been written four days ago but aged bodies need some recovery time.
The story begins last Thursday when an am call suggests that I should join TCM en famille for a quick drink before their departure to return the Big Cat i.e. Diana II to Blighty (‘cos I can was answer to the simplest of questions).
Admittedly the whole family was up for the journey and full of fun as we basked in the evening sunshine. Dian II had been the subject of a major clean up and was pristine.
I should have known better, this family does not take prisoners.
Two bottles of quality Port, assorted wines (‘Come on Learner.. let’s toast each country we will touch on her way home) and I was ritually despatched to bed on the basis that any thoughts of walking the passarrelle, let alone driving, would have resulted in disaster.
I should have noted the warning signs. TCM asked at some time ‘ So what are the rules of Schengen’. Easy says I.” Free passage of goods and people without border encumbrance’’. Good Night All.
Mrs TCM was up early, TCM dutifully followed,… feeling I should help I found myself at less than 0600 slipping lines for the great journey. I confess, I thought I was disembarking, but my body realised before my brain that we were leaving the Antibes mooring and I wasn’t going to jump THAT far. (Honestly, this is TRUE).
We were alone on the water, slipping out of Antibes; I took Port lookout searching for lobster pots (hey, I was hungry) as we gracefully moved around the Cap D’Antibes.
Destination Bandol some 75 nm west of Antibes.
Juan les Pins, Cannes, La Napoule and Miramar slipped gracefully by. This was a beautiful night passage … Winds were force 1/2, less than 12 inches swell. All thoughts that I was travelling in the wrong direction were quickly dismissed.
TCM was steering a heading of between 197 and 211 --- thank goodness for Charlie the Autopilot ….. and Hyeres, Frejus and St Tropez slipped by.
TCM is helming, I am asking stupid questions, Mrs TCM allows herself to get some well-earned sleep and TCM Junior I and II are discovering the bugs in the latest PC- software.
Our venerable Capitaine then announced that given the state of the weather with Anti-cyclone behind us we should make directly for Barcelona.
PANIC. I now understood my captain’s passage plan …. ‘ IF it looks good let’s hit Barcelona in one hit’.
Now, I don’t know about you but when I go out for an evening drink. , ending up 80 miles down the coast next day is a big deal … in a different country is … different !!
Given the excuse that Spain might be funny about a dark-skinned, non Spanish-speaking smelly git with no passport asking for a train or air ticket into France at the moment, TCM reluctantly changed course and we headed for Le Lavandou.
Le Lavandou had just enough room for Diana II to take temporary residence. I was again treated to the TCM family ‘special’. Silent Mooring. You have to see this in the UK this year. Instructions are given and after that …. Total silence (well apart from me still sniffling on the transom).
I guess it’s at that time things really go to ratshit. The capitainerie gives us the Meteo for the Golfe de Leon (between France and Spain). Force 7/8. I abandon ship. Train home and SWMBO knows no better !!
P.S. ---- Is Diana II still in Toulon?
P.P.S. When will she move again? (My guess is TCM is crawling around to Barcelona inshore!!)
P.P.P.S.. Can you buy intra-European tickets in Barcelona on the train without proof of identity? (Schengen)
P.P.P.P. S... What is the origin of being Shanghai-ed?
P.P.P.P.P. S ‘ Diana II is Coming back to the UK. Safe Journey to TCM and the family
What a great family -- Many Many Thanks
<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>
The story could also have been pre-fixed as ‘Schengen – what is that?’ or additionally ‘She’s coming home (via Portugal)’. but the latter would just raise the hopes of English sports fans and that would be unfair given the trouncing the ‘World Champions’ received at Parc de Princes recently. (‘She’ is in fact Diana II).
I digress; this is a ‘boaty’ story in part. It should have been written four days ago but aged bodies need some recovery time.
The story begins last Thursday when an am call suggests that I should join TCM en famille for a quick drink before their departure to return the Big Cat i.e. Diana II to Blighty (‘cos I can was answer to the simplest of questions).
Admittedly the whole family was up for the journey and full of fun as we basked in the evening sunshine. Dian II had been the subject of a major clean up and was pristine.
I should have known better, this family does not take prisoners.
Two bottles of quality Port, assorted wines (‘Come on Learner.. let’s toast each country we will touch on her way home) and I was ritually despatched to bed on the basis that any thoughts of walking the passarrelle, let alone driving, would have resulted in disaster.
I should have noted the warning signs. TCM asked at some time ‘ So what are the rules of Schengen’. Easy says I.” Free passage of goods and people without border encumbrance’’. Good Night All.
Mrs TCM was up early, TCM dutifully followed,… feeling I should help I found myself at less than 0600 slipping lines for the great journey. I confess, I thought I was disembarking, but my body realised before my brain that we were leaving the Antibes mooring and I wasn’t going to jump THAT far. (Honestly, this is TRUE).
We were alone on the water, slipping out of Antibes; I took Port lookout searching for lobster pots (hey, I was hungry) as we gracefully moved around the Cap D’Antibes.
Destination Bandol some 75 nm west of Antibes.
Juan les Pins, Cannes, La Napoule and Miramar slipped gracefully by. This was a beautiful night passage … Winds were force 1/2, less than 12 inches swell. All thoughts that I was travelling in the wrong direction were quickly dismissed.
TCM was steering a heading of between 197 and 211 --- thank goodness for Charlie the Autopilot ….. and Hyeres, Frejus and St Tropez slipped by.
TCM is helming, I am asking stupid questions, Mrs TCM allows herself to get some well-earned sleep and TCM Junior I and II are discovering the bugs in the latest PC- software.
Our venerable Capitaine then announced that given the state of the weather with Anti-cyclone behind us we should make directly for Barcelona.
PANIC. I now understood my captain’s passage plan …. ‘ IF it looks good let’s hit Barcelona in one hit’.
Now, I don’t know about you but when I go out for an evening drink. , ending up 80 miles down the coast next day is a big deal … in a different country is … different !!
Given the excuse that Spain might be funny about a dark-skinned, non Spanish-speaking smelly git with no passport asking for a train or air ticket into France at the moment, TCM reluctantly changed course and we headed for Le Lavandou.
Le Lavandou had just enough room for Diana II to take temporary residence. I was again treated to the TCM family ‘special’. Silent Mooring. You have to see this in the UK this year. Instructions are given and after that …. Total silence (well apart from me still sniffling on the transom).
I guess it’s at that time things really go to ratshit. The capitainerie gives us the Meteo for the Golfe de Leon (between France and Spain). Force 7/8. I abandon ship. Train home and SWMBO knows no better !!
P.S. ---- Is Diana II still in Toulon?
P.P.S. When will she move again? (My guess is TCM is crawling around to Barcelona inshore!!)
P.P.P.S.. Can you buy intra-European tickets in Barcelona on the train without proof of identity? (Schengen)
P.P.P.P. S... What is the origin of being Shanghai-ed?
P.P.P.P.P. S ‘ Diana II is Coming back to the UK. Safe Journey to TCM and the family
What a great family -- Many Many Thanks
<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>
