Sailing the Trails of Herodotus and Odysseus
May 11th, 2009 by Hansie
So this is the wonder tool.
After today I hope it’s fixes problems with Croatian authorities too. What would the world be without regulators? How many things people want to know about crewlists? Why always something unexpected, when does it end?
Ha ha ha, would sailing be the same without this kind of last minute stress?
May 10th, 2009 by Hansie
How cool is that. Bought a gadget and when it arrives you know you are ready.
It is something that everyone says you have to have that when going sailing (and fishing, hiking and any other kind of MacGyvering).
And when it arrives it says I am ready. Well what a timing, one more day to go and I really needed that confirmation 
Tomorrow to open the package…
May 9th, 2009 by Hansie
Frikes, the nice cosy little city on Nisos Ithaca. Ithaca, for me an island I can’t compare to one else. The connection with Homer, Odyssey and all places found on the island mentioned in the saga. An island with so many mythical and historical associations, amazing!
After our croissant and coffee at the local café, we had time to walk around for a quick impression. Frikes is nice place set at the bottom of a steep and wooded valley. The village is of comparatively recent origin as villages were not commonly built by the sea prior to the 18th and 19th centuries because of risk of pirate attacks (it was called Little Somalia at that time). In fact the name of the village may be derived from the pirate Frikon who used it as a base according to some local sources.
The village consists of several tavernas, it has a small supermarket and there a still some ruins of old windmills. These can be seen from the sea and are good landmarks. There is supply of water on the quay and for non-sailors there is a connection with Vassiliki through a ferry.
One thing you have to know of the harbour of Frikes is that 2 – 4 times a day a giant swell passes by. This wave is caused by a large ferry which passes miles away. I saw this day several ships heavily damaged by the force of this wave.
May 5th, 2009 by Hansie
Just finished the front page of my sailing log, wishing my weblog would also be as easy to finish. Seven days before leaving for Croatia, nine days before leaving Murter and heading for Venice. First to go to Pula with the first crew of three. Strange feeling leaving, wondering when I will be back.
Insides of the sailing log kindly provided by the Zeezeilers van Marken, if you need ever a good sailing school, just go there.
By the way, picture presents the Black Sea coast of Turkey, the village you see is Inebolu. This was our first stop after leaving Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine in 2007 (more about this sailing trip can be found here).
May 4th, 2009 by Hansie
April 30th was an excellent day for trying to improve my geotagging skills.
It is Queensday in the Netherlands on that day. Basically what it means is that all what you do is having some drinks with friends on the canals of Amsterdam and have a look at the others. Some boats have DJ’s while some have complete bands on the boat (it is just as in real life all about having the biggest).
Apr 25th, 2009 by Hansie
Did some excellent shopping at Dekker Watersport yesterday.
Bought more gadgets for my sailing adventure. Things for safety like an extra lifejacket and a lifesling and stuff you just need for sailing like a converter (12 to 220 volt), a head-led, a dry bag of 10 litres and two sea rail bags – just to prevent it gets such a mess in the cockpit.
One thing I couldn’t decide on is the BBQ, never sail the Adriatic without one. Besides the price I have to get used to, I still don’t know if I should buy a gas lit BBQ or just one with coals. Anyone suggestions?
Apr 22nd, 2009 by Hansie
In the Yachting World of this month is an article on Sailing to Venice. A guy thought it was his most magical sailing moment of his life. If this true I will have on June 6 my most magical moment. How to cope with something like that?
 Yachting World of March 2009 |
 Preview of the article |
The full Yachting World article, click to download (please note size is about 3.1 Mb):
Click here to visit the website of Yachting World
Apr 20th, 2009 by Hansie
Eastern weekend this year was an excellent three days of sailing. It was a training on the IJsselmeer as a preparation of An Adriatic 2009, my tour in the Adriatic Sea. Together with Anne, the trainer of the Zeilvaardigheidscentrum Lelystad, we circumsailed the IJsselmeer in 3 days.
Apr 3rd, 2009 by Hansie
Bought some books today (and went to Thijssen directly after to grab a coffee). I went only to buy some books to learn a little bit of the Italian and Croatian language. Off course I bought far to many books. One of them Ulysses from James Joyce.
I thought if I do refer my site to the trails of Odysseus, I am almost obliged to read the contemporary version of Homers saga (sigh).
Besides James Joyce loved the Adriatic Sea and lived for years in Trieste.
Apr 2nd, 2009 by Hansie
First day with excellent weather @ Amsterdam (and a fine new camera)
Boring balcony and view but please let me recommend the Foltone, an excellent dry white wine with a delicious somewhat mineral taste as the grapes are “born” on an ancient vulcano.
