Speaker Alan Prentice

Stirling Rotary meeting 13th. November 2015

President Peter Mehta welcomed members, together with visitor Jim Cooper from Dunblane.  This Friday, November 20th, will see a Special General Meeting of the club; there will be no meeting on the 27th., as this is our Scatter Week.

Speaker for the day was our own Alan Prentice, whose talk The Ups and Downs of Life, dealt with his experiences in international yacht deliveries, where he operated as skipper.  Yacht owners often wish to have their vessels ferried, at the start of the season, to areas of the world where the climate is agreeable.  In this connection, it is significant that the ancient Greeks considered sailing in the Mediterranean mad, between October and April.  In spring, therefore, there is the need to move the boat, to warmer climes, either for the owner’s use or to be chartered to others.  Alan chose to describe a delivery voyage in February from Palma in Majorca to Greece.

On arrival on board, Alan and his four crew members found the large genoa sail ripped and a considerable population of cockroaches already embarked.  The previous crew well still present but then left the vessel for a run ashore, returning drunk, sometime later.  Shortly afterwards, Alan set sail for Cagliari in Sardinia, his crew standing 4 hour watches with two members on duty at any one time.  The barometer was low, indicating stormy weather, which duly arrived.  Because of time lost earlier, there were no spare days and Alan opted for the “safe” route through the Straits of Messina, past Reggio di Calabria, then via the Ionian Sea to Greece.  Although GPS was installed, charts were in short supply but Alan’s experience stood them in good stead.  This experience did not extend to cooking in a gale, however and, after a pizza had ended up on the deck, Alan elected to leave meal preparation to others.

The boat passed the volcanic island of Stromboli and also the Etna volcano and arrived in Greece with a day in hand. Heading for Fiskardo, they sighted a water spout, to which they gave a wide berth, finally anchoring in Sivota Bay.

The Vote of Thanks was given by Stewart Wilson and well supported.  This week’s Visitors Host is Crawford Gordon.  More information on Stirling Rotary can be found on www.stirling.rotary1010.org.

Ranald Ross-Watt
Communications Convener