Crew

By Scott Dodgson
I woke early to the clammer of suitcases being closed and dragged over my deck. My loyal mate/girlfriend was hurrying to catch a flight to London. As a Captain I was familiar with the constant turn over, but watching her leave left me a empty. She was going to London to join friends fo a month of European back packing. I put her in a cab and that would be the last I would see her until Italy. I checked the message board and found that my trusted first mate Tim, left for London the day before to attend to his sick mother. He wrote a long and apoligetic letter promising to join me as soon as possible in Greece. The other two crew members left on another boat. I went to the Nicholson Yact charters to find a replacement. They have always been kind to me. Since the Antigua race week was over the pickings were slim. I hired a 60 year old woman, Janice as chef. She had spent years sailing with her husband. She was not my first choice, but my only choice. I found one experienced sailor, Mike who seemed kind enough, but my "Don't trust him" meter was going off with a flashing yellow light. When I returned to my boat I found my two charter crew member, club sailors waiting with their sea bags and anxious to go. I checked out with the customs house and took the boat to the fuel dock where I would top off. While my inexperienced and unfamiliar crew were settling in I got a coffee in a little cafe off the fuel dock. I sat at an outside table and studied my boat and comtemmplated the next fifteen or so days at sea. This was not what I wanted, but I felt I had enough skill and experience to get us safely across. My thoughts were interrupted when I was asked where I was going? Eric Clapton sat down beside me and introduced himself. He was my idol since Cream. It was the very first concert I had ever seen. I told him I was going to Greece. He smiled and wished me luck. Wow! I finished my coffee and boarded my boat. "Let's go!" The crew looked at me with surprise as if they weren't expected us to ever leave.