(We Are) Sailing

Long before Rod Stewart made the song famous, I was enjoying "Sailing" as written and performed by the Scottish duo known as The Sutherland Brothers Band. If you are of a certain age you may be more familiar with their later single, "Arms of Mary", a collaboration with the band Quiver and released under the inspired moniker of The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver. I half-remember that the original version of Sailing has an outboard motor playing throughout, but listening now on Spotify, I think the sound changes pitch occasionally so it may be produced using the bass notes of a keyboard. If you know better, please let me know.

The reason for today's title is that the 4 outdoor, sunshine loving members of the troop have gone on a sightseeing and snorkelling trip on a small boat. From the photos and videos we are receiving back at base, I am so glad that I sat this one out - I have previous experience of a boat pitching and rolling and it didn't end well. Having said that, it does seem to be ticking the Do Something Exciting and Interesting Before We Go Home box. The tour company's website advertises the experience as follows: "This tour offers a relaxed island-hopping experience aboard a traditional Dalmatian boat, with plenty of time for swimming, snorkelling, and exploring hidden coves away from the crowds. Enjoy the laid-back atmosphere with chilled drinks on board, including a local wine, and soak up the views as your local skipper shares insider tips and stories." Jackie is the only wine drinker aboard and I am just slightly concerned that with free-flowing local wine available, I may need to change today's title to "What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor".

It has been a hive of activity in the villa this morning, with flights to be checked in for, taxis to be booked, last minute washing to be put on, cases to be packed and overdue blogs to be posted. In fact, by the time I waved team speedboat off on their Bolt taxi I was a bit frazzled and grateful for the chance to grab a coffee and some peace and quiet. Ben and I plan to Bolt into Zadar to join the others at 5 pm, but first we have been instructed to jump into the pool and send photographic evidence. We have not bothered to set a meeting point, relying instead on the relatively recently discovered WhatsApp feature of live location sharing. Internet-based technology has certainly simplified many aspects of our daily lives, navigation being a prime example. Back in the day, when Lindisfarne sang "meet me on the corner when the lights are coming on and I'll be there, I promise I'll be there" such meetings were by no means a guarantee and I admire their confidence. No chance of sending a text to say "sorry, missed the bus, I'm going to be late" or a quick call to say "I've been standing here for the past 20 minutes and there's no sign of you, are you sure I am at the right corner".

We met up with the sea cadets as planned and it was good to see that they had made it back onto dry land without incident. By all accounts the boat trip was a huge success, even though no mermaids, sea monsters or dolphins were encountered. Lucy was carrying my rucksack hung very low over one shoulder and being a gentleman I offered to carry it for her. But she declined as she was using the bag to shield the wet patch at the back of her shorts. A visit to a nearby trattoria was hastily arranged, to give an opportunity for the seafarers to change out of their wet swimwear. But as we sat around the table chatting in the afternoon sun, afternoon drinks merged seamlessly into dinner. It wasn't long before we headed off back to our villa to finish packing and to eat and drink what was left in the fridge. It has been a quick week and we have had a lot of fun. I love these family times, which is why I always agree to come, even in July, when it is too hot.Read more