Floating Village

September 10, 7am

This morning the Mediterranean reminds me of a pond. Not only because it lies so still after four days of stormy sea. It also seems small today like a village pond where you gather with neighbours and friends.

When I look out into the large bay of Porto Liscia next to us on anchor are Anke and Uwe, the German kite surfers who live on their boat all year. We visited them in July and now came back to hang out some more.

Ahead of us is the aluminum hulled Ovni “Zara” with Patrick from Belgium who came to see us before he heads down to the South of Sardinia. We’ve said au revoir to him, his wife, Louise, and the kids, Oliver and Lucy, more than two weeks ago in San Cipriano, Corsica after spending a great week together.

And behind us on anchor is the Ash family from New Zealand, who has found us once more after having sailed separate ways for 10 days. Leonie had another sleepover with Emily, the 9 year old daughter last night on their boat “Sudoeste”. The three New Zealanders are heading West to get ready to cross the Atlantic.

I also received an e-mail yesterday from Mikako, the Japanese/German mom of two girls from Frankfurt whom we have seen already three times in different locations this summer: first with her husband and kids in Sardinia, second with everybody in Corsica and third by herself on Elba. Makiko will be in Portisco, Sardinia end of this month – will we be able to get together?, she wrote. Yes, we will, I answered. We’ll be in that harbour on that day exactly. Our friends Nanka and Hans have to return their charter boat there. We are heading to Portisco right now to meet them.

What serendipity! I thought “small world” applies only for Victoria. And like in our neighbourhood at home we help each other out. Uwe spent a whole afternoon on our boat trying to repair the outboard engine in July. Today we got the chance to do something for him by pumping 250 liters from our water tank into his. Since we can fill up again in Portisco tonight, no problem.

Louise, the Belgian mom of “Zara” surprised me in San Ciprianu with a wonderful act of kindness, that touched my heart. When the kids and I went horseback riding one evening they accompanied us on the 30 minute walk to the stables. When she realized that I forgot my torch, she walked back to the bay and dinghied to her boat only to treck back up again at 20:30 to pick us up from the stables. Louise couldn’t bear the thought of having us stumble through the pampas in complete darkness. And this she did while expecting dinner guests on “Zara” who had arrived during her absence.

As you can see, we are looking after each other in our floating village: swapping books, sharing food and recipes, exchanging technical knowledge, passing on travel and safe hideout tips, playing games together, taking turns in hosting kids and loaning each other stuff. Almost like in a real community. Modern means of communication make it easy to stay in touch. In only one case did we run into some boater friends (Makiko’s family at the grocery store in Bonifacio) accidentally after failing to make contact by text message.

As you might have guessed, this village idea is from our and each boating family’s perspective only. None of our new friends who are anchored around us today happen to know each other. But nevertheless, it is great to feel connected and probably the main reason why we do feel cozy and at home lest the vastness of the ocean and all the bad weather we had so far.

“Sudoeste” and the sunrise

“Seatramp” and “Sharki” side by side tanking water with Uwe and Bill chatting