April 15, 2017: Rough Seas Ahead

Enough shopping, lets get some adventure. It looks a little cloudy but every once in a while the sun peaks out so we decide to take the boat trip round the island and see the famous "blue Grotta". So we get hooked up with Lorenzo (another Lorenzo boat driver - thats weird) by our house manager and he meets us at the bottom of the funicular. Seem nice and we follow through the crowds to his boat. The dock on Capri is a mass of folks and Lorenzo tells us it is super crowded in Summer. It is a mixed crowd of tours, and party, party 20 somethings and day trippers from Naples. Nothing glorious about this scene! Lorenzo's Boat is not large, in fact kinda small but we all have a seat, or half a seat and off goes the rope tie and we set out to sea. It is nice and we see Roman ruins and watch towers and towering cliffs and the water is the most incredible blue. The sun pokes out and it is hot. The clouds cover the sun and the breeze picks up and it is cold. First stop is the Grotto and it looks like the parking lot after the big football game. It is the biggest Cluster _ you every saw but all the Italian boat guys seem comfortable shouting and gesturing. Finally it is our turn. Up pulls a little row boat that for all appearances looks like the guy put together with paper and glue the night before. We squeeze in - ladies between the gents legs and our "host" rows us to the cave entrance. "Watch your head" comes the warning and we are almost lying flat to clear the entrance. The only light is from the small entrance and it is the most incredible blue ever. It gets plenty corny as the row man sings corny Italian songs, each of the 10 other row men singing corny Italian songs and flirting with the ladies as we circle the cave. Probably not the best 14 Euros we spent and the row man wants a tip so we drop a 2 Euro in his hand and off we go in our little boat for our circle of the island.  

   
It is beautiful but we notice a black cloud dead ahead and chop in the water. Lorenzo is not worried and other Boats are out there with us. The wind picks up and lifts a rubber 10 foot mat off the deck right into Tina. No harm however the chop is now small waves but still Lorenzo shows no fear and points out homes and cliffs. The small waves are good size now and the wind is whipping sea spray all over us. Smack goes the mat to Krim's head with the next gust of wind. These waves are getting pretty impressive and this boat is looking smaller and smaller and the wind is downright chilly and the sea spray is pitting the face - still, Lorenzo shows no fear. This is getting to be a long two hour cruise and we are all hoping the dock is getting close. The waves are getting deep and the boat is rocking - still Lorenzo shows no fear. Tina dedicates her body for the welfare of the team and lays spread eagle across the offending mats. Finally we see the sea stacks just outside the harbor and the waves leave, the chop returns and port is within sight.  

Being on land is a good thing but a nice warm house, a shower and a glass of wine would be even better. We have soup as part of a wonderful dinner and laugh about the adventure and our good fortune of surviving.