Friday, October 28. Still in the grip of the Siren’s call in Homer’s home

Written by Jack van Ommen on October 28th, 2011

Have I been lured into believing it is the wind howling through the rigging? Khios is most likely the islands where Homer lived and wrote his poetry.

The forecast for the next three days is discouraging and it is not till Tuesday that this storm blows out. Just to help the chances that there will be a let up I have put the sail cover on the main sail. It did not work. I am hunkered down. I have visions of being in this old western movie stuck in the saloon of a small desert town where the wind howls, the rusted saloon sign is swinging wildly in the wind and the tumble weeds are driven across a desolate landscape.

Last night was not quite as nasty as Wednesday night, with fewer sleep interruptions. But just to picture the strength of the wind, both Wednesday and Thursday I had to dismount my bicycle and walk it in a couple of exposed places. Unheard of for a Dutchman.

But I have plenty of projects, first of all the book I am editing/writing/translating “The Mastmakers Daughters”. I also started back in reading “Kolumbianische Krawatte” (Colombian Necktie)        ISBN 3-902257-42-3, which the author Michael Jansenberger gave me to read in Constanta. Michael is the Austrian designer, operator of “Inzula” the gorgeous trimaran, see my blogs in the first week of last August.  It is a fascinating true story of sailing in the S.W.  Caribbean, his involvement in a drug transport and subsequent incarceration in Panamanian horror jails. I am about three quarters through the book and I still am in great suspense as to how he and his partner got sucked into the drug transport.
He wrote the book in jail just like “Shantaram” my most favorite reading in the last years. Jansenberger’s book is also being written into a movie script. I recommend this to anyone. What I like so much about Jansenberger is that, in contrast to similar stories written in the first person, his personality does not dominate the story and he succeeds to paint the places, people and adventure clearly. I am sure it will become available in other than German.

So, if I do not succeed to find a quiet corner this winter to finish my writing project I shall go rob a bank to get locked up for a spell, just like Jansenberger and “Shantaram” ‘s author.

I got company here in the harbor, a Berlin couple on “Rebell”. They are also waiting for things to calm down to sail to Cesme, 8 miles from here on the Turkish mainland. They invited me over for a chat and dinner this evening. A welcome respite from the cabin.

I would like everyone to be aware of what is happening in the country where you are doing most of your shopping, please, check the following link. Iran, Vietnam, Laos and Burma’s record is not any better. I am outraged and frustrated that the civilized part of the world seems to be incapable to respond to this like the way they throw their soldiers lives and money at other (oil producing) countries. http://www.chinaaid.org/2011/10/details-of-brutal-beating-torture-of.html?spref=fb

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