Some Etiquette?

Flags
Originally uploaded by darenpackham

Some people love flags…. It’s true! They love em!!!! The Brits are probably the most pompous about it too. This is with the definite exception of myself, who actually couldn’t give a damn!

Put the Ensign up at 0800 sharp, take the thing down at sun set. Don’t be late, don’t be early 0800 sharp. Yes Sir!!! Then also when you visit each country, you have to fly a ‘ courtesy flag’ This is a small flag of the nation being visited. It has to be flown on the starboard side flag halyard, definitely not Port, nope! On the starboard. This is even more important when in places like Monaco and St Tropez….Apparently

Any how, as I explained the other day we have been running about a bit and this requires a lot of flag shenanigans. Put up the French, take down the French and put up the Monaco then up with the French and so on. If anyone knows me? I tend to loose things (small brain) we even have a special pidgin hole for flags but sometimes they need repairs and washing ( we couldn’t possibly put up a tatty flag, even if it is French!)

At 0430 we quietly slipped into the anchorage off of Portofino, dropped the anchor and sat majestically right outside this perfect and beautiful little Italian port. We were tired and as the crew took over the bridge watch for the remaining few hours of night, all I could dream of was my bunk. The furthest thing from my mind was the Italian flag! You should have heard the fuss!!! To me, just a perfect bit of forgetiquette. No one seems to notice if we are a bit late with a fire drill this month but the flag, don’t what ever you do, forget the flag!!