Parking in the middle of what looks like a bulls eye within easy range of Vesuvius might have contributed to my edginess.

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Parked under Volcano 1434

Forget about the convoluted airspace around Naples, the water was absolutely worse with vast areas of the Amalfi coast marked off limits or restricted.

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Marine Limitations 1474

When SuRi's departure was delayed it was time to put the toys in play from the dock. The water looked absolutely gorgeous! Edginess gone!

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Port Launch 1483

Natural limitations are much more intimidating that paper restrictions. To find out about the natural limits, however, you have to get past the paper. We were given permission to launch, not in the protected water near the marina, but 500 meters away in the open water of the windy Mediterranean. It wasn't enough to deal with the ocean swell and conflicting wind waves, there was also the continual assault of random boat wake. Still, there was a volcano waiting out there. Nothing to do but launch and investigate!

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Open Water Initiation 1503

When SuRi finally got out of port the water at Positano was positively impossible. No reasonable SeaRey would consider crossing it.

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Back to SuRi 1615

Since the prospects for an smooth departure were looking rough, I was asked to serve as caretaker to a group of guests going ashore. It looked to be a much easier job than trying to fly off the jumble of waves.

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Beachfront 1592

My assignment was to carry the water for the guests. And to maintain communications between them and the boat. And to have cash available should they stop to buy something. And to keep track of them.

Simple, right? Ha! It was simple right up until the time they decided to hike up to the top of the town. With eight guests there was a continuum of physical fitness. The fast movers were soon shooting up hill. The guy who was paying the bills lagged behind. Okay, so it was just a bit of exercise jogging between the groups trying to keep track of where they were headed. The gap grew and grew. Somewhere, however, on the narrow twisting alleys I lost track of lead group. I raced back down to where I had last seen the boss. He was nowhere to be found.

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Narrow Way 1598

Now what? I wasn't trained for the situation. I could see SuRi out in the bay. Should I confess my failure and call in to get guidance? Admit incompetence as a simple steward? No way!

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Searching for SuRi 1602

I raced down the hill to the beach. With no sign of the guests I took up a lookout position near the pier. At the appointed time they arrived individually with no evidence of having missed me. I did what I was told to do: called for their ride back to the boat.

Only one person was missing, Monica. Monica is a person of indistinct position on the yacht's hierarchy. As wife of the helicopter pilot she's not exactly guest, and not crew. Still we're trained never to leave anyone behind. I sent the guests on their way. When Monica arrived the guests were eating lunch on SuRi. We had time for some real Italian pizza while waiting for our ride back.

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Real Pizza 1610

Daybreak offered no encouragement that I'd be flying any time soon.

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Darkening Morning 6592

If it wasn't storming, fog shrouded the coastal hills.

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Stuck Onboard 6623

When the skies did clear the wind that followed made it obvious I wouldn't be flying. What's a captain to do? When you have a moveable hotel you sail towards better weather. We launched for the Isle of Capri.

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Capri Passage 6744

The island sky was indeed much brighter than the mainland.

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Arriving Capri 6679

Though we parked on the lee side of the island, the water was disturbed enough to make SeaRey operations uninviting.

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Hole in Stack 6757

The guests heard that there was delicious gelato in town. With nothing else to do, I was dispatched in one of the tenders to bring back "the best".

The ride around to town confirmed that SeaReys were best left aboard.

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Cruising to Capri

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Capri Harbor 1632

When I got ashore I spotted a likely looking local and inquired where I could find the best gelato. "No here. All for tourists. Uphill you find."

Up that hill? Right.

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Going for Gelato 1639

The climb for homemade gelato was steep and onerous. It was spiced, however, by some beautiful sights.

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Capri House 1634

Frisco? Did I take a wrong turn?

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Francesco Sign 1636

There were lots of turns but by relentlessly climbing upwards the elusive gelato was finally located. Now, how to get it back down without melting? There was a taxi waiting. It was a tight squeeze but we made it down (barely) before the cold concoction melted away.

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Tight Passage 1650