It’s been a week. Pleasant enough under tall skies braced with rippled water and stretches of pink sand, but the sort of foreign travel burdened with too many gatherings. How much small (or big) talk can you ask of someone? And loafing is not my strong suit because, days in, and the Kalik gets thick on the tongue, the Dewar’s bitter on the lips and the scenery sore to the eyes. I like earning life’s pleasures. I like a project to keep me busy. I like a boat to steer, a chart to plot and a changing tide to worry. Still, this maritime lawyer enjoys his overseas travel and he has a few tricks you sailors should keep in mind when heading away f
rom port.
First, don’t lose your passport. For F’s sake, after some thirty years of pretty active travel without ever losing my travel documents, I stumbled through the Miami Airport allowing my passport to lose itself on the jetway. Sixty gates downwind and amidst the gaggle of bright faces accompanying us, I made this realization. The key in this situation as with any shipboard calamity is to act calmly and quickly. A peck on the wife’s cheek marking a curt acknowledgement of what gives and a steady jog upwind to the arrival gate. Unfold some cash and find an airport worker with a friendly gaze and ‘lo, ten minutes later we’d tracked down the cleaning crew and recovered my passport. That’s a win. And yeah, I missed the connecting flight (spouse and gaggle continuing onward), but it all worked out fine and by early next morning, I was swinging myself onto the dock and walking up to the house. It’s funny how in a world of QR codes and electronic tickets, that little passport booklet is a trip killer. There’s no good workaround. A replacement will take several biz days and cost you the price of an expediter. (If you don’t have comms with a passport/visa expediter; find one and create that relationship. Over the years, these folks have been fantastic in saving trips that might’ve foundered due to too-soon expiring passports, etc.) Keep an image of your passport as I’m told it’ll help things.
Second, don’t trust the airline in the event of a missed connection. Airlines use David Copperfield-level magic when it comes to keeping passengers happy and hopeful. Promises of your standby status being nearly as good as a ticketed passenger should be bathed in seawater. It’s fine to accept standby status, but consider getting online right away and booking yourself a ticket. It’s what I always do so that when the thud of the airplane door accompanies the gate agent moving her head in faux sympathy, you can wave them off knowing you’ve got another flight ready to go. With a larger group of standbys, don’t overlook chartering a flight. And don’t hesitate to call an FBO (a fixed base operator at an airport typically handling private aviation – the PJs for those in the know) and ask if they know of any flights headed to whatever sandy spit marks your destination.
Third don’t overlook marinas when considering lodging. Some of the best last-minute accommodations I’ve managed have been at marinas. They’re good for late bookings because the masses don’t consider this option and the hotelier websites that clog your screen don’t include them. From Spain to Florida, I’ve wrangled fantastic marina accommodations at very decent prices. But, hey, let’s keep this tip to us sailors, okay?
Fourth, and on the topic of lodging, a quick note about some private islands. Some of these elite retreats have lodging they rent for ridiculously low nightly fare. A few calls into these private locales with the right timbre of voice and proper line of inquiry about your interest in the club, a third home purchase and voila, you might’ve found yourself a hideaway vacation. Of course, don’t misrepresent anything and this isn’t lodging to flex; it’s lodging to explore and enjoy knowing you’ve broken some secret coda.
Fifth, think like a lawyer. Keep your receipts. If you’re chartering, get a copy of all documents the charterer expects you to sign before you break ground. In this way, you’ll have time to study these contracts in the friendly space of your kitchen as opposed to atop a counter at a marina while your own gaggle clamors for you to hurry. And remember my lesson on contract review – start from the back. All the bits and pieces that’ll hurt you are usually stuck in the latter half of a contract. And be very leery of anything speaking of indemnity (where you’re agreeing to defend and pay for a loss someone else suffers) or requiring all disputes be resolved in London, etc.
I used to take a daily cab along FDR Drive. I don’t remember the product, but I remember a big billboard’s message promoting the voyage over the destination. Keep that in mind. From your midnight booking to that tacky-wet sound your saltwater fly makes on the flats, travel (like boat ownership) is more than the destination – it’s an adventure!
Underway and making way. ■
John K. Fulweiler, Esq. is a Proctor-in-Admiralty representing individuals and small businesses in maritime matters including personal injury claims throughout the East and Gulf Coasts and with his office in Newport, Rhode Island. He can be reached at 1-800-383-MAYDAY (6293) or john@saltwaterlaw.com, or visit his website at saltwaterlaw.com.
