I suppose that the truth would come out eventually, but I did go on a package holiday once, many years ago, to Tunisia. I went to a group of islands that sit to the east of the town of Sfax. These Islands stick up out of the Mediterranean only 13m above sea level at the highest point, so just one large wave would wash them back into the sea. Actually it was hit by a big storm once, which frightened the German’s away!!

The Roman’s used these islands as an early warning lookout post and now or should I say then the tourists from all over Europe used them to relax. I suppose now that the troubles in Tunisia have subsided the old trade of relaxing has returned!!

I did not really relax: I tried to swim, but the water is at chest height for half a mile or so, that meant a long walk!!. Whilst walking out to sea I saw this Dhow sitting proudly to her anchor just off the shallows and got talking to the owner who agreed to take me out for a sail. The next morning as the eastern sky lightened we walked out to the dhow and set sail into the sun.
What a fantastic time I had sailing her. her keel was bent so in order to sail in a straight line I had at least 30° of tiller on. While we sailed across the blue Mediterranean the skipper sang a beautiful song and I wondered what the words were, so asked him to translate as his English was very good. It was very amused to find that the words were the same as any other sailor’s song from any other part of the World, namely this:

• Sailor sails off to sea because the beautiful girl ashore had asked him to marry her, but he does not feel worthy.
• Out at sea his mind mulls it over and he decides to come home and marry the beautiful girl.
• Meanwhile in utter despair she has killed herself………………………..
• On his return he finds out about this terrible state of affairs
• He then kills himself………….

They are just all completely mad these fishermen!!!