Page 13 of The Cruise Club
The following day, there was as an excited ripple amongst the passengers as one of the cruise’s most anticipated highlights began.
Today, the Diamond Star would navigate the Corinth Canal, a narrow waterway that connected the Ionian Sea to the Aegean.
The ship would sail through the Isthmus of Corinth, a small stretch of land separating mainland Greece from the Peloponnese peninsula.
A little before midnight the previous evening, the Diamond Star had cruised smoothly away from Argostoli, her sleek hull cutting through the deep waters.
Under the night sky, the island’s green slopes faded into the horizon as the ship chartered her course eastward, and as many passengers retired, Captain Bellwood’s voice issued a gentle reminder that they would sail through the night.
For those eager to fully experience the wonder of the Corinth Canal, he urged them to make sure that they were on deck shortly after breakfast.
Fran and Sid stood in the sunshine at the bow and held hands as they eagerly watched the vessel approach the narrow entrance of the canal. Passengers clustered around, and it seemed as though everyone, including the crew, was ready to experience the breathtaking passage that was about to begin.
Fran waved energetically when she saw Carmen edging through the crowd. ‘Come and join us, we’ve got a good view,’ Fran added as Sid helped Carmen position Betty.
‘I can’t see why we had to get up so early,’ Betty grumbled. ‘I didn’t finish my breakfast…’ But her protest was quickly drowned out by the excited chatter around them.
‘Room for one more?’ called a familiar voice.
Don appeared, clad in running gear and Fran thought that Don’s beige Lycra looked like sausage meat struggling to escape its casing. ‘Yes, plenty of room,’ Fran said as Don squeezed alongside. ‘You must have been up early, have you been for a jog?’
‘Got to keep in shape,’ Don said, running a hand over his vacuum-sealed belly. ‘Ten laps around the exercise deck before breakfast,’ he added proudly.
‘Does Debbie run with you?’ Fran asked, silently thinking Debbie wouldn’t be blamed for running in the opposite direction.
‘No, she prefers a lie-in. I’ve left her searching our room.’ Don frowned. ‘She’s misplaced a necklace.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ Fran said, her curiosity piqued. ‘Not that pretty chain with the diamond droplet she wore last night?’
‘Aye, that one. Cost me a pretty penny, I can tell you.’ Don shook his head. ‘I’ve told her to stay below until she’s found it.’
Fran was about to suggest that Debbie was missing a memorable part of the cruise, but to her relief, Debbie suddenly appeared. Fran offered a sympathetic smile but noted Debbie glare at Don, as she stood beside Carmen.
‘Any luck with the necklace?’ Fran asked, but Debbie shook her head. ‘You need to report it to guest services and I’m sure it will turn up,’ she added.
‘Listen, the purser’s speaking.’ Sid’s eyes were wide with anticipation, and he peered towards the tugboat that would guide their ship. Peter’s voice crackled from the public address system, and a hush descended over the deck.
‘Good morning, everyone,’ Peter began, ‘I hope you’re all ready for this truly unforgettable moment because we will be entering the legendary Corinth Canal in a few minutes.’
‘Look,’ Sid pointed, ‘the tugboat’s ahead and is guiding us through!’
Bodies leaned in, cameras at the ready as the tugboat began its work.
‘Captain Bellwood will take charge of this challenging and remarkable journey,’ Peter continued, ‘so find a comfortable spot with a view because this mysterious man-made marvel is going to be breathtaking.’
‘The canal is too narrow for large vessels and cruise ships,’ Sid explained to Fran as they gripped the railing, ‘but as the Diamond Star is smaller, she will go through with only feet to spare.’
Everyone held their breath as they began to enter the canal. Carved out of the rocky land, it would reduce the journey by 185 nautical miles, and as they inched forward, Peter’s voice resumed.
‘This is one of the oldest man-made canals in the world. It took centuries to complete and requires immense skill by Captain Bellwood to manoeuvre such a large vessel. This famous canal was the brainchild of the Roman emperor Nero, who attempted the construction in AD 67 by taking a pickaxe himself to dig up the first pieces of rock… Progress stalled after Nero’s death and only restarted in 1881 and completed in 1893. ’
‘Why aren’t we bumping into the walls?’ Fran asked as she leaned back against Sid and the towering rock face loomed closer.
‘Hold your breath, love,’ Sid said, ‘there’s barely three feet on either side, but the captain is skilful.’ He stared in awe at the tunnel-like surround, almost within arm’s reach.
Don stepped away from the rail. ‘The last time I saw something this dark, I was examining Debbie’s bank balance,’ he quipped. ‘If it gets any narrower, we’ll need butter to squeeze through.’
The canal seemed to stretch endlessly; the quiet hum of the ship’s engines amplified beside the gentle whisper of water as they glided along.
Long shadows closed in, casting darkness over the deck, and Debbie said that she hoped they didn’t get stuck.
When the cliffs appeared perilously close, the passengers gasped as they saw shafts of sunlight illuminating the golden tons of rock, a sharp contrast to the slither of blue sky above.
Fran felt Sid’s arms wrap tightly around her body. ‘It feels like time has stood still,’ she whispered.
‘Let’s put it in our memory bank,’ Sid said, ‘for the days when we can’t make memories like this anymore.’
‘How much further?’ Fran asked, snuggling close.
‘Well, the canal is four miles long, and we’ve been going for nearly two hours, so we should be through soon.’
As Sid spoke, the cliffs gave way to open water and, moments later, they emerged into the Aegean Sea. The deck erupted with applause and cheers as Captain Bellwood safely delivered their unique experience.
‘I’m so thrilled to have done this,’ Fran said, ‘do you think we should buy the captain a drink?’
Sid chuckled, taking her hand. ‘I don’t want Captain Bellwood to steer us off course. Next, you’ll ask him to let you have a turn at the helm.’
From the navigation deck, Peter spoke up.
‘On behalf of Captain Bellwood and the entire crew of the Diamond Star , we hope you enjoyed this historic journey. We’ll be at sea for the rest of the day as we make our way to the beautiful island of Rhodes, and if you’d like to join us, we’ll be serving complimentary Corinth Cocktails in the Mermaid Theatre. ’
Don had a spring in his step. ‘Free cocktails? It would be rude to say no.’ He guided Debbie away.
‘Did someone say cocktails?’ Betty piped up from her chair.
Fran glanced at Carmen, noticing her worried expression. ‘Sid told me that your author is talking today,’ Fran said. ‘It’s scheduled in the Diamond Star Daily News .’
‘Yes, Ruskin is giving a talk in the Neptune Theatre in half an hour.’ Carmen glanced at her watch, ‘But Mum seems set on trying a cocktail.’
‘No problem.’ Fran smiled. ‘Sid and I will take charge. You get yourself off to the talk.’
Fran reached out to grab Betty’s chair. ‘Let’s go, Sidney,’ she called out. ‘The Golden Oldies Gang are meeting in the Mermaid Theatre – and that’s where the Corinth Cocktails are waiting!’
On the lido deck, Dicky stretched out on a steamer-style sunbed.
It lay in a line curving around an oval shaped swimming pool, where at one end, a hot tub simmered.
Dicky cradled a cocktail with a colourful umbrella and savoured the moment of solitude while everyone crowded on deck to experience the ship inching its way through the famed Corinth Canal.
Dicky held a notebook and pen and wondered what jokes he could whip up to include in his act.
He was due to host a quiz in the Mermaid Theatre for the Golden Oldies Gang, and later, would be on stage to compere the evening’s entertainment.
‘I’ve never seen land so close,’ Dicky read from his notes, ‘the captain must be demonstrating parallel parking.’ He grimaced, then began again.
‘Remember folks, sometimes the best part of a cruise is surviving the journey!’ Deciding that the joke was inappropriate on a ship full of pensioners, he hastily erased the words.
He’d have to do better than that.
As the sun dimmed and the walls of the canal loomed high, Dicky flipped his Ray-Bans and glanced around the deck. Not a soul to be seen. Thankfully, not even the wealthy widow whom he’d entertained last night.
Earlier that day he’d been keen to leave the lady’s suite.
Tip-toeing around, he’d hoped she wouldn’t stir as he slipped into his clothes, and she slumbered heavily in the king-sized bed.
The ornate chandelier and plush rugs were a long way from the dim lights and linoleum floor of his lower deck cubbyhole, and as Dicky edged into the palatial lounge of the suite, he grabbed a beer from the minibar before tripping over a silver sling-backed shoe.
‘Bloody hell,’ he cursed, thinking of the podgy foot the previous evening that had kicked off the shoe and most of her clothes as Dicky popped the cork from a bottle of expensive champagne.
Seeing an open clutch bag, where a considerable stash of fifty-euro notes was tucked into a zipped section, Dicky pocketed four crisp notes.
She won’t miss them , he thought. As he left the suite, he’d checked the corridor to ensure there were no prying eyes to witness his escape.
Now, smoothing a layer of oily sunscreen over his conker-coloured chest, Dicky relished the fact that his encounters barely had any consequences.
His targets, often too embarrassed to expose the comedian, usually dismissed the experience, if they remembered it at all, as nothing more than a fleeting holiday fling.
A brief moment seized in the twilight of later life.