1962

The Temple of Poseidon stands high atop a bluff on Cape Sounion overlooking the Saronic Gulf to the west and the Aegean Sea to the east. On the afternoon of May 31, in the blazing sunlight, the good ship Galileo dropped anchor offshore and eager mariners on tripmeister Tom Komarek's '62 Greek Odyssey jumped willy-nilly into the wine-dark sea. Gordy McKean, Gordy Aydelott, Von Beebe and others locked arms, formed a cartwheel and, feet toward the center of the circle, performed a synchronized water ballet for mighty Poseidon, their right legs, on cue, kicking heavenward toward the temple. It was a fitting last tribute to two classic weeks in Greece.

Our odyssey began in Athens 13 days and many miles earlier. In two groups of 24 eachplus Greek guides Costas and Elizabeth—we journeyed separately on land the first week and together at sea the second week. In Athens we climbed the Acropolis and paid homage to Athena at the Parthenon. In Delphi we sought counsel of the oracle and paid our respects at the Temple of Apollo. Among the ruins Charlie Balch felt moved to write a poem about "Dogs of the Acropolis, Cats of Delphi" in honor of the numerous strays we encountered en route—but he abandoned his efforts when the muse suddenly deserted him.

At the hotel in Arachova we attended a Greek cooking class. The rambunctious Greek teacher-chef, who had once lived in New Jersey, supervised John Clark and David Smith in the preparation of spanakopita. "Jersey Boy" and "Houston," as the chef named them, did an ace's job. Many flashbulbs popped.

From Kalambaka and the spectacular 14th-century monasteries of Meteora we circled back to Piraeus through the Thermopylae pass, much to the delight of history buff Gordy Owens. Spartan resistance to Persian invaders at the Battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C.), recently popularized in the movie 300, was instrumental in stemming the expansion of the Persian Empire into Europe.

Once at sea our two groups reunited and we did some serious island hopping. The first morning out Joan and Richard Hannah joined Clem Edgar topside at 0610 hours to watch Aurora, the rosy-fingered dawn, ascend over Poros. Richard later reported to those who had slept through the happening that the dawn really did have rosy fingers. He is a doctor and should know.

As the week progressed the good times accumulated inevitably on and on. Donkey rides up the switchback trail on the face of Santorini, where John Thees' Mykonos worry beads could be put to good use; bus rides on the narrow mountain roads of Tinos, where guard rails, had they existed, would not have helped; a kindergarten visit and songfest in the Naxos village of Melanes; an onboard birthday cake for Charlie Giersch; an anniversary cake for Gretchen and Dave "Bags" Bergman; an after-dinner topside lecture by Dan Tompkins; a farewell talent show; native dancers. The list goes on.

There is never any ending to happy memories and comfortable friendships. So come on back to our next mini-reunion: Homecoming, October 17-19. Time well spent.

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