FLNA - Fall Issue 2012

FALL 2012

Randall RogerBefore the Storm

Journey To “The End of the World”Portugal

David SwiftKnow Your Property

Rising WateRs!What can associations do?

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|FLNA Magazine| Fall 2012 3

Every year around this time, we Floridians find ourselves hoping the rainy season will end quietly and looking forward to the great weath-er that the snowbirds come down to enjoy with us. Recently, Hurricane Isaac reminded us that this season is rainy, not just windy, and heavy rains themselves can cause significant flooding of our homes and communities. Since south-ern Florida is mostly flat reclaimed wetlands protected by a system of man-made lakes and canals, we rely upon these systems to function properly when disaster strikes. When it seems they do not, it is only human nature to ask why they did not work and who was responsible.

These are complicated questions. Since members of Neighborhood Associa-tions are directly assessed for their share of the cost their Association must incur to meet its responsibilities within this system, it is important that the Association leadership understands these responsibilities so it can address them in a cost effec-tive manner. In this issue, we have brought together technical as well as profes-sional experts to provide us that perspective.

We would also like to report that, as a direct result of your support and interest, we have increased the size of our magazine, expanding both our topical coverage and general interest features. We hope you find it interesting. Also, please stop by and visit us at the South Florida Condo and HOA Expo on October 18th in Miami.

FLNA and FLNA Magazine are dedicated to creating the means for an open dialogue and a learning experience for all the Associations and Individuals who participate and encourage you to communicate with us and our fellow readers. Send Letters to our Editor at [email protected] or just drop me a line at [email protected]. Drop Tony a note on places you find interesting at [email protected]. You can also visit us on our website at www.FLNA.org and learn more about the activities and services we offer. You can also call us or write to us at the phone number and address listed on this page.

Become part of FLNA and participate in our activities.

A MessAge FRoM The PResidenT

PubLisher & PresidentJoseph boyle

director, MeMber reLAtionsJ. Andrew boyle

FeAtures editortony consalvi

When it Rains - - it Pours

FAll 2012FLNA Magazine is published by the Florida League of Neighborhood Associations, Inc.

FLnA Magazine157 Monterey Way • Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411

Phone (561 758-1618 • Fax (561) 258-0689 • www.FLNA.org

PhotogrAPherJim bongiovanni

grAPhic designVictor howard

suzanne summastephanie rodriguez

FLNA Magazine is published six times a year, Copyright 2012, all rights reserved by Florida League of Neighborhood Associations Inc. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. The publisher accepts no responsibility for advertisement errors beyond the cost of the portion of the advertisement occupied by the error within the advertisement itself. The publisher accepts no responsibility for submitted materials. All submitted materials are subject to editing.

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contents

Storm Water Drainage Systemsby David R. Swift

Some Things to Consider Before the Stormby Randall K. Roger, Esq.

Journey to “The End of the World”Things Don’t Always Go As Planned!by Tony Consalvi

FALL 2012

Features

ColumnsLetters to the Editor

Delinquent Accountsby Mitchell Drimmer. CAM

Buying a Home Alarm Systemby Kathryn Bloeser

Insuring Your Associationby Victor Singh

Healthcare Watchby Keith Jordano, LUTCF

The Association Accountantby John P. Spillane, CPA

Index of Advertisers

13

18

19

21

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15

23

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7

Photo creditsJ. Bongiovanni: 18,T. Consalvi: 23,24,25,26,27,Wellington the Magazine: 10(top),11South FL WMD: CoverVillage of Royal Palm Beach: 10(bottom)


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Dear FLNA:When I first picked up your magazine in my clubhouse, I thought of it as a simple throw away “newspaper” to glance through, even though you always had interesting information. Your new look is much more professional and I am looking forward to your next issue. It’s about time we had a place for Associations to get together and share information directly with each other.J. Wilcox, Wellington, FL

Dear Editor:My fellow Board members always have a lot of questions. Our Property Manager knows his stuff, but is always best when we can go somewhere for a second opinion. It’s nice to have a place where there are experts who can ex-plain things and get simply to the point.F. Hanson, Lake Worth, FL

Dear FLNA:You had a great Open Forum last year and I was able to meet a lot of other Board members from other organiza-tions. This is the best benefit for being in FLNA. Are you planning another one soon?R. Holbrook, Royal Palm Beach, FL We are hoping to have a get together in the 1st or 2nd quarter of next year. Keep checking our website and this magazine for more information. We need input on topics. Please let us know.

Dear Editor:I picked up your magazine at my doctor’s office in Green-acres. You have a lot of good information and you need to get out into our area more. How can I make sure your magazine gets to my Association?J. Elliott, Greenacres, FLOur membership has been growing steadily. We would be glad to come to any Association, explain what FLNA is and does, and make arrangements to distribute the magazine to its members. Just call us at 561-758-1618 or contact us through the website, www.FLNA.org

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

FLNA Magazine welcomes your letters. You should submit your letters with Contact name, address and phone number (anonymous letters will not be consid-ered). Mail letters to FLNA Magazine, Attn: Editor, 157 Monterey Way, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411, FAX to 561-258-0689 or e-mail through our website www.FLNA.org. FLNA Magazine at its sole discre-tion reserves the right to edit letters it chooses in or-der to fill space requirements and/or eliminate offen-sive or inappropriate language or comments.


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Many residential communities in South Florida have been built in

low lying areas that typically receive 55 inches of rainfall on an annual aver-age basis. These communities are also exposed to the threat of hurricanes and tropical storms which can locally pro-duce 10 inches or more of rain in a 24 hour period. Providing adequate flood protection and drainage for these com-munities is a challenging task both at the local and regional levels.

Fortunately, water can be routed through a number of interconnected, independently operated, conveyance systems which, when properly main-tained and managed, provide flood pro-tection for local neighborhoods. Proper drainage requires that all parts of the system work together because a failure or blockage in any one part of the sys-tem could adversely affect others, both downstream and upstream.

These systems are expensive. Re-gional drainage districts such as the South Florida Water Management District and numerous local drainage districts spend millions of dollars each year to assure their systems are main-tained to address flood and drought conditions. In contrast, neighborhood facilities, which are also part of the sys-tem, are typically administered by indi-vidual Neighborhood Associations who are oftentimes unprepared for the task,

only vaguely aware of their responsibil-ity, and minimally funded. Many Asso-ciation property owners, some of whom may have paid a premium price to have their home built on lake-front prop-erty, may not even be aware that (a) their lakes are primarily a storm water detention facility whose function is to temporarily store water that would oth-erwise cause flooding of local streets, yards and homes, (b) their Association is the entity legally responsible for its maintenance and operation and (c) they, the property owners, must bear the cost.

Associations and their Boards of Directors need to:1. Identify what are their Community’s responsibilities, and2. Create and Maintain a Lake Man-agement and Water Quality Control Program to meet those responsibilities.

IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITIES

It is important that all members of the Association recognize that their stormwater detention system is an in-tegral part of their community and that everyone has a role in assuring that it is effective.

Identify the Association’s Facili-ties: The Association should obtain and keep current a map that shows the lay-

storm Water drainage systems

PART IAn Integral Part of an Association’s Responsibilities

out of its storm water detention system and what facilities it is responsible for maintaining and operating. Using this information, it should identify the lo-cation and function of all storm water inlets, pipes, culverts, ditches and ca-nals. This map and other supporting documents should be kept as part of the permanent records of the Association. Some Associations go so far as to have these maps available on their website, either directly or linked to the public re-cord. Residents may change, directors and officers may change, but the obli-gation remains.

Identify Permit Requirements: If it has not already done so, the Associa-tion should also obtain a copy of any permits, such as a surface water permit issued by the local water management authority and the Board should acquaint itself with its particulars, understand how the system is designed to work, what the permit entails and what level of protection is expected or provided.

FEATURE

David R. Swift is an environmen-tal scientist/project manager recently retired from the South Florida Water Management District (34 years). Mr. Swift is a former Vice-Mayor and Councilman for the Village of Royal Palm Beach, FL and has served on various water management technical committees and boards. He is a native of Michigan and has lived in Florida for the past 40 years.

by david R. swift


Understand how your System is connected to the Regional System: The Association should coordinate with the regional water management authority to assure there is a mutual understand-ing of individual responsibilities (Fig-ure 2). Most water management dis-tricts have outreach programs in place to aid in this process, including the dis-semination of written and web-based information. In addition, they generally make available knowledgeable person-nel who can come to Association meet-ings, provide information and answer questions directly.

Keep the Lines of Communication Open: The Association should devel-op a list of important contact persons/phone numbers for the local drainage district that directly interconnects with your system (including their main-


tenance staff) and the regional water management authority BEFORE an emergency situation arises and provide copies of this information to each board member and resident. Conversely, pro-vide a list of Association contacts to both entities.

Educate the Residents: The As-sociation should make a continuing effort to educate its residents about the capabilities and limitations of its sys-tem. Many people do not understand how their community drainage system works, what, if any, local or secondary drainage district serves them, and how water management in general, operates. Residents should understand that the storm water detention system in their area may be specifically designed and permitted to hold water in yards and streets until downstream receiving ar-eas can accept water.

Budget Adequately: Drainage sys-tem components such as culverts, pipes grates, canals, weirs, and outfall struc-tures need preventive maintenance, may require incidental repairs and eventu-ally must be replaced (Figure 3). Since Associations are required to assure that

their systems are operating properly and responsive to the directions of the water management authority, especial-ly in times of emergency, they should include inspection and maintenance of their system in their annual operating budget. If they are required to maintain reserves, they should also consider in-cluding their eventual replacement in that fund.

Summary, Associations should as-sure that 1) their leadership has a thor-ough knowledge of the technical as-

pects of the drainage system as well as the Association’s legal responsibilities, 2) the residents understand their role in the process, and 3) there is adequate funding to meet those responsibilities.

In our next issue, we will discuss How to maintain a Lake Management and Water Quality program.

12 Fall 2012 |FLNA Magazine|12 Fall 2012 |FLNA Magazine|

PROTECTING OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEMS

hoMeoWner DO’S And DONT’S

• do Learn How Water is Managed in Florida• do Learn How Your Community System Participates• do Report Problems to the Responsible Authorities• do Use Eco-friendly Fertilizers to Minimize Pollution• don’t Treat your Drainage System as A Garbage Disposal• don’t Dump Grass Clippings & Other Vegetation in the Lakes• don’t Dump Debris in Ditches, Swales, etc.

do becoMe PArt oF the soLution


An Association’s Board of Direc-tors needs to come to consensus

on what its beliefs are with respect to how to handle delinquent units and col-lections of the association’s accounts receivable. Once done, I often suggest that the association adopt a written Uni-form Collections Policy implementing these beliefs and the consequences to non-payment of maintenance fees. This policy should include a collections time line (when to send out courtesy letters, late letters, notices, and lien units), but beyond that, a clear action plan for when the standard approaches fail. That plan should set parameters for when the Association would seek third party help, whether an individual, legal coun-sel or the engagement of a firm focused on collections.

The Board should open up the pol-icy for input from the members, either at a regular Board meeting or at a mem-ber’s meeting and a copy of the final policy should be provided to all mem-bers to assure they understand the con-sequences of their failure to pay their assessments when due.

Bringing in a third party vendor requires the Board employ the same due diligence it would use for any other vendor. There are many questions that

delinquenT AccounTs

Questions to Ask When engaging a third Party

to collect

Mitch Drimmer, CAM is the Vice President of sales for Association Financial Services an accredited collection agency specializing in community associations, and a spe-cialty finance company. Association Financial Services has received its CASP designation from the Florida Community Association Journal and Mitch is also a content provider to the Florida Community Association Professionals’ educational program. For more information, please visit www.associationFs.com.

by Mitchell drimmer. cAM

should be asked when collections ser-vice provider. The following are some generic ones, but there may be others specific to the individual Association.

Fees: How much do they charge? When do they require payment (as services are provided or deferred until collected)? Are fees contingent upon collection or guaranteed? Will they ad-vance hard costs for pursuing foreclo-sures?

Information Access: How does the Association get information (mailed statements, online access portals, vari-ous reports by unit or for entire associa-tion)? Who has access (Board, property manager, other involved parties)? How often is the information updated (real-time, daily, monthly updates)?

Amount to Collect: How much does the service provider believe is collect-able and what potential pitfalls might their strategy and/or tools expose the association? Are collections procedures being performed in compliance with federal Fair Debt Collections Practices Act and Florida Consumer Collections Practices Acts? Is an attorney properly involved when it comes to matters in-volving specific legal actions?

Customer Service: How accessible is the Vendor to a delinquent owner

who wants to get paid up? How does the Vendor interact with the association (email only, live customer service rep-resentatives, online portals, etc.)?

Limitations: The Association should assure that no steps may be taken by the Vendor which, according to Association documents, must be ap-proved specifically by the Board or the Members.

The decision by the Board to retain a collections services provider should include a cost/benefit analysis taking into account both the individual unit’s circumstances as well as the need for uniform enforcement throughout the Association.


Buying a home Alarm system by Kathryn Bloeserthings to consider before You buy

Do your homwork when considering a residential alarm. Taking a little time before you buy can save you from poten-tial problems after installation.

• Identify your needs and budget

• Contact your local law enforcement agency to find out if there are any permit/ registration requirements for residen-tial alarm systems, as well as any fines or fees that may be imposed for false alarms.

• Contact your local agencies such as Consumer Affairs Office, Better Business Bureau or state Attorney General’s Office for information on any alarm company with which you are considering doing business. (Consumer offices will often maintain records of filed complaints)

• Contact your state or local Licensing Bureau to determine if the alarm company with which you are considering do-ing business has all of the required licenses, bonds, insurance, etc. (if applicable).

• Know your responsibilities and those of your Alarm Company before you buy or lease.

• Read and fully understand your entire contract before you sign on the dotted line.

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Just because the bank forecloses and takes title to a unit, those past-duemaintenance fees still belong to your association. Don't write them off – letAssociation Financial Services recover them from the former unit owner throughour Write-Off Recovery™ program.We specialize in recovering every dollar owed to your association on a100% contingency fee basis. If we don’t collect, your association pays nothing. Your association has nothing to lose…but the opportunity to receive moneyit isn’t expecting.Don’t delay…the statute of limitations clock is ticking!

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The hoA ATToRneY

by Randall K. Roger, esq.

some things to consider before the storm

Water entry into a residence is a situation which arises frequent-

ly in South Florida, particularly dur-ing the rainy season, and requires the vigilance of a community association’s Board of Directors to protect against the effects of rising waters, wind driven rains and leaks. The following is a brief summary of the issues presented to an association, be it a condominium or a homeowners association, and the prep-arations which a Board of Directors should consider and attend to in order to forestall or prevent problems which may arise during the rainy season.

Periodic Inspections — Prepara-tion in anticipation of heavy rains or flood conditions can prevent the oc-currence of a flood or water intrusion. Often overlooked, a Board of Directors should assure the property’s drainage systems are routinely checked. The investigation should address the slope and sufficiency of embankments of wa-ter retention ponds and include the reg-ular inspection of sluices, water drain-age channels and underground drainage culverts for obstructions and debris. The failure to routinely check and cor-rect deficiencies in the infrastructure of the development may later be re-visited and deemed a failure by the Association to properly maintain the property, lead-ing to an allegation of negligent main-tenance.

Additionally, as to common owned residential structures, the Board should either routinely check all door and win-dow seals throughout the structures to confirm a watertight seal or inform the owners to attend to same, contingent on the language of the governing declara-tion, identifying the party responsible for such maintenance. Similar attention should be given to the residential struc-ture’s facades, assuring that the walls of the structures are without cracks, fissures or other openings which could lead to water intrusion. Again, as stat-ed above, the failure to address these concerns, when the responsibility for attending to same is that of the Associa-tion, may be viewed as negligence on the Association’s part.

Finally, roofs of all common owned residential structures should be periodi-cally examined. As a consequence of weather conditions, roofs have a lim-ited life span, often shortened by high winds and debris accumulation. Many condominium and homeowner associa-tions with roof maintenance responsi-bilities retain the services of roofers to perform such inspections and warrant the roofs. Attention to the roofs, their maintenance and repair is essential to avoid an allegation of the negligent failure to maintain an Association’s im-provements.

Randall K. Roger is the man-aging partner of Randall K. Roger & Associates, P.A., a firm servicing community associations throughout Southeast Florida.

Question:The results of hurricane Isaac demonstrated how vulner-able our neighborhoods are to heavy rains and rising water. What can our neighborhood Associations do to protect our communities?

The failure to rou-tinely check and correct deficiencies …. may be …. deemed a failure by the Association to properly maintain the property, leading to an allegation of negligent maintenance.



Have an Action Plan — In the event the safeguards and precautions above addressed are insufficient to ad-dress water intrusion and water finds its way into the structure, the Associa-tion should be prepared to address the water entry with mitigation efforts. To assess the responsibilities of a particu-lar association, an examination of the governing declaration is required. A condominium Association is generally responsible for addressing water intru-sion and should have a contingency plan available to attend to such occur-rence. Retaining a reliable vendor who is familiar with water extraction is im-perative. The Association must also ensure that it has adequate insurance coverage in place to address potential

claims and ready access to its insurance agent if it must file a claim.

Don’t Do It Alone! — As to ad-dressing a loss, the Board should ap-preciate floods are distinguishable from wind driven rains and, as a conse-quence, the Board should consult with its insurance agent as to the appropri-ate coverage and coverage amounts for each situation. While Section 718.111, Florida Statutes addresses insurance obligations for a condominium, there is no parallel Statute for a homeowners association. Accordingly, reference as to the declaration of the Association to assess the insurance obligations should be performed with the assistance of counsel and the Association’s insurance

agent, to determine the Association’s responsibilities. It is recommended that such event occurs before there is a need for a claim.

Randall Roger (Continued)

This commentary is provided to of-fer general information and a general understanding of the law and is not intended to convey any specific legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is existent as a consequence of the afor-estated, and the use of such commen-tary is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney familiar with the issues presented. It is necessary that you consult with a licensed attorney in the State of Florida before taking any further action related to security issues as above described.


tion’s governing documents. Individual Property owners should assure that their assets are protected. Coverage is further complicated by the type of properties involved, such as free-standing homes in HOA’s, attached town homes and condominium type apartments.

Further issues ensue when the property is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area as designated by FEMA.

Associations and Individual Prop-erty Owners, especially when flood insurance is not mandated by a law, statute, governing document or an inter-ested third party (such as their mortgage holder), should evaluate their insurance needs and, when as when making any such important decision, consult with their legal and insurance advisors.

insuRing YouR AssociATion

by Victor singh

Victor Singh migrated to Bos-ton from Trinidad in 1976, attend-ed Wentworth Technical Institute and Northeastern University and worked in the electrical engineer-ing field for 15 years before start-ing his insurance career 22 years ago. He owned and operated an insurance agency in Brockton and Dorchester, Mass., and, relocating to Florida, he started Tradewinds Insurance Consultants, LLC.

Flood insurance provides protection to a home or other property against

rising water from the outside, the over-flow of inland or tidal waters and the unusual rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source. How-ever, the flood must be a general and temporary condition of partial or com-plete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or two or more properties, at least one of which is the insured. Flood insurance excludes wind and hail damage which is nor-mally provided in homeowner’s insur-ance policy. The distinctions are subtle. For example, when rain enters through a wind damaged window or door or comes through a hole in a wall or roof, the resulting puddles and damage are considered to be windstorm related, not flood related.

There are two basic types of flood insurance policies: Building and Con-tents. Building coverage pays only for damage to the structure of the home, such as walls and floors. Contents cov-erage pays only for items inside the home such as clothing and furniture.

Associations and Individual Prop-erty owners have different flood insur-ance requirements and any policy must specifically address their interests. For an Association, coverage must address commonly owned assets, such as, but not limited to parking areas, recreation-al facilities and common buildings, such as clubhouses, as well as any As-sociation owned contents. Oftentimes, insurance is mandated by the Associa-

Question:What Is Flood Insurance?


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turning 65?

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For further information, contact the Social Security Administration, your employer and/or a licensed insurance agent.

Keith Jordano, LUTCF, is the President and CEO of Jordano In-surance Group which has been pro-viding Florida businesses and com-prehensive insurance services for almost two decades. He is also Vice President of Palm Coast Association of Health Underwriters, Past Presi-dent of the Royal Palm Beach Rotary, Past Executive Board member of the Palms West Chamber. Visit his web-site at wpb-ins.com



The Association bylaws often stipulate that a portion of the an-

nual maintenance fee assessment be set aside to cover future replacements of common property, such as roads, swim-ming pools, clubhouses, roofs etc. This is usually done annually as budgets are approved. This assessment is specific as to the use of the funds, and these funds are not to be used for day-to-day op-erations of the Association. Once these specific funds are assessed, the Asso-ciation cannot use these funds for any purpose other than for the future repairs and replacements. The board of direc-tors usually does not have the ability nor the authority to use these funds for

The AssociATion AccounTAnT

hoMeoWner AssociAtion

bAnK Accounts

Question:Since my Homeowner Association is relatively small, with less

than 100 units, are we required to have more than one bank account?

as such. This is done to distinguish the “designated funds” for future repairs and replacements from the “undesig-nated funds” of the Association.

I hope this brief explanation will demonstrate the importance of why As-sociations should keep separate bank accounts where there are assessments called for in the annual budget for fu-ture repairs and replacements.

by John spillane

general operation or any other purpose. The board of directors cannot reverse the decisions of the unit owners of the Association. Therefore, I believe that such funds should be in a separate bank account and separated from the cash in the operating account.

When preparing the financial state-ments, the bank account for future re-pairs and replacements should be titled as such, and distinguish itself from the bank account used for operating pur-poses.

In addition, in the unit owner’s eq-uity section of the Association financial statements, the financial statements should classify each designated fund

John P. Spillane is a certified public accountant with many years of experience in homeowner associa-tions. Mr. Spillane lives in the western communities, and his office is located in Wellington.


South Florida Condo & HOA Expo T hursd ay , Oc t ob er 18t h, 2012 - M iami Beach C onv ent ion

Cent er

Florida League of Neighborhood Associations invites you to be our guest!

South Florida Condo & HOA Expo

Condo, HOA and Property Management Expo & Seminars

Miami Beach Convention Center

Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 10:30 am to 5:00 pm (Seminars begin at 9am)

Registration is FREE at www.condohoaexpo.com

Sign up for the networking and educational event of the year! You and your

colleagues will be able to take advantage of numerous CEU certified seminars and

professional development courses - ALL FREE. You will also have access to the trade

show floor featuring over 100 contractors and industry experts covering all areas of

property, condo and HOA management.

When you register, be sure to enter the promo code "VIP Florida League of

Neighborhood Associations " and you will automatically be entered in the

door prize registration. Be sure to stop by our booth and say hello!


We modern travellers know the earth is round but still dream

of going to “the end of the world”. When Europe was the center of the “civilized” world, the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula was considered the western end of the known world and the Romans actually named one place on its north-west coast Finis Terrae or end of the earth. Geographers in their quest for scientific accura-cy now tell us the westernmost point is further south, at cabo de Roca. But to the ancients, who found a barren landscape where the ground suddenly dropped precipitously into an ocean that seemed to stretch out forever toward an unreach-able horizon and from which came the howling winds and storms that would soon cross the continent, the southwest tip of the peninsula at what is now called cabo San vicente was the fabled point of no return.

Journey To “The End of the World”


FlnA FeATuRe

NOT ON THE GRAND TOURJourney to “the end of the World”

things Don’t Always Go As Planned!We were ready to leave the south-

ern Spanish city of Sevilla which, incidentally, was experiencing its worst heat wave in more than two decades, but when we arrived at the rental car company they told us our car would not be ready until the next morning. To make things worse, when we returned to our hotel we were in-formed they had already sold our room, so we spent most of what remained of the morning traversing the narrow, but shaded by-ways of the barrio of Santa Cruz until we found another. As con-solation, we decided to treat ourselves to a special dinner at our favorite local eatery, an Italian restaurant and pizzeria which was housed in an old Moorish bathhouse, the horseshoe arches still in-tact, in the heart of this old Jewish quar-ter and a stone’s throw from one of the largest Roman Catholic cathedrals in the world. When we got there, a couple from Seattle who had arrived just mo-ments before us showed us a sign hang-ing from the door which said, in about five languages, “Closed”. Undaunted,

we all decided to tapa crawl through some of the old mesones that filled the barrio and, at the end of a great evening filled with food, song and camaraderie, agreed to meet again in Portugal, near Sagres, at the southwest tip of Europe.

As our new-found friends walked away, they turned and called out “See you at the end of the world!”

We picked up our car early the next day and the sun had barely risen behind us when we crossed the fron-tier at the Rio Guadiana and entered the Portuguese Algarve. By the time it had crossed over and begun to beckon us forward, we had left the highway and were following a back road to the last town on the southern coast, a small fishing village named Salema. Having no reservations, we stopped at the first interesting B&B and met the owner, John, a local British ex-pat. As we stood there sipping a welcoming glass of the local green wine, we glanced out toward the patio and were delighted to see our friends from Seattle.

With the sun beginning to set over

the Atlantic and the day-tripper cars emptying the small parking lot by the beach to return to the resorts and other towns further inland, we set out for a short walk through town. On one side of the parking lot and facing the beach stood the town’s only real hotel, three stories with little balconies, workers folding and stacking its few cabanas

Lighthouse atcabo San vicente, Portugal

by Tony consalvi


and lounges for the evening under its dining room which leaned out a few feet onto the sand, its concrete legs sit-ting on top of some local rock founda-tions. In the other direction, the town’s only real street, barely wide enough for one car and lined on both sides with small whitewashed buildings, climbed steeply up the hill and then, about half way, turned off and out of sight. On its one side, the buildings housed a few small restaurants whose backs faced the beach, each featuring its own small rustic sitting area that ended at the sand. The fishing boats were all in, bobbing at anchor just off shore near the rocks and we could hear the bell on the mark-er buoy tolling as the wind and waves bounced it around. A few small skiffs had been dragged up onto the sand and were resting face down for the evening. In each restaurant, the catch of the day, still intact with head and tail, sat on ice in a covered display table for diners to pick and choose.

We shared the catalpana, a clam stew aptly named since it was served lit-erally in a copper pan, and then moved on to our chosen fresh fish, sea bream and mullet. The local white wine was crisp and cool. We finished off with the house doce and a short cafe, then leaned back to peer over the now dark-ened ocean and take in the breeze and quiet.

We rose early the next morning and discovered that John served a more

continental than English breakfast. There was a buffet table covered on one side with a colorful collection of local fruits while an assortment of the freshly baked local breads was piled on the oth-er. A machine on the counter contained whole oranges which, at the touch of a button, pressed fresh juice into a glass. We sat down by a window overlook-ing the beach and he brought each of us our own large stovetop espresso pot containing at least enough brew for two large cups. At our request, he made each of us two soft boiled eggs and laid out a side of rashers. We lingered longer than we should have, striking up conversations with some of our fellow travellers who were now filtering in to also experience John’s bounty, but fi-nally jumped into the car to begin our quest.

The track, which had no center line and was just wide enough for one car to pass another, wriggled its way along the cliffside, avoiding one small town whose bell tower seemed to be closely following us as it guarded the empty countryside, ending abruptly in front of a sign that pointed us to an old for-tress whose walls stretched from one turn in the cliff to another. There were only one or two cars in a small park-ing lot in front of a tunnel which served as the only way to breech the walls and through which came a steady, hot breeze so strong that we had to push ourselves against it in order to make our

way inside. On the far side a large rose compass covered the ground in front of us and we wondered whether it was the work of Prince Henry. We walked be-tween two old buildings and found our-selves standing on a barren, wind swept promontory, at least a hundred yards

Prince henry The navigator

(1394-1460)

In the first part of the century that would culminate in the voyages of

Christopher Columbus, King John of Portugal’s third son, Henry, a scien-tist, a patriot and a devoutly religious man, sent explorers and able seamen in new innovative ships called cara-vels south along the African Coast. From a windswept point on the southern tip of Portugal, the “Navi-gator”, who did little navigating him-self, brought together the finest car-tographers to gather the explorer’s reports and map the coastline with the ultimate goal of expanding trade and Christianity. His efforts ushered in the Age of Exploration that, within a generation of his death, found Por-tuguese mariners sailing around Afri-ca to land in India and even Japan as well as crossing the vast ocean to what would be known as the Americas.


Finding Your comfort Zone

Regimented tours designed to maximize bucket list items

and photo opportunities provide a degree of comfort and security for the traveller. In some places, secu-rity is essential; in others, it can be a perceived need that should still be honored. Some people require they bring their own language, customs etc. with them while oth-ers set them aside when they get on the plane. We subscribe to the idea that travel is a chance to break out of our comfort zone and, for a short period of time, experience some-thing different. Our bucket list is life experience, but not life en-dangerment. More adventurous people may hang-glide, run rapids, even free climb sandstone obelisks, but we prefer to just travel around Europe like the Europeans, not limiting ourselves to the “Grand Tour” destinations, and remaining open to what makes each country unique. All viewpoints are correct. It is simply a matter of preference.

we come with him to a villa on the hill where he had friends who would rent us a little apartment at the same price he had charged us. I was hesitant until my wife told me she had been speak-ing with a woman at breakfast who va-cationed here every summer. Turning her head toward the coastline where the ocean seemed to disappear behind another high cliff and, with a knowing tone of excitement and anticipation in her voice, she told me, in no uncertain terms:

“I have an idea !”

along the road on both sides and at the end of the road, right up to the chain that marked the entry to the lighthouse grounds, vendors had set up their stands and were selling everything from sim-ple souvenirs to tee shirts and sweaters. The roadway was crowded with people and as chaotic as a flea market, Food was also available. The sound and smell of meat cooking on an open grill came from a little truck on whose side was painted, in German, “Last Brat-wurst Before America.” We walked around the lighthouse and over to the edge and saw below a pile of rocks that might have crumbled into the sea mil-lenia ago and now served to lead the eye onward to the ocean and the hori-zon. We stood there, the sounds behind us abated by the lighthouse walls, and, for a few moments, saw the view that, since the dawn of time, men had seen from this point and wondered if they had reached the end of the world or, like Prince Henry, had been inspired to venture forward.

When we returned, John informed us that we could not extend our stay any longer because our rooms had been booked so this was our last night. Our friends decided to take the bus for Lisboa in the morning, but our rental car was good for a week and we had to return it in Spain. We seemed to be stranded again when John suggested

long and protected on three sides by cliffs that plunged hundreds of feet into the ocean. We thought for sure we had reached the end of the world until we came to the edge and looked out along the coast and across the turquoise wa-ters toward a similar outcropping which had a lighthouse at its point. Looking at our map, we realized we were stand-ing on Point Sagres and looking out on Cabo San Vicente, the end of the world.

It took us longer than we expected to get there as we seemed to be fol-lowing signs that led us in circles, but finally we arrived. Cars were parked


PhOTOS; p.23, Point Sagres; p.24,top, cabo San vicente, bottom, John’s pa-tio; p.25, Fishing Boats -Salema; p.26, Lighthouse and Bratwurst at the End of the World; p.27, clockwise from top, Beach - Salema, Algarve coast, caravel cove - Point Sagres, Walking the cliffs – cabo San vicente




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FLNA - Fall Issue 2012