In the early 1960s I was a motor yacht Master meeting interesting people in some beautiful places, including the Greek islands. We had an excellent multinational crew including Okinawan seamen and a Greek R/O named George who was born in Alexandria and had worked for the British army at the end of WW2. Fluent in Arabic and all the Latin languages he was valuable in dealing with troublesome officials.

The Second Mate Chinen San had been Master of a ferry running between Naha and Kagoshima, ex Japanese navy and a good seaman.

Among our passengers was Eugene Black , The Chairman of The World Bank, a good type who had been at sea in the US Navy towards the end of WW1.

I was eating lunch whlle travelling between two of the Dodecanese islands when I felt the vessel lurch and went to the bridge. Chinen San told me we had hit a big fish. Looking through the binoculars I saw a fishing vessel steaming away from us to starboard with a man on deck in a chair smoking.

Mr Black, a keen photographer, was taking a snap of it.

I was perturbed when George came back from the Port Captain's Office two islands later and said the we had been denied a Zarpe and placed under arrest.I called our agent in Piraeus, who was also an Admiralty Lawyer. He told me that a Greek ship owner with a private island without water had identified us as having destroyed his water carrying drone

By good luck I remembered reading a NTM stating that vessels towing drones must carry a hampered vessel signal and this vessel had none. Mr. Black said he would bear witness about this, but our agent said that the Greek owner had a smart lawyer who would probably win on a case of "He said They said." Bad news. However, when Mr. Black had his film developed it clearly showed there was no signal Case dismissed! My owner was happy.