Blog Archive

History is ship-shaped

I did it;  said goodbye to the river, to damp duvets and the curlew’s cry.  I moved off the boat and into a small flat so I am now in winter mode, turning inwards and facing every creative’s dilemma – the pull of what you feel inspired to do versus the pull of what you continue reading »


A bad day for Columbus

Christopher Columbus, as everyone knows, was pretty impressive.  He had tenacity, the gift of the gab, the ability to lead, and an unshakeable belief that Asia lay on the other side of the Atlantic.  It wasn’t his fault that there was a large continent and an even larger ocean in the way; Columbus was quite continue reading »


History and mystery

The timing of this post is a little askew as I’ve been gadding around in Cornwall and only just catching up, but this inspired me back in March so it’s going in.  It’s about shipwrecks, teaching, questions and stories, if you were wondering whether to read on.  So pour yourself a glass of wine, sit continue reading »


Sailing into the past

Welsh trading schooner Maritime history has been flavour of the week, while I’m working on some pages of a workbook for the Welsh Joint Education Council.  Smacks, schooners and coracles are the theme of the pages, so I’ve been digging for stories to bring the subjects to life.    Shipwrecks, of course, and the daily life of a continue reading »