The wind was rising and the Captain called for the t’gallants to be furled. Two of us ran down the leeward deck to get buntlines and clewlines ready. At the shout of ‘Heave away!’ we pulled hard; the sail was full of wind so I took a turn around the pin and leaned my weight continue reading »
Amongst many things this pandemic time has taught us patience and flexibility. When events we look forward to may or may not go ahead, we learn to be resigned if they don’t and delighted when they do. I had been planning an exhibition of small sketches based on my year on the river as part continue reading »
I’m still working on the final edits of ‘Sketchbook Sailor’, but we’re nearly there. Writing a book is like being pregnant – months of gently growing, then an intense and rather messy bit at the end. Anyway, I think I remember saying at the time that my ocean sailing trip was to be my last continue reading »
Penguins, shipwrecks and whalebones – the Falkland Islands When Captain Fitzroy and the ‘Beagle’ arrived at the Falklands in March 1833, Charles Darwin’s diary notes: ‘The first news we received to our astonishment, that English had taken possession of the Falkland Islands and that the flag was now flying. These islands have been for some continue reading »
Sea, sails and sketchbook – Rapa Nui to Falklands via Cape Horn When I was a child I had a globe. I’ve always loved maps and as we moved every few years it was good to spin the globe and see where our next home was going to be. Usually I kept it with the continue reading »