Blog Archive

Sailing plus…

There’s something about pilot cutters. They earned their keep by being fast, seaworthy and powerful enough to beat against wind and tide in the days when pilotage was a competitive business – first out to the ship got the job. They are used now for more gentle pursuits – sail training, charter, and in recent continue reading »


Worse things happen on shore

This month I have been voyaging in my slippers, had a storm surge in my studio,and discovered how fascinated most men are by large engines. I have earned little and spent a lot, valued the support of friends, danced in pubs and spilt lentil soup all over my laptop. At some stage soon I ought continue reading »


Ink blots and bowsprits

The party’s over and I’m back ashore, writing lists. Even my lists have got lists…. admin, invoices, replying to emails, catching up in the studio/gallery, wondering where I’m going to live this winter . You know the kind of thing – all the life ‘stuff’ that you leave behind when you go gadding around and continue reading »


Tropic of Grimsby

Sailing the north east coast of the UK has been a pleasant surprise, full of contrasts, from tiny Scottish fishing ports to Newcastle’s humming city centre. I’m now at the Grimsby and Royal Cleethorpes Yacht Club enjoying their hospitality and wifi, on the Inverness to Suffolk leg of my trip as crew of  Witch. There continue reading »


If in doubt, add water

After my week in the lovely Orkney Isles, I’ve spent most days in the studio at Waldringfield Boatyard, catching up with ‘stuff’. I’ve even managed to paint a picture or two… dabbling with acrylics for a change, inbetween doing ‘proper’ jobs: These are small squares of board which get paint splashed on them at random…. continue reading »