It’s hard to believe that a year ago my trip to Antarctica was just about to begin. I had just finished eight days of quarantine and was on my way to join HMS Protector in the Falklands, nervous and excited. Since coming back in January the memories of the voyage have formed the background to continue reading »
I’m home, after 16,000 miles by air, 4,335 nautical miles by ship and two months away. I have been to the Antarctic Peninsula via York, Brize Norton, Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, South Orkneys and South Shetlands. But in all those miles the only time I stepped outside the UK was on the 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 »
The postponement of my Antarctic trip until later this year is no bad thing. It gives me time to do some research and reading, improve my wildlife (particularly bird) sketching skills and visit the Scott Polar Research Institute when circumstances allow. They have an impressive museum that I’m itching to visit. https://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/ There are already 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 »