Home is bunk 8A, the upper bunk against the port side in cabin 8, which I share with four other women. Bunks are important dens, even ones too low to sit up on and which require climbing (like mine). When the announcement of sheet change comes, we greet it with … Continue reading
I have just downloaded the US Sailing Directions to Antarctica, a weighty tome full of dark warnings. The British would call it the Pilot Book, the detailed description of the coastline and sailing conditions of the area. (The Admiralty Pilot is not available electronically and costs at least £60.) In addition to … Continue reading
Pirates always excite the imagination, at least the ones on tall ships in the Golden Age. Stevenson’s and Barrie’s fantasies played their part in the popularisation and Johnny Depp has a lot to answer for. Now there’s even International Pirate’s Day.The wicked, bare-breasted, cutlass-wielding woman pirate is an alluring addition … Continue reading
