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January 2024 January 2024
With the help of Major Euan Southby-Tailyour RM. I managed to get into the Naval
Dockyard in Plymouth to do some essential glass fibre repairs to the keel. (To allow
me to work on other aspects of ‘refit’ whilst it was there for the winter, I was forced
to submit myself to the rather tedious process of Positive Vetting by MI5 as we were
still in a ‘cold war’ with Russia. However, once one is “on the books” it opens
avenues of involvement with UK Armed Forces that continues to this day.
After 4 years taking young
people to sea and about 16,000
sea miles I went back to
oversee the construction of
another steel 24metre LOA /40
ton Sail Training Ketch Named
JOHN LAING. It was destined to
remembered the days when it was a public bath back in the 1970s. They had be under my command and
taken their children there and had so many fond memories, pointing out that the working out of Poole.
ladies cubicles were then situated on one side and the men’s on the other. The
husband and wife had paid £750 for their yearly membership but thought it worth 18 month’s later, this beautiful
every penny. vessel fetched up in Poole as a
base as my new command.. It
I gather that membership is around 650 people now and growing. The company immediately booked to take
is considering whether it should continue taking more members and create a part in the Tall Ships’ Race from
waiting list. Plymouth to La Coruna .
As I was leaving the pool to join Diana During the Bay of Biscay passage, the whole fleet was subjected to 60 knot (70
for lunch another 3 ladies in white mph) winds for 12 hours. For the sailors reading this, the angle of heel was a steady
towelling robes came in prepared to 40 to 45 degrees of heel. 17 knots of boat speed under nothing but a storm jib was
swim in nice leisurely breaststroke style. interesting, but nothing to beat the challenge of cooking roast lamb in a domestic
The place gave a feel of a spa where gas cooker bolted to an ‘athwartships’ bulkhead.
people came to ‘take the waters’. I The language of the determined female undergraduate tasked with cooking a
could have joined other patrons for a roast in an oven leaning at 45 degrees is not deemed to suitable for publication in
spell in the sauna and the steam room, a Parish Magazine.
but was by now feeling quite hungry
and ready for lunch up on the first floor One day I will get the video of the passage turned into a DVD.
restaurant adapted from the original
Victorian viewing gallery. Sliding glass Sadly the income of a Sail Training Captain is insufficient to face a future so 50,000
doors could be opened to the pool or so sea miles later I turned to escorting new owners of the most ‘posh’ (and most
area on sunny days and presumably to the chatter and activity. expensive) British yachts branded ‘Oyster’.
Diana joined me for what I can only describe as a wonderful gourmet meal. The From about 56 ft to 30metres, these craft are the epitome of luxury. With mostly
most unusual menu included things like carrot and orange blossom salad and retired couples, I was tasked to get them out of tidal waters and (mainly) across the
wood roast cuttlefish with harissa. All the ice-creams were freshly made on the North Atlantic. The 110,000 miles travelling with delightful couples (some of whom
premises, with rosewater, and honey and thyme amongst those offered. still keep in touch) was a delightful time in my life.
We paid just over £40, which was more than we would normally pay for lunch, but 1990 turned out to be a pivot point in my somewhat restless life.
worth it for a special occasion. I would imagine that eating in the restaurant at My First Aid Certificate had expired whilst sailing from Seattle to Skagway in Alaska
night with the lights on the pool would be simply magical. The tearoom downstairs via the Inside Passage through British Columbia in the wintertime. A 1000 miles of
catered for delicious snacks, again with some very individual flavours of cakes rain and head winds.
and homemade biscuits.

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