COLIN'S PLACE

Glaciers are cool (and blue!)

2007-05-27T14:46:00.000-07:00

Guest writer: Clare de Mowbray

Returning from 3 weeks in Patagonia, the above words seem to be continually flowing from my mouth. Will I have any friends left if I carry on blethering about these monster ice cubes?

Trekking on a hot, sunny day looking up at craggy, black mountains we got to a high point and were met with an enormous glacier sliding down towards us. The width and height of it was awe inspiring and a completely new visual experience for me. So what were we looking at? The glacier in question was Glacier Grey situated in one of Patagonia's most well know National Parks, Torres del Paine.

The glaciers found in Patagonia are valley glaciers which are located in temperate glacial settings. There is little sea ice, no ice shelves, and no ice sheets. The minimum average temperatures are above 0°C and summer temperatures are higher than 10°C. Anyway enough of the science and onto the colour. Seems that it's all about light - The blue colour is caused by the absorption of red and yellow light, leaving the blue to shine through. The longer the path light travels in ice, the more blue it appears.

The colour of ice can be used to estimate its strength and even how long it has been frozen. Ice is white during its first year because it is full of bubbles. Light will travel only a short distance before it is scattered by the bubbles and reflected back out. As a result, little absorption occurs, and the light leaves with the same colour it had when it went in.

During the summer, the ice surface melts and new overlying ice layers compress the remaining air bubbles. Now, any light that enters travels a longer distance within the ice before it emerges. This gives the red end of the spectrum space enough to be absorbed, and the light returned at the surface is blue.

Arctic explorers and mountain climbers know that old, blue ice with fewer bubbles is safer and stronger than white ice. An added bonus for explorers is knowing that floating camps built on blue ice will last longer. And most importantly glacier ice does last longer in drinks because the ice crystals are larger, which means they melt more slowly.
Salud amigo,
Clare

25th Anniversary of the attack on MV Atlantic Conveyor

2007-05-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

An extract from the RN history on the Falklands War
The Cunard Roll-on/Roll-off container ship Atlantic Conveyor was taken up from trade and converted to serve as an aircraft transport. To do so containers were used to provide the necessary services for embarked aircraft and their attached personnel. A particular feature was the use of containers to create a sheltered area to protect the aircraft from the worst of the weather. The ship embarked 8 Sea Harriers, 6 Harriers GR3s, 8 Wessex 5 helicopters and 5 Chinook helicopters.

On 25 May Atlantic Conveyor was with the task group east of the Falklands. A pair of Argentine Super Etendard aircraft carrying Exocet missiles attacked the British ships. One missile was directed at one of the frigates which deployed distracting metal strips (Chaff). The Chaff did its job and the missile flew on having lost its original target. It then acquired Atlantic Conveyor which was hit on the port quarter, starting huge fires. This led to the eventual abandonment of the ship and 12 men were lost. The loss of 3 Wessex and 3 Chinooks was very significant as they reduced greatly the intended mobility of British land forces in the planned campaign to move from San Carlos to Stanley.

By Colin de Mowbray

HMS ALACRITY was just a few miles away when Atlantic Conveyor was hit. We made straight for her to give assistance. Mercifully the sea was calm but the large swell remained. The fire quickly became well established and it soon became evident that it could not be contained. My memory was of the paint blistering and the dull thump of the internal explosions; we were all aware that she was full of explosives.

When the order was given to abandon ship one of the main problems was the height of the ships side. With two, and then one, jumping ladder (a kind of rope ladder) getting into the water was a real problem for the survivors. The life rafts were all bunched up by the ladder and so some were overfull while others were empty. In all over 70 people climbed on board HMS ALACRITY, some unscathed and others not so lucky. It was evident how the aircrew, in their proper survival equipment, had fared so much better. The lessons on survival were all too evident but have we learnt from this?

The 25th May is the biggest date in the Argentinean’s calendar and they were always going to launch a major push on that day. The sinking of both HMS COVENTRY and the ATLANTIC CONVEYOR made this a dark day for the British forces.

LEXIE ON LINE!

2007-05-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

SPECIAL REPORT By Thumper de Mowbray

Well this IS Thumping good news! Here we see Lexie Elliott at the age of 93.25 surfing the web on her wireless broadband lap top. Lexie is busy keeping up with her large family and huge fan club around the world from her home in the beautiful town of Kynsna, South Africa. Now none of the oldies – or the not so oldies - have any excuses not to get connected.

For the techies of this world Lexie, chose an Acer 2483 with a Celeron M, 1.73GHz CPU: 1024MB RAM (1GB) memory: 80GB Hard Disk Drive: 14.1 inch TFT display: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950: DVD Supermulti optical drive; Wireless LAN 802.11bg up to 54Mbps.

When she was asked how it worked she replied ‘I was worried the processor would not be fast enough for my needs but it seems to be coping. I definitely glad I went for the upgraded Graphics Media Accelerator. Overall I would recommend this as a good entry level.’

And an Editorial word, if I may…..

I know the site has not been updated as often as it should be but we do need more people to write in. I can’t tell you how difficult all this keyboard work is for a rabbit. Let’s be having you then!
Thumper

Falklands' War - 25 Years On

2007-05-07T12:53:00.000-07:00

On Sunday 5 May the Ship’s Company from HMS ALACRITY’s celebrated their 25th Anniversary of the Falklands' War. As before this was combined with the crew from the container ship ATLANTIC CONVEYOR that was sunk by an Exocet missile with the loss of 12 of their ship’s company. Over 70 survivors were picked up by HMS ALACRITY while the ship burnt.

It appears to be a popular time for reunions and I confess to having mixed feelings about them. HMS ALACRITY’s reunion however stands separate from all others as it is a ships’ company that saw war together and, thankfully all returned safely.

As can be seen in the pictures 25 years has seen changes in some of us. For every member of HMS ALACRITY any such gathering is made by the presence of the charismatic and much loved Captain, Commodore Chris Craig CB DSC who continues to recover steadily from his long draw out illness. On balance the Ship’s Company have now all forgiven him for his over eagerness to volunteer the ship for every piece of action around.

An extract from a period during the Falklands War is copied below which illustrates the extent of the action:

In the build-up to the landings at San Carlos, Admiral Woodward's destroyers and frigates continue to wear down the invaders and D Sqdn SAS makes an important contribution with its Pebble Island raid.
On Monday 10th, as submarine "San Luis" makes her last reported and equally unsuccessful attack on ships of the Task Force and "Sheffield" finally sinks. "
Glasgow" (Sea Dart) and "Brilliant" (Sea Wolf) have taken over as type 42/22 combination from "Coventry" and "Broadsword" and continue their radar picket and bombardment duties off Stanley. That night as "Arrow" moves to the north end of Falkland Sound, sister ship "Alacrity" prepares to sail right through from the south for the first time to flush out any supply ships. As she passes up the Sound, "Alacrity" detects a ship apparently heading for Port Howard, and using her single 4.5 inch, illuminates with star shell. Refusing to stop, the target is engaged in the only surface action of the war and after a number of hits, explodes and sinks with heavy casualties. Reportedly there are only two survivors from what turns out to be the naval transport "ISLA DE LOS ESTADOS" carrying fuel and military supplies. "Alacrity" carries on through to meet "Arrow", and now in to Tuesday morning, both ships head back to the carriers.

93.25 ... not an FM Radio Station

2007-04-30T02:24:00.000-07:00

Sadly not everyone has the opportunity to know my favourite Aunt, Lexie Elliott, but there are a great deal of people who do. I publish this collage as an illustration of how we should all be at 93.25 ….. not a Radio station but Lexie’s age.

She lives in the lovely town on Knysna in South Africa where she drives (a senior VW Golf), rides her bicycle (Sir Jasper), swims (in the Hippo Pool), plays her squeeze box at concerts and generally looks after the old people.

The top right picture shows Lexie making adjustments on her flying pig, ‘Piggles’ before he sets off on another death defying mission against ‘Miss Daisy-Moo’ the flying cow from Jersey.

Tin Cans Cars

2007-04-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

The picture shows a model car made out of a beer can in Madagascar.

By Guest Writer Ryan Walker (Alias Quiche)

When ever I've been in Africa, Latin America or SE Asia I've been amazed at the skill and resourcefulness of the general population in their ability to reuse everything and make the most useless items that we would throw away into valuable useful objects, such as old car tires made into sandals in Madagascar and the Philippines and buckets in Indonesia.

On a few occasions wandering round towns in developing counties and seeing this transformation of rubbish into some other completely useful form, I started thinking that this would be worth documenting, possibly in the form of a small picture book. For it to ever work I need to collect good quality pictures and stories of the sorts of objects mentioned. Knowing a good amount of people who work in conservation and development and either live or spend lots of time in less developed areas of the world I thought I may have a reasonable chance of collecting the material needed.

So if you come across anything you think maybe useful, get a few good pictures, let me know a story behind it and if I get enough material I will put something together and see if I can find a publisher interested it.

Thanks a lot and hope everyone is ok where ever you are.
Cheers, Quiche
Ryanwalker2@hotmail.com

By Thumper:

Please also forward them to me ad I will punblish them!

thumper.demowbray@virgin.net

Corrupting the Cookie

2007-04-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

Whilst visiting The Great Wall Chinese Restaurant in downtown Gosport in some excellent company last week we concluded with the (now) traditional Fortune Cookies. No surprise here, but what is their origin? Thanks to Wikipedia I can tell you.

The Fortune Cookie is a thin, crisp cookie baked around a piece of paper with words of faux wisdom or vague prophecy, usually served with Chinese food as a dessert. The message inside may also include a list of lucky numbers (used by some as lottery numbers) and a Chinese phrase with translation. Despite the conventional wisdom, they were actually invented in California, not China.

The paper slips are always good for a laugh but James Allen, Clipper’s new Training Supremo added a new dimension. After each proverb you add the two words as below:

Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, you can achieve …. In bed

Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one’s thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world …. In bed!

Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length …. In bed!

Learning is lifelong ….. in bed!

A rich man is not one who has the most, but the one who needs the least ….in bed!

Your talents will be recognised and suddenly rewarded …. In bed!

Happiness is a butterfly that may alight upon you ….. in bed!

Thank you James, and is it true you have introduced a new Part D training Course …. In bed?

Anna's Ultimate Booze Cruise

2007-04-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

I have just had word with Anna Wardley and her plan to swim the Channel. When I asked her why she is swimming to France and not back she gave me the simplest expalation. 'Colin, I can bring more wine back on the ferry than I can while I am swimming'.

PLEASE SUPPORT HER IF YOU CAN

By Anna Wardley

Between 6-10 August 2007 I plan to swim solo across the English Channel. I know it is going to be exceptionally tough, but I am determined to give it my very best shot. I have been training since October 2006 and am building up my distance in preparation for my attempt at the ultimate marathon open water swim.

The English Channel is approximately 19 nautical miles (38000 yards) or 35 kilometres (35000 mtrs) - wide at its narrowest point (Shakespeare Beach, Dover to Cap Gris Nez, France). Every day there are approximately 600 traffic movements in the Dover Straits, and next August I plan to make it 601!

I will be raising money for the Samaritans (

www.samaritans.org.uk), who offer around the clock confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, and the Philip Green Memorial Trust (www.pgmt.org), a UK based charity that helps less fortunate children both in the UK and overseas. As JustGiving is only able to administer single-charity campaigns, I have an arrangement with PGMT that they will pass on half of al monies raised to the Samaritans, who have also cleared this agreement.

I'll do the getting cold, wet and tired bit and take on the Cross Channel ferries and jellyfish - I hope you will do the generous bit and donate to these two special causes. With your help, I aim to make the pain worthwhile and raise a significant amount for both worthy causes.

Donating is very simple. Click onto www.justgiving.com/swimtofrance The site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Samaritans will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now! Many thanks for your support.

Anna

Tim Hedges leaving spoof

2007-04-14T01:29:00.000-07:00

After it was publicly announced that Clipper Race Director Tim Hedges would be leaving after 9 years with Clipper all his work mates had the customary whip round. As Tim was so well known and respected, and in recognition to his long service, everyone dug deep into their pockets and found the odd coppers, foreign coins and a few old buttons that were really being reserved for the next church offering. The result was a spectacular success and there was a surplus of funds, even after buying his discount farewell card.

As I had known Tim for longest I was asked to say a few words. I mentioned his time Skippering Chrysolite in the 1998 race and his subsequent time assisting me with the 2000 and 2002 race so ably, and how I had greatly appreciated his never ending support, wise council and company.

We need to go back to 1996 when a certain Becca Aird ended up as one of four finalists in a Mail on Sunday competition for a place on Clipper. Her training skipper was none other than a certain Tim Hedges. After a total of 70,000 miles of ocean racing between them, several of us found ourselves at a church in Wiltshire to witness what can happen to nice girls who enter strange newspaper competitions.

After his farewell drinks for the office at The Clarence Tim announced that the news of his departure had been greatly exaggerated and he was not really leaving after all! In fact the whole evening was nothing else than a rehearsal for when he does finally leave at the end of May when Joff bailey (ex- New York Clipper) takes over.

I will keep my final farewell until after the next collection and he really does leave!

Liverpool Transport Vision

2007-04-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

There have been worries expressed due to the expected high demands on the Liverpool transport framework during the 2008 – the year the city celebrates their turn as European City of Culture. With the shelving of the much needed metro tram system a well known Merseyside civil engineer has been looking for alternatives further a field.

‘I think I have found a practical answer’ said Mr Alastair Soane-Smugly (ASS).

'I have invested my own resources to follow up my new scheme of Jumbo Elephant Transport –or JET-ASS for short. My wife and I have carried out initial trials of the scheme and the picture shows us on the number 6 JET which is the express from Meols to Hoylake, a distance of over 1.5 miles.'

‘The joy of JET’ stated Mr S-S, ‘is that it is not affected by traffic as any cars are merely brushed aside or simple trodden on. Also, as road works now represent the permanent state of all the roads in the city centre, we see these will not be a problem as they represent the normal terrain for the prime movers of this revolutionary system.’

When asked if the JETs would be required to be routed round the streets when they were empty like the Liverpool buses Mr S-S answered ‘Absolutely not! They come with very experienced Mahouts who will be able to direct them in assisting with the many building projects underway in the city. In addition the Parks Department are also keen to be involved in an attempt to improve the quality of their roses.’

Mr S-S did not see that the capacity of JET-ASS would be a problem. 'We are looking at adding capacity to existing systems so this must be a bonus.' He confirmed they would be intergrated into the Park and Ride system to to get traffic off the Trunk routes.

The trial continues.

Happy Easter from Thumper!

2007-04-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

On behalf of all the loyal followers, HAPPY EASTER.
Try this link for to celebrate with me
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=1186822421376
...and have a thumping good holiday!
TdeM

Marina (nearly) at Keppel Bay

2007-04-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

One of the interesting sites I enjoy in Singapore is seeing the building progressing at Keppel Bay where new marina is taking shape. When the Clipper visited last January they were based in a temporary purpose built marina in front of the Caribbean development (on the right of the picture). This prestigious residential development is built around the old dry docks of the famous Keppel shipyard. The largest dock, capable of talking a battleship, is in the foreground. http://www.caribbean.com.sg/homebythesea.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keppel_Harbour

The fantastic new marina will be on Keppel Island and accessed by the new bridge. It will be ready at the end of 2007 and officially opened during the visit of the Clipper Fleet in January 2008.

The latest project, just announced, is another vast residential complex with striking architecture to be know as Reflections.
http://www.kepcorp.com/press/press.asp?RID=1415&amp;L=&Y=2007&Q=1

Dr Juma joins the NHS

2007-04-01T06:10:00.000-07:00

An exciting new dimension on providing a whole range of medical services by one specialist has recently been introduced by the NHS. Due to the probability of being overcome by the demand, Dr Juma’s surgery address remains a secret at present.

In Case you can not read his services they are:

Bewitched people
Swollen body
Lost Lover
Insanity
Diarrhoea
Madness
To make men’s pennis strong
Women with pregnancy problems (By TdeM: Probably as a result of above)
Vomiting at all times
Misfortunes
Demand debts
Remove misunderstanding with anybody
Court cases
Casino specialist
Bad luck
Customer attraction etc

Bugis Street re-visited

2007-03-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

The name Bugis Street brings backs memories to those who were in Singapore many years ago. For those in the forces serving in Singapore Bugis Street was always the last call on a run ashore. Wherever one was in town on the way home there was always some annoying person in a group who would insist in a final beer at Bugis. What was the attraction?

In the ‘good old days’ the street was full of colourful street bars with beautiful transvestites, known as kaitais out to trick visiting over tired sailors and others. In fairness to those who were fooled the Kaitais were identified by their superficial beauty. The story went that you could tell them from the genuine women by their Adam’s Apple or the size of their hands. The classic call by those tricked was ‘Bloody Hell – it’s got a meat and two veg!

World adventurer Martin Read, a former Royal Marine who served in Singapore, asks ‘Are the Kaitais and three legged dogs scavenging in the monsoon drains still there? Is Fatties now really a five story posh restaurant?!’

Well Martin I am afraid Bugis Street is a respectable street market now and even has a MRT (Tube) station named after it. The Kaitais have to moved out of town but I am told are very much in existence. Lack of time has precluded further research.

Excuses, Excuses

2007-03-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

By Thumper de Mowbray
Great News! A real grumpy complaint has just come in from a dedicated Colin’s Place fan, called Queenie. This is my first proper complaint and therefore I will enjoy handling it with the diligence, respect and the utter contempt that it deserves ……

Dear Thumper
I am extremely concerned that your Master is not updating his Blog as often as he should, thus not taking care of those poor unfortunate people who have actually fallen to the addiction of such a site.

If for some reason - and it ought to be a good one - this has just been an oversight, that can be accepted - as long as it is not due to bone idleness or total disregard for those that have supported him so loyally up to now.

I therefore trust you, Thumper, to get things sorted forthwith and accept only the strongest and most plausible excuses from the Master himself. I shall be patient and await your reply with great anticipation – but little expectation of satisfaction.

Warmest regards - and bunches of carrots
Queen of Grumps

Colin‘s Reply
Thumper, thanks for passing on the note from the Queen of Grumps (QOGs). The explanation is simple. I placed one entry on the Blogsite in China and then the authorities swooped and closed me down. I was unable to get onto the site on any computer – I was totally ‘Shanghaied’ even though I was in Qingdao. I quickly moved hotels and then changed my flight and hid in Beijing. What a shame as I was about to tell the story about my new Dinner Jacket and suit (cost £70 total) which were supplied without buttons - I had to go to anther stall to get these! So much to tell, so little time to blog. I am now in Singapore and getting back to normal.

Please pass on my apologies to QOGs, and I will find a way to beat the 1,313,973,713 Chinese who seemed to get one over me this time.
Colin

Gambi Benromach

2007-03-26T18:01:00.000-07:00

Location: Qingdao
Occasion: Signing of Qingdao Clipper
Guests: Vice Mayor Ms Zang
Toast: Benromach Single malt http://www.gordonandmacphail.com/op_brandsBenromach.html

As we have come to expect in Qingdao when the hosts here stage a function they do it well, extremely well. After the official meeting and speeches Madam Zang, the Vice Mayor of Qingdao, hosted a superb banquet to celebrate the event.

The banquets hosted by the City and the Olympic Sailing Committee are not only grand affairs but also fun. I took the opportunity to present Madam Zang with a bottle of Benromack malt whiskey from Glasgow's sponsors Gordon MacPhail. The bottle was duly passed around and enjoyed with various cries of ‘Gambi’ – or bottoms up …. one of the few Chinese words in my vocabulary.

Knuckling down to it

2007-03-20T01:07:00.000-07:00

Sir Robin, now just over 2,000 miles from Norfolk, Va. would be the first to agree when Ian Burns said he was going to ‘roll up his sleeves and get stuck in’. Ian, runs the Red Star and Red Sail magazines in Qingdao and played a major part in the last Clipper visit to Qingdao in March 2006.

His current project is a groundbreaking Arts and Music Festival in Qingdao due to open in an old warehouse in ten days time. While setting up the exhibition space he was using an electric plane without a proper safety guard and badly injured the knuckle on one finger. He is now in Qingdao General Hospital making a good recovery although ‘Excused guitar playing’ for a while. As can be seen he is receiving visitors, in this case the famous Julia from the Olympic Sailing Committee and Colin de Mowbray, who is currently visiting Qingdao.

Ian took part in the final part of the last Clipper race. All his many friends in Clipper wish him a speedy recovery and suggest that next time he employs one of the 330 million carpenters in China to shorten the bit of wood.

Junk Sailing

2007-03-15T23:57:00.000-07:00

This picture needs little explanation. It is Hong Kong Clipper departing from Hong Kong in April 2003. Up until the 2000 race the Clipper yachts were named after famous Clipper ships such as Arial, Serica, Thermopile, Mermerus, Chrysolite and so on, which meant a lot to nautical historians, but little to most other people. These names were in general quite difficult to spell correctly and almost impossible to pass over radio circuits to Chinese radio operators … and many others!

In 2000 the boats were named after UK cities as part of The Times millennium project. In 2002 three of the boat become international, namely Cape Town, New York and Hong Kong. This has set the stamp on the current race format.

Here Hong Kong Clipper’s local supporters club had got together and chartered one of the few traditional junks remaining in Hong Kong. Even today racing round the world in a relatively small yacht is still a great achievement. To think that the Chinese sailed their junks everywhere is an amazing thought, especially on the windward legs!

T-Shirt Dirty Nelly’s

2007-03-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

This is one of my rarest and most treasured T-shirts modelled here by Nurse Lucy. Fullers, known as Dirty Nelly’s, was a wonderful example of a true ‘All American Diner’ in Phoebus which is in Newport News, Occasionally we would go there from the US Naval Air Station at just across the water in Norfolk, Virginia. The portions at Fullers were enormous (as were the staff and all the diners) and it was extremely reasonable – hence the logo on the back ‘EAT DIRT CHEAP AT FULLERS’

The main reason why I am so attached to this T-shirt is because it became one of my main cycling shirts and so has seen gallant service and many thousands of miles in France, Spain and New Zealand …. a true friend that has absorbed gallons of sweat in its time.

The VELUX 5 OCEANS yachts are in the process of arriving in Norfolk Virginia at present and I am sure all those involved will be sampling some American Dinners, but none will come close to matching Fullers. As my experience is now 25 years old I suspect that, if food poisoning did not get Dirty Nelly, then the cholesterol will have. My money is on the T-shirt being the sole survivor!

SARS Scare Patient Catches GDL*

2007-03-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

This picture was a real scoop! In April 2003 the Clipper Race arrived in Hong Kong at the start of the SARS crisis. For those with short memories this stood for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. In the end there were 8,096 known cases reported of the disease and 774 deaths (a mortality rate of 9.6%). See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SARS

The acronym in this context was new to me, and I think everyone else. SAR of course is Search and Rescue but I had worked in Hong Kong before the turn over to China where it was agreed the ex-colony would be known as an SAR, or Special Administrative Region of the PRC. If you live in South Africa you know SARS as the SA Revenue Service, in other words the Tax Man. Conversely surgeons would think of the Society of Academic & Research Surgery.

Back to the photo ….. Just before dawn on the day the Clipper Race was finally going to depart from Hong Kong for Singapore I received a report that one crew member was suffering from a high temperature and a fever. Immediately the affected crew member was taken to a local hospital for all the thorough checks. The all clear was finally given but not before the South China Morning Post hit the street with a front page exclusive of ‘Clipper Race Crew Contracts SARS’. It then went on to say that the crew member was in fact their special correspondent, Anna Wardley who was now quarantined in her room at the Excelsior Hotel.

Before the paper was published there were only five of the 450 rooms occupied. Immediately the paper was published the other four guests checked out. Anna was the sole guest and forbidden to leave her room. The staff, who drew the short straw to look after her, wore masks and full protective clothing. They pushed trays of room service along the floor to her from the door with long bamboo poles.

The effect of SARS during this visit was that all tourists left and the relations and friends of the crew members at home imagined it was like the Great Plague in London in 1665 with everyone stepping over dead bodies in the street. For us, we were annoyed that the Rolling Stone Concert was cancelled but the Rugby 7s were not and enjoyed even more.

I would not pretend it was not a challenging time but all was finally overcome and Anna eventually re-joined the race in Singapore once her Bronchitis was better!

Anna Wardley finished the Clipper Race and after running the PR for the RNLI joined Clipper Ventures before the last race. She is currently Head of Communications and presently recovering from a nasty dose of GDL* which, we trust, is not as serious as her previous deceases. We hope she will be better soon.

* Gosport Dreaded Lurgi …..

Galapagos - Christmas 1996

2007-03-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

In 1996 the eight Clipper yachts and their crews celebrated Christmas in the Galapagos Islands. With no travelling staff and few concrete arrangements made beforehand, a great deal of trust was put on the rumour that the Naval Captain, who ran the Port, was a whisky drinker. He was! The result was that after a very protracted system of clearing us in we all have an excellent visit.

No establishment was able to take all 120 crew and so we dived between two super restaurants in the hills. Unfortunately by this stage in the race various friendships within the Fleet made splitting the party across straight boat lines virtually impossible. Anyway, most people had a Christmas to remember, especially the restaurant owners and the giant tortoise who said that he had celebrated the occasion a 104 times before.

The T-shirt picture shows one of my crew members wearing her mystery present from her skipper. It was taken with a fast exposure – she did not wear it more than a thousandth of a second. I suspect when she sees it on the blog it will not stay up for too long …. so enjoy it now.

Art, fresh from Africa

2007-03-05T15:51:00.000-08:00

Listen carefully; I say this only o n c e ….

I have just discovered a website with a whole lot of very colourful and original painted designs of tablecloths – they are all done by a South African artist called Alexa (know to all as Fuff) Kirsten and are really fantastic!

Now Colin’s Place is not here to sell things so all I will do is put you in touch with the website at www.coloursrsa.co.za and let you take it from there.

I do in fact know the artist and have visited her studio in Wellington, just over an hour out of Cape Town. We have several examples of her work at home including a Millennium T-shirt calendar. Her work might be of interest on an individual basis or, conversely, I am sure there are some very good business opportunities in selling her work outside Africa. Do look at the website or contact her at: stapole@mweb.co.za

Sunday's Blonde Joke

2007-03-04T07:08:00.000-08:00

A plane is on its way to Toranto when a blonde with tight red trousers in economy class gets up and moves to the first class section and sits down.

The flight attendant watches her do this and asks to see her ticket. She then tells the blonde that she paid for economy class and that she (and her tight red trousers) will have to sit in the back.

The blonde replies: "I'm blonde, I'm beautiful, I'm going to Toronto and I'm staying right here."
The flight attendant goes into the cockpit and tells the pilot and the co-pilot that there is a blonde bimbo sitting in first class that belongs in economy and won't move back to her seat.

The co-pilot goes back to the blonde and tries to explain that because she only paid for economy, she will have to leave and return to her seat.

The blonde replies: "I'm blonde, I'm beautiful, I'm going to Toronto and I'm staying right here."

The co-pilot tells the pilot that he probably should have the police waiting when they land to arrest this blonde woman who won't listen to reason.

The pilot says: "you say she is a blonde? I'll handle this. I'm married to a blonde. I speak blonde." he goes back to the blonde and whispers in her ear, and she says: "Oh, I'm sorry." and she gets up and goes back to her seat in economy.

The flight attendant and co-pilot are amazed and ask him what he said to make her move without any fuss. "I told her, first class isn't going to Toronto."

T-Shirt: Glasgow 2014 Bid

2007-03-03T03:25:00.000-08:00

I heard rumours about Glasgow bidding for the 2014 Commonwealth Games while I was in Singapore at a reception in given by the British High Commission to parade the Games baton on its way to Melbourne for the 2006 Games. The batten has a very busy programme as it visits all the competing Commonwealth countries in the four years between the Games – looking after it must be a fun job!

Since these whispers Glasgow has pulled out the stops and must now be one of the favourites for the Games. I was given this T-shirt in Jamaica where the Glasgow 2014 Bid Team visited to make their case to Jamaica and the other Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean. They based their presentation on Glasgow Clipper and the Clipper Race; an inspired and highly successful bit of promotion. Only when one becomes involved in these bids does one realise the scale of commitment by all the Candidate Cities.

The spirit and passion behind the Glasgow bid is infectious. Many of us now feel personally involved and I would love to see them win. …. and all they gave me was the T-shirt, which I briefly lent to Lucy for the photo.

Heroes in Bulgaria

2007-03-01T15:27:00.000-08:00

There was tense drama in the Bulgarian mountains earlier this week in two completely separate, and spectacular incidents, both of which could have had fatal endings.

Beads had just completed the journey to the popular Bulgarian ski slopes from her beach home in Mombassa (by way of Holland, Somerset, Scotland and Beachy Head). She hired her snow board and made her way to the highest chairlift. Snapping into her binding she set off down the savage mountain. With crisp and elegant movements she stood out as a natural. Other boarders stopped and marvelled at her skill.

Ahead was a 90 year old snow boarding Granny resting before the descent. To Beads' horror she spied a pack of lean, hungry and fierce wolves to her side. The situation was desperate … without a moment’s thought for her safety, Beads veered towards the predators making ear screeching howls (they were very scared!) With a quick wiggle she whooshed back, bundled up the Granny and, with a triumphant shout of ‘Chicken-out-of Hell’, headed directly down the Black run with ‘Lucky Gran’.

……..It took several minutes for the spectators to dig them out of the drift. When they emerged, the Granny was safe – HURRAY – the wolves had fled – HURRAY – and Beads was a local hero – HURRAY – and when Beads tried to wave it was apparent she had broken her right wrist less than 20 minutes into her holiday – BOO HOO.

Later that morning Bead’s boyfriend, Sander – known as Jaap – was fairing better. Taking a well earned rest, he was marveling at the skill of the young school children on their skis. Bobbing here and bobbing there, the class then stopped to regroup as their instructor handed out some Bulgarian biscuits. To his horror, out of the corner of his eye, Jaap saw the giant driverless piste -basher start to roll down the hill out of control towards the helpless children. With no thought for his safety he chased the run away machine until able to climb into the cabin over the thrashing tracks. He lunged for the control levers and pulled with all his might. The force brought the machine around – it had stopped a metre from the terrified children.

……..it took several minutes for the spectators to dig Jaap out of the drift. When he emerged he saw the children were safe – HURRAY – he was a local hero – HURRAY – and when Jaap tried to wave it was apparent he had broken his right wrist less than two hours into his holiday – BOO HOO.

Editor’s notes:

The outcome of these events (that happened to Sarah de Mowbray and Sander Den Haring) is accurate, we are not yet in a position to confirm the factual accuracy of the rest of the account!
Please note that as a Dutchman Japp chooses to wear this orange Sentosa Island T-Shirt presented to Colin in Singapore!

Brazilian Trophies

2007-02-27T02:37:00.000-08:00

The Clipper Races to Brazil are always colourful and fun. The parties are quite the best, even if they only have 48 hours to organise them. The most memorable act was when one of the warrior dancers spun like a top on his head. WARNING: Do not try this at home or in the Office.

The picture on the left shows a young Alex Thomson (23!) collecting his first prize on behalf of the crew of Arial. The Clipper Fleet had raced from Madeira and this was the start of Alex pulling out an unstoppable lead and eventually winning the 96 Race. The figures on the right are some that have been presented to me either on the race or when running it. They prove to be a challenging cleaning task.

Another of the great memories from Salvador, apart from Dayse, was the girls that ran the crew information desk. Dominique, the visit coordinator, took his job of interviewing them very seriously and spun the process out over several weeks. The result was that they all spoke good English, where all very well educated, had super rich Daddies and were quite, quite beautiful. This time however I have gone for a picture of Alex ….. sorry.

People - Joe Caddick

2007-02-24T10:14:00.000-08:00

It is always a joy when one interviews potential crew members for the Clipper Race and then get to know them well over a period of two years or so while they train and then sail on the race. Joe Caddick is just such a person. A great character and true Scouser he now runs his family business which builds Water Witch vessels that go around harbours collecting rubbish. They have been immensely successful and are used in hundreds of ports round the world. This of course meant that Joe’s circumnavigation in the Clipper Race was a sales tour, and as such obviously gained the attendant financial advantages!

The original pollution control workboat was invented by Joe’s father Francis who was a barge operator specialising in the transport of solid waste. Francis developed the Water Witch in the early 1960's to solve the dangerous problem of floating debris, in the Port of Liverpool.

The unique design was an immediate success - now there are Water Witch workboats providing a reliable service world-wide including, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Kuwait, USA, South Africa and throughout Europe. http://www.waterwitch.com/

The photo shows a very smart version of one of Joe’s Water Witch’s in Glasgow harbour pushing its own gash barge. Note Glasgow Clipper in the background.

When the Clipper Race started from Liverpool Joe organised a formation of Water Witch’s to join the steam past.

I took this picture of Joe in Qingdao, China – not a lot of doubt about which football team he supports.

People - Hilary Lister

2007-02-22T00:33:00.000-08:00

GUEST ARTICLE BY KELS GILKISON
If you found yourself completely quadriplegic, unable to move anything other than your mouth, eyes & head, what would you do? What would you be thinking? Would you want to end you life? A bit hard to do though, when the hand you need, can only be your own and it is paralysed.

I have been asking myself what would I do, how would I cope? The reason? Not because I find myself in this position, but because I am now organising a different kind of sailing event. Not a race, in a sense, but the dream of a quadriplegic lady.

You may have read or heard about Hilary Lister. In 2005, she sailed solo across the English Channel to enter the record books for completing the world’s longest solo sail by a quadriplegic. Hilary sailed by sucking & blowing down two straws, (one to sheet in and out the sails, the other to move the rudder from side to side). She took 6 hours and 13 minutes to cross the English channel in a 26’ Soling. Quite an achievement, even for an able body solo sailor!

Now Hilary wants to sail around Britain. Hilary is leaving in June this year from Cowes and will be sailing anti-clockwise around Britain, via the Caledonian Canal and down the east coast of Ireland. She’ll be stopping at many ports on her 3-4 month sail.

Hilary is an inspirational woman and I often forget when chatting with her, that she is quadriplegic. She is incredibly witty and bright. Hilary is also a qualified Biochemist, but unfortunately never got the chance to work in her chosen field.

Hilary’s condition did not happen overnight like many quadriplegics. Hilary did not dive into a shallow pool nor was she involved in an accident. Hilary actually has a progressive degenerative disease (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) that has slowly moved up from her feet to her neck, leaving her paralysed as it moves upward. Diagnosed when she was 15, it was not something a teenager really needs to deal with. Hilary knew that it would only be a matter of time before the disease took away the use of all her limbs. Still, she never let her condition control her life and as the disease slowly took away the use of her legs, then her arms, she found other things to do until such time as the only thing left to move, was her head. So she took up sailing……!

'Would I have that same spirit, were I in her position?' It is a question I often find myself asking. Hilary tells me 'Of course I would, anyone would', but I’m not so sure.

I said I was involved in a race of a different kind. Well it is a race in a way, Hilary’s life expectancy is only a few more years, so to her it’s a race. A race to sail solo round Britain before her own time runs out.
You can read more about Hilary on her website www.hilarylister.com

Kels kels@two-chapters.com

NAS v OSS

2007-02-21T03:02:00.000-08:00

Top: Sarah buys fresh fish in Hong Kong - OSS
Bottom: Thumper buys lettuce over the internat - NAS

FEATURE BY: Sander Den Haring
New Age Shopping, or ‘shopping on line’ is fast becoming the norm. I shall call this by the TLA* acronym NAS. Conventional shops obviously still exist for what I shall call ‘Old School Shopping’ or OSS. We still enjoy spending hours on end wandering from shop to shop, social interactions, getting the right size, advice and some things just cannot be found.
* Three letter acronym

Most of us have purchased an item online and have had mixed feeling from enjoyment, boredom, hatred, doubts, elation or many other emotional feelings. Let's face it though, isn’t that what all shopping is all about?

Of course you can mix NAS and OSS. One tactic that works well is requesting advice about the various items from shops and once all the information has been gathered, and your decision made, you then surf the net and explore the different prices offered. This is getting the best of both worlds but it is fair on the shops? Well the the shops offer a service and. if this is good enough, they will survive. If not, sadly, they will not; I, and I suspect you, will not be treating them as a charity.

There is an abundance of stock to be purchased from the internet and http://www.google.com/ will most likely lead you in the right direction but here are some of my own favourite sites that I pass on to those brave enough to venture into the electronic shopping mall.

http://www.7dayshop.com/ : Very useful link for electronic/computer accessories such as batteries (rechargeable and not), flash memory, cameras, camera memory, ink cartridges and toners, writeable media (cd’s, dvd’s etc).

http://www.mx2.com/: Similar to 7dayshop but more for ink cartridges, digital cameras, mp3 players.

http://www.play.com/ : If dvd movies, books, games or music is your hobby then visit this e-shop you must.

http://www.amazon.com/ This e-shop is very well known for its books but you find a variety of other items for sale as well. The thing about the books I like is that they will also give you the choice between a new book and a second hand book (if available). One can also sell books through this website.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/ : The very well known e-auction they also have similar sites in different countries. You need it, they got it. Also if you wish to clear out your loft, house garage, don’t throw it away, rather, take a photo, place it on ebay and get money for it!

The next three sites all deal with printing digital photos (also develop and print negatives and even slides). However, they all have a multitude of sales and good deals.
http://www.kodakgallery.co.uk/
http://www.dlab7.com/ : cheapest prints I’ve found thus far
http://www.photobox.co.uk/: allows you to set up a user account and share your pics with anyone who cares to look at them and print them. Only need to upload pics once and continually print then from there. Also a wide variety of other photo things available (pic on mug, custom made calendar, posters etc…)

There are a multitude of other e-shops in the worldwide mall and we would all like to learn your favorite stores. Please send Thumper the addresses and let’s shop till we drop …..or until the batteries in our laptops die, or the internet connection is lost, or until our bosses disconnect us from the internet.

T- Shirt: CARNEIGI'S, Wanchai HK

2007-02-20T06:51:00.000-08:00

Carnegie's - HOME OF THE LEGENDARY LADIES NIGHT! Wednesdays FREE Champagne all night for all ladies. The only bar in HK where you can actually dance ON the bar!

Yes, this is all true and what is more they were enthusiastic sponsors for some of the Charity nights at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club during the Clipper visit in 2003.

http://www.carnegies.net/.

Although getting the converted T-shirt, what I did not know was why it was called Carnegies read on!

The chain of bars around Asia is named after the famous Scot, Andrew Carnegie. (1835 – 1919). A major and widely respected philanthropist. He is known for having built one of the most powerful and influential corporations in United States history, and, later in his life, giving away most of his riches to fund the establishment of many libraries, schools, and universities in Scotland, America and worldwide.

Carnegie, a poor boy with fierce ambition, a pleasant personality, and devoted to both hard work and self improvement, started as a telegrapher. By the 1860s he had investments in railroads, railroad sleeping cars, as well as bridges and oil derricks, and built a fortune as a bond salesman raising money in Europe for American enterprises. In the 1870s he founded the Carnegie Steel Company, a step which cemented his name as one of the “Captains of Industry”. By the 1890s it was the largest and most profitable industrial enterprise in the world. He sold it in 1901 and devoted the remainder of his life to large scale philanthropy, with special emphasis on local libraries, world peace, and scientific research
With grateful acknowledgement to Wikipedia

el Morro Castle, Havana

2007-02-19T04:21:00.000-08:00

This decorative plate was presented to me when the second Clipper race visited Marina Hemingway, just to the west of Havana, in December 1998.

Our hosts in Cuba were The Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba with the ever cheerful Commodore, José Miguel Díaz Escrich. José is still very much in evidence and continues to encourage yachtsmen from all nations to visit his marina.

The plate shows el Morro Castle which dominates the eastern entrance to Havana harbour. It was built by Juan Bautista Antonelli, an Italian engineer in 1589 when Cuba was under the control of Spain.

Built in response to raids on Havana harbour, el Morro protected the mouth of the harbour with a chain being strung out across the to the fort at La Punta. It first saw action in 1762 when Lord Albemarle landed in Cojimar and attacked the fort from its rear. It fell because the English could command the high ground so when they had handed the island back to the Spanish the fort at La Cabaña was built to prevent this happening again.

Sunday Quiz - Thumper MRE

2007-02-18T00:32:00.001-08:00

Several observant people have asked me why I have MRE after my name. I thought this would be a good question to throw out to everyone! Please send your suggestions (polite ones please) to me at thumper.demowbray@virgin.net by Saturday 24 Feb. The answer will be revealed next Sunday and there will be a mystery prize for the first correct answer pulled out of the hat.
Thumper MRE, Editor, Colin's Place

Eco Warriors from Devon

2007-02-17T05:17:00.000-08:00

Here’s a fun website about a Devon carpenter who is going to sail around most of Britain in his tiny home made boat spreading the word that low carbon living is fun and easy.
In each destination visited Mukti Mitchell and his boat, “Chance”, will be greeted by local and national celebrities as well as famous environmentalists. There will be events displaying low-carbon products from insulation to bicycles, public transport, local food and low-energy holidays - all the elements of a low carbon lifestyle.
“A lot of the best things in life are low-carbon by nature – exercise and socializing are good examples – and the really good bit is that low-carbon activities save money and make you feel good” - says Mukti. Details can be found on his web at http://www.lowcarbonlifestyle.co.uk/

Maybe Mukti and his near Devon neighbour Sir Robin Knox-Johnston should get together. The later is on his low-carbon trip round the world in the VELUX 5 Oceans Race.

Great news, recently in, is that he has moved up to third place. He has done this with almost zero carbon emissions but does have limited supplied of ‘the barley’ and ‘the grape’. It is worth remembering that there were 8 entrants in the VELUX 5 Oceans Race, 7 of whom started and five that are still racing. It is definitely worth looking at Sir Robin’s progress as he approaches Cape Horn. http://www.velux5oceans.com/

Should we be looking at the carbon credit generated by the Clipper Race. 180 people sailing 35,000 miles? That’s 6,300,000 miles of carbon credit…….

Note by Editor Thumper:
The Editor is not totally convinced about the above logic. What would happen if no boats sailed on the Clipper Race or if Sir Robin had stayed at home? In these cases would there be more damage to the environment than with them sailing? Maybe we should be sending more people off to sail round the world to save the planet. Please let me have your comments!

People - Patrice Wymore Flynn

2007-02-16T01:28:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of a very special lady we met when the Clipper Race visited Port Antonio in Jamaica in June 2005. Patrice Wymore Flynn is Errol Flynn’s widow and she lives on an estate in the hills behind the picturesque harbour. She and Errol Flynn moved to Port Antonio in the 1950s and he was responsible for developing tourism to this area, including raft trips down rivers on bamboo rafts – still a popular attraction today.

While the Clipper Fleet was in port the marina was renamed Errol Flynn Marina and Patrice, as Guest of Honour, won everyone’s hearts by her wonderful presence. The picture shows her on the bridge of the Jamaican Coast Cutter at the race start. The insert is of my signed T-shirt which is only worn for very special occasions – in this case leaving Yeovil Hospital with my new body parts.

There are several books on the colourful life Errol Flynn lived. I have just ordered the following – purely in the name of research:
My Wicked, Wicked Ways by Errol Flynn • First Pub 1959
http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Wicked-Ways-Errol-Flynn/dp/1845130499

COMPETITION - Name the bride!

2007-02-15T03:46:00.000-08:00

Happy memories of this wedding in Hawaii of two Clipper crew members in Feb 1997. Here I am checking on the bride’ teeth as part of my duties as Skipper of Chrysolite in the first Clipper race in 1996. Of course in those days Skippers and crew took reefers jackets as part of their shore rig, just in case they had to go to a wedding, …. and as for the pig tail, that lasted until Singapore.

Well if you are an Aussie marrying a Brit it is quite logical to get married in Hawaii, that way it is really inconvenient for all the families and friends. The wedding was in the Chapel of the Sea in downtown Honolulu just behind the famous Waikiki beach. This was 4 years before the race went to the marina at Ko Olina on the west end of the island where there were two ‘wedding chapels’ in the grounds – both full booked every hour, on the hour – mainly by Japanese. Is this a challenge coming up for crew in the next race?!

Name the Bride and Groom to claim a collector’s T-shirt. Names please to thumper.demowbray@virgin.net Draw for the winner will be made Friday 23 Feb.

Me and my Bosideng!

2007-02-14T04:06:00.000-08:00

The Clipper Fleet was due to visit Shanghai in March 2003. Part of the sponsorship for this visit was from a Chinese firm called Bosideng who are reputed to be the largest manufacturers of down jackets in the world.

Because of berthing problems and the onset of SARs the boats never got to Shanghai and so only the winning Glasgow crew and the three staff got jackets. A great shame as I can honestly say that the jacket is quite my favourite*. Light and warm and very comfortable and it packs up into a tiny space. In fact it is so, so nice that mine has been stolen by my son – I suspect he will return it for the summer.
*Skillfully modelled here by the beautiful Nurse Lucy

Quote from the Bosideng website:
For down garments, the shell fabrics currently in vogue both at home and abroad including extra fine peachskin flannelette …… whitened fabrics having high scientific and technological content are used. As for color, faking into consideration the fashion color popular at home and abroad, we apropriately control the aroma and lightness, bravely use contrast color, combine if and the variable "O", "A" and "H" shapes into one organic whole and have designed many new garments fit for people of different age groups and with different cultural tastes……..
http://english.jschina.com.cn/gb/jschina/english/biz/products/userobject1ai936417.shtml

Sir Robin does it with Gordons

2007-02-13T07:01:00.000-08:00

The picture shows a slightly unusual scene, even for the Point Yacht Club in Durban. During the Clipper Race visit to Durban in November 2005, the day before the race start, one of the yachts had a problem with an air bubble in their main binnacle (compass). The liquid is only in the compass to provide damping so the delicately balanced card does not jump about and spin round as it is affected by the acceleration and deceleration caused by the boat’s movement.

The old established belief is that the liquid in the compass is pure alcohol and many a ship has come to grief after its binnacle has been drained and replaced with water or some unsuitable liquid. I will not go into the irresistible attraction between pure alcohol and seafarers other than to say that on occasions some may have mistakenly believed there are better places for this than in a binnacle, even if it has the reverse effect to damping the humans who drink it.

Sir Robin immediately rose to the challenge. The whole compass would have to be drained and then filled with the best substitute available. In this case it was Gordon’s gin. Having settled down at the ‘regulars’ end’ of the bar, he found no shortage of volunteers. Unfortunately the screw hole which was used for filling the compass was very small and the only way of filling it was with a syringe. This was slow and thirsty work. After several cries of ‘a double for my compass and the same for my friends’ it became obvious to all (other than those involved), that success was by no means guaranteed.

The Bar staff at the Point Yacht Club are smart and pointed out the merits of buying gin by the bottle and slowly and surely the filling hole became smaller – and kept on ‘ …bloody well moving around’.

And the outcome? Justin Haller, the Maintenance Manager (left of picture) fitted a perfectly working compass the next day two hours before the race start.*
* This was the one he bought on a ‘sale and return’ the previous afternoon ….earning him the name of Just In Case Haller.

New York City Sports Commission

2007-02-12T04:23:00.000-08:00

This is a genuine American Base Ball Cap and was given to me in 2004 by Ken Podziba, New York City’s Sports Commissioner. The Mayor of New York has various Commissioners who run the different City Departments. Ken Podziba has been in the post since Feb 1988 and is responsible for many of the arrangements in getting visiting sports events to New York. He was also very involved in New York’s unsuccessful bid for the 2012 Olympics – hopefully we will see him in London.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/sports/html/home.html

In the right hand picture the Commissioner is presenting a plaque to Sam Fuller who was skipper of Liverpool 08 for the race from Jamaica to New York in July 2006.

People - James Landale

2007-02-10T14:25:00.000-08:00

If you missed The Last Duel on BBC 2 last Friday night, don’t worry as I am sure it will be shown again. It’s a story of two men who fought to the death with pistols in 1826. David Landale, a respected merchant, reluctantly provoked into an unwanted duel, the other a professional soldier, steeped in military tradition. The professional soldier also happened to be the merchant’s bank manager. It would end with the death of one man and mark the demise of a 600-year-old ritual.

One hundred and eighty years after the duel was fought, James Landale, a descendant of the linen merchant, and an ex-Clipper crew from the 2000 race retraces his ancestor’s steps. James has also written a book on the subject called Duel. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Duel-True-Story-Death-Honour/dp/1841958220
James was Political Editor for The Times when he crewed in London Clipper. His fiancé, Cath meanwhile was a crewmember in Jersey Clipper and so there was great rivalry between them, especially as one waited impatiently for the other to finish. James is now the Chief Political Correspondent of BBC News 24 but has found time to publish as second book called Landale's Cautionary Tales - comic verse for the 21st century. ISBN: 1 84195 847 6
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Landales-Cautionary-Tales-Comic-Century/dp/1841958476/ref=pd_sim_b_2/202-7297246-3084669

With Hilaire Belloc firmly in mind James Landale has created a gallery of awful children doing dreadful – but very modern – things. His book of warnings for children and parents alike brings Belloc’s verses bang up to date, for example:

Percy
Who Swore and broke the Law

The foulest mouth I ever knew
Belonged to Percy Pelligrew,
A little boy who thought it fun
To swear and curse at everyone.
He’d say ‘damn
this’ and ‘balls to
that’
And ‘stuff it up your effing hat’

So did you know a Percy Who Swore and broke the Law or a Gloria Bone who:

was Apt to
Drone
All day upon her Mobile
Phone.
The moment she got out of
Bed
She clamped the thing fast to
Her head
And would put it down only if
Her signal was a tad Skew-Whiff.

Here is poetic justice for the modern sins of children and, occasionally, their parents too.
Meet Gloria, a young shopaholic who learns the value of money the hard way (Moral: “If you shop until you drop / One day the trust fund will stop”); or Jonathan, who picks more than his nose (Moral: “Orificial exploration / Is but good in moderation”).

T-Shirt CARDIFF

2007-02-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

This T-Shirt was one of the Cardiff Clipper crew shirts in the Clipper 05-06 race which was presented to me. With the advantage of a strong red colour and a fearsome Welsh dragon, Cardiff had simple and effective branding on their boat and their banners.

Cardiff's school programme was very enthusiastically run and included a comprehensive display in the Cardiff Bay museum. This had a life sized mock up of part of the Clipper cabin with bunks and even the yacht’s heads (toilet) to illustrate what living conditions were like for the crew.

ISLA DE LOS ESTADOS

2007-02-08T02:56:00.000-08:00

The VELUX 5 Oceans race site reports: Shortly before 21:30 UTC last night, the Swiss skipper scorched passed the Horn on a single gybe at 16 knots, leaving the infamous island to port. ….The 10:20 UTC position poll places Stamm just past the Isla de Los Estados, north-east of Cape Horn in the South Atlantic.

This great achievement by Bernard Stamm brings significant memories back to me and I know a select band of others .... but for a completely different reason.

Here is a summary of an event in the area not far away on 10 May 1982:
That night as HMS ARROW moved to the north end of Falkland Sound, sister ship HMS ALACRITY prepared to sail right through from the south for the first time to flush out any supply ships. As she passed up the Sound, ALACRITY detected a small ship apparently heading for Port Howard, and using her single 4.5 inch, illuminated with star shell. Refusing to stop, the target was engaged in the only surface action of the war and after a number of hits, exploded and sank with heavy casualties. Reportedly there were only two survivors from what turned out to be the naval transport ISLA DE LOS ESTADOS carrying fuel and military supplies. ALACRITY carried on through to meet ARROW, and on Tuesday morning, both ships headed back to the carriers.

Being a member of HMS ALACRITY’s ship’s company I can tell you we were doing more than ‘flushing out’ enemy ships. Prior to the planned landings at San Carlos, up to date information was required on the threat of mining in the narrow straits to the north of the Sound. Frigates aren’t normally used as minesweepers and no one on board needed to be told what our mission really was.

It turned out that ISLA DE LOS ESTADOS’ cargo included mines due to be laid in the Sound. There can be no better example of the perfect way to sweep mines than sink the ship carrying them. It therefore gives me great pleasure to refute CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION in Scuttlebutt 2268 published 26 January 2007 when they stated:
Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once.
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!

For information, 2007 marks the 25th Anniversary of the Falkland’s War

Segway at work

2007-02-07T00:30:00.000-08:00

I had my first experience of a Segway when Clipper Fleet visited the Kolina Marina in Hawaii in February 2003. The Marketing Department had one and I finally wore them down and they let me have a go. For those that don’t know about Segways they are scooters with the wheels abeam rather than in line ahead. They should fall over but this is the clever bit and they remain vertical by a clever system of gyros. To move forward you lean forward and off you go! To slow you lean backwards. Turning is done by a thumb control. Quite quickly you become like the Mecon* on a magic transporter, terrorizing other path users.
*That is the Mecon from Dan Dare in The Eagle for the junior generation

Now Segways are used by police and security guards and even the military. I note from their website you can now even get a 2 x 2 for cross country work or talking the baby to its crèche.

Apart from being fun, and guaranteeing that the owner the centre of attraction, they have the benefit that you can go on a 5 mile ‘walk’ on your Segway and take no exercise at all.

Segways come at a price and the website is careful not to explain just what price. For now I’ll stick to my bike but if anyone does go out and buy one ‘please can I borrow it?’
http://find.segway.com/

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

2007-02-06T01:27:00.000-08:00

I always enjoy this comparison as it is such a good example of the development in Hong Kong. The picture shows Kellet Island which was the old naval powder magazine before the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club moved there in 1938. It was re-opened in 1945 after the war and the causeway was built in 1951 when the harbour area was reclaimed.

Yacht racing first started in Hong Kong in 1849, some 148 years before the first Clipper race called at the RHKYC at Kellet Island. The Clipper race joined up with the RHKYC’s San Fernando race in April 2001 and we have always had a close connection with this very prestigious and famous club. The Clipper 2002 race had an entry called Hong Kong Clipper and let’s hope that one day in the future we will again have a boat in the race representing Hong Kong.

The club has special memories for me as I was a member while staioned in Hong Kong between 1986 and 1988.

A full history of the Club can be found at http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/default.aspx?c=131

Sister in Whorehouse

2007-02-05T00:52:00.000-08:00

I got this T-shirt while flying helicopters on exchange service with the USN.

As in the Royal Navy, the American naval jet jockeys, or stovies, all consider themselves from the Top Gun mould and there is good, and sometimes strong, banter between them and the more naturally talented and charming helicopter pilots.

Fred de-Labilliere, who was an extremely distinguished RN stovie and universally admired, won the day at his leaving dinner by stating that he would rather have VD recorded in his Medical Documents than helicopter hours recorded in his Flying Log Book. This was a remark difficult to top ……

The T-shirt above was a successful campaign by the helicopter pilots in NAS NORFOLK to stick one up the fighter pilots’ jet pipe.

Look what a innocent appearance it has from the front. I believe it would have been life threatening to wear the T-shirt to Happy Hour at NAS OCEANA down the road – the home of the F-14!

I am happy to confirm that neither occupation is relevant to my model Clare's brother or sister!

Sunday's Cartoon

2007-02-04T11:15:00.000-08:00

AIRCRAFT OVERBOARD

2007-02-02T23:04:00.001-08:00

By Commodore John Peddie, Royal New Zealand Navy

Some thirty years ago I was serving as the second in command of the New Zealand Navy frigate "WAIKATO", exercising off the east Australian coast with a navy task force. We encountered a classic southerly buster and the weather deteriorated to storm force conditions.

Suddenly we received a plain language message that the aircraft carrier MELBOURNE had lost an aircraft overboard. A fixed wing aircraft was being moved around the flight deck by 'tractor' when both began to slide towards the ship' side as the aircraft carrier rolled in the stormy conditions. The tractor drive had orders to release the aircraft in this situation and did so. The aircraft slid over the side, in the cockpit was a very frightened aircraft handler. Fortunately the aircraft floated but all hell was breaking loose in the ships nearby.

My ship, WAIKATO, was the only one to have a helicopter embarked and the Captain ordered "Scramble the Wasp (helicopter)", an order reserved for emergencies. We turned into the wind to prepare to launch in the atrocious conditions and were struck on our port side by a huge wave. It was readily apparent that to launch our little Wasp in these conditions was foolhardy. We focused on damage to the upper deck, including retrieving lifejacket lockers that had been broken free by the force of the wave.

In the meantime, an Australian Navy destroyer was drawing alongside the still floating aircraft and in an incredible feat of bravery, the ships diver leaped into the sea with an axe and smashed the aircraft cockpit open, dragging out the terrified man inside. The diver himself was badly gashed and bruised in the incident but both were saved.

The photo shows the height of the seas, which will be familiar to many Clipper sailors although they are relatively short. You can see the guardrails on the flight deck bent back. A deck higher the torpedo tubes were bent off their mounting by the wave. The two men towards the stern of the ship are my Chief Bosun's Mate and me. We are passing lifesaving kit down a ladder and were about to be pooped by the wave coming over the stern. Half a second later the two of us were in a bundle at the bottom of ladder followed by thousands of pounds of water! The Flight Deck Officer, in white overalls, is uttering an expletive before diving under the part opened hangar door.

Soon after, the Australians cancelled the exercise and we gratefully returned to Sydney for repairs. Luck was with us that day.

People – Simon Rowell

2007-02-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

Simon Rowell joined Clipper from the UKSA in 2001 and now returns there as Head of Yachting; maybe he will get his old hook back for his oil skins.

I first met Simon at the Boat Show in Jan 2001 when he applied to be a replacement Clipper Skipper. Sure enough the wheel of fortune turned and three months later he left the UKSA and flew out to Hong Kong to join Leeds Clipper and race the boat back to Portsmouth.

History repeated itself in Clipper 2002 when Simon set off to Cuba to apply his magic touch as the replacement Skipper in Jersey Clipper. His competitive streak came out and, after a hard nine month battle, he sailed Jersey victoriously into Liverpool. On a subsequent visit to Jersey all the islanders feted him and his crew; there was even talk of allowing him to live in Jersey!

Next, as Deputy Race Director for Clipper 05-06, he ended up packing his bags at short notice and heading for Jersey Clipper in Qingdao, China. At 6,000 miles, this was the longest ever leg of any Clipper race and with the beautiful weather, fair winds and breathtaking scenery of the North West Pacific in April, he was keen to add these treasured memories to his experience. On arrival in Victoria he joyously jumped onto the pontoon, thereby wrecking his back and making quite sure that, this time, he would return to UK in an aeroplane.

One record he is not allowed to forget is for the greatest number of litres of fuel in a Clipper 60. This was achieved in Singapore when the fuelling pump was only stopped as the crew member making the tea wondered why she was standing ankle deep in a pool of diesel. (It would be unfair to mention 3,500 litres …. and no one would believe it anyway – or was it gallons!)

Simon is XXL in size, heart and style and his departure will leave a big hole in Clipper. His ebullient character, permanent smile* and endless list of friends and contacts has made him part of the Clipper scenery. Above all, and most importantly, he will be missed for his professional sailing qualities and his talent of running a happy and extremely efficient ship.
* …with possible exception in the NW Pacific

T- Shirt BEANZ

2007-02-01T11:22:00.000-08:00

This is the first of several pictures of T-Shirts charmingly displayed by the famous model Lucy Hopkins who kindly popped down to Somerset specially so she could be photographed in my T-Shirt collection.

Every T-shirt tells a story and this, is, indeed a special one. BEANZ is an acronym for Bicycle Expedition Around New Zealand. This was a 3,500 mile expedition which I organised in 1994 as one of my last ‘good ideas’ in the Royal Navy. It came under the guise of Character and Initiative Training. The ‘Initiative’ aspect was persuading our bosses that we should have 7 weeks off so we past that with flying colours. I was not able to be so convincing about the ‘Character Training’. After 32 years in the RN’ I fear some of us were lost causes. ….and was it going to be relevant for my last 3 months in the service anyway?

We managed to bicycle round both islands and reach both Cape Reinga in the north and Bluff in the south. Having recently been back to New Zealand and travelled round in a camper van, I must admit that the thought of doing it on a bicycle was quite daunting and brought back memories of our motto ‘Et Cyclum Adnauseam’. Mind you, we were humbled one night when we met a couple who had bicycled through India, Nepal and all the way down to Indonesia before going round New Zealand.

If anyone is planning on bicycling around NZ they are welcome to borrow the BEANZ report.

Post Operative Media

2007-01-31T10:47:00.000-08:00

By Disgruntled of Martock

The pictures show my surgeon tools now safely back in their stowages after another successful outing.

It is now a suitable time to expand on one of the spin offs from my recent operation. By necessity of the situation, I have had a surfeit of listening to the radio and watching TV, especially at strange times of day and night. Here are some of my thoughts and observations on my mindless media studies:

Some TV is very relaxing as background noise and a definite help to bring sleep on. Snooker was quite relaxing as it was totally undemanding and the story line could be picked up when one felt conscious enough to care. Darts was also quite good except for the sudden disturbance when someone would shout 180!’
On the whole the terrestrial channels were extremely limited and the Day Time TV was of pretty gormless standard, and also overlapped in so many areas such as Property Improvement programmes and also derivatives of the Antique Road show focused on junk in sale rooms. The number of crass quiz shows is just an embarrassment.
Quite the worst programme I experienced were the four hour long premium line phone in ‘Cash Prize’ programmes screened between 0100 and 0500. Clever, I admit, as many screwy people are obviously addicted to them and spend considerable money in this disguised form of gambling. Who on earth are the gullible fools who watch them? Is it mothers doing the midnight feed or night security staff?
In fact there is one programme worse. That is Celebrity Big Brother where at night you get black and white film of the so called ‘celebrities’ asleep. Why anyone should want to see anything so boring is beyond me and it certainly did nothing for either my blood pressure or my attempt to get to sleep. To be positive, at least they weren’t opening their mouths during this time.
The radio is the winner. Yes, I am a radio 4 listener and even during the small hours when it is switched over to the World Service, this is a great programme to listen to or doze off to. I can, however, never forgive the BBC for taking the Radio 4 Theme Medley off the air at 0525 every morning. What pathetic and totally unconvincing arguments they gave to support this outrageous and ill informed decision. Turkeys!
I was given a Digital radio for Christmas and I can not speak highly enough of it. I think many of the actual designs are pretty awful but the quality of the sound is just such an advance I thoroughly recommend these sets – what possible reason is there for having second best?
Maybe I am in the minority, but although we have Freeview, we do not have Sky. The main result is that the amount of decent sports programmes is severely limited. South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and so forth, all have excellent terrestrial sports channels. Make no mistake, in contrast we are definitely the poor relations and held to ransom by Sky. Sad times.

Pete's Sport Bar

2007-01-29T16:23:00.000-08:00

This was given to me in September 1999 by none less than Pete himself in his famous Sports Bar in Hotra in the island of Fayal, Azores. Pete’s bar is a sailors’ legend and a mandatory stop for all visiting yachtsman. Pete opened a second, and much bigger, bar in Lisbon but this is the original one. There is a tradition of leaving some bits of boat memorabilia in the bar. The head of Aerial’s spinnaker was donated in 1997 and was still there two years later.

Clipper 96 and Clipper 98 both visited Horta after sailing from Brazil as it was in a direct line to the finish in Plymouth. This logic was slightly flawed as was almost impossible to estimate the week, let alone the day of arrival in Plymouth as the whole area is ruled by the large Azores High Pressure system (I think there’s a clue in the name there). This meant that after leaving the Horta boats could wallow for a week or more and make barely 100 miles. This was not good when loving families are on the breakwater forlornly looking out to sea day after day. Deciding a date for the final Prize giving and crew party was an even harder decision which was quickly passed up the ladder to the most senior management level.

I remember once as the boats left Cape Town one family demanded to know exactly what time the boats would enter Plymouth Breakwater. I fear we must have been a disappointment to them.

Via Air Mail

2007-01-29T05:17:00.000-08:00

Today’s bit of memorabilia is a real collector’s item. It is a piece of a shell from the German battle cruiser Scharnhorst that found its way into my father-in-law’s cabin in HMS Norfolk on 26 December 1944 (then, Lt Micahel Pollock RN). As he was HMS Norfolk’s Gunnery officer he was busy on the bridge firing shells into Scharnhorst at the time and therefore (and very luckily), not in his cabin!

The action took place at about 75’N 28’E, off North Cape. Scharnhorst’s 5 destroyer escorts had returned to Norway due to the atrocious weather leaving her to be encircled by a force consisting of the Battleship Duke of York, the cruisers HMS Norfolk, HMS Belfast, HMS Sheffield and HMS Jamaica, plus 8 destroyers.

A short but vivid account of the sinking of the Scharnhorst can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_North_Cape

The Batle Cruiser Scharnhorst

Guest Writer - Simon Rowell

2007-01-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

Distinguished Guests

One meets many distinguished visitors on boats, but these two must be right up there:

King Neptune

The god of the sea, who wreaks punishment on the guilty as they cross the Equator for the first time (and quite often for the second, too). He is traditionally helped by his lieutenants, who investigate the charges and bring the guilty for trial. The court system is scrupulously fair, and so far has a 100% success rate.

Neptune is also to be thanked at important moments at sea, for example the moment of crossing the Equator, or when crossing the International Date Line. This is done by giving something of value back to him – a tot of rum, a ginger biscuit, or some such thing. This is done almost religiously by anyone who goes to sea for any length of time – not that sailors are superstitious, you understand.

The picture above shows Neptune (centre) and his 2 lieutenants on the way from Salvador to New York in 2003. They bear an uncanny resemblance to a rather camp Stoker Baird (now lockkeeper at Birdham Pool), Simon Rowell (general layabout) and Frankie Evearart (the Belgian army).

Father Christmas

Not usually associated with the sea, he is however diligent in his duties. This shot shows him arriving to deliver presents to the crew of Gypsy Moth IV in Thailand this Christmas just gone. Father Christmas (frighteningly close in appearance to Tim Magee, skipper of Liverpool 08 in the Clipper 05-06 race, and last Christmas skippering Gipsy Moth IV) is in full tropical rig, and has resorted to 5 o’clock shadow rather than the full beard – more hygienic in the tropics, apparently. As always, Santa’s little helpers were very welcome!

As with all mystical figures, the proper respect must be shown – Gypsy Moth IV had been dressed overall with the correct flags, which is why Father Christmas decided to visit.

Two Dominiques, one major difference

2007-01-26T13:25:00.000-08:00

Meeting people is one of the joys of the Clipper race and here we have two very special people.

Dominique Low (Singapore Dominique) became an integral part of the Race in April 2003 when the race was diverted from the schedules visit to Singapore because of the SARs threat. With only five days notice she was one of the main people bringing all the stands together so the Fleet could enjoy a highly successful and fun visit to Nongsa Point Marina in the Indonesia island of Batam, some 8 miles south of Singapore.

Dom, as she is affectionately called, then became ‘Clipper’s man* in Singapore’ for Clipper 05-06 when she was involved in managing all aspects of Uniquely Singapore Clipper.
* Except of course she is a girl.

I am delighted to announce that Singapore Dom is back with us for Clipper 07-08 and is, once again, our main representative in Singapore.

One of her many claims to fame is that she has done some modelling for Dove. It is not often you can say someone looks like any part of a bus but in Dom’s case you can as one of the Dove promotional busses in Singapore has her portrait all over it. Check out the following website and you will not be disappointed (unless you want to see a bus); http://www.imailglobal.com/client-edm/Dove2/Dove2_edm.html

Dominique Le Bras (Salvador Dominique) became an integral part of the Clipper Race in July 1999 when the race visited Salvador for the second time. He was the Point of Contact for all visitors at CENAB which is the regatta centre in the centre of the City.

Dom, as he is affectionately called, became a great supporter of the Clipper race and a good friend. He is French and came to Brazil nearly twenty years ago for a six month stint with Club Med. Like many people that end up in Brazil, the attractions of the Brazilian ladies was an irresistible factor.

He is one of the few people that can call Sir Robin Le Rosbif and get away with it, but that is only because he is a charming Frenchman. His involvement in the sailing scene in Salvador was entirely logical as three or four French ocean races end in the city, including the Mini Transat and the Jacques Varbe. While at CENAB he worked closely with the famous Dayse. Although both have now moved on but we all remain in close touch; such is the nature of good friends.

T-Shirt - USS GROWLER

2007-01-25T09:43:00.000-08:00

This sweat shirt was a present to me when the Clipper fleet visited New York in August 2003 and we were based at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum on Westside, Manhattan. The USS Intrepid is an old war time aircraft carrier which has been converted into a museum with a wide variety of aircraft on its flight deck. In addition the destroyer USS EDSON (where we had our offices) and the submarine USS GROWLER were also on display.

Just before last Christmas, all three ships were moved 6 miles down stream to Bayonne, New Jersey where they are being refitted while Pier 86, their home, is rebuilt. The whole show will reopen in the fall of 2008.

The USS Growler was constructed in 1958 and was on active duty for only six years. Growler carried and launched the 56 foot long Regulus missile, which looked more like an unmanned jet. After decommissioning, she was placed in the Inactive Reserve Fleet and Navy decided to use her as a torpedo test target for nuclear attack submarines. Fortunately, these tests were never conducted and Growler was assigned to become part of the Intrepid Museum
http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/pages/growler

TOMMY COOPER - COMIC GENIUS

2007-01-25T03:14:00.000-08:00

1. Two blondes walk into a building..........you'd think at least one of them would have seen it.
2. Phone answering machine message..........If you want to buy marijuana, press the hash key...
3. A guy walks into the psychiatrist wearing only Clingfilm for shorts. The shrink says, "Well, I can clearly see you're nuts".
4. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day but I couldn't find any.
5. I went to the butchers the other day and I bet him 50 bucks that he couldn't reach the meat off the top shelf. He said, No, the steaks are too high.
6. My friend drowned in a bowl of muesli. A strong currant pulled him in.
7. A man came round in hospital after a serious accident. He shouted "Doctor, doctor, I can't feel my legs!". The doctor replied, "I know you can't, I've cut your arms off".
8. I went to a seafood disco last week...and pulled a muscle.
9. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly. They lit a fire in the craft, it sank. Proving once and for all that you can't have your kayak and heat it.
10. Our ice cream man was found lying on the floor of his van covered with hundreds and thousands. Police say that he topped himself.
11. Man goes to the doctor, with a strawberry growing out of his head. Doc says "I'll give you some cream to put on it".

Craig gets knotted

2007-01-23T08:27:00.000-08:00

Forget all the broken hearts around the world! Against all odds Craig Millar, the immensely popular South African Skipper of the most colourful of all the Clipper yachts in the Clipper 05-06 Race (namely Durban Clipper) made it to his wedding as scheduled in Cape St Francis, near Port Elizabeth. His beautiful bride
Taryn, looking like 7.12 Million Rand stole the show.

Amongst the crowd were a strong deputation from Point Yacht Club A Team, including Aubrey Brooks, Terry Flynn, Michael and Squeaky. None of these have yet come round to a state where they are able to give an eye witness account of the wedding.

From all your many friends in Clipper, all the very best for the future to Craig and Taryn.

For information, Craig Millar now works for Quantum sails in South Africa. He has won the contract for all the new Clipper sails for the next race. Anyone wanting to get sail quotes from him should contact him at cmillar@quantumsails.co.za Make sure you also quote Colin’s Place!

What the Butler saw .....

2007-01-23T08:04:00.000-08:00

Richard Butler (known affectionately to all as BINKS) was the skipper of Bristol Clipper in Clipper 2002. Understandably he has been desperate to get his picture in Colin’s Place since the blog started. He finally got his chance when last Friday I mentioned that Dayse had visited Liverpool for the finish in 2001. He passed this test with flying colours and immediately spotted my deliberate mistake. He came straight back to correct me with this photo of him, Dayse and Cllr Ron Gould, the (then) Lord Mayor of Liverpool. As can be seen by the backcloth this was at the race finish in 2003.

Congratulations to Binks on spotting this. As a result Dayse now has more photos on the web than anyone else!

The Wreck of the Batavia

2007-01-22T00:59:00.000-08:00

The picture shows Philippe Godard’s lovely book on the First and Last Voyage of the Batavia. This generous present was given to me in Fremantle by Hugh Plaistowe when I was visiting to make arrangements for the visit by Clipper 05-06.

There is an extremely interesting display of part of the wreck of the Batavia in the Shipwreck Galleries in Fremantle. Now that it has been announced that Clipper 07-08 will also be visiting Fremantle Clipper crews and families can start planning their Christmas there – and start reading about the Batavia! See: http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/maritime/swg.asp

The Story of the Batavia*

During the 17th century, the easiest way for ships to get to Batavia in the Dutch East Indies (Java), now Jakarta in Indonesia, was to head due east from the Cape of Good hope and then up the Western Australian coast. The numerous offshore reefs and island groups made this a risky business and the whole area is littered with wrecks, including the Batavia.

On 4th June 1629 the Batavia, a ship of the Dutch East India Company, ran aground on the inhospitable Houtman Abrolhos islands some 300 mile north of Fremantle, Western Australia. The ship’s commander took most of the officers and passengers to the mainland to search for water, leaving 268 people behind, including a sizeable number of soldiers.

An undermerchant named Jeronimus Cornelisz, who had agitated against the commander during the voyage, saw his chance to act. Tricking the soldiers into relinquishing their arms, he banished them to a nearby island and instituted a reign of terror which resulted in the death of 125 men, women and children before the Captain returned 3 months later, having been forced to travel all the way to Batavia for help. Cornelisz was summarily executed and some of his mutinous men were dumped at Wittecarra Gully, just south of modern-day Kalbarri, making them the first white men on mainland Australia.

* Source: The Lonely Planet – Western Australia

Google Earth and MORE!

2007-01-20T13:42:00.000-08:00

Viewing aerial photographs on the internet has become very popular thanks to Google Earth. This amazing programme has been developed in lots of different ways and if you haven’t downloaded the free programme at http://earth.google.com then I thoroughly recommend that you do.

For those involved in any aspect of the Clipper Race this is an ideal way to study the various ports and marinas. When the details of the race route are announced I will make sure information is available so that people can study the various marinas. If you have downloaded Google Earth use the search ‘Fly to’ tool and enter the following position: 29 51’46.56”S 31 01’17.24”E If you have entered this correctly it should take you to the Point Yacht Club in Durban near where the yachts will be berthed. (For interest this is one of my favourite clubs as they have made me an Honorary member!)

There are several other similar programmes to Google Earth. This is important as one of the restrictions you will find is that the aerial photographs tend to be fairly old. If you go to http://www.flashearth.com you will find you get to a site that combines several of these programmes. Rather like comparing lap tops or car insurance, you can click from one programme to another. The collage above shows three different images of the dome. Note that they are all historic, all taken on different dates and also at different times of the day (look at the shadows on the Dome’s towers).

Another good example is Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth Harbours which Microsoft VE shows as a building site whereas Google Earth shows it built and operating. Go across the harbour to the Clipper Offices at Royal Clarence yard and none of the programmes show the marina.

If anyone would like to forward more useful tips on this subject, or other clever web sites, I would love to post them up.

People - Dayse Vieira

2007-01-18T17:22:00.000-08:00

I first met Dayse when, as skipper of Chrysolite, we arrived in Salvador, Bahia, in June 1997 in the first Clipper race. Dayse was the ‘Official Welcomer’ and her duties consisted of greeting all sailors with a great big unforgettable kiss. Her team of helpers would produce fresh fruit and Caipirinhas and Dayse would tie the welcoming coloured ribbon on everyone’s wrist. The ribbon was tied with three knots, each one signifying a wish – a slightly dangerous routine in Brazil. Some of the ribbons stayed on for over a year.

Her hallmark was the endless supply of traditional Bahia dresses, each worn with 28 petticoats. As a result Dayse took up quite a lot of space. The day then came when this thin lovely lady came up and smiled at me. I did a bad job at disguising the fact that I had never met her until ………..‘Colleeen, Colleeen, it’s me! It’s me, Dayse! I’ll not really large.’ I never made that mistake again.

Apart from welcoming many of the Clipper races to Brazil Dayse did a surprise visit to meet Clipper 98 on its return to Plymouth and also visited Liverpool in 2001. It has been a great delight to have got to know Dayse so well and we still keep in touch with her regular and very distinctive emails. She now lives in Germany although is visiting Salvador at present.

The left hand picture shows Dayse with me and my daughter Sarah and son Ric in Salvador in 1997.

T-shirts - Uniquely Singapore

2007-01-18T12:42:00.000-08:00

This week-end various top models will be coming to a secret location in Somerset to model my selection of T-shirts. Every T-shirt tells a story but it is so much more interesting when they are correctly and interestingly displayed.

Until this new material is ready, here is a great shot of Sharon Chong, one of Uniquely Singapore’s crew members in the Clipper 05-05 race. No mistaking who Sharon is supporting here. The Singapore yacht did best for T-shirts as the Singapore Tourist Board ensured they were strongly branded. Then many of the supporting sponsors also had their own T-shirts made for crew and supporters. The joy of this is that when one visits ports you see people wearing their various shirts etc from races years before. The only problem I have is that many of the shirts seem to shrink with age……..

Nurse Hopkins

2007-01-16T12:44:00.000-08:00

The facts below were forwarded by Nurse Lucy Hopkins

In the 1400's a law was set forth that a man was not allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the rule of thumb".

Many years ago in Scotland , a new game was invented. It was ruled "Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden"... and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.

The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Coca-Cola was originally green.

It is impossible to lick your elbow.

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321 wow!!

Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"?
A. One thousand

Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?
A. All invented by women.

Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year?
A. Father's Day

In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase......... "goodnight, sleep tight."

In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them "Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down." It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's"

Try this ..... believe it or not, you can read it.

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Amzanig huh?

~~~~~~~~~AND FINALLY~~~~~~~~~~~~
At least 75% of people who read these facts will try to lick their elbow

New Hip Fitted

2007-01-16T06:54:00.000-08:00

To keep you in the picture I am now back at home convalescing after having a replacement left hip operation in Yeovil hospital. I do not intend cover this any further as, although of great importance to me, I suspect it is of limited interest to everyone else. In practical terms I will not be travelling for 6 weeks so will be operating from my well equipped office at home.

The photo on the left shows the lovely bunch of flowers sent to me by the office. Also you will notice I was able to take up a life long ambition of playing the Triangle.

I went into hospital on Wednesday and had the operation that afternoon. I got out of bed on the Friday and put weight on the new hip. Saturday I was on sticks and Sunday I did stairs. I got home at mid-day on Monday so overall it was five nights. It is now Tuesday and my routine is ruled by my exercises which include regular walks of 200 metres or so.

The X-Rays are fascinating these days and have changed from the old film plates. The image now goes directly onto a scanner plate and so the surgeon brings up the image on a screen. You can then request to get a CD with your various images on to play at family film nights so that everyone can compare scars and operations.

Leaving hospital was a special occasion and so I wore my Errol Flynn Marina T-Shirt. This was personally signed by Patricia Flynn who was such a star when we visited port Antonio in Jamaica – more on her later!

Lastly a big ‘thank you’ to Graham Smibert, the surgeon, and all the team at Yeovil Hospital’s Kingston Wing. They were all tremendous and could not have done a better job!

Flying the Flag

2007-01-15T02:35:00.000-08:00

Emma Stanton's Liverpool 08 dress was a real show stopper during the 05-06 Race and got masses of publicity around the world – here she is in the heart of Manhattan, NY. It was a good dress made out of one of the Culture Company's flags promoting the City's Capital of Culture and looked stunning on her, especially with her infectious smile. Because of a surfeit of ‘Emmas’ in Liverpool Clipper she was given the name Mini-M. This is a take off from the name of the Imarsat Mini-M Satellite phone that was previously fitted in the Clipper yachts.

The Stars and Stripes dress is being worn here by Sam Fuller who was Skipper of Liverpool 08 at the time. Sam took over from the regular Skipper Tim Magee when he had to return to UK for the race to New York. Sam had skippered New York Clipper in the 2000 race from Liverpool to Hong Kong and also skippered for several of the 05-06 training courses.

In a free vote, nine out of ten Skippers said they preferred Sam in the dress rather than the regular Skipper, Tim.

Guest writer - Timone of Baobab Farm

2007-01-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

The pictures you see show the five of us, this weeks contributors to Colin’s Blog. All of us are extremely proud of being on this blog as we have heard about Colin and his exciting tales and inspirational ideas. We live in Sarah and Jaap's wild garden in Mombassa. We are (clockwise from right), Cowpat, Chicken, Timone (that's me!), Blondie (bottom) and Goat.

Timone
Arrival: Came with Sarah and Jaap from former abode, is Top Dog (that’s because I am the best at writing)
Likes: Snoozing in ridiculous positions with legs in air
Dislikes: New animals arriving in the house

Blondie
Arrival: From rescue centre, found on street with broken tail and attitude
Likes: To listen to something the humans say, consider it briefly, then completely disregard it. Drives them mad!
Dislikes: Being caught out the end of the garden when the tide comes in and having to swim home. Is still uncertain whether the fact that Cowshit thinks he is her milk bearing mother is a like or a dislike….

Chicken
Arrival: Gift from mason on Sarah’s building site, survived traumatic 8hr journey through storms and tempests to arrive at farm.
Likes: laying eggs in different places to make it really difficult for Sarah to find them.
Dislikes: Hazards abound for Chicken, either from the ground by dogs, from the air by sparrow hawks, or from below by mongoose. She dislikes all of these very much.

Cowshit
Arrival: Found on road near house, covered in cowshit, just before Christmas. Managed to woo the softy humans and avoided being taken to rescue centre. Easy!
Likes: Being fearless
Dislikes: Still having cowshit on tail after multiple washes and soaks, not good for the image!

Goat
Arrival: Surprise Christmas present to Sarah from brother Ric. “I got you a goat….”
Likes: Head butting any of the dogs which think they can wind up this lady, no chance!
Dislikes: bits of vegetable cuttings that the humans seem to think I’m going to eat and insist on shoving in my face.

And lastly for a real treat please look at Sarah’s website Green Water http://www.green-water.org It is all about recycling water using reed beds

Friday People - The Blagdons

2007-01-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

Whatever anyone tells you, quite the best part of the Boat Show is meeting old friends. To me the highlight is meeting Alex and Patsy Blagdon from Plymouth. They are legends in the West Country having run their boat yard just next to the Mayflower Marina for many, many years. I got to know them well when the original Clipper yachts were delivered down to Plymouth before the first Clipper race in 1996. Inevitably there were last minute jobs to be done and bits to be screwed on; their yard played an important part before and after the race. The Clippers would dry out on the hard alongside Blagdon’s wall which would normally mean scrubbing and polishing in the early hours before the tide came back in.

Alex and Patsy still live in their character residence* behind the yard. They have the best view over the Tamar and nothing misses their eagle sharp eyes. Dropping in for tea and biscuits is one of life’s great experiences but such a visit can not be rushed without causing great offence.
* no estate agent could possibly improve on this description of what Patsy refers to as their two huts

It was therefore a great delight that one of the first guests at the Clipper Stand this year was Alex and Patsy Blagdon. This is what life in the marine business is all about.

STAND BY FOR THE CLIPPER INVASION!
And talking about old and new mates, Saturday will see the Boats Show crawling with new and old Clipper crews. As the years go by they too will continue to meet and marvel that they never get any older … just like Colin, Alec and Patsy.

Clipper 98 Baseball cap

2007-01-11T09:25:00.000-08:00

The Clipper 96 baseball hat was a real collectors’ item. Its two fore and aft stripes made it one look a bit like a badger but the raised ‘Clipper’ name on the front was strong and distinctive. The hats also had good leather straps at the back. On the side you can see the original Clipper logo which was a stylised boat using the ‘C’ of Clipper as a spinnaker and the ‘L’ as the mast and boom. Because of this the Clipper boats in the logos have always gone from right to left. This is logical for those used to Arabic or Chinese but quite illogical for all of us in the western world. One day I predict it will change and we will sail from left to right.

The rather chirpy, friendly little boat, which might have been suitable for one’s bath, was retired after the 98 race. A new, and stylised logo was designed for the Times Clipper 2000.

For interest you will note from 2000 when subsequent Clipper logos were put on the bows of the yachts, the starboard one was reversed so the boats in the logos all go ahead.

Where the Cider apples come from .....

2007-01-10T09:51:00.000-08:00

Today being Wednesday is the day I normally write about some pithy and relevant subject. Well today is slightly different as I am on an outing to Yeovil Hospital to have my new hip popped in. This may disrupt the flow of articles on the blog so I apologies if this is the case. The picture is dedicated to my surgeon, Graham .....

Apart from being the only town that built the bypass through the middle of the town, Yeovil is also well known for many things from helicopters to cider. The area is famous for its leather factories and associated industries such as gloving. Times change and most of the gloving factories have either closed or moved into specialist areas such as outside bras. New and successful industries include Somerset Brie, apple brandy and ‘Srewfix’ …..all industries that bring lots of relevant skills to the replacement hip trade.

Everyone of course knows about Yeovil and football. The old pitch was on a steep slope that completely outwitted visiting teams. This is now Tescos in the middle of town and it took many years for the Yeovil team to learn to play on their new flat pitch ……. but learn they have, so watch out – they punch above their weight!

Jokes from Jersey!

2007-01-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

Peter Walsh was the Commodore of the St Helier Yacht Club where he gave tremendous support to the Clipper Race. After Peter met His Excellency, Tony Siddique in Singapore in 2002 I was subsiquently asked to present him with a burgee from the Riau Yacht Club* (RYC) next time I visited Jersey. Just as I was about to publish the photo some inky swot was impertinent enough to point out there was one unfortunate thing awry with the picture. This resulted in one of my early and desperate learning exercises in Paintshop Pro. All was resolved ….

* The Riau Islands are a group of about 3000 islands belonging to Indonesia, just south of Singapore. During SARS the Clipper Race visited Batam which was where the HQ of the RYC is based

Peter has been kind enough to forward the following two stories:

An old sea Captain was sitting on a bench near the wharf when a young man walked up and sat down. The young man had spiked hair and each spike was a different color.... green, red, orange, blue, and yellow.
After a while the young man noticed that the Captain was staring at him. "What's the matter old timer, never done anything wild in your life"
The old Captain replied, "Got drunk once and married a parrot. I was just wondering if you were my son!"

From the dock the woman watched as the salty old tugboat captain skillfully docked his boat. She was impressed that such an old man would still be doing such a tough job. She decided to wait until the captain disembarked. As he did, she asked him, "Captain, what is your secret to leading such a long and productive life?"
"Well," he said. "I would have to say it's because I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day, drink a case of whisky every week, eat a lot of fatty foods and I never exercise."
"Wow, that's amazing," the woman said. "exactly how old are you?"
He answered, "Thirty-one"

Dressed to Promote!

2007-01-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

Lucia Shenge was a crewmember in Durban Clipper in Clipper 05-05. She was sponsored by the City of Durban and had done no sailing prior to joining in Portsmouth for her training. Lucia background was that she was a street child in Durban and was taken in by the charity iCare. She is still very involved and busy with this project which is one of many organisations trying to overcome the massive problem of homeless children in Africa. Lucia was given the Durban Dress to wear when she returned to Durban Clipper in New York – what a scorcher!

Quick PS
Craig Millar, Skipper of Durban was married at the week end. We look forward to publishing the first pictures of him and his wife Taron.

A Liverpool Love Story

2007-01-07T01:08:00.000-08:00

Sunday Extra Blog from Rod Simpson – Clipper crew 2000/1 and back again in 2006!

The picture shows Rod with some of his 300 adoring Cheer Leaders in Qingdao. Rod will be featured later but has sent me the following to remind everyone of the Scouse sense of humour; particularly relevant as they build up for their 800th birthday and their turn as European Capital of Culture.

Moving on, and without mentioning football, the name– `Liuerpul` (muddy pool) - first appears in the Doomsday survey in 1086 an inauspicious name for a small inlet of the River Mersey. The potential of Liverpool as a port (anchorage) was finally recognised and King John saw fit to grant us a Charter in 1207 – and since then the city has grown and grown.

Enough of that how about a good yarn -

A Liverpool Love Story

A young woman in Liverpool was so depressed that she decided to end her lifeby throwing herself into the Mersey. She went down to the docks and was about to leap into the freezing water when a handsome young sailor saw her tottering on the edge of the pier, crying.

He took pity on her and said, "Look, you have so much to live for. I'm off to America in the morning, and if you like, I can stow you away on my ship. I'll take good care of you and bring you food every day." Moving closer, he slipped his arm round her shoulder and added, "I'll keep you happy, and you'll keep me happy." The girl nodded "Yes", after all, what did she have to lose? Perhaps a fresh start in America wouldgive her life new meaning.

That night, the sailor brought her aboard and hid her in a lifeboat. From then on, every night he brought her three sandwiches and a piece of fruit, and they made passionate love until dawn.

Two weeks later, during a routine inspection, she was discovered by the Captain. "What are you doing here?" the Captain asked.

"I have an arrangement with one of the sailors", she explained. "I get food and a trip to America, and he's screwing me."

"He certainly is", the Captain said. "This is the Birkenhead Ferry."

Uniform Attendance - by Ian Dickens

2007-01-03T11:56:00.000-08:00

Today’s guest is Ian Dicken’s who was a Round the World crew member in 2000. Ian then wrote an excellent book titled ‘Sea Change’ which was all about his experiences. This book is a very good insight to the Clipper Race and anyone going on the Clipper Race would benefit from reading it. The best way to get it is probably by contacting Ian at direct at: ian@drdb.org - You could be the first to commit e-commerce on Colin’s Place!

So, it’s boat show time again and Thumper and his keeper will be donning their blazers, beige chino slacks, crisp blue shirt with logo embroidered pocket, sailing club tie and battered deck shoes (I assume Thumper will wear four, although rabbits can never get their shoes on the correct foot – it’s down to ‘Mix a my toes’s’, apparently).

I wonder if every trade show has its own uniform that identifies the wearer to be firmly part of his or her industry. Does the International guttering convention see the great and good take the ride out to Excel with low slung grubby jeans revealing a spotty array of builders bums with a copy of the Sun poking out from the back pocket?

Or the European Arms Fair, where everyone comes dressed in camouflage. But how would you know – if it’s any good, you shouldn’t be able to see them.

I really must attend next years Festival of Erotica to see what is de-rigour at Olympia – I imagine that it might not extend beyond a couple of well placed tassels and a pink costume, which in my case, is in need of some urgent ironing.

This time six years ago, London Clipper was doing battle with the Pacific on the way to Hawaii. In the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night, the phone went. It was Colin calling from the Clipper stand, when the boat show was at Earls Court. It was where I first met the Clipper team in 2000. This year, my wife will be there as she plans her part in the 2007 race. We don’t like to conform to type though, so while I’ll be wearing a camouflage top and grubby jeans, she’ll be the one swirling the tassels.

You can’t miss us.

People Page – Sarah Thoroughly-Good (Née Beaujolais)

2007-01-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

Sarah features in Colin’s Place as she was my assistant for Clipper 2002 and therefore has put up with much more of my grumpiness than was fair. I think her parents have finally forgiven her for signing up for one leg in Clipper 2000 and then staying for all of them. With his banking background her father will be able to balance this against her subsequent employment in Clipper with an additional windfall of a son-in-law called Ed.

Sarah’s wedding in her home in Jersey was a magnificent affair* and one of the great Clipper gatherings of all time. (Allegedly the 23rd Clipper Wedding) The pictures show her beautifully scrubbed up for the occasion and looking like a million dollars – just right for her move into Ed Thoroghgood House.
* Add Wedding costs under Debits

Sarah went on to run the Clipper Education programme where she loved to be known as the Headmistress. She left Clipper in the summer of 2006 and now rents castles in Jersey ……. whilst retaining her reputation as the fountain of knowledge on all Clipper social happenings.

Shirt Day - 05-06 Polo

2007-01-03T01:01:00.000-08:00

I have to agree with the New York Fashion Police on this one. Some shirts one bonds with, others you don’t. I never liked these synthetic Race polo shirts and I always prefer the cotton feel. Also they did not have a breast pocket which is obviously useful for keeping breasts in although in my case I use them for my telephone.*
Please do not worry that this section will only be me wearing T-shirts. This is a stop gap as my model has got ‘flu and so you will have to wait until later to meet her – worth the wait, I assure you.
* …. and how may mobiles have fallen into the dock as one bends down to tie a boat up?

Best New Year Present – Ever!

2007-01-03T00:51:00.000-08:00

Although not currently involved in the VELUX 5 Oceans, I did have the privilege of standing in as Race Director for a short period prior to the start in Bilbao. I found the experience fascinating, especially not having come from this world. The boats are truly amazing machines and combine power, glamour and cutting edge technology. However in a race such as the VELUX 5 Oceans, it is the Skippers that make the race. They are all delightfully different but are drawn together to achieve their goal and beat whatever the oceans throw at them. It is the greatest gladiatorial challenge than you will find outside the lions’ den.

So the best New Year present in my book is having all the 8 skippers I met in Spain safe and sound. The race had its first major excitement with the fierce storm immediately on departure. The loss of Hugo Boss in the Southern Ocean and Alex Thomson’s remarkable rescue by Mike Golding put everything into perspective. The fact that Mike slowed down when he appreciated that Alex’s speed had dropped on a routine schedule, before the emergency call, illustrates a sixth sense and the perception of a great seaman. The subsequent loss of his mast and retirement was a disappointment shared by all but his saving of a life puts a true perspective on the situation. His OBE in the New Year Honours’ List for services to sailing is a most timely and appropriate award.

Sir Robin has made it safely to Fremantle and his boat was reported to be orderly, clean and tidy on arrival – a true compliment and an example to some scum pits that finish the Fastnet after a mere 5 days.
‘It’s ports that wreck ships and men!’ Luckily Sir Robin has not got long to wait until the start from Fremantle on 14th Jan – make sure you follow it and the rest of the race at http://www.velux5oceans.com/

And for Clipper followers, fear not. The VELUX 5 Oceans is a great race but it is severely limited in the area of Crew Parties – Here the Clipper Race get this prize every time!

Fremantle – Western Australia

2007-01-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

Peter Tagliaferri, the Mayor of Fremantle, Western Australia, presented me and the Skippers with these city burgees at a reception during the visit of Clipper 05-06 in December 2005. The flag features the distinctive signal tower in the fort which dominates the harbour. The mast still has a ball raised and lowered at mid-day. In the old days a noon day cannon would have been fired to draw attention to the ball. The time in Fremantle, and many harbours, was taken by the ball dropping to overcome the error caused by the delay in hearing the sound signal.

Fremantle is a delightful small city next to Perth which is further up the Swan River. Its main importance is as a major commercial port. The fixed bridges on the river limit the passage of vessels above the city so yachts clubs and the type of sailing is divided into river sailing and inshore/ocean sailing at Fremantle. Both the Clipper Race and the VELUX 5 Ocean have been hosted by the magnificent Fremantle Sailing Club which I will feature later.

The undisputed star for the Clipper Race visit in December 2005 was Ron the Tram Driver who was on call to take crew around the town in his historic Tram No. 2. Ron won everyone’s respect for his endless stories and ended up by taking the Prime Minister of Malaysia down to the Clipper yachts. The photo shows the tram taking part in a parade laid on for the Clipper crews.

The VELUX 5 Oceans race is currently visiting Fremantle – see tomorrow’s entry …..

Book - Liverpool Sea Britain 2005

2007-01-01T07:02:00.000-08:00

What better way to start the New Year and this section than with this book that I was given in Liverpool? It was commissioned by the Culture Company in Liverpool and published to celebrate Sea Britain 2005. A great foreword by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and the book makes you appreciate just what a rich maritime history Liverpool has.
We have all come a long way since one brave, but foolish, journalist asked Sir Robin ‘Why Liverpool?’ at the Press Conference stating that the 2002 Clipper Race would start there. This decision was a most significant step as up to then the starts and finishes of all the major yacht races had been polarised in the south of England.
ISBN 0-904517-21-1 Published by Marketing Services, Liverpool City Council. Price £9.99

Colin’s Place. Blog-site Plan

2006-12-31T07:20:00.000-08:00

The following is the outline plan for Colin’s Place. It is not cast in stone but at least it is a guide.
Which reminds me of the angry passenger who said to the Station Master ‘I don’t know why you have a time table, your trains never run to the bloody thing.’
‘Sir’ replied the Station Master patiently, ‘Without the time table you would not know the trains were late.’

Monday
MEMORABILIA
Mainly Clipper related such as Base Ball Hats, trophies gifts etc
Tuesday
GENERAL SAILING & CLIPPER CITIES & PORTS
Including borrowed articles and notes on various Yacht Clubs
Wednesday
COLIN’S CHOICE
Soap box, so be careful, otherwise it will feature you!
Also any good jokes that come my way ….. so please forward them
Thursday
T-SHIRT COLLECTION
Various T-shirts and jackets collected over the years – mostly Clipper related.
Friday
PEOPLE!
Features on various people that have had an influence on the Clipper Race and in life in general. Will include features such as ‘The Fantastic Followers’ and so on.
Saturady
GUEST CORNER!
People will be invited to contribute articles on subjects of their choice.
I hope this section will be amusing and entertaining – just like the rest of the blog! Please forward material to my Editor, Thumper at: thumper.demowbray@virgin.net
Sunday
DAY OF REST
No blogs planned….
‘Well why is this published on a Sunday then!?’

CONTACT
Please contact me either through the Editor or direct to my Virgin address below:
Editor: Thumper at: thumper.demowbray@virgin.net
Colin de M: c.de_mowbray@virgin.net

Saturday's Guest - Thumper de Mowbray

2006-12-30T05:36:00.000-08:00

Well goodness me, I have been asked to be the first guest to go on Colin’s Place. He says that is because I will be helping him by inviting carefully selected people to contribute on this Saturday slot … Yippee, that should be fun!

So a quick introduction. I am Thumper de Mowbray and I have known Colin for a VERY long time. He would rather I did not say HOW long but lets just say it was before he could walk and be really troublesome.

And if you want to know about my medals, Colin’s Pa awarded those to me as he seemed to have more than he wanted from both the First and Second World Wars. Mind you it didn’t help my career as I never got beyond Able Rabbit.

You asked about my worst moment? Well that was after the excitement and glamour of Colin & Vanessa’s wedding. What a day but also what a dramatic finish to it when we all went on honeymoon. To my horror ‘all’ meant four of us! It turned out Vanessa also had a rabbit called Thumper … a pretty awkward situation as you can imagine. Still yours truly quickly came to an understanding and both of us Thumpers have lived in a sort of armed truce ever since – but note that it is I that will be helping with the blog….

Fantastic Followers No 1 - Lexie

2006-12-29T04:24:00.000-08:00

The first of my Fanatic Followers for the Clipper race is my favourite Aunt who lives in Kynsna, South Africa. Lexie Elliott is 93 on 4th Jan 07, she still rides her bike around Leisure Island where she lives and for longer trips takes the car. She has a very impressive sailing pedigree having been brought up in Flushing, opposite Falmouth.

Lexie totally ignores her age and is an example to everyone. She regularly plays sets on the accordion at functions, her speciality being her own arrangement of ‘Around the World in 8 minutes’. This usually last a lot longer than 8 minutes, depending what she remembers to include. Lexie has the ability to both enjoy and remember jokes, some of which would not be repeatable on this site. She has attended various starts and finishes of the earlier Clipper races and is an active member of the Kynsna Yacht Club.

Once met, never forgotten!

Is this your first time?

2006-12-28T13:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my first Blog! My aim is to get an entry up most days. More often than not this will be a picture with a short description. Sometimes it will be major events leading up to and during the Clipper Race. Sometimes it will be my own personal diary entries. They will be short and hopefully entertaining.

I have no idea if anyone will be interested. If there is anyone out there please feel free to contact me and contribute; who knows, this could be the start of something big.

My first picture is of a couple of birds that my wife, Vanessa, and I gave to our Kiwi friends during our recent holiday there. I thought the birds took a pretty good picture. One is a Toucan and the other a yellow crested cockatoo. … Which reminds me of the time when four of us brought a cockatoo as a mascot when we were in a Naval Helicopter Squadron in Singapore, about 100 years ago. Not a great success as it was banned from the Squadron on Day 2 – not good when you are a mascot…..

Colin