BOOK REVIEWS (2)

ARCTIC AND NORTHERN WATERS, including Faroe, Iceland and Greenland – Andrew Wilkes, 2nd edition. Published in hard covers by Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson [www.imray.com] and the RCC Pilotage Foundation [https://rccpf.org. uk/] at £65.00. 442 305mm x 219mm pages in full colour throughout. ISBN 9781-8462-3931-1. Also available in PDF format.

The new edition of the Royal Cruising Clubs Pilotage Foundation’s guide to Arctic and Northern Waters by Andrew Wilkes is not merely a rehash of the previous 2014 edition, but a comprehensive update with over 70 extra pages and well over 1000 changes and additions. The origins of this guide can be found in the reports written by OCC and RCC members following their summer cruises to the area, including the legendary HW (Bill) Tilman, the Rev Bob Shepton and Willy Ker amongst many others.

This has been a serious undertaking, with much of the research undertaken by the author, ably assisted by his wife Máire, and is built on their previous experience cruising in the Arctic and transiting the Northwest Passage. Extensive cruises to the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland plus three trips to the east coast of Baffin Island provide the bulk of the information. In each of the main cruising areas the harbours, anchorages and chartlets have been updated with additional input from local harbour masters and a number of other experienced high-latitude sailors. The additional section covering Baffin Island adds a number of anchorages previously unknown (except to the locals) and contains many stunning images.

When reviewing the previous edition in Flying Fish 2014/2, Jarlath Cunanne commented: ‘Preparation is the key to successful Arctic travel. The vessel and crew must be self-sufficient and self-reliant for the duration of the voyage’. This is as true now as it was then and the section on Arctic Survival, supported by first-hand accounts of over-wintering in the ice, either from choice or when forced to by events, will be of interest to those considering venturing to higher latitudes. It will only serve to reinforce the message that these are no ordinary cruising grounds.

A greater number of boats visit the region each year, many with experienced skippers and crew, others new to northern waters. This guide covers all aspects of the challenges faced when cruising the region – the selection and preparation of a suitable vessel, crew, clothing and equipment, plus communications, weather, tides and currents. There is a comprehensive explanation of the various forms of ice and icebergs and how they are affected by wind and currents, and the dangers posed to a vessel in transit and at anchor. The author has been able to include numerous excellent photographs for each region, plus dozens of chartlets and sources of additional information covering everything from weather and ice updates to the latest in aids to navigation technology.

A completely new section on managing our impact on the environment highlights the importance of following the correct procedures, from waste management to encounters with the abundant wildlife to be found in the region. It is crucial that all skippers and crew heading north read and re-read this chapter if we are to play our part in minimising our impact on the ecological systems and preserving the Arctic environment. Neither should cruisers underestimate the dangers posed by the increasingly desperate polar bear population, and the book not only gives a comprehensive guide of what to do in a worst-case situation but focuses on how best to ensure that the worst case never happens.

No skipper considering a voyage through this amazing and breath-taking area should leave without a copy of this excellent pilot on board and Andrew Wilkes, the RCCPF and Imray are to be congratulated. The challenges and dangers of cruising through this area are very real, but the rewards are enormous.

SB

NOVA, The History of the Nova Espero – Robin Somes. Published in soft covers by the author at £10.99 and as an e-book at £7.99, both available from shop. robinsomes.co.uk (together with several other books and CDs). 178 216mm x 140mm pages, many with photographs or drawings. ISBN 978-1-8380-1363-9

I first encountered the story of the Nova Espero when I was lent a copy of the charming little picture book Smiths at Sea*, which told of the Smith brothers’ amazing adventure in amusing cartoons drawn by Stan Smith. Now the full story of their remarkable little boat and her intrepid crew, as well as their family history, is told by their second cousin Robin Somes.

In 1949 Stan and Colin Smith from Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, designed a tiny sloop while en route to Canada aboard RMS Aquitania, building her soon after they arrived. Then they sailed her from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to Dartmouth, Devon in 43 days – nearly 3000 miles at an average of 75 miles per day. Arriving home expecting to be greeted by a few friends and family, they found that they were national heroes. Nova Espero (‘New Hope’ in Esperanto) was 20ft overall with a 6ft 3in beam and drew 2ft 10in. Gunter-rigged with an open deck, she was built of clinker planks which the Smith brothers found in various timber yards ‘lying around in dirty heaps – at least it was well seasoned!’. The open deck was covered with an upturned dinghy, which Stan and Colin built in three and a half days.

When they left on 6th July conditions were pleasant with moderate wind and seas but, sure enough, bad weather soon set in and Nova Espero sailed under just a trysail, being tossed around so violently that the crew below were thrown across the boat. The primus stove ‘roared merrily with the pressure cooker hissing and filling the cabin with scalding steam’. It all sounds highly dangerous to modern ears, but Stan and Colin took it in their stride – aged 31 and 27 they had youth on their side. Only twice during the voyage did the weather situation get really bad – enough to put in the cockpit hatch board. 35ft seas

* A review of Smiths at Sea, in Flying Fish 2007/1, is available online at https:// oceancruisingclub.org/Flying-Fish-Archive.

crashed over the boat for twelve hours and at first Stan was ‘gripped by terror’, but as Nova Espero proved her seaworthiness he felt ‘terrific relief at being alive!’. They endured several frustrating days of calm off southern Ireland before finally arriving in Dartmouth on 14th August. Black and white photos show the boat and her intrepid crew being welcomed off the Eddystone Light by family, and greeted by huge crowds in Dartmouth and again in Yarmouth when they returned to their home port on 30th August.

The rationale for the adventure was to show that Britons could still build a good ship. Initially the voyage was intended to be two-way, with the brothers returning to Canada having proved their skills as boat builders, able to earn their livings while establishing ‘peace colonies’. They had both served in the RAF during the Second World War and had come to the conclusion that ‘all men of any colour or background could live together in peace, and it was only mistaken leaders who could persuade them to fight and kill’. Their ambition was to found a village made up of many nationalities and prove their theory to the rest of the world.

The author discusses the unorthodox beliefs and individualism of the whole Smith family who, more than most, were prepared to face down authority and live life on their own terms – to ‘do their own thing’ in today’s parlance. In early 1949 Stan sent a 22page poem to Phyl Somes, the author’s mother, with whom he had been corresponding, united by their mutual love of poetry. Robin Somes comments that he debated whether or not to include it in the middle of the book, suspecting (probably correctly) that most readers would skip an overly long epic verse full of symbolism, the state of the human race, war and the leaders who had brought the world to its present state. On the other hand, if you’re into that sort of thing you may well find it fascinating and inspiring – the old saying ‘whatever floats your boat’ is particularly apt for OCC members.

Smiths at Sea, with its delightful cartoons, was published in 1951 by Adlard Coles with Stan – a Founder Member of the OCC – receiving a £50 advance. But a year earlier he had written a full and more accurate account of the voyage which was lightened up for publication – Adlard Coles probably feared that the non-seagoing public would be horrified by the true story! The Nova Espero manifesto – the Smith brothers’ grand plan for a new world order (and world language, Esperanto), which they felt was urgently needed to avert another world war, makes interesting reading – a bit naive, wacky and impractical to today’s eyes, but reminiscent of the strength of feeling in the ‘ban the bomb’ era of the 1960s, and perhaps echoing the huge concern about climate change that we’re facing now.

Despite many applications to join the proposed peace colony in Canada, the plans for a Utopian village ultimately foundered. The story doesn’t end there, however. Nova Espero sailed for several more years, including a 120-day voyage to New York with a stop in the Azores for repairs. She came home on a ship after being exhibited at the New York Boat Show. After more adventures in the Mediterranean Nova Espero returned to UK, where later plans to restore and preserve her, as a vessel of historic interest, sadly failed and she went through several owners before being wrecked in the early 1980s when she broke free from her mooring in a gale.

I really enjoyed this book with its many photos. Anyone who – like this reviewer – grew up sailing on the Solent and visiting Yarmouth in the 1960s and ’70s will find it especially interesting, though to fully appreciate it one should also order a copy of Smiths at Sea from Robin’s website. Definitely recommended!

THE WEATHER HANDBOOK – Alan Watts, 4th edition. Published in soft covers by Adlard Coles [www.adlardcoles.com] at £16.99. 160 236mm x 159mm pages with many photographs and diagrams. ISBN 978-1-4729-7859-2. Also available for Kindle.

We have copies of Instant Weather Forecasting and Instant Wind Forecasting by the same author and were keen to see the new edition of The Weather Handbook, which is billed as an ‘essential guide to how weather is formed’, helping you to ‘look at the sky and interpret the signs for yourself’. The back jacket quote from Practical Boat Owner, ‘The perfect introduction to understanding weather’, implies that this is a book that could be picked up and understood by a novice, but this is definitely not the case. Ex-pilots and transatlantic yachtsmen with a fair background in meteorology, we still found this quite a tough read.

The primary reason for this is that it reads as if one has been dropped into the middle of a met course. There is no gentle re-introduction to the subject with a reminder of terms and basic background theory, or even a suggestion that if you feel the need for a refresher then you should refer to XYZ book. In fact, it could be a good book to read after studying Simon Rowell’s Weather at Sea*, which gives the basic theory, with The Weather Handbook adding the detail of more complex systems and ideas that Rowell has omitted, possibly due to space constraints.

That said, there is a chapter at the end of The Weather Handbook which contains ‘Information and Explanations’. This seems to be an odd mish-mash – there are a few short definitions (eg. of the term ‘cyclonic’, which is often misunderstood) but while some paragraphs are complex, such as the explanation of evaporation, others (eg. the paragraph on Tropical Revolving Storms) are remarkably simple given the level of assumed knowledge with which the book starts. It’s almost as if Watts wrote a Weather Encyclopaedia which was subsequently cut back to Handbook size.

An early chapter describes various cloud types, stating when and where in the weather situation one could expect to see them, all illustrated with beautiful photographs. It’s a good start to the meat of the text after what is a fairly dense introduction and first chapter. But it’s one of the few light interludes in the book’s 160 pages and the next chapter plunges into all manner of detail and technical terminology. It’s very interesting and there’s a vast amount to be gained from it, but it’s not a ‘perfect introduction’.

To be fair, our main problem with this book is really in understanding at whom it is aimed. Alan Watts is a well-known and very expert meteorologist, but much of this book is very technical, not introductory or teaching text. It provides a huge amount of excellent information on forecasting weather in the mid-latitudes of the North Atlantic and Northern Europe, melding observation with in-depth detail from forecast charts, met theory and the like. But to ‘get’ it, certainly the early chapters, you do need a reasonable grasp of the background theory, and even then you may still need to re-read the explanations a couple of times. Some of the later chapters contain much more easily understood and simply described concepts, however, such as the section on fog. It is clear, though, that this book is aimed at a generic observer/would-be forecaster and is not specifically aimed at yachtsmen, though there is much in it that will be of benefit to mid-latitude sailors of all types.

In summary, this would not be our first choice reference book on the weather and there are far simpler and more accessible ‘starter’ texts available. Nevertheless, this is a book that we plan to keep on our bookshelf for future reference, as it contains a great deal which will help provide a deeper understanding of Northern European weather patterns and which should help us to develop our own forecasting abilities.

NSB & MHRB

REEDS 9-LANGUAGE HANDBOOK. Published in soft covers by Reeds Publishing [www.bloomsbury.com] at £9.99. 160 160mm x 100mm pages in full colour throughout. ISBN 978-1-4729-8494-4. Also available for Kindle.

If there is one undeniable truth it is that any sailor in a foreign land is going to need some local help sooner rather than later with his or her boat. The Reeds 9-Language Handbook will come into its own when this eventuality arises, so it would be a good idea to remember where it is kept on board – otherwise it will be one of those small items that is always hanging around until the moment you need it, when it will have slipped into some recess and disappeared without trace.

This little book, which will fit into a jacket pocket, is cleverly put together, presenting a lot of information in English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Portuguese and Greek but, surprisingly, not in Turkish, despite so many people sailing and chartering there – pandemics permitting. The format consists of clearly-drawn, full-colour illustrations of, say, a boat’s hull, together with an arrowed naming in English of its parts, each with a designated number. Beside each illustration is a translated list, using the same numbering and colour-coded for each of the other eight languages. Because it is a pocket-sized book the print is quite small, but this is offset by the high quality of the graphics and of course it is likely to be used mostly in bright daylight. (If companies selling complicated things which come with instruction manuals would only make their manuals as clear as this, it would save us all a lot of trouble.) Some of the information – such as the act of gybing – does not lend itself to illustration and in these cases the translating is limited to text, without the pretty pictures.

There are five sections – ‘The Boat’, ‘Under way’, ‘Maintenance and Repairs’, ‘Emergencies’ and ‘General Reference’. There could almost be another section for ‘Unforeseen Circumstances’, these being the things that dog most of us, but that would be an unlimited topic and might result in a large tome instead of a handy little book.

I drew the line at verifying the translation from English into eight other languages, but did do some in-depth sampling of the French translations, being the only one of the eight in which I am reasonably comfortable. A genuine French sailor might not agree with my comments and I have to be careful because it is not my native tongue, but I did quickly pick up some translations that did not seem quite right, even if of no great significance. For instance, the French word for topping lift is the rather attractive word balancine, not corde du levage de gui (literally translated as ‘string for lifting a spar’). While the word cordage is acceptable for rope in general, French sailors are deeply superstitious about using the word corde on a boat, with its ancient connotations to

do with hanging mutineers, and also they normally call their boom a bôme, not a gui, which is any old horizontal spar. A chandler in French is a shipchandler or possibly a magasin d’accastillage, but not a magasin de fournitures maritimes, although I suppose technically that is what it is. I think the steering wheel on a RIB should be a barre, originally a tiller but generally used for wheel steering as well, rather than, as the book has it, a gouvernail, which is a rudder. There were quite a few others that sprang off the page, but my task has been to review this book, not correct it.

The real point of all this linguistic quibbling is to prove that there has been some limited road-testing of the book and this has inevitably revealed a few imperfections, although none that I have found have been of any real consequence and they do not detract from a nice and practical little manual. It will be worth having and will do a very useful job for lots of people.

BH

SEAMANSHIP 2.0 – Mike Westin, Olle Landsell and Nina and Pär Olofsson. English edition published in soft covers by Adlard Coles Nautical [www.bloomsbury. com] at £14.99. 158 156mm x 234mm pages in full colour throughout. ISBN 978-1-4729-7702-1. Also available for Kindle.

Seamanship 2.0 is subtitled ‘Everything you need to know to get yourself out of trouble at sea’, a title and stated ambition that may perhaps raise eyebrows given the slim 158page reality. Nevertheless, it encompasses a comprehensive diversity of issues that may face a skipper in a variety of situations.

The rationale for the book is that too many boat owners make little or no attempt to extract themselves from problematic situations, preferring to call for help by whatever means are available. Apparently this applies even in the middle of oceans with no risk to life, though given the general level of discussion it is clear that the target audience is primarily inexperienced skippers undertaking coastal or limited offshore passages. In response to this, Seamanship 2.0 seeks to inspire boat owners to become more selfreliant and competent to deal with any mishap or emergency that befalls them.

It is divided into four major sections: Seamanship (best practice), Problem fixing, Emergencies and Basic First Aid. Each is further divided into between eight and fourteen subsections which are discussed in the text, extensively supported by colourful illustrations which bring life and clarification to the writing.

A large part of the Seamanship section is devoted to tight marinas, storm preparations in a marina and Mediterranean mooring. Techniques such as using a spring, warping, surging lines and prop walk are all given an airing along with basic handling under power. This is followed by picking up a mooring, during which several methods to hook the buoy are suggested but no mention is made of the simple and effective RYAendorsed technique of throwing an open loop over the buoy. It was surprising not to find anything in this section regarding Collision Regulations.

Problem fixing is, at 16 pages, the smallest section and covers: engine, fuel and electrical problems, ripped sails, fouled propeller, gas leak and a fouled anchor. Given the increasing reliance on electrical supply by vast numbers of skippers I was surprised at

the scant two sides devoted to the topic – no mention is made of generators, a piece of kit high on the unreliability table, or of environmentally-friendly systems such as solar panels and wind generators. By comparison, the 32 pages devoted to Basic First Aid are comprehensive, clear, concise and well illustrated. Most common eventualities are covered except for electric shock, a significant issue with the high current supply from lithium-ion batteries and powerful gen-sets becoming increasingly common.

The primary topics in the Emergencies section are man overboard, fire, holed and sinking, running aground, rudder failure and losing the mast. Apparently, losing the keel does not bear thinking about. We then move on to helicopter and SAR boat rescue, abandoning ship and emergency communication. Understandably, the largest topic is the 12 pages devoted to man overboard and a variety of recovery techniques. Regarding liferafts, the very sensible advice is to get the fittest person in first to help pull up others as it may be extremely hard to get in. I was reminded of our sea survival course, where only two people out of 16 were able to enter the raft in a swimming pool unaided. All were only wearing T-shirts, shorts and life jacket.

Whilst the book raises many issues and poses possible solutions, it would be unwise to think that having read it you would be aware of everything you need to know to go to sea safely – and to suggest that you would is disingenuous. After studying it a novice would undoubtedly be better equipped, with a greater perspective of the breadth and diversity of knowledge required for safe seamanship, but the superficial discussion does not confer deep understanding of important issues. The authors appear to suspect that purchasers will already have good knowledge and perhaps vast experience. I do not think that anything new is brought to the table, however, and such buyers may be disappointed.

GMJ

A KNOT A DAY, 365 Knot Challenges for All Abilities – Nic Compton. Published in semi-rigid covers by Adlard Coles [www.adlardcoles.com] at £16.99. 368 203mm x 193mm pages including an estimated 1800 colour photos. ISBN 978-1-40889272-5. Also available as an e-book.

Other than the incomparable Ashley Book of Knots, which first appeared in 1944, this is one of the most comprehensive books on the subject that I’ve come across. Comprehensive in terms of the number of knots, that is, but much sketchier in terms of what each knot should – or should not – be used for. Although not specifically aimed at sailors it does, of course, include all the familiar sailor’s knots, whippings and splices as well as, to paraphrase the back cover, handy knots for making outdoor items (plant hangers, tree swings etc), for knot craft projects (keyrings, belts etc), magic ‘trick’ knots (escapology and vanishing knots etc) and even ‘fashion knots’ for shoelaces, scarves and ties.

The brief introduction explains the colour-coding system displayed on the page borders – eight colours to identify the five categories already mentioned, plus general knots, decorative knots and indoor knots. It would have been even more helpful if the contents list had been colour-coded, as I searched in vain for an example of an ‘indoor’ knot. I’m sure there were some – I just couldn’t locate them. Incidentally, while printing the rather cramped contents list on dark buff paper may have seemed cool to a young layout artist, it will ensure older knotters – kompologists if you want to be formal – in search of something specific will go straight to the index at the back which is, fortunately, printed on a slightly lighter, marbled background. In this reviewer’s opinion both contents list and index would have been clearer on white paper.

Most pages carry four or five photos illustrating how a single knot is tied, though a few of the most basic are fitted two to a page, while some of the more complicated ones, such as the Three-strand Plait Sinnet, occupy both sides of a spread. In terms of photos, I think pride of place goes to the Dog Toy (a rather neat bone look-alike) with a sequence of 12 knots across two pages. In contrast, the humble granny knot is covered in two photos on half a page.

Some variety is introduced by the use of different coloured lines and backgrounds, while the coloured borders allow for a variety of ‘uses’ within the overall sequence of easy-to-difficult. Most will probably dip in at random, and there’s no doubt that with a suitable piece of line and some time to spare this book would be both entertaining and instructive. What I suspect no-one will do is work through it day by day over the course of a year. It would be a handy book to have aboard on a long passage when time can hang heavy, while family crews could certainly use it as a source for competitions and challenges – or possibly to settle arguments. Well-produced on heavy paper between robust though flexible covers, A Knot a Day should justify its relatively high cover price by lasting for many years. The ‘fee’ for reviewing a book in Flying Fish is normally the book itself, and this is one I anticipate returning to quite frequently.

AOMH

BREAKFAST WITH DOLPHINS – George Fohr. Published in soft covers by Tredition GmbH at £9.28 / €14.99. 256 190mm x 123mm pages, including 12 of photographs. ISBN 978-3-3471-7682-9. Also available for Kindle.

In 2002/3, German-born George Fohr and his wife Beate sailed their yacht Athene 5500 miles from their home in Holland around the eastern Atlantic. George wrote about this voyage and his book was published in Germany. Years later, a conversation with a friend put an idea in his head – why not write a new edition in English, with extra stories from their more recent cruise, and include more details of their adventures and the fascinating people they met? Books in English sell many more copies than any other language – important if you are self-publishing and hoping to make some money, or at least cover your expenses. George thought it would also be an excellent chance to improve his English language skills (which were already pretty fluent) but, on his own admission, ‘be a pain in the neck for native speakers’! Unfortunately, he’s achieved exactly that, as being a fluent speaker isn’t quite the same as being able to write fluently in another language. This book is hard work to read at first – it would have benefited from a professional translator, or at least a good editor. Flying Fish publishes many excellent articles from non-native English speakers, which get as much, or as little, ‘tweaking’ as necessary. Having said that, I’m full of admiration for anyone who is bi- or multilingual so this isn’t intended as criticism, just an observation.

Back to Athene and her crew, who set off again, hoping to recapture some of the fun they’d had first time around. In May 2019 she was launched on the north German coast, from where they cruised to Denmark and explored Copenhagen, before sailing over to Sweden and up to Norway, about which the author writes at length, packing in much interesting information about the country. Eventually they crossed the North Sea to Scotland, entering the Caledonian Canal at Inverness. Athene continued west to the Hebrides, where they cruised the islands as far north as Stornaway on the Isle of Lewis, tasting – and buying – plenty of whisky along the way. George’s descriptive narrative gives a real flavour of their surroundings and the people they meet, from other cruisers to café staff. They found strong Scottish accents hard to understand, but were reassured to be told that English sailors had the same problem!

So on to Bangor in Northern Ireland, from where they visited the Titanic Museum, and south to Howth for a visit by train to Dublin, where we get more astute observations of the city and its inhabitants. From Arklow it’s over to Wales, where bad weather made them put in at Milford Haven, and finally south to A Coruña in Spain, from where George and Beate visited Santiago de Compostela. Lack of wind meant motoring down the Spanish coast, with stops in Vigo and Bayona, and on to Portugal where they enjoyed sampling port in Porto. George writes entertainingly – in his rather Germanic English – about the history of the city from Roman times. After nearly four weeks in Porto instead of the intended five days it was getting colder, so Athene pushed on south to Cascais, followed by stops in Lagos and finally Vilamoura.

By now it was March 2020, and tourists were disappearing fast as the cafés and restaurants closed and supermarkets restricted the numbers of shoppers who could enter. Following two months of strict lockdown, yachts were allowed to cruise locally but not to leave the country. This is where George’s story ends for now – he and Beate are ‘living in the moment’ and dreaming of the day that they can resume their travels and reach the Azores and beyond.

The author’s reflections on the Iberian way of life are interesting and perceptive. He has deliberately set out to record their travels on land rather than the routine sailing passages from place to place – he did that in his first book, so the sea conditions get only a brief mention, which works well. He spends a lot of time observing people in the street and on buses, and has some amusing comments on the vagaries of human behaviour. A chartlet showing their route would have been helpful, but the 24 captioned photos grouped together at the end have reproduced well, despite not being printed on photographic paper.

My feelings about this book changed as I read it for this review. After initially being irritated by the author’s sometimes clumsy use of my mother tongue, I found myself rather enjoying his style – you could almost hear him talking. His enthusiasm for everything and everyone they met overrode my perhaps rather petty objections, though he could still use a good editor! Perhaps surprisingly, I’d recommend this book.

EHMH

Initially George included no details of Athene in case they distracted from the ‘travel narrative’, but changed his mind on learning that other cruisers might find this decision strange or even annoying. Newer copies should include that Athene is a Cumulant 38F, a long-keel 11∙55m sloop built of steel in Holland in 1990.  145