1. Nearly drowned attempting to help someone in their attempt to ' sort out ' their beautiful ' Dragon ' class racing yacht
in the local Gareloch.
2. The Solway Firth as mentioned in a previous item. ( Lucky to have survived ).
3. The Tobermory Boat Race. Always, for most people, a delightful occasion. A truly luxurious yacht with an extremely
well - experienced crew. Ten minutes after leaving we hit some rocks. The 'Skipper ' is 'doing his nut ,' never ever
having had this experience before. The keel is checked - all seems well, so off we go again. We are now well under
way, that is, until we slow down & stop. Ultimately a launch is hailed which in time manages to haul us of a
mudbank or something. I am now forced to give up filming & help sail the boat. In fact we do quite well &
overtake many of the other boats. I also manage to get some superb 'shots' from the top of the mast. My recordist
has become seasick. I get him to lie down at my feet below where I stand to reload film magazines & cover him
with old bits of sailcloth. Each time I descend to replenish the camera I give him a 'little' kick in the ribs to ensure
he's alright, if so, he groans, all is well, a very handy situation !
4. Lake of Menteith. We take little rowing boats out to an island in the centre of the lake. My boat runs aground.
During lunch the hotel owner is told of this event & says " Nonsense , no one is likely to do that "
Why is everyone looking at me ?
5. Sula sgeir. An island well out into the Atlantic where the Men of Ness collect & kill vast numbers of young Gannets.
I'll keep it short. A very small fishing boat. Poor condition. With a skipper studying for a Divinity degree & not the
least concerned when he leaves this world for the next !! Massive swell, late at night, dark sky, making little or no
progress. Hot smell from engine. Ultimately ceases to function. Now at complete mercy of a wild sea. Inside cabin
not knowing ceiling from floor. Already badly bruised. Decide we're going to be drowned eventually & would rather
go on deck. Up stairs from cabin, crawl towards a well in deck, wedging myself in as tightly as possible. Lie down &
wait to die. Boat is at all angles, at least I'm not being battered to death. A colourless fluid emerges from the corner
of my mouth, onto the deck & includes three little yellow blobs which I now recognise as my seasickness pills, a
situation which somehow strikes me as being slightly comical especially as the instructions mention taking more than
two can be harmful. The noise has become frightening - this is of a boat breaking up. Suddenly, crashing, tearing,
splintering & then, daring to open my eyes, I find the mast, or most of it, alongside me. What a pity, I had hoped it
might have landed on my head & provided a more humane form of death than by drowning.
I lay for what seemed hours. A voice called. Our most incredible, marvellous ' handyman ' had got the engine to turn
over enough to provide a 'sea' snails pace. I found canvas enough to provide a staysail. We turn & make for home.
We once had a bathroom in our house. NO MORE. It has been removed & we now have a shower -
I have decided not to expose myself to further risks
in the local Gareloch.
2. The Solway Firth as mentioned in a previous item. ( Lucky to have survived ).
3. The Tobermory Boat Race. Always, for most people, a delightful occasion. A truly luxurious yacht with an extremely
well - experienced crew. Ten minutes after leaving we hit some rocks. The 'Skipper ' is 'doing his nut ,' never ever
having had this experience before. The keel is checked - all seems well, so off we go again. We are now well under
way, that is, until we slow down & stop. Ultimately a launch is hailed which in time manages to haul us of a
mudbank or something. I am now forced to give up filming & help sail the boat. In fact we do quite well &
overtake many of the other boats. I also manage to get some superb 'shots' from the top of the mast. My recordist
has become seasick. I get him to lie down at my feet below where I stand to reload film magazines & cover him
with old bits of sailcloth. Each time I descend to replenish the camera I give him a 'little' kick in the ribs to ensure
he's alright, if so, he groans, all is well, a very handy situation !
4. Lake of Menteith. We take little rowing boats out to an island in the centre of the lake. My boat runs aground.
During lunch the hotel owner is told of this event & says " Nonsense , no one is likely to do that "
Why is everyone looking at me ?
5. Sula sgeir. An island well out into the Atlantic where the Men of Ness collect & kill vast numbers of young Gannets.
I'll keep it short. A very small fishing boat. Poor condition. With a skipper studying for a Divinity degree & not the
least concerned when he leaves this world for the next !! Massive swell, late at night, dark sky, making little or no
progress. Hot smell from engine. Ultimately ceases to function. Now at complete mercy of a wild sea. Inside cabin
not knowing ceiling from floor. Already badly bruised. Decide we're going to be drowned eventually & would rather
go on deck. Up stairs from cabin, crawl towards a well in deck, wedging myself in as tightly as possible. Lie down &
wait to die. Boat is at all angles, at least I'm not being battered to death. A colourless fluid emerges from the corner
of my mouth, onto the deck & includes three little yellow blobs which I now recognise as my seasickness pills, a
situation which somehow strikes me as being slightly comical especially as the instructions mention taking more than
two can be harmful. The noise has become frightening - this is of a boat breaking up. Suddenly, crashing, tearing,
splintering & then, daring to open my eyes, I find the mast, or most of it, alongside me. What a pity, I had hoped it
might have landed on my head & provided a more humane form of death than by drowning.
I lay for what seemed hours. A voice called. Our most incredible, marvellous ' handyman ' had got the engine to turn
over enough to provide a 'sea' snails pace. I found canvas enough to provide a staysail. We turn & make for home.
We once had a bathroom in our house. NO MORE. It has been removed & we now have a shower -
I have decided not to expose myself to further risks
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