John Passmore It’s such fun, writing this blog: You throw out a story like a seed in the wind – and back comes a saga. This is Diamond Rock. It looks uncannily like Rockall, except that Diamond Rock is a lot bigger – 175 metres. Also, it’s much more important: While Rockall only manages to extend UK … Read more
It is about 200 miles from Grenada to Dominica. It took me four days, and I ended up in Martinique. That’s the good news. It could have been Venezuela. The other news is that I found the Caribbean Current. Of course, I knew all about the Caribbean Current. It gets a whole page to itself … Read more
I am hoping that people will read this and say: “Ah, yes. Been there… done that.” If not, I am going to feel an awful fool. Because it’s happened again: I arrived back from the family skiing trip to La Plagne – it was great, thank you; perfect weather all week and not too warm, … Read more
Calling all native French speakers: i could use some help.I have to choose a translator for the Old Man Sailing book. I have a likely candidate but, speaking only “Restaurant French” myself, I have no idea if he’s any good. He has translated the first 500 words. Now I need some French-speakers to read his … Read more
Petit Becaye isn’t much of a bay. The pilot book describes it as “so small that four boats would be a crowd” and advises you to take down your sails before entering – but I forgot that bit. Anyway, I am the only one here. I don’t think I’ve had an anchorage to myself since … Read more
Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Prince William – Princess Margaret, of course… And now me. Mustique is not an island you can bypass. Mustique is one of those islands that actually deserves the words “unique” and “iconic”. Just north of the Tobago Cays in the Grenadines, it really is the world’s most exclusive (and most expensive) … Read more
This caused quite a bit of interest when I posted it on a writers’ Facebook group, so I thought people might like to see it here as well. I used to think that finding a proper agent and a proper publisher was the be-all and end-all for a writer. Now I’m not so sure. … Read more
I’m going to try and put a positive spin on this: After all I’ve said about not consulting doctors and carrying no pharmaceutical products aboard Samsara, I arrived in Grenada and went straight off to find the health centre. For most of the 23-day crossing from the Cape Verde Islands, my major preoccupation was whether … Read more
The three Frenchmen came roaring up in their RIB and cut the motor alongside so that they lay rocking on their own wake – the harbour suddenly silent, 9.9hp on tickover. “Do you want a lift?” said the helmsman. “Do you want a lift?” said the bowman, not realising I had turned down the offer … Read more
