From a modern perspective, the momentous voyages by Captain James Cook and his crews detailed in a new exhibition is probably long overdue.

The British Library – no not the Maritime Museum as one would expect – has currently an exhibition detailing in an interesting way the famous three voyages of (European) exploration essentially around the Pacific basin. It was an area virtually unknown to European navigators apart from the fringes in places up to the middle of the 1700s – strange as it may seem.

Larger than life poster in the British Library entrance…

As is often the case with these special exhibitions one is not allowed to take photographs … however, I have reproduced some bits from the guide, which is credited to the British library, although now public property.

The exhibition discussed the time period – The Enlightenment – when much was being discovered and worked out in a way not seen or done before. The passage through takes you aboard the ships and onto the islands and shores visited. Film sections discuss the longer lasting effects of ‘first contact’ with Europeans and many other peoples. Some comment was, I would say, bitter. I’d like to have asked if the status quo was wanted, i.e., the before. An Australian perspective by a native of the land and a person of European descent was interesting – both talked of our land, our joint destiny.

Page from guide…

I was greatly interested in spotting a River Thames situated in the top of the North island of New Zealand – whether or not it has reverted to its native name, I do not know. It has a similar shaped estuary – hence the name I suppose! The page above has my doodle noting this…

Further page detailing section on 2nd and 3rd Voyages…

The voyages…

I and the Mate found the exhibition very worthwhile and informative. It explores aspects not often discussed and made one think quite hard too … if we ever ‘find’ anyone out in space, some form of ‘first contact’ principle would surely be needed. Star Trek!

Go and enjoy.

Finesse 24, No. 35, Andantino.

She was built c.1978/9 and has come onto the market due, sadly, to the unexpected death of her late owner, a long-standing member of the Benfleet YC.

I agreed to visit the boat with one of his daughters and give my views on her and advertise her for sale on my site.

The boat has been undergoing work ashore at the Benfleet Yacht Club, which is on Canvey Island. The work was essentially cosmetic as far as I could ascertain.

Andantino has a standard F24 dinette layout, with galley to starboard. The heads and locker doors all operate. Forward are two berths.

A general view of Andantino.

Paint has been stripped off along the waterline/boot top area and stem. There isn’t a huge build up of paint to the hull. Nothing that a good rub down and recoat cannot sort out.

The boat is sloop rigged.

Note: a putty has been worked into the plank ends to the stem – this may be due to undue drying out at sometime. The boat has been out of the water for around two years.

The other point to note is that the boat was at one time cutter rigged. Not ’empty space’ between the two anchor cable rollers where bowsprit once passed through.

Putty to plank ends.

Looking down starboard side. Note blue paint not adhered to ‘original’ white coating under the lands.

Looking forward on the underside on port side.

I noted that the centre plate is ‘stuck’ in its keel slot. The winch, in the cockpit, operates and looks to be in a good condition with no play.

View of the transom. Rudder blade has been stripped. No defects seen.

The engine is a 2-cyl Vetus and looked to be in a fair condition. It is probably a 12-15 HP model. There is some water in the boat’s bilge which is salty. None is leaking out on the underside: keeping her tight.

The Cockpit is in a fair condition and has been kept covered.

Note water in bilge, as mentioned. The bilges and behind galley area looked at have a ‘recent’ coating. Timbers looked good.

Under the galley units – to starboard.

I did not view inside the lockers beneath the dinette seats. I am told that all berth cushions are available. Owner’s daughter has yet to clear out ‘personal’ gear and make tidy.

View, starboard, looking aft from amidships.

The varnish work has suffered from a lack of coats after much work some seasons ago. Some deck edges need attention.

There is a set of ‘tan’ sails aboard.

There are two batteries connected to a trickle charging panel on deck.

Under the poop is a fuel tank – it looks to be approximately 30 litres.

There are two GPS units (Garmin &Lawrence), a modern VHF, echo sounder & built in compass.

Below there is a Blakes heater thought to be a diesel version, mounted beside forward end of dinette.

It appears that the cooker is ‘missing’…

There is no history of when the keel bolts have been done, but the owners friends may be aware – the daughter wasn’t.

Ideally the boat should be cosmetically finished to hull and be placed in the water or a mud berth.

With some attention to what needs doing, I believe this boat has many years of life in her. The hull planking where stripped back is in a remarkable condition.

The boat is available as an, ‘as is’ condition for around £3500.00 – my advice is to make a sensible offer. .

Contact: Mrs Henny Pugsley on 07732 315330

A further contact at the Benfleet YC is Mike Cox.

Note: The views here are Nick Ardley’s and no responsibility for accuracy can be given. If you intend to purchase, I would advise a survey. As said, I believe the boat is essentially sound and only needs to be brought back up…

Any new owner should make contact with the Finesse Group where advice and camaraderie can be dispensed. There is a closed Facebook page, which you will need to request joining, and a web site.

http://www.finesse-owners-association.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1518607771700636/

Update:

Boat has been sold and is under new ownership at Benfleet YC.

Andantino painted up and back afloat.

Swans outside my Porthole – a film by Simon North.

Simon began this film some years ago now. Whilst other projects have come and gone in the mean time, this film has made it off the cutting table. It is: a wonderful picture of the life of some of the spritsail barges that came out of trade during the late 1940s through to the 1960s, and the people who owned or lived on them.

This was long before the advent of the charter barge, the job that barges have continued to do when the carriage of bulk cargoes eventually ceased. Barges morphed into motorised vessels or were simply dumped along the foreshore. The ‘lucky’ ones sailed on as yachts or sat as ‘humble’ homes. The spritsail barge continues to work on, carrying people, earning a living or simply as a means to defray annual costs.

Simon wanted to look closely at what life was like afloat for the families of owners who purchased an old barge to use as a floating home. Fortunately Simon was able to speak to a number of people who either lived aboard, some of the time, spent part of their lives aboard, or in my case, from birth to running away to get married…

The film. (It was upright before loading…)

The film is a nostalgic trip back in time to a different age, an age devoid of electronic communications and for some, electricity even … it opens with a discussion with Jeremy Larkin who was a school boy (public) when his parents bought the Five Sisters, a little barge of just 76 feet. It was his mother, Peggy, who led this ‘game’ for her husband was away at sea serving in the Royal Navy a lot. It was a career into which Jeremy followed. Their barge was around the size of the Henry, which currently sits ‘mouldering’ alongside Standard Quay in Faversham.

To me, what was clear was that the ‘children’ weren’t around all the time. The barge was sailed to Paris where Jeremy’s father became a Naval Attaché. After being hit by a crane barge during a Seine flood the Five Sisters was badly damaged and soon sold after her return to England.

We then jump to a barge called Montreal, a lighter built in 1902 but rigged out during the 1970s. She finally went ‘upriver’ to a mooring above Battersea. From there she went to Erith c2014 and was broken up as beyond redemption … Simon tracked down owners who lived and sailed a little on her. I was ‘crying out’ for these folk not to keep referring to her as ‘the boat’. A thing I have! But, all the same it was interesting.

My dear wife had begun to chunter by this time for something had struck her – more of this later. I alluded to it earlier.

Cargoes are discussed, including the carriage of coal – Lots Road Power Station sat across the river from Montreal’s berth … and here the barge’s last owner still pines for the river’s aura that he enjoyed during life afloat. Marriage took him off to a fully functioning modern abode, ashore!

Other owners of Montreal and Imogen Stubbs, who spent her early years aboard the Cetus and later on Resourceful , all talked of the camaraderie of the floating communities in which they lived. I would agree with this. Simon briefly touched upon the Cambria, being the last sail trader carrying solid goods.

There is a touching piece when a young lady talks about climbing the rigging of the Montreal behind her father – something she clearly wasn’t supposed to do. It was discussed with great excitement … and I smiled wryly for this was part of my life and that of my siblings from an early age. We were expected to ‘do’!

The back cover with pictures. of barges and families..

After a look at modern sailing barge matches, I was suddenly aware ‘we’ were aboard my Whimbrel sailing off the eastern end of Canvey Island along the edge of the London River’s wide open Sea Reach. Back at the mooring, Simon is soon opening me up on my barging childhood, and that of my siblings.

What struck me was that I was the only one to openly talk, with some humour, of the hardship of endeavouring to keep the May Flower (my floating home) going. The efforts taken by all the family in this task were continuous, but we not only kept her afloat for a little more than thirty years, we kept her sailing for a quarter of a century after her trading life ended.

I sat, fascinated, as I listened to myself discussing the way of life. The ‘responsibilities’ post school. The ‘trades’ we learnt without hesitation. You’ll need to read The May Flower A Barging Childhood to really understand this … what’s not written would fill another volume… The book is still available, being in print continuously for eleven years now.

The May Flower (Blt 1888) remained the oldest sailing barge in sail until superseded by the little Cygnet after her 1970s rebuild. Both were built by Currel of Strood, Kent.

I believe Simon has completed something here that is truly historic. It is a record that will eventually, sooner rather than later, be impossible to tell, for most that experienced this life are aging … none of us can live for ever!

Many in the barge world today live in a world seen through ‘rose tinted glasses’ sailing on vessels that have largely been rebuilt – are certainly in better condition than when carrying their last cargoes. Yes, it is a hard life being a bargeman. But, for most it is a paid job. There is a home to go to and for many barges, come the end of the weekend, the scuttle is locked and she rests alone…

Living aboard a ‘modern’ barge (Thames or ‘Dutch’ type) is often described as idyllic. This permeates a little at times in the film. It certainly wasn’t like this in the early decades Simon covered or that of my own experiences. Yes I have good memories, historic memories. But would I like to do it again. No! I think my siblings would agree!

My wife said, ‘What comes across is how different the Ardley children’s experiences of living aboard a barge was…’

Hmmmmm…

Well done Simon.

The film is available as a cassette CD at: artbargestudio@gmail.com at £15 including p&p, or from Simon’s youtube page, see:

https://youtube.be/YWLRbfDbsyU

Some months ago I ‘accidentally’ sailed across the stern of Dick Durham’s newest vessel, Betty II when she ‘arrived’ home at Leigh-on-Sea. Unknowingly, Dick’s arrival in a faint breeze was being filmed by Bob Aylott who makes classic boat films. His work covers the ‘not so classic’, those ignored by other classicists.

Anyway, finally after three attempts we were able to get going: the weather, wind-wise, has been dire! On Whimbrel’s birthday, 14 April, to the day for it was on a Saturday she was launched in 1984, we met up with Bob at the Island Yacht Club.

Leaving…

After introductions and a cup of coffee we got started … filming ‘getting ready, then ‘arrival’ walking together and holding hands along the narrowish walkways (I stole a kiss – on film!), interviews aboard and finally getting underway. Bob was taken out by another club member, Simon Lawrence aboard his motor craft, a meaty steel type, called Mag-da-Lyn.

On a ‘pass’…

Once clear of the creek we sailed to order, engine puttering quietly at times to get into position for passes … until finally we headed for home, chased some 2 metres astern by the film boat!

Come on … closer … Bob filming!

At one point Christobel made some coffee and we called over to the film boat that we’d pass some cake on the next reach by. Looks of disbelief ensued … that was until I tacked and Christobel positioned herself close the shrouds, plate at the ready! I saw Bob filming – not thinking he’d use it, but, sure enough it is on the film. Wonderful!

One of Bob’s comments was about the Island YC, its amazing grounds, obvious work party and the sheer beauty of the location, he was quite touched by it all.

See the piece at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dulwv6v40z4

And, many thanks to Bob Aylott, the Island YC, the club work party, and Simon Lawrence and his boat’s crew…

Boat for Sale:

I have been sent a few details and a couple of pictures of a Finesse 21 that is reluctantly being placed on the market. She has been owned by an ‘old salt’, Peter Silsbey, since 1988.

Serenity is sail number 74. Her build date is said to be 1984. She is gaff cutter rigged, with one headsail, but a staysail may be part of her wardrobe.

Serenity under sail on the R. Medway.

It is known that she has been well cared for and is currently ashore (for winter) at Gillingham Marina.

Peter can be contacted on 01634 581967. If you would like Peter’s postal address then please contact me or, of course, phone Peter himself.

 I have no other details – I believe Peter is open to offers.

For a later built boat she is unusual in having the older style cabin top…

Serenity at her long term moorings in the mud berth section of Gillingham Marina.

One of my favourite authors is Joseph Conrad and being over in Kent with a car rather than by water aboard Whimbrel, I looked up where he was buried after his death in August 1924. I had been given a biography of Conrad’s life written in the context of the age he lived in – during the great growth of the British Empire and its probable peak.

I have ‘consumed’ many of Conrad’s works and some have been read and re-read – Mirror of the Sea, Secret Agent and Heart of Darkness are three favourites. But others have enthralled too. The aforementioned have the Thames, in Sea Reach, and London in their make up, which adds to their allure. I am now on a collecting ‘spree’ fuelled by my dear wife to obtain a larger collection…

Anyway, we were celebrating our 40th Wedding Anniversary and Christobel came up with the idea of ‘popping’ over to Faversham and staying at The Red Sails Hotel – good food. Lovely town. We’re off elsewhere too… I’d read that Conrad’s final home was just a few miles from Canterbury and Faversham is close by. A quick search revealed the whereabouts of Conrad’s grave – The Canterbury Cemetery, Harbledown, on the Faversham side of Canterbury.

Arriving outside the cemetery we parked up and ambled in. It was a grey day, a typical thick day at sea sort of day, with a little drizzle. Seeing some lights at a little stone building some distance from the cemetery’s church, we made our way along a well made up pathway and knocked. A voice called us in … I got to about half way through asking about Conrad’s grave site and a young gardener/grounds man got up and said, ‘follow me … we get lots of people asking…’!

The chap set off, at a pace, the Mate, in her ‘clip-clop’ heels strode along beside me, skipping as the passage took across not so firm grass!

Then there it was, an obelisk of hewn stone … commemorating Conrad and his wife, Jessie.

Joseph and Jessie Conrad’s grave stone.

The stone has been set in a square with tablets for sons, and grandsons etc and other family members.

The family grave site…

Interestingly, on google earth, the site can be located to the ‘top corner’ of the cemetery should you wish to make your own pilgrimage … I, in particular, was so pleased to have been. The Mate too, it appeared…

I didn’t actually receive any ‘Conrad’ gifts for the event being celebrated, but am assured that if books are listed on a ‘desired’ list, then they’re likely to appear … but I did find these classics amongst my parcels!

Francis B. Cook – Small Yacht Cruising, and Coastwise Cruising…

Grant Allen – Tidal Thames (a reprint), and Francis B. Cook – Weekend Yachting.

I shall report as and when…

In September 2016 the Grain power station chimney tumbled in a huge ball of dust and 2018 was the final year for the chimney upriver at Kingsnorth to come down. The ‘tumbling’ was delayed due to a bout of heavy snow some two weeks ago, but even after another lesser dumping, all was ready…

So, on Wednesday last (21st) I abandoned my good Mate: she decided to enjoy the comforts of an ’empty marital bed’ rather than a snug thick duvet aboard Whimbrel, and sailed over to Queenborough on the afternoon tide.

Kingsnorth’s doomed tower from by the West Leigh Middle in Sea Reach of the London River…

From a sparkling Sea Reach, the chimney stood, erect and proud, dwarfing the skyline against a blue sky. It looked purposeful even though it was essentially a piece of ‘Victorian’ engineering built in a modern age during a burst of electrical generating needs and to ‘prop up’ Britain’s ailing coal industry – other countries went nuclear. We began a programme and then stepped aside allowing other countries to steel a march on our expertise… Hey ho!

There was a sparkling west-nor’ westerly and I made a grand passage over towards Grain, cutting well inside the tower to gain some ‘westing’ to compensate for the tide, which was on the turn.

Queenborough bound across the Grain…

It wasn’t long before the Queenborough Spit buoy was passed by. I called the harbour for mooring instructions – still before four, but nil response. So, resorting to time honoured tradition I picked up the most convenient mooring near to the landing…

Queenborough in my sights…

As soon as I got moored, I sent a text to my Mate for she’d implored me to do so. Bless! With my crew missing, I had to make my own tea! That drunk I prepared my supper, a pasta sauce with added pork sausage and vegetables. This was left to soak while I later went ashore to sample the ‘nectar’ in the Admiral’s Arms…

Whimbrel’s first sunset in Queenborough of 2018.

Kingsnorth chimney’s last hurrah…

Later that evening whilst enjoying a wee libation with my coffee, I gazed upriver, westwards, at the lights of the chimney warning aircraft of its existence. Reflected across the water those lights were ‘saluted’ by a ‘waving’ crescent moon, as if sickle about to cut ‘her’ down, on the gently heaving waters of the West Swale.

On Thursday morning (22nd March) I awoke to grey skies. BBC Essex presenters kept burbling about a nice day ahead so, after enjoying a bacon roll, I set off under engine. Aboard another boat planning to head upriver, no movement was detected. Later, with around 45 minutes to go I heard a call on Medway VTS … I chuckled for I knew there would be a little hiatus aboard!

Rounding Sharpness I set sail and tacked boldly upriver, outstripping a motoring yacht. With around fifteen minutes to go, I was dawdling about off the old coal jetty.

A view never to be seen again…

Getting into a position in clear water I fevered the sails to jog along gently and set the camera ready … I had to make adjustments to avoid a ‘drift’ towards the southern mud … a burst of engine and with distance gained, I returned to jogging along. Just in time!

The first ‘puff’ just below half way up…

I heard a ‘phut’…

Then a ‘bang’…

Going, going, going…

Well, she be gone…

The dust ball rose upwards before setting off downwind towards the east and a few anchored vessels which began to scarper…

Over went the helm and I ran off down river, homebound.

Coming round … keeping the camera on the ‘spot’…

As I sailed away, I lamented, that again in a short space of time the river’s views have been altered in a dramatic way. I felt a tinge of sadness: the Medway is an interesting river with all of its varied views – industries, population centres and open wild wastes – and the views I’ve known since a youngster have gone. But have they: the ‘base’ picture hasn’t greatly altered…

The talk I am giving about my book, Rochester to Richmond: A Thames Estuary Sailor’s View, at Canvey Island Library is fast approaching. Tickets have been selling well this last few weeks but seats are still available…

Library display…

I visited the venue this afternoon and the organiser is extremely happy with numbers so far and is really looking forward to the event. She also said that tickets will be available on the door too.

See: https://essexbookfestival.org.uk/event/nick-Ardley/

Briefly: Tuesday 20th March at 1930. (Do not use Sainsbury’s car park – it closes at 2000) Tickets – see link for box office. Also from Canvey Island and Haleigh libraries.

Display of my output over last decade or so…

Latest book will be available.

It would be great to see you.

Some while ago an invitation to attend the preview day of the annual exhibition of paintings by the Wapping Group of Artists. The date was duly put in the diary. It is amazing how these things race up on you – like the approach of our fortieth wedding anniversary which seemed an age away but is now but a few weeks away!

I shall not burble on, but place a series of pictures for you to enjoy – click on them to get a better picture…

There was a separate exhibition of pastels which we went round first, being a little early!

These pictures of the Exe estuary by Michael Norman caught my eye…

Some of the pastels were stunning. Christobel just loved a deep blue picture of sea and sky – out of our bracket though!

A group by John Walsom – top, Island Gardens; left, Isleworth at low tide; right, St Osyth, high tide.

Now, we have long admired works by artist Alan Runagall, who is a fan of one of the Wapping Greats – Vic Ellis. We missed out on one of his hangings some years ago. Visitors may notice a fresh view when visiting next…

A selection of Alan’s works on display … left to right –  (a moody) Kings Reach, West Mersea, Below Waterloo Bridge, Old Jetty Woolwich, Bell Wharf – Leigh-on-Sea.

Close up of, Thames traffic, Kings Reach, by Alan Runagall…

The Lady Jean at St Osyth by Trevor Chamberlain.

A picture of the Strood foreshore by Derek Daniels.

The picture above resonated through my bones: it was the dark painted line beside the blue boat by jetty. I spoke to the artist … the picture was started some years ago. On a return visit last summer on one of the groups ‘away days’ he took the unfinished work along. Of course, all is now different. Beyond the boat are rows of new housing around the Strood Dock entrance, largely filled in now too. In the foreground the boats have gone, as to has the thin dark line and boat ‘upon’ it.

That thin dark line is the remnant of the spritsail barge May Flower’s broken up hull cut away to the level of her chine keelsons… Those remnants were grubbed up some years ago now. But, out in the mud, I am certain her burnt stern frame knee and rudder foot remain. The artist was fascinated to hear the story!

Canoists at Richmond – John Stillman.

Group by John Bryce…

A view across to Rochester Castle by John Killens.

Hollow Shore by Robin Mackervoy caught my eye.

Hollow Shore is a part of the world known by foot and water. I could see, in my minds eye, Whimbrel creeping up on the fresh flood with a light northerly filling her jib…

These are but a few of what we had the pleasure of viewing. If you are interested, the exhibition is running for a further week until 10 March 2018.

See: www.wappinggroupofartists.co.uk

See also Mall Galleries: https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/wapping-group-artists-london-river

Dick Durham has been around a bit. He learnt the craft of the swatchways in his childhood, dabbled amongst old barges with various friends and even sailed aboard my sailing home, the spritsail barge May Flower, in his early teens.

Dick was the last trading sailing barge mate. After signing off of the spritsail barge Cambria when Bob Roberts sold her to the National Historic Ships Trust, he worked with a sail training organisation until settling down to college life to study journalism. Some years were spent as a Fleet Street ‘Hack’ in the dying days of that street’s many famous news outlets. Dick finally pitched up in the offices of Yachting Monthly where he spent a goodly number of years heading various sections before retiring, in a fashion, a few seasons ago.

Along the way Dick has written biographies about Maurice Griffiths, Bob Roberts and the Royal Sussex Yacht Club (A History). He has also written a ‘follow up’ to Swin, Swale and Swatchway, by H. Lewis Jones, called On & Offshore. There was also a collaborative east coast book with others.

But, Dick has made a departure for a new landfall: a novel.

Dick’s latest literary work is a novel: A Tide for Drowning.

The book is published by Amazon. ISBN 978-1-5207-7962-1

On a Saturday work party down at the Island Yacht Club, Dick mentioned his new book to me … I was intrigued, so I took the plunge – always good to help a fellow sailing author, or any for that matter…

The book is a crime story. It’s not so much a ‘Who done it’ but a ‘Why done it’…

Following in my good wife’s wake I have built up a liking for some types of crime fiction – usually of the older variety – those by people such as, Allingham, Sayers, James et al – and more recently have dipped into Tey… Christobel is an avid reader of all these works and more by other authors, not being afraid to give a stranger a go!

So, after reading the blurb, I dived in. I was hooked.

A woman has been ‘strung up’ on an estuary beacon. The tides are neaps, they’re soon to begin rising. She has six days to contemplate death … out at sea, yet not at sea: at low water all is dry.

I was soon drawn into a web of circumstances weaving a network of people into an interconnected tragedy.

Hervey is the main character, but doesn’t appear until later.

After the initial horror, the tale is set by a racy climatic liaison between two lusting women. One, the ‘bored’ housewife of a rich city cad, the other, a high flying banker’s PR executive. They met at an Alzheimer’s charity dinner at the mansion House … a threesome evolves, hubby wants both. They move onto a club … the wife walking to her car, is kidnapped.

We’re back at her ‘murder’ and meet Hervey. Earlier events are related and we ‘sail’ with him out into the estuary, with a previous victim…

The rich city type is in the same lodge as the ‘Police Chief’. A DI and his ‘side kick’ Dippy Daud, a refugee girl from Somalia who overcame prejudice to breeze through Hendon and become a Detective, are put on the case.

Characters are met and discarded but all have or had a bearing on Hervey’s life. He had a fraught and troubled childhood, an abusive father from a traveller’s background. Hervey inherits a run-down boatyard. His mum is in a home in her own Alzheimer’s fuelled world. Mum believes the ‘Germans’ have invaded … her captors, her carers. She gets hurt. The home, part of a group, is owned by the husband. Son is angry…

I felt some sympathy for Hervey, with childhood memories burning within. But, he is bent on retribution in the form of Calvary. Three have to die … the first was a bullying school teacher he re-met in salacious circumstances.

I’ve a deep love for the Essex ‘bad lands’ and the creek riddled marshes of the Essex Archipelago, which form the heart of this tale, and purred happily for they’re richly described to perfection by a man who knows his stuff. They’re Hervey’s territory too. And, here, Dippy comes into her own, drawing on childhood experiences of fishing the treacherous sand banked peppered Somali coast with her deceased father: she’s a competent boat handler. She understands tides and mud. She leads her ‘dippy’ DI…

For me, I feel that Dick is either Dippy or Hervey, parallels abound-.

The tale approaches a climax.

It’s a race against the tide … has it beaten them? Has its inexorable deed been done…

Wow. A grand read. A sound story and a deadly dose of suspense to set your mind abuzz.

I read late one night. It made me restless … I didn’t do it twice!

My favourite character has to be Dippy, a hero, without a doubt.

Any more Dick?

Dippy and the refugees…

Dippy catches her man…