Just 23 miles wide at the narrowest point between Dover and Calais, the English Channel has separated Britain from mainland Europe since pre-historic times. During… Read More »Crossing to France: via Dover or Brighton?
This post tells of a remarkable mid-Atlantic rendezvous in 2015. It is an extract from the log of 45′ gaff ketch ‘Zeb’, skippered by Solent… Read More »A mid-Atlantic encounter
‘White sails enhance the beauties of Windermere’ is in the title sequence for this archive film of the annual regatta on Lake Windermere, 1934, published… Read More »‘White sails on Windermere’, 1934
In stormy weather, Solent Gaffer Ben Collins sailed his diminutive 100-year old yacht ‘Betty II’ from Keyhaven to Yarmouth, IoW to join OGA members preparing… Read More »A stormy crossing to the Isle of Wight
This extract includes a link to a video covering Charlie Barr’s move from Scotland to the US. The stern Scot was arguably the best racing… Read More »Charlie Barr and the ‘Atlantic’ story
Leigh-on-Sea cockle boat, ‘Letitia’ fishing no. LO220, later MN19, was built 1938 and retired from fishing in 1996. Like many other ‘little boats’, she was… Read More »Return to Dunkirk, 2000
After a brief introduction to the ‘Dunkirk Little Ships’ Keith Mosley shares his experiences of the 2015 Return to Dunkirk aboard ‘Papillon’. The event is run… Read More »Return to Dunkirk, 2015
View this short, evocative British Pathé archive newsreel, showing large yachts racing in the Baltic, 1933. There’s close-ups and long shots to help the viewer… Read More »White Sails, 1933
Arnside is located in Cumbria at the top of Morecambe Bay on the Kent Estuary. Historically the estuary was the port for Kendal. Unusually for… Read More »Crossfields of Arnside boatbuilders: 1840 – 1950