Salty Stories from the Chair
by
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I was fortunate to arrive at St. Kilda after a prolonged spell
of high pressure so my first night was free of swell despite a
North Easterly from which I had a lee in the bay. However, the
weather worsened while I was there and a day later there was an
extremely unpleasant swell as the wind veered south east. No one
stays at St. Kilda in a South Easterly and on the Saturday night
all boats departed except for myself and 'Monacho'. I stayed
because I could not yet get around the deck and thought I might
have trouble getting the anchor up and then getting back to the
cockpit again.
The night proved to be all I feared: I rocked and rolled in
the considerable swell, twice almost being thrown out of my bunk
so that finally I slept on the cabin sole, which was very hard on
my shoulder blades. I was delighted when morning came and I
could officially wake up.
At around 8 am the skipper of 'Monacho' came over to see
if I was alright and if I would be leaving. I confirmed that I would
and that 'yes, I would be going through the Sound of Harris again'.
This was to be his venue but he said that first he would take his
charges round the 'Stacs' (rocky pinnacles) and other Islands. He
looked rather careworn, as did his stewardess who was with him.
I suspected that they had had a bad night like me.
I raised anchor without too much difficulty and motored
out of the Bay before raising sails and heading eastwards. A little
later 'Monacho' also left and went off round the Islands. I would
like to have seen them but the discomfort was such that I just
wanted to get to a safe anchorage and have a quiet night.
Later, I spoke with 'Monacho' who asked me to keep an
R/T contact with him on the hour. I was touched by his concern.
Another boat had heard his call and called him, so naturally I
listened in!
'Hello, Cubby. Where were you last night?
'I was at St. Kilda, laddie'
'Wasn’t it uncomfortable?'
'It was dreadful. We all rolled the long night in our bunks
and there were few for breakfast this morning'
'Why on earth did you stay, man. You heard the forecast?'
'Well, you see, there was this wee yachtie and I didn’t like
to leave him'
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About the Book
This book starts with a mixture of stories aimed at sailors new to sailing told through fictitious club chats. These are interspersed with some verses on sailing matters. There is then a true account,of a 300 plus sail against head winds while trying to teach a novice sailor how to handle his first sailing boat.. Finally there is the story of his singlehanded (for the most part) sail round Britain in 1990, in a boat rig he designed himself, raising money for the Macmillan fund (Cancer Relief).
About the Author
Ralph Hill spent all his working life in the media until retiring with ill health in 1980 Born in 1928 in Leeds, Yorkshire he joined the BBC first as a trainee engineer before undergoing National Service in the RAF. He then returned to the BBC as an engineer and qualified in audio engineering. In the 1960’s he changed over to Program division, finally becoming Head of Planning (Progs) in the North of England. He gave talks on the work of the BBC to clubs and associations all over the North and once giving the yearly Faraday Lecture in Manchester.