Tribute to Richard

Richard was my closest friend and we shared stimulating treks and camping on Dartmoor and memorable campfires at Dawlish Warren before getting hooked on yachting. First via ‘White kitten’ which we picked up from the Channel Islands and sailed back to Devon, then becoming the owners in 1969 of 32ft sloop ‘Nereis’ – a vintage old lady with a pig of an engine and needing a new waterproof deck. We spent an autumn getting her seaworthy in a yard near Falmouth, then a summer working on her on the Exeter Canal.

Our first cruise was to reach the Isles of Scilly (always a favourite with Richard’s parents) but nearly came unstuck at  Lizard Head when a SW wind whipped up terrifying overfulls and the two of us were lucky to get back to shelter of the Helford River. In 1971 was the ‘grand cruise’ to Norway starting from Southampton, up through the English channel via Rye and Boulogne and visiting the Dutch Freisian Islands. We took on Ian Pugsley for the first part, then Ashley joined us at Borkum for most of the Norway leg. Unlike the Scilly Isles cruise, we had good weather apart from fog banks in the Channel which tested my navigation skills.

We crossed the Skagerrak from Esbjerg to Mandal and made Kur way along the Norway coast via Bergen to Sognfjiord, and reaching the foot of Jostedalsbreen glacier. Then we returned down south via Denmark and Kiel Canal.Our times together on Nereis (both happy and terrifying) created an unbreakable bond of friendship of trust and I am happy that Richard could recall our adventures so recently.