The Albatross and the Whale
The joys of travelling with a laptop. I've managed to find a bit of shade to write a quick note about English Harbour in Antigua where I'm staying this week. This is one of the few safe havens from hurricanes in the Caribbean, hence its establishment as a British naval base in the late 18th century.
The yachts are gathering here and in nearby Falmouth for the annual Antigua sailing week which starts on Sunday. I'm hoping to be sailing on the Open 60 yacht, Artemis, which won line honours in last summer's Round Britain and Ireland Race.
I'm staying in Admirals Inn, a quaint old place in the dockyard next to the old dry dock. It's humbling to think that most of the yard was built by black slaves who also quarried the rocks from the wharves.
The trouble with setting up office on the dockside - and it's not really trouble - is that the world comes to you. Lots of interesting sailing people keep dropping by and chatting. I have just been comparing children's books with an architect called Jamie Weisman who lives in Martha's Vinyard. He has a schooner moored across the harbour - a modern boat built to a 1930s design.
We were talking about whales and whaling - as you do - and he told me had written a book about an Albatross that laid an egg in the blow hole of a whale. "I was sailing across the Pacific and there was this albatross and I just got to thinking about," he said.
Then a couple called Sonia and David Stone were telling me about sim cards and the rip off charges imposed by the big mobile phone service companies. I'd forgotten about the exorbitant charges levelled simply when you take a call on your mobile phone. So the PR woman who rang to tell me about a pet food company this morning - a story in which I had no interest whatsoever - probably cost me about £5 just because I answered the phone.
In desperation she said that the son in the family had a sideline tasting cat food. That was quite interesting but not, I think, for FT readers and certainly not worth £5. For £5 I want takeover bids.
The yachts are gathering here and in nearby Falmouth for the annual Antigua sailing week which starts on Sunday. I'm hoping to be sailing on the Open 60 yacht, Artemis, which won line honours in last summer's Round Britain and Ireland Race.
I'm staying in Admirals Inn, a quaint old place in the dockyard next to the old dry dock. It's humbling to think that most of the yard was built by black slaves who also quarried the rocks from the wharves.
The trouble with setting up office on the dockside - and it's not really trouble - is that the world comes to you. Lots of interesting sailing people keep dropping by and chatting. I have just been comparing children's books with an architect called Jamie Weisman who lives in Martha's Vinyard. He has a schooner moored across the harbour - a modern boat built to a 1930s design.
We were talking about whales and whaling - as you do - and he told me had written a book about an Albatross that laid an egg in the blow hole of a whale. "I was sailing across the Pacific and there was this albatross and I just got to thinking about," he said.
Then a couple called Sonia and David Stone were telling me about sim cards and the rip off charges imposed by the big mobile phone service companies. I'd forgotten about the exorbitant charges levelled simply when you take a call on your mobile phone. So the PR woman who rang to tell me about a pet food company this morning - a story in which I had no interest whatsoever - probably cost me about £5 just because I answered the phone.
In desperation she said that the son in the family had a sideline tasting cat food. That was quite interesting but not, I think, for FT readers and certainly not worth £5. For £5 I want takeover bids.
Labels: albatross, Antigua week, English Harbour, mobile phones, sim cards, slaves, whalesThe albatros
posted by Richard Donkin at
5:09 PM
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