Tag: english channel

Gotty and the Guv’nor

Gotty and the guv’nor: a true narrative of Gotty’s doings ashore & afloat, with an account of his voyage of discovery on a shrimping bawley in the English channel

There are many smiles and a few laughs in this daft old book published in 1907 – though it might reasonably be subtitled ‘a true collection of the sorts of stories waterside blokes are apt to tell even today’.

Read a writerly little piece about the author, novelist amd journalist Arthur E Copping, here.

My thanks to Nigel who runs the the Bexley London Borough Blog for leading me to this one!

PS – I gather from Dick Johnson (see comments below) that there’s another Gotty book Gotty in Furren Parts, but I’ve been unable to find an archive link, and it does seem to be pretty scarce… Shame!

Man on the River needs a motorboat helm’s help to cross the Channel

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Environmental campaigner and long distance rower Giacomo de Stefano has stopped off at Oare Creek near Faversham and is greatly impressed by the size of its tides and doubtless also by its peerlessly gloopy mud.

He has also met some well known local boating people, including Leena Reekie and Bob Berk.

Giacomo’s rowing his Iain Oughtred-designed Ness Yawl from London to Turkey via 15 countries with a companion, and from reading his weblog I believe he may need an experienced sailor to helm his support boat across the English Channel in a few days. Does anyone out there fancy an out-of-the-ordinary sea trip complete with cameras? It might be fun… If you’re interested and know what you’re doing, contact Giacomo via his website: http://www.manontheriver.com .