This is about the (mostly) hilarious, clumsy shenanigans of a British Merchant Navy cadet on his first trip to sea. An innocent lad from the leafy lanes of Surrey during his first voyage from the grim docklands of London, across the North Atlantic to the Jungles of Panama and its canal. Then across the Pacific Ocean to several ports in the Land of the Long White cloud. (New Zealand) ¿.and back again. The main characters include me, Chief Clumsy Person. Steven, Assistant Clumsy Person. Cathy, A female of interest to the chief clumsy person. Morella, A female of interest to the chief clumsy person. Jo Jo and Barry, also cadets but not clumsy. (They had other skills). Various captains, chief officers, crew and party goers. All contributing to the education of the Chief Clumsy Person Readers will recognise all the mistakes, all the awkwardness and all the humour that the characters bring is just the same nowadays as it was in the nineteen seventies and probably the eighteen seventies! My book is about the humour of a life at sea and written in a way, hopefully, that everybody can understand and enjoy¿ not just the people who now go, or have been, to sea professionally. It contains a quote from Captain E.J. Smith, the Captain of the Titanic. This quote highlights the fact that if one wants to go to sea as a profession, then one must be prepared to live a life of extremes and always, always … Expect the unexpected. Going to sea for living is not without danger. The sea can be a cruel and unforgiving place and the tragedies and the people involved should not be forgotten. But it is right to highlight the humour, the toughness, the resilience, the professionalism and the stubbornness of the British sailor. Rule1. Expect the unexpected. Rule 2. Learn Rule One
عن المؤلف
Brian George. Born in 1953 in Surrey, England. Father Keith, an Aeronautical Engineer. Mother Pauline. A Tennis Coach. Had a good normal state education passing enough examinations to be accepted as Navigating Cadet in the British Merchant Navy. This despite being averse to any form of study related activity. Spent a year at The School of Navigation at Warsash, Southampton before being assigned as a cadet on the Blue Star Line vessel ‘New Zealand Star on a voyage to New Zealand.A twelve year sea going career followed before coming ashore, getting married (again). Having two children and working for ten years in the Driving Tuition Industry. Returned to things nautical in the early nineteen nineties by joining HMCG, (Her Majesties Coast Guard) as a Watch Officer stationed at the Maritime Rescue Centre in Liverpool, England. Retired at 62 and spent several years living in Crete, returning to the UK in 2018 to help look after elderly parents. Now lives in Norwich, England and Oslo, Norway, maintaining strong connections with Crete. Brian is now seventy years old, but thanks to an active lifestyle doesn’t feel a day over eighty five.