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Here we hope to print some jolly good seafaring, 'one that got
away', 'shaggy dog', 'twas a dark and stormy night and the Cap'n said' kind of original stories.
If you tell a good tale, true or otherwise, send us what you'd like to see in print. Maximum 1000 words unless you've really got a good one in which case try us. If we can't resist it we'll make an exception...or publish it in parts...
If you don't think you're much of a writer, carn't spel, or whatever but it's an awfully good yarn, send it in and we'll have a go at tidying it up a bit for you...
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As we are featuring the loss of his yacht 'Stardust' elsewhere in the
pages of this edition, and his racing career in 'Portrait of a Sailor', we
thought you might like to share some of the true stories related to us by Dag
Blidback the Swedish veteran racer/cruiser/commercial captain. During interviews
with him in Trinidad, West Indies, just after his lucky escape from his blazing
vessel, there was a need for light relief, so we asked him if he had any funny
stories from his experiences...
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WILD BOOTS
"It was while I was skipper aboard a mega-yacht belonging to a gentleman
in California, on a seasonal basis, that I got to meet lots of movie stars and
television personalities.
We were based at Newport Beach, Catalina Island. I always remember Johnny Carson
as a very pleasant man.
One of my favourite neighbours was John Wayne, who kept his converted U.S. Navy
minesweeper, Wild Goose, down there because she ruined his view when moored to
the jetty in front of his home. She was a big ugly brute but with a certain
charm.
We used to meet in the supermarket, both pushing shopping trolleys about and he
was a regular guest for cocktails on board 'our' boat when several boats would
raft up together and party.
He had a garage full of fancy cars but his favourite was an ancient, rusty,
Oldsmobile convertible station wagon. He had had a modification made to the roof
over the front seats of the vehicle to enable him to keep his hat on whilst
driving! Along with that hat, he never would be seen without his cowboy boots
on either. I guess he was born with them on.
Well, the first time Mr. Wayne came aboard 'our' boat while I was her skipper,
he leaped onto the immaculate teak deck wearing his cowboy boots as always.
When I pointed out that this really would not do, the owner said " Get your
boots off, John, you heard the captain!" He scowled at me in a
good-humoured way but he took them off and spent the rest of his visit with
nothing but his socks on his feet.
The following season, he waited until he was certain that I was watching him
come aboard and leaped onto the deck wearing those wretched cowboy boots again,
striding away from me down the deck. He had gone only a few paces, however, when
he turned around, leaned on the cap-rail, lifted a booted foot up and showed me
the custom-fitted Topsider's sole he had gone to the trouble of having fitted.
Grinning, he pointed a relaxed finger at me. "Got ya" was all he
said..."
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BIG ELBOWS
Just into Naples on the European Championship, the dockside was crowded with
interested parties and spectators. I was bundling up the mainsail and jostling a
little with members of the crowd who were leaving me no room to function.
My elbow dislodged a nearby gentleman from the quay and down he went into the
drink, with his camera around his neck.
You can imagine how I felt when I discovered that the victim of my clumsiness
was no less than His Majesty King Constantine of Greece! Being a keen sailor
himself, he had come along to take a look at the competitors arriving.
The King took it very well, laughing so much that I found myself joining in.
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Good thing His Majesty had a sense of humour! What could be worse than arriving in
hope of hearing cheers of adulation only to find the chant has changed to
"Off with his head"?... have you an anecdote to share with us? Drop
us a line, we'd love to hear it!
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