By John Simpson
Having spent most of my life as a professional yachtsman I’ve been lucky enough to visit many isles worldwide. Here are some of my favourites because I love Norman Lewis’s fine travel writing from the 50.s and 60’s and one of his titles.
There, here not because especially difficult to get to; hence can’t be considered special by remoteness but mostly by their atmosphere by the people who live on them. I’m sure there are many special for you too; but these are a few sailing memories.
Sheppey Island in Kent
From my early teens I grew to like Sheppey because of being able to sail there and camp in GP14’s with good pals. It’s a low flat island in the Thames Estuary about four or five miles away from where I lived at Leigh-on-sea. We had loads of fun exploring this area when we were in our early teens which wouldn’t be allowed nowadays. Due to health and safety reasons. There was a good sailing club on the north shore which having borrowed a Shearwater Cat. Plus, a very long tiller extension to allow use of going on the wire and using the trapeze. This makes it stick in my mind even now sixty years later. I was bought half a pint by someone then sailed back. Arriving slightly knackered before the tide left on our rack; even though it was a short couple of hours sailing with big concentration. I was cold and needed help hauling and putting this cat to bed.
Cocas/Keeling in the Indian Ocean
This was my first Coral Atoll after a night of nearly hitting this tiny group of islands roughly 600 nm. West of the Sunda Strait in Indonesia. This was my first Ocean voyage, and my Astro was only what I read in Reeds as we went along. There was an Aero beacon run by the Australians which helped me. They administered these islands with an airstrip that had been put in during WW11. Goff Whitlam (then PM in Australia) felt they needed to take away from the Cluny-Ross family that had owned them historically. Still keeping tithed workers that had been shipped in from Malaysia when Britain had all her colonies during the days of empire.
What made it wonderful was we escorted through the pass by a family of big Bottle-nose Dolphins. And the different turquoise colours of the sea, depending on the depth blow my mind away. I knew that these things were amazing for a boy from Leigh to see as the sea where I came from were mostly black.
Chausey
Chausey is a French Channel Island that many sailors might not include in their itinerary when visiting. Obviously, the bigger British ones are more popular with UK yachtsmen. Such as Alderney, Guernsey or Jersey. There are very strong tides here with the Alderney Race and you do need to be switched on to them. For many years the Divers Arms was my favourite pub., due local contacts and sailing there often with school yachts. Roland and his lady ran the local chandlery and the inshore RNLI lifeboat.
This tiny French isle is quite different. There are two passages into it. Large Spider Crabs which we bought, cooked and ate aboard, were excellent. Then later as the tide dropped by about 40 ft. we were able to walk the north passage as the sun began to wane. Whilst the boat was afloat in a very small pool of water. It was a fantastic day for all onboard that we’ll always remember.
Further south are the Minkes which have the most southerly public loo in UK. These are a messy rock area, that Hamond Innes described so beautifully in one of his thrillers. We didn’t have time to visit them, but they might be worth going to with enough time and fair weather.
Los Testigos
Los Testigos are a small group of isles that rather like Chausey that are only occupied at various times of the by fishermen. These islands were named by Christopher Columbus mean the balls in Spanish. Possibly because it was before he thought he discovered Asia etc. before of any real understanding the Pacific and Indian Oceans by Europeans. An amazing small boat sailor Trevor Osben and I decided to race to these islands after a beer. We left St. Georges, Grenada before dusk on our tiny boats. Knowing that the current would be help us make this short sail with gentle Trade wind conditions. In their wisdom the Admiralty told us that here would be an occasional light on these islands. Well before dawn after seeing no light I slowed my boat down and hove-too. Preferring to lose our jesting bet.
Once, dawn came I sailed into them and anchored with no sight of Trevor there! He arrived a few hours several hours later, after |I’d gone ashore in my rubber dove and asked the local Venezuelans fishermen about this light. It was driven by a battery when they needed it and then they had to carry up the hill. It was a beautiful place teeming with fish; only needing to drop a hook with no bait and you’d catch one. Another island paradise which makes you realize that man hasn’t yet spoiled everywhere quite yet. These and many other islands are lodged in my memory as beautiful.
All offshore islands are certainly worth visiting. Many now think that more remote the better but that’s not strictly true for me. Many of my best memories are about the people that life on them and love their homes.
Their generosity and hospitality as they enjoy in giving you the time to appreciate why I love them. As a sailor this is what makes them very special after a crossing at sea. Whether it’s just a few hours or several weeks voyage. If, it’s a major tourist venue or Pitcairn it’s always about people who live on them and love their home…
