“Sitting in Ramsgate harbour waiting for a brisk NW wind to drop before crossing the Thames Estuary, I noticed a small gaffer turn into the next berth. I offered to help with the lines and in no time she was berthed comfortably. The normal conversation when greeting a boat and its owner ensued. Where you from? The reply was up the south coast and the Caribbean. I blinked and took in the size of the boat, 22ft over the deck, ferro cement Percy Dalton Falmouth oyster dredger…” so begins the story of one of our featured classic sailors this month – Bob Cooke who met photographer-writer Mervyn Maggs and told him his eventful story – well a few of them really – from some of his 50,000 miles of sea time.

 

Bob’s shipwreck in the Azores is harrowing stuff – you get the feeling he only just hopped out of Davey Jones’ locker that time – read it in the Feb-March issue of Classic Sailor – in newsagents until early April or from us directly… tap: HERE

Bob’s Ferro Falmouth oyster dredger