Michael Clarke
"I had the feeling that I could die here…"
The story...
Michael has long been a fan of sailing and has a real passion for boats. In his story he tells us of one particular adventure on the open seas…
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Michael wrote...
Kevin and Colim, sons of the author Michael McLaverty, asked me along for a voyage from Carrickfergus south towards Kerry, in the summer of 1961. In Valentia, they said ‘we’ll go home the other way’, by Donegal. Thus we made a record round Ireland voyage in Durward, a wee 18 foot keelboat, open cockpit, designed for racing on Belfast Lough. In 45 years since, eight boats broke Durward’s speed record, under sail only, but her record for smallest with crew living on board stands.
At sea, we sailed by wind and tide, day or night, with water for two nights at sea. We shared boat work in watches, two hours helm, two standby, and two resting. Navigation equipment was basic, a boxed compass pencils, school ruler and Admiralty charts. Each cooked a day in turn. Portion control was strict, he who put out stew on plates or sliced a cake got last pick - you never saw such accurate thirds!
After our student days, careers scattered us. I ended up in Fermanagh sailing a J/24 keelboat, Jeriatrix, named after a character in Asterix the Gaul. Durward habits have me calm and comfortable on wet, windy rough waters. In 2006, glass in hand I sat at Durward’s helm again, in jacket and tie, not wet wool sweater, at her 60th birthday lunch in the Royal St George Yacht Club, where she is owned today by Sylvia Tennant.
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