Nautical (Nostalgia B)log
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Aberdeen Line
28 February, 2023
From the brush of David Bray Sea Breezes issue: March 2023 The paintings this month represent three phases in the…Read more
Empire Liberty
27 January, 2023
From the brush of David Bray Sea Breezes issue: January 2023 In 1960, my old friend Captain Peter Elphick found…Read more
Good Hope Castle
21 June, 2022
From the brush of David Bray “We’re NEVER late….we’re the Mail Boat” I was very interested to read the article…Read more
Royston Grange
21 May, 2022
From the brush of David Bray In 1973 I was sailing as Second Mate on the RRS “John Biscoe”, a…Read more
Arlanza and Penang
23 February, 2022
Published in Sea-Breezes magazine by David Bray and Simon Adams We have a breakfast bar in our kitchen, but it…Read more
The Great Western
24 November, 2021
From the brush of... In the development of merchant and naval shipping, the ocean-going paddle steamer was ultimately a dead…Read more
Big Ships Need Big Tugs
25 October, 2021
From the brush of... “Big ships need big tugs” said Sir William Hoy, Chairman of the South African Railways and…Read more
Alondra in the Mersey
26 September, 2021
From the brush of... When I was about 11 I started reading “Sea Breezes”. At that time the most interesting…Read more
Royal Archer
10 July, 2021
From the brush of... Almost forgotten nowadays is the fleet of small passenger-cargo vessels running regular services around the UK…Read more
Yellow Peril
28 April, 2021
From the brush of... As a kid in Great Yarmouth, the coasters of F T Everard were a familiar sight.…Read more
Sirdhana on the Hooghly River
19 December, 2020
From the brush of... The Apcar company was founded in 1819 by the Armenian Apcar brothers. Originally based in Bombay,…Read more
The Tale of “Teapot”
5 December, 2020
First published in the NWT Journal, Spring 1989 by “Leveret” (David Bray) The wherry lay on the White Swan quay in…Read more
Random Jottings of a Skipper
23 November, 2020
First published in the NWT Journal, Autumn 1986 Author: Admiral Elsan (David Bray) I would like to take space in these pages to…Read more
Breydon Days
22 November, 2020
On 28th June 2019 “Albion” and “Maud” sailed in company across Breydon”. I would guess that this was the first…Read more
Wherrying with Nat
12 November, 2020
I have often been asked the question – “How did you learn to sail Albion?” Well, it’s a long story, and…Read more
Sea Breezes – Otranto
11 November, 2020
From the brush of David Bray The venerable ‘Sea Breezes’ magazine which celebrated its centenary in 2019, is featuring some…Read more
Footsteps of Arthur Ransome
3 November, 2020
First published in the Spring 1984 NWT Journal. Author: Leveret (David Bray) Some things are precious, and among our most priceless…Read more
Dynamic Positioning
22 July, 2020
DP Operator's Handbook - 3rd Edition A major update of this definitive work is now available after a major update.…Read more
A Visit to Sydney
6 June, 2020
It was 1970. I was 2nd Mate in a cargo ship, the “City of Canberra”, sailing on the MANZ line…Read more
Nautical Health and Safety
17 May, 2020
I had always wanted to join the Merchant Navy. And here I was, cadet with Ellerman Lines. Joined my first…Read more
Ten and a Chinaman
12 April, 2020
(Why nautical speed is measured in knots) Ship speed is measured in “knots”, a knot being a speed of one…Read more
Queen Mary’s Whistle
18 March, 2020
In November 2014 I had a speaking appointment aboard Queen Mary 2. Very pleased finally to get to lecture on board…Read more
Small World – The People You Meet…
14 February, 2020
One of the joys of serving as a cruise-ship speaker is talking to the members of the audience after a…Read more
An Old Friend – John Biscoe Launch
3 January, 2020
From 1972 till 1975 I served as Navigating Officer in the RRS (Royal Research Ship) “John Biscoe”. This was an…Read more