Book recomendations - Uffa Fox/Chi/Coastal Birds

[Judders]

One of the last jobs I did before leaving Merit a month or so ago was to clear the forepeak shelf that will contain luxaries (sp??) like books and a clockword radio. Since we are doing couply overnight cruising for the first time I had better install things PDQ. The cushions and the curtains are her department but I need some books. I thought that we better have at least one or two on/or by Uffa Fox (since Merit is a Foxcub), one to help identify the birds we'll see in Chi Harbour and oerhaps a little local history too?

Of course if it turns out that Uffa Fox once wrote a book about a bird he met in Chciester then we're laughing!

This'll all go on the shelf alongside plenty of Tristan Jones and a little Eric Hiscox. What other suggestions have we?

 

[Deleted member 478]

Reed's Almanac

 

[Cornishman]

Steve Sleight's Complete Manual of Seamanship
An Introduction to Spherical Geometry by J H Clough-Smith and once you have mastered that The Art of Astronomical Navigation by S M Burton. Then you are a sailor, my Son.
Or you could just go for Captain Lecky's "Wrinkles in Practical Navigation" and his book of tables delightfully entitled "The Danger Angle and Off-Shore Distance Tables". Fascinating stuff!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Unsound idea. All that weight in the forepeak, she'll sail like Red Oktober.

One copy of the Joy of S*x, kept in the main saloon, will be adequate.

 

[jhr]

[ QUOTE ]
One copy of the Joy of S*x, kept in the main saloon, will be adequate.

[/ QUOTE ] I was going to suggest "I, a sailor" by Morgen Holm which I am sure you will remember from your distant youth. Same subject matter, but more contextual relevance.

 

[Judders]

Actually Ken, I have so little weight forward that she trims badly which doesn't do well for my downwind sailing. I have tried not bailing the anchor locker and moving the battery but thus far, the only thing that has fixed it is 7st of SWMBO on the pulpit.

PBO Small Boat Almanak, 5011 and Tom Cunliffe's Shell Channel Pilot are all in the nav station.

 

[Cornishman]

Of course, if it's bird books he wants I suppose several copies of Playboy would do the trick.

 

[johnalison]

The most useful flying-type bird-book is Collins' Bird Guide; very well written and good pictures. Widely available.

"The Crest of the Wave " by U/F is quite a good read if you enjoy egotism in full flood. Might be around in second-hand shops.

 

[oldharry]

Go down to the Harbour Office and get a copy of their recently published "Chichester Harbour, A Reference Guide". Its a really excellent little book, price £4.00 and will tell you almost everything you need or want to know about the harbour, including an excellent illustrated section on the harbour bird and wildlife (furry, not the shenanigans down the Crown and Anchor on a saturday!).

I thought I knew quite a bit about the harbour, but this first class little book has told me a whole lot more! Good for kids on a wet afternoon too!

 

[graham]

On the same subject can anyone recommend a guide to seabirds around all the British coast?

I dont want to know a lot ,just to be able to name them would be good.

 

[vyv_cox]

Birds of Europe by Lars Jonsson is highly recommended. I own about a dozen bird books, field guides etc but this is the one I have on board. For reference here is a list of recommended books. The Jonsson book I own may have been superseded by the one including Middle East and Africa.

 

[Aeolus]

Seabirds: An Identification Guide, by Peter Harrison is superb

 

[Swanrad2]

Riddle of the sands (and the follow up or original can't remember which is which)
Sailing just for fun- Charles Stott? it's lovely.
FHM's bar room jokes.
Mail Speed's catalogue.
Next catalogue

 

[Epirb23]

Agree with old Harry,a great little handbook and a must have if you're in the harbour.

 

[Epirb23]

Regarding local history Judders,I know that an interesting book on the harbour was published last year and has some fascinating aerial photographs in it.Try the farmshop in Bosham for a copy?

 

[davies]

Birds by Character (can't remember authors). This is a "JIZZ" (general impression of size and shape) guide with impressionistic sketches indicating distinguishing features, flight silhouette or characteristic behaviour rather than detailed art studies of plumage. Example - "White-Tailed Eagle: Huge - like a flying door." No risk of confusion with a Golden Eagle after that.
One other unique sailing book (at least, it is well disguised as a sailing book) "Coasting" by Jonathan Raban. The more right-wing contributors to this forum will hate it, so it must be good!