What ever happened to Titty & Rodger?

[Peppermint]

Re: Duffers

"Better drowned than duffers: if not duffers, won't drown" The duffers didn't drown either. They run the country.


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[oldharry]

The two boats, Swallow and Amazon (actually called Mavis) are on display on the Steamboat museum at Windermere, together with Capt Flints Houseboat, and well worth a visit for Ransom fans of all ages.

Also see http://home.earthlink.net/~swier/sanda.html for pictures and details - also how to build your own 'Swallow' !

Links too from this site to Nancy Blackett - 'Goblin' in 'We didnt mean to go to sea' , also 'Teasel' and 'Titmouse' (Coot Club, & Big Six), plus loads of background info about the boats and locations.

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[Peppermint]

Re: I quite enjoyed the

TV series of the Norfolk Broads stories. I think it was in the 80's.

I've not seen them on tape or DVD though.

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[billmacfarlane]

Re: Are they worth reading again?

I've read "We didn't go to sea" 4 or 5 times, the last a couple of years ago. It's my favourite by far, followed by "Coot Club". I can still read them but my daughters weren't even remotely interested in them when they were young. The generation gap is alive and healthy I suppose.

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[AndrewB]

Re: I quite enjoyed the

Haven't they been suppressed because the children weren't shown wearing PFD's? Who says the nanny state never caught up with Swallows & Amazons?

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[CliveG]

Re: Secret Water

I too read the Swallows & Amazons books many times when young and have read them again in the past few years

A few years ago I had the pleasure of sailing in the "Nancy Blackett" from Wolvston Marina past Pin Mill, out pass the beach end buoy and on in to the Walton Backwaters and up into ”Goblin Creek” and back.
To sail in the wake of my childhood hero’s in the yacht they where meant to use.
One of the most memorable days of my life.

As we were coming back into Harwich a chap on a passing yacht asked if we had meant to go to sea.



<hr width=100% size=1>Dyslexia ruels k.o!

 

[ditchcrawler]

Re: I quite enjoyed the

The two videos(S&A,CootClub/BigSix) are still available.I got mine from www.choicesdirect.com.Sorry I can't do the link thingee

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[R_Jimlad]

Re: I quite enjoyed the

The Norfolk Broads yachts used in the Big Six and Coot Club videos in the mid 80s are still available for hire today.
They were from the Hunter Fleet, based at Ludham, and are exactly as they were built in the 30s, except for a few synthetic ropes and sails perhaps.
They do not have engines or battery power but instead rely on quant poles to shove the yacht along when the wind drops and oil lamps for lighting.
They sail superbly and are fast enough to see off most of their modern-day opposition.
Re-live the days of Coot Club and Big Six by hiring a yacht from Hunters and heading for the best part of the Broads above Potter Heigham bridge.
See Hunters' website:

http://www.huntersyard.co.uk/

I am not connected with the yard but am a big fan of their lovely yachts.

Coot Club Forever



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[Santana379]

Re: Secret Water

I was the friend who explored Secret Water with Mirelle and his son Alex in the tender, with the aid of Ransome's chart from the front of the book. Its very little changed since the 30's and great fun to do. The Old Gaffers Association run a race around the island there for classic dinghies as part of their annual Swamazons weekend. Its a very popular and a highly enjoyable spectacle and is on 23/24 July in 2005.

I am fortunate in sailing Ransome's old boat, the "Nancy Blackett" fairly regularly, and last year skippered the first re-creation of the voyage to Holland in We Didn't Mean to go to Sea with real kids in the real boat, ("Nancy Blackett" is the "Goblin" in the book). We even sent the same telegram they sent to mother in the book, but being 2003, we sent it as a text message.

The books are still great to read, but I would say that, wouldn't I? Also extremely good are the tapes of the books read by Gabriel Woolf. I don't know if these are generally available, but they can be purchased from the The Arthur Ransome Society stall, at www.arthur-ransome.org He has recorded 10 of them over the last few years, with Picts & Martyrs and Great Northern still to be recorded.

The Nancy Blackett Trust and The Arthur Ransome Society are both very well worth following up if anyone's interested.

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[Santana379]

Re: I quite enjoyed the

I don't know about DVD but BBC'S "The Big Six" and "Coot Club" are available on video. I got mine from W H Smith, but I imagine Amazon (no relation?) would also be a source.

The two stories are sold on a single video, entitled "Swallows and Amazons Forever"

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