I was born in 1954 in England’s Black Country. I have lived in several of England’s regions, in Holland and in Nigeria, but for over twenty-five years my home has been near the rugged north Devon and north Cornwall coast where I love to stroll, gaze at the sea, take photographs and enjoy a pint within many magical pubs dotted all around the coast.
I have been to sea for brief spells: over the years I spent many weeks aboard a Danish-built wooden fishing trawler which I co-owned, voyaging around near all of the Scottish Hebridean islands as well as crewing on several occasions including during a voyage from Southampton to refit at Dartmouth – and a most eventful trip that was: a fractured engine cooling pipe filling the engine room with seawater, the bow caulking near all lost in severe pummelling as she pitched into heavy wave troughs, and eventually the assistance of the Weymouth lifeboat to bring us into port! Praise be to the RNLI! Along the way I became familiar with Poole, Weymouth, Dartmouth and Plymouth; much later I quite fell in love with the far south-west of Cornwall, Falmouth particularly.
I greatly enjoy real ales, reading (historical books for the most part), folk music (my favourite folk musicians being Devon’s own ‘Show of Hands’) and, with huge optimism, playing a very average game of golf.
The continuing voyages of HMS SURPRISE 
Alan, when you visit we shall tour the local breweries! You can sample away, and I will drive.
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Hi Alan, I have just read the ‘Fireships of Girontas’ that you kindly gave to us in Evora this April. It was an enjoyable read and brilliantly brought the character’s back to life! I particularly enjoyed the storm during their return to UK and it seemed realistic bearing in mind that Bridget and I used to do a lot of yacht racing in our own boats in that area! We learnt to sail on the East coast before modern nav instruments so could relate to Pat’s dilemmas and fatigue!
If you are ever in Biarritz area give us a call..we are in the directory.
Hope you are both keeping well. Regards John and Bridget.
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Hi Alan, it was lovely to meet you this weekend, and thank you again for the copy of your book. I know I shall enjoy reading it, and it fits well with the one I am reading at the moment in terms of period, as I am reading Michael Palin’s book “Erebus”, which covers the entire life of the bomb vessel form being ordered to its sinking on the Franklin Expedition, and subsequent rediscovery in 2014. In the poems section I found your “I once loved a sailor, one young bright and gay, – I’m guessing you adapted it from a version of The Bonny Light Horseman, because it fits perfectly with the tune – would you mind if I learned and sang it? (Credit will of course be given for the lyrics)
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Very fine writing indeed.I do think the books would benefit from better covers, though.A close second to Patrick O’Brian and definitely better than any of your competitors.
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Thank you, Keith. I am delighted with your thoughts.
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