Tag: johnnyjones.co.uk

More Ports More Storms, Sailing, Scotland, Western Isles, Zander Trilogy8 Comments

To the Pub!

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

The pub visited by the yachting crews from More Ports More Storms, in chapters 17 and 18 was based on a real place, the Mishnish Hotel and Bar, on the seafront in Tobermory. ‘The Mish’, near the pier on the harbourfront, is a favourite hang-out for visiting yachties and a great place for a pint, with a very convivial atmosphere. Wood-panelled and flag-draped, this is a good old traditional pub where you can listen to live folk music, toast your toes by the open fire and enjoy some local banter. Tobermory was built as a fishing port in the late … Continue reading To the Pub!

More Ports More Storms, Scotland, Zander TrilogyLeave a comment

Fastest promotion ever!

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

Excerpt taken from Chapter 4, Do it in style get out fast, in More Ports More Storms; On one occasion, by virtue of an unpredicted passage through the transit area of an airport in a war zone, the army awarded him a Campaign Medal for active service there.  This went some way to make up for the one denied him by the sea scouts.  In a service career littered with ups and downs, Zander experienced occasional minor ‘ups’, but principally major ‘downs’, the most significant down being his spell of two years National Service, that put his professional career on … Continue reading Fastest promotion ever!

General, Historical, More Ports More Storms, Scotland, Video, Website, Zander Trilogy5 Comments

Explosives and Jewellery!

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

There are loads of new short stories in More Ports More Storms, my second book of the Zander Trilogy, and I wanted to share with you one such story which involved  Zander, many years before he got involved in Sailing. How much is Fiction, I will allow the reader to decide, but let me say that I was there and have the T-shirt to prove it! In the late 1960’s, Zander was training to be a Chartered Engineer and was required to work at a place called Harthill, where construction was underway to create the first Motorway Service Station in … Continue reading Explosives and Jewellery!

Historical, Video8 Comments

Panoramic Video – Crimea

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

I made up the following clip from photos I took during a visit to the Crimea with my wife in 2007, during the period of a few years that tourists were allowed to visit. No one is allowed to visit there now and even  Russians need special authorization to be allowed in. The Defence of Sevastopol was a significant event in the Crimean War between Russia and the military alliance of Turkey, Great Britain, France and the Sardinian Kingdom. (1853-1856) The 349-day long siege, which lasted from October 1854 until September 1855, is depicted on one of the largest panoramic paintings in … Continue reading Panoramic Video – Crimea

A Storm in Any Port, More Ports More Storms, Sailing, Scotland, Western Isles, Zander Trilogy19 Comments

Auld Reekie – Puffer

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

The Puffer featured here in my books is the Auld Reekie, one of the last to be built for the Royal Navy in 1943. It was built by Isaac Pimblott at Northwich on the River Weaver in Cheshire. When it was subsequently demobbed, it plied its civilian trade around the western seaboard of Scotland. Victuals Inshore Craft (V.I.C. No 27) was initially designed, fitted out and registered as a shore-to-ship water carrier. She originally worked out of Rosyth then later at Scapa Flow before moving to the west coast of Scotland. She was one of a number of different types … Continue reading Auld Reekie – Puffer

A Storm in Any Port, Historical, Sailing, Scotland, Western Isles, Zander Trilogy9 Comments

Puilladrobhain

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

The following relates to Chapter 56 and 57 in my 1st Book A Storm in Any Port describing some of the places the crew visited. The crew of the Emerald sailed back across the Firth of Lorne, up the west side of Luing, before steering through the narrow channel that separates the islands of Easdale and Seil. They were all in need of some light refreshments, which invariably means finding a Hotel where they can sample some beer and local spirits, so it was Grunt, who suggested they head for Puilladrobhain – translated in Gaelic as ‘the pool of the … Continue reading Puilladrobhain

A Storm in Any Port, Sailing, Scotland, Western Isles, Zander Trilogy10 Comments

Ceilidh Night!

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

The following relates to Chapter 53 in my 1st Book A Storm in Any Port describing some of the places the crew visited. The crew of the Emerald looking for a place to drink, that had a wee bit ‘atmosphere’, ended up at the Kilmartin Hotel, near the Crinan Canal, where they had their first (and last) experiences of a Scottish Ceilidh! Apart from the warm welcome and customary hard drinking that was going on, Zander learned another traditional skill, of Playing the Spoons! So, what exactly is a ceilidh? Modern ceilidhs (pronounced kay’lee in case you were wondering…) tend … Continue reading Ceilidh Night!

A Storm in Any Port, General, Sailing, Scotland, Western Isles, Zander Trilogy13 Comments

Isle of Gigha

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

The crew of the Emerald set of for the Isle of Gigha, after their high-jinks on Islay, now looking forward to some rest. Ch52 – A rock or a soft place, in A Storm in Any Port. The Isle of Gigha is an island located off the Kintyre peninsula’s west coast (Argyll and Bute, Scotland). Gigha island has a total area of approx 14 km2 and a population of around 200. Gigha Island features mild climate, more than average sunshine hours and fertile soils. In 2002, a “community buy-out” transformed the island, whose population is constantly growing and new commercial activities complement the … Continue reading Isle of Gigha

A Storm in Any Port, Sailing, Scotland, Western IslesLeave a comment

Lost Youth – Jura

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

The ding-a-ling of a bell gave warning that the bar of the Jura Hotel was about to close and also brought the triumvirate’s evening of serious drinking and even more serious ‘blethering’ to an end. As usual, the intensity of opinion, on the most inconsequential of matters, had increased in proportion to the amount of alcohol they had put away. Now it was time to get back to the boat. All evening Grunt, not a seasoned drinker, had been matching his messmates, measure for measure and quaff for quaff, so by the time they left the hotel, he was by … Continue reading Lost Youth – Jura

A Storm in Any Port, Scotland, Western Isles, Zander TrilogyLeave a comment

Ardfern

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

Excerpt from Chapter 44 – A Stand In – Ardfern With his mind still full of what he had just seen, Zander went into the Estate Office where, as promised, his client gave him maps showing the positions of the lodge and the loch. They were copies of the  1906, six inches to the mile Ordnance Survey series, and although beautiful examples of the draughtsman’s art, they had no contours. All they showed was a scattering of spot levels and even fewer benchmarks1. Nonetheless, from what Zander could see, it looked as if his task might not be too difficult. … Continue reading Ardfern

A Storm in Any Port, Sailing, Scotland, Western Isles, Zander Trilogy3 Comments

Island of Coll

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

Excerpt from Chapter 42 The Battle – Coll A Storm in Any Port – Book 1 of the Zander Trilogy “Looking along the road, the Emeraldeers could see that the hotel was on the near horizon and a fair way off and unfortunately, there was neither a bus stop nor a telephone booth to call a cab. In their desperate rush to make their futile advances towards Seonaidh, the would-be smoothies had forgotten to ask her if there was any public transport on the island. The long walk to the hotel did not appeal to any of them but they … Continue reading Island of Coll

A Storm in Any Port, Historical, Sailing, Western Isles, Zander Trilogy11 Comments

Something Galore – Eriskay

Johnny Jones - Nonagenarian Author

The nearest island to the north of Barra is Eriskay and to Zander, that was probably the best place to go. His mind made up, the skipper went back up on deck and informed the crew of his decision; it was either Eriskay or turn back. Having come almost one third of the way towards the Outer Hebrides, his crew were not in the mood to be going back anywhere. To them Eriskay was an island of intrigue, romance and adventure and was not only the focus of the song, the Eriskay Love Lilt, but it was there that Bonnie … Continue reading Something Galore – Eriskay