Follow The Boat » through the porthole

The Holtz Family of s/y ‘Tiger’

Jamie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:00:29 +0000

This, our first official followtheboat podcast, is an interview with a young south African family half way through a sailing circumnavigation. They've visited a staggering 30 counties in 3 years but their trip has been put on hold as they attend to a dismasting hiccup! As if that's not enough, Ronnelle has returned to their home in America for three months, leaving dad Neil to look after Emille, 7, and Pete, 5. There'll be hell to pay if that mast isn't up when she returns in the new year!

Ilkin of Delta Marina, Northern Cyprus

Jamie — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 10:04:20 +0000

Source: Liz Cleere" title="116" />It's an exciting time for the manager of Delta Marina, who has doubled its berths to 80 in the last few years. With the borders between northern and southern Cyprus now open, hope for relaxation of trade restrictions and loosening of prohibited areas, the cruising scene is set to expand very quickly. “The Minister of Trade [who, incidentally, spoke at the rally reception we attended] has stated that tourism is Northern Cyprus's number one priority. Key to this is sailing, which is one reason why they are building a new marina up the coast from us”.

Banu of Yacht Plaza Hotel, Fethiye, Turkey

Jamie — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:51:48 +0000

Banu and Batu's progress has not been without its problems, however. Despite running their family business now for over 20 years they have had some run-ins with the local marina next door, who have only been here for five years. When Banu told me of the bribes Ece Marina have been offering her in order to close her down, I was disgusted.

Gwen of ‘KW’

Jamie — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:13:22 +0000

Gwen is a first generation Swedish American, though she does now claim to be Canadian: “Since Bush came to power I refuse to be acknowledged as an American. I worked in the foreign service on hardship programmes and trained in Washington before being posted to West Africa. A great experience marred only by the eleven obligatory injections. Despite majoring in a variety of subjects for 16 years I never actually got a degree so officially I wasn't allowed to become an officer in the foreign service, but I'd built up so much experience they made me an officer anyway”.

Gina of ‘Impulse’

Jamie — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:05:13 +0000

When one meets a self-confessed moody old crook who was infamously known as 'The Bitch of Smithfield', who hung out with rogues like Drinking John down the meat market, was courting a bank robber and has set light to more cottages and cornfields than I care to count, one imagines getting the imposing Gina to drop her guard to be a bit of a challenge.

Isabel and Pedro of ‘Issotta’

Jamie — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:11:18 +0000

“I was a nun for many years and Pedro was a priest”, explains Isabel with that angelic smile. “We were both on a trip to Rome to see the Pope, which is how we met. When we returned to Spain we cast off our robes and decided to go sailing instead”. Just like that? “Yes. We shocked both the church and our families by getting married. Within a month we bought 'Issotta', a Dufor 40, and invited our parents to see our future home. Fortunately they loved it and with their blessing we set sail the next day”. This scoop was just too good to be true: I thought the singing nun was a sixties pop legend, not a bright young sailor from Spain.

Sylvaine of ‘Apis II’

Jamie — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:58:42 +0000

I'm not sure if five beers at the bar with one of the Porthole editors counts as a 'management meeting' but I was getting a bit worried I'd been shirking my responsibilities as a journalist. With just two days before the print deadline I'd still not spoken to my proposed interviewee and I was thinking up excuses as to why pages eight and nine were going to be blank. Then in walks this beautiful French woman with an air of sophistication.

The Simm Family of ‘Storm Dodger’

Jamie — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:21:32 +0000

"It's a real eye-opener", commented Astrid. "Another time one of our girls used to get up at four in the morning to get the milk in off the door-step. When I told her she didn't need to do this she explained that her mother had taught her to steal milk from people's doorsteps. She was three." Sadly another of their foster children got into a fight in an underground station and was knocked to the tracks and killed. “Of course that was very sad", says Astrid, "as he'd only left our care a week before.

Susann of ‘Ilios’

Jamie — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:05:43 +0000

I only have one page to document the many, many things Susann does! From chartering to exporting generators, from motorbikes to oriental dancing, Susann takes multi-tasking to the extreme. After interviewing her I now understand why some people have 27 hour clocks by their bed. This girl does it all........

John of ‘Chagazee’

Jamie — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 06:25:31 +0000

When I worked on the tugs in Portugal my job was to provision the galleys, but I was also tasked with reminding the Portuguese ladies that the Brits were in town, so I would frequently recce the girly bars. Somehow I earned the nickname 'Shagga' by the Portuguese bar maids.