Sophie Neville, President of the Arthur Ransome Society and “Titty Walker” in the 1974 “Swallows and Amazons” film, spent a week sailing Nancy Blackett in Dutch waters earlier this summer. Here’s the first part of her story…
This summer, I grabbed the chance to sail Arthur Ransome’s favourite little ship, the Nancy Blackett. If you recognise her it might be because she was his model for the Goblin in “We Didn’t Mean To Go To Sea“, possibly the most exciting and touching of the “Swallows and Amazons” series of books.
Nancy Blackett on Veerse Meer. Photo: Veronica Frenks.
I re-read it while we were in Dutch waters aboard the main character herself.
In the story, the Swallows (John, Susan, Titty and Roger Walker) promise their mother that they will not go to sea, but disaster strikes when the Goblin slips her anchor in thick fog, while her owner is ashore, and gets swept out past the Beach End Buoy at Harwich. The wind rises and the children find themselves sailing across the North Sea in a terrific storm before a friendly Dutch pilot guides them into Flushing.
The Beach End Buoy at the mouth of the River Orwell, Suffolk. Photo: Sophie Neville.
This year we joined Nancy Blackett when she had already made the crossing to the Netherlands, but we did take her through an old lock built in the same style as the one the Swallows encountered, albeit at the other end of the canal.
Nancy Blackett in the old lock at Veere. Photo: Veronica Frenks.
It was as if we had sailed into the pages of the book and lived out the adventure ourselves, learning about ropes and reefing each nautical mile.
Nancy Blackett in the old lock at Veere. Photo: Veronica Frenks.
Mooring up could be tricky, especially since Nancy is an old lady with a bowsprit, but unlike Susan and Titty, I never felt sea-sick for a moment.
Able-seamen at the halyards on Nancy Blackett. Photo Veronica Frenks.
Local author Veronica Frenks came out with us one morning, taking us up a creek to see the traditional Dutch barges and historic ships that she often writes about. She soon made plans to write about Arthur Ransome for “Spiegel der Zeilvaart”, a Dutch periodical. Here she is at the helm:
Sailing Nancy Blackett with Veronica Frenks and Sophie Neville. Photo Judy Taylor.
And here are a few more photos of our week’s sailing adventures:
Nancy Blackett sailing on Veerse Meer. Photo: Veronica Frenks.
Sophie Neville at the helm of Nancy Blackett. Photo Judy Taylor.
The crew looking out for Dutch barges. Photo: Veronica Frenks.
Dutch Barges from Nancy Blackett. Photo Veronica Frenks.
Sailing Nancy Blackett on Veerse Meer. Photo: Veronica Frenks.
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