Last Tuesday, Nancy Blackett was out on the River Orwell being filmed for Anglia TV for her 90th anniversary, but getting there was something of an adventure in itself, write Sue Coales…
It all began at Easter when Victoria Lampard, presenter for Anglia TV News, got in touch about filming Nancy Blackett as part of her 90th Birthday celebrations for 2021. I had recently been made press officer for the Nancy Blackett Trust and so it became my job to liaise with Anglia TV and organise a day of sailing, preferably with perfect weather, blue skies and sunshine. What could go wrong?
Arriving with the RIB at Woolverstone. Photo by Sue Coales.
Victoria asked to film Nancy Blackett sailing down the River Orwell past the places described in We Didn’t Mean To Go To Sea: Pin Mill, Collimer Point, etc. She asked if we could arrange for some children to be interviewed onboard who had read the book and could enthuse about the exciting story and what it meant for them.
The RIB and Nancy Blackett on the River Orwell. Photo by Sue Coales.
After a week or two searching for children to fit the brief, I was beginning to despair. Every child I found was either too young, too old, too far away or (dare I say it?) not prepared to read the book! I needed young versions of myself – where were they? Then it was suggested that I try Framlingham College. The school had sent their year four pupils (eight- and nine-year-olds) to Nancy Blackett for many years for a day of activities. Arthur Ransome’s book was part of their curriculum – perfect.
Nancy Blackett approaching Pin Mill. Photo by Sue Coales.
And so it was all arranged, except the weather, which was looking grim, and then even grimmer. The forecast looked awful, with heavy showers, hail, sleet, cyclones, hurricanes… – I lie about the last two but it felt like that. I was exchanging anxious emails with the school and Victoria right up to the day. If the weather was really bad, there was no way we could go ahead.
Preparing to come aboard Nancy Blackett. Photo by Sue Coales.
Tuesday 18th May dawned with wall-to-wall blue sky. I could not believe it – but would it last? When I arrived at Woolverstone, it was still perfect with a light breeze. Neil Brooks was Nancy Blackett’s skipper for the day, and I was crew along with John Starkie. Ian McGlynn, the Trust’s sailing chairman, was bringing a RIB from Levington so that Victoria and her cameraman Tony Aldous could whizz about filming Nancy Blackett with all sails set.
Victoria boards Nancy Blackett in the middle of the Orwell. Photo by Sue Coales.
Victoria and Tony transferred back to the RIB and set off with Ian to film Harwich at the point where “it looked like an island.” We headed back to Woolverstone on Nancy Blackett to meet the children at 2pm for their part in the day. We were troubled to note that some very large black clouds had now gathered in the west and by the time we had tied Nancy Blackett up in her berth and settled down to munch sandwiches in her cabin, the promised storm began hurling rain and hail with utmost ferocity. Would it clear for the children? It would be so awful to disappoint them and cancel the rest of the day.
Tony and Victoria in Nancy Blackett’s cockpit. Photo by Sue Coales.
By 2pm it was easing. Nancy Blackett Trust President Peter Willis arrived and was interviewed by Victoria while I dashed up to meet the children with their teachers and the school photographer. The four youngsters, Bonnie, Toby, Benedict and Anoushka asked excited questions all the way along the pontoons to Nancy Blackett’s berth; they clearly loved the book and were thrilled to be visiting her.
Filming on Nancy Blackett’sat Woolverstone. Photo: Sue Coales.
We then sorted them out with lifejackets, and they climbed onto Nancy Blackett. Victoria asked them to go into the cabin while Tony filmed them from the cockpit. Their excited voices resounded from inside and made us all smile. Then they came on deck for more filming and out came the sun again. I could not believe how lucky we had been after all those dreadful forecasts.
Filming the children in Nancy Blackett’s cabin at Woolverstone. Photo: Sue Coales.
It was a glorious day and had all gone like clockwork. The children’s joy at going onto a real little yacht that was familiar to them in so many details from the story was moving and thought-provoking. The connection is more than just fact – it touches deeper chords even in those of us well past childhood. It is when imagination and story-telling combines with the real world in such a delightful way.
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