A Mariner's Miscellany
The ancient art of seamanship is celebrated in A Mariner's Miscellany, a beautiful collection of poetry and prose about sailing. Composed of memorable quotes, excerpts, historical facts, and practical maritime knowledge, this compendium evokes a nautical world that has all but disappeared. Inspired by his yearly sailing almanac,The Mariner's Book of Days, Peter Spectre pays homage to a rich tradition of naval history and literature in this collection. From old naval slang and sea chanteys to nautical chronologies and sailing tips, this book contains everything an aspiring sea dog needs to know. Discover what sailors used to eat (and drink), learn how to judge relative distances and wind speeds at sea, and absorb the lyrics and lore the sea has inspired over time. If you weren't already infected by the call of the sea, this book will do the trick.(Sail Magazine)A SLOP-CHEST of a book; a sea-pie, a pot-mess, a lobscouse of a sea-lore gathered by an author with a feel for his subject. It embraces technology, prose, poetry, song, instruction, history, oceanography, meteorology and seamanship, navigation and boats and ships, monsters and sailors and women, albatross and curses, recipes and clothing, splices and drink, sails and artists, rigs and tides, watches and signals, compass work and superstition. In fact, what it doesn't touch upon hasn't been near the sea.(Nautical Magazine)A fascinating compendium of all things maritime. Peter Spectre has assembled an impressive array of facts and information on a huge range of subjects to do with the sea and ships. Many of the myths, legends, traditions and ancient lores of the sea are explained in a concise, clear and very readable format. A must for anybody who claims to be, or wishes to be, an expert on all things maritime. Should resolve many an old 'salts' argument.(White Ensign Association)