About

2014-05-31 10-25-38.616I am a left-handed Cornishman living on the coast of South Devon. From the window I look across the water to Shaldon and the entrance to Teignmouth harbour, and south along the coast to Babbacombe and Hope’s Nose.

I began this blog in 2006 because I bought a small yacht called a Folksong.  I didn’t know of any other Folksong – (other than the singing variety), so I thought this would be a way of finding out more. It was and is. The yacht is called Blue Mistress.  I sail out of Plymouth.

My interests are mainly nautical, focussing on single-handed sailing and the coasts and harbours of the Westcountry. I also enjoy maritime history with specific interests in the Westcountry trading ketches as well as inshore craft worldwide, including the fishing boats of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Having finished a forty-year career in December 2013, I am no longer contained by the tight discipline of that career and I find myself exploring a wider, less structured world. In these unfamiliar surroundings, I am ‘edging forward‘, stretching the old boundaries, enjoying the freedom to wander.

Over a lifetime, I got many things right and I made plenty of mistakes – more than I care to remember. I hope I have learnt from that experience. Now I am older, this continues at a new level – some things go right, other things wrong . . . and I am still learning.  I am finding ways to write about this too – hence the reworked website.

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Regarding the title: My earliest memory is of looking out to sea from Steeple Point in North Cornwall. Steeple Point is where it all began for me.  “Not all who wander are lost” is a quote from JRR Tolkien.

9 thoughts on “About”

  1. Hello Bill,
    I am thrilled to discover a picture of my Great grandfather’s boat in your collection. If you get in touch via email, I can give you more information.

  2. Hi Bill,
    I have just discovered your blog, by chance in search for information about folkboat-types similar to mine.
    I wanted to tell you how much I am enjoying the beauty of texts and images, and admiring the clarity and coherence of purpose.
    I wish best luck in that “streching the boundaries”, and hope to come back here often.

    Pablo de Castro
    http://www.mardepormedio.es

  3. Hi Bill,
    I have just discovered your blog, by chance in search for information about folkboat-types similar to mine.
    I wanted to tell you how much I am enjoying the beauty of texts and images, and admiring the clarity and coherence of purpose.
    I wish you best luck in that “streching the boundaries”, and hope to come back here often.

    Pablo de Castro
    http://www.mardepormedio.es

  5. Hello Bill. Having discovered your website/blog whilst doing a little family research, I realised that you and I are related. Our great grandfathers were brothers and both Captained the Ceres at different times. My mother was a Petherick and we used to visit Bude frequently. We do have some memorabilia relating to the Ceres. Would be pleased if you could get in touch some time! June

  6. Hi Bill. I hope you’re still around and doing OK. I’ve recently come across my grandparents’ old, leather-bound photo album of their Cornwall/Devon trip in 1931. Included are pictures of the Ceres at Bude and other scenes of the area from that time. Please contact me if you’d like me to email copies of them to you.

  7. Hi Rachel.
    It’s good to hear from you. I haven’t posted on this site for some time but I haven’t lost my interest in Ceres or Bude. I would be delighted to see copies of your photos. You can send them on the email for the site – billwhateley@me.com. Many thanks, Best wishes. Bill

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