Landlubbers Guide — Alan Roberts

The Landlubbers Guide is your indispensable companion to life at sea, necessary nuggets of wisdom which should be stowed away in the suitcase or sea bag.

Its compulsory reading for all land-locked souls who yearn to answer the call of the sea, to experience the excitement and romance of a life spent afloat; and for all those who laugh at danger and spit in the eye of hardship, the strong sober and upright men and women with backbone who constantly seek new challenges on the high seas.

Of course it's also for Lilly-livered nervous types who against their better judgement find themselves agreeing to a trip to sea for work or ‘pleasure'. Whether you're crossing the channel on a ferry, embarking on a luxury cruise, joining the merchant navy or anything else in between, this little book will be your constant and comforting companion.

There's no shame in being a landlubber; even the saltiest old sea dogs were once landlubbers themselves. But luckily with this book at your side, you will soon lose the landlubber status and become the kind of roistering devil-may-care sailor with the thousand-yard stare and swagger to match.

Drawing from over twenty years of rough and smooth seafaring, the guide tackles all the important concerns the landlubber may have, such as; will the sea be rough, will I get on with the other passengers or crew, is there a bar, can I smoke, will I find romance, will I get seasick, will we sink?

Amongst other things we'll also look at the best way to eat tactically, the knack to using the toilet in bad weather, why to make friends with the Chief Engineer, what to pack, how to deal with your cabin mates, where to find sympathy, why boozing at sea can be both a good and bad thing, and why dogs don't like squid.

Armed with all these essential hints and tips, you can set sail with confidence, assured of a quick and smooth transition from landlubber to seafarer.

“Fair winds and following seas”