I am just a bit player, a seaman doing his part like all the seamen out there.
When I started 'Case Histories,' the characters were all going to Antarctica on a cruise. The first part was called 'Embarkation.' It was supposed to be about everyone preparing to embark on the cruise, but it mushroomed into an entire book.
I think if I could be a man in any time period, I would be a pirate. You know, go climbing in the rigging, sword fighting. I'd like to do that.
A young sailor boy came to see me today. It pleases me to have these lads seek me on their return from their first voyage, and tell me how much they have learned about navigation.
You can talk about teamwork on a baseball team, but I'll tell you, it takes teamwork when you have 2,900 men stationed on the U.S.S. Alabama in the South Pacific.
On the 17th of May, the Delos put out to sea. I was immediately affected with sea-sickness, which, however, lasted but a short time. I remained on deck constantly, forcing myself to exercise.
My experience of ships is that on them one makes an interesting discovery about the world. One finds one can do without it completely.
A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard.
My father was the captain of a cargo ship. When I was about two years old, we used to sail with him. The crew of his ship would dress me up in fancy dress and make me dance for them. I was a performing monkey!
I loved being at sea: the sights, the sounds, the food, the sunshine, the people, and the work.
Every seaman is not only a navigator, but a merchant and also a soldier.
Most sailing ships take what they call trainees, who pay to be part of the crew. The Picton Castle takes people who are absolutely raw recruits. But you can't just ride along. You're learning to steer the ship, navigation; you're pulling lines, keeping a lookout; in the galley you're cooking.
Spending time on 18th-century ships in Tahiti when I was 17 was quite unusual.
In the fifth season [of Star Trek: The Next Generation] viewers will see more of shipboard life [including] gay crew members in day-to-day circumstances.
Pirates, me hearties, are the Patronus of the freelancer.
The more I learned about real pirates, the more exciting they seemed to me. They appeared to be even more dramatic than pirates of the movies or TV shows.
As a cabin boy on a Norwegian sailing ship I earned five kronen a week in addition to my keep.
The wonder is always new that any sane man can be a sailor.
I don't really know much about pirates, or pirate culture. I'd be a contrarian pirate.
On board ship there are many sources of joy of which the land knows nothing. You may flirt and dance at sixty; and if you are awkward in the turn of a valse, you may put it down to the motion of the ship. You need wear no gloves, and may drink your soda-and-brandy without being ashamed of it.
