New
AcquisitionsRed Sea Peril; Shirley Billing; Sheridan HouseInc., 2002; £12.99; CA 16071
In their 60s, Bob and Shirley Billings have spent the past fifteen years sailing fifty five thousand miles around the world. This tale starts as they set out from Phuket off Thailand in a loose association with a number of other similarly engaged yachts.
Their course took them to Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and on to Aden, Egypt, Israel and Cyprus. Throughout, it is a most entertaining cruising tale of not uncommon events, supported by black and white photographs. Off Eritrea, however, having anchored in a recognised spot, the most frightening and stressful situation developed as they were required to give up their passports and charts and were then taken ashore to be kept in something like house arrest before, in the fullness of time that must have seemed like an eternity, they were released. They never actually knew what they had done to deserve this treatment.
Both during this period and throughout, keen observation leads to perceptive comments on the local cultures, cuisines and personalities, particularly describing the extreme physical and social restrictions that are imposed upon women in some Moslem societies. This is a "must read" for anyone contemplating passage through the Red Sea. - JDC
Page prepared 15 August 2002
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