Classic Choice

The Cruise of the Alerte

.F Knight’s is one of those sailing books that has all the classic ingredients for a ripping yarn. A cruise in a small boat to an exotic location, a few rows along the way and a fruitless hunt for treasure at the end of it. Knight was a hugely influential sailor and a fascinating character; Cambridge educated and a barrister by trade, he came from privileged stock and lived in an era when Britain had an empire and frequently dished out six of the best, trousers down to Johnnie Foreigner. He was a man with a good deal of chutzpah. An example of this can be witnessed in a disagreement he got into with a confidence trickster. Following an argument, Knight challenged him to a pistol duel. The was declined because Knight