To the Baltic With Bob : An Epic Misadventure

by Griff Rhys Jones

In the summer of 2002, two profoundly amateur sailors, Griff and Bob, set off in an elderly yacht for Russia, because, on the map, it looked easier than sailing to Cornwall. They took Baines with them, as he knew how to mend the engine. And this is their story. Over four long months of applied bickering in a vessel no bigger than a London taxi, they visited most of the geographically interesting restaurants on the Baltic seaboard. They sailed, over, and, even at one point, onto the mysterious heart of the Nordic world. They pushed themselves to the very limits of human endurance, before finally agreeing to wash their sleeping bags on a cool cycle at number six. To the Baltic with Bob is the full account of their stirring journey through the longest heat wave the frozen north has ever suffered; of three men in search of the answer to a troubling can you really outmanoeuvre a mid-life crisis by running away to sea?

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Writing

403 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Griffith "Griff" Rhys Jones is a Welsh comedian, writer, actor, television presenter and personality. Jones came to national attention in the early 1980s for his work in the BBC television comedy sketch shows Not the Nine O'Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones along with his comedy partner Mel Smith. With Smith, he founded television production company Talkback Productions, now part of RTL Group. He went on to develop a career as a television presenter and writer, as well as continuing with acting work.

While at Brentwood School he met Douglas Adams (who would later write The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Rhys Jones followed Adams to Cambridge, reading history and English at Emmanuel College. While at university, Jones joined Cambridge Footlights Club (of which he became Vice-President in 1976). He was also president of the ADC (Amateur Dramatic Club) during his time at Cambridge.

He then joined BBC Radio Light Entertainment as a trainee producer, with his output including the satirical show Week Ending and Brain of Britain. An evening planned to spend watching his hero Frankie Howerd at the invitation of friends Clive Anderson and Rory McGrath, who were writing the show at the time, resulted in Rhys Jones replacing the show's producer, who had suffered from a stress-related illness from dealing with the comedian. He later produced Rowan Atkinson's show The Atkinson People for the BBC and has appeared twice on Whose Line Is It Anyway?.

Rhys Jones filled in several minor roles in the first series of Not the Nine O'Clock News, and was brought in as a regular cast member from the second series onwards, replacing Chris Langham, alongside Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith and Pamela Stephenson.

In 1981, Smith and Rhys Jones founded TalkBack Productions, a company which has produced many of the most popular British comedy series of the past two decades, including Smack the Pony, Da Ali G Show, I'm Alan Partridge and Big Train. From 1984, Smith and Rhys Jones appeared in the comedy sketch series Alas Smith and Jones (the show's title being a pun on the American TV series Alias Smith and Jones). After the first series, the pair appeared on the big screen in Mike Hodges' sci-fi comedy movie Morons from Outer Space and then in 1989, the LWT production Wilt.

Rhys Jones has developed a career as a television presenter, beginning as the co-host on several Comic Relief programmes. He presented Bookworm from 1994 to 2000 and is the presenter of the BBC's Restoration programme (he began filming its third series at Lincoln Cathedral on 3 June 2006), and has done a considerable amount of fundraising work for the Hackney Empire theatre conservation project. In 2004, he led a demonstration at the Senate House in Cambridge University for the purpose of saving architecture as a degree in Cambridge.

Rhys Jones has written or co-written many of the programmes he has appeared in, and a number of spin-off books. In 2002, he started writing a book called To the Baltic with Bob, describing his adventures on the high seas with his sailing friend Bob, as they make their way to Saint Petersburg, port by port. Rhys Jones released the book in 2003. His early life has been captured in his autobiography, Semi-Detached, published in 2006 by Penguin Books. His book to accompany the BBC1 series Mountain was published in July 2007.

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes funny, sometimes way too langdradig.
Liked the parts about the people they met in the Baltic states. Only read the book as I travelled the same countries in the last months so that was fun. I assume you could even read the chapters separately from another as, other then the travel up to St Petersburg, there’s no plot line whatsoever.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun enough..shorter on laughs than the book blurb claimed but in fairness I rarely (if ever) judge a book solely on the reviews on the sleeve as it's often the case a mate of the author is providing some of the glowing assessments.
However this is a good enough travel book disguised as an adventure...I found it life on the adventure aspect as I think it's one of those 'you need to have been there ' things...the suspense of deadlines and occasional boat problems don't recall a perfect storm but neither is this just a leisurely jaunt down the river.
Griff is a decent enough writer and I think part of my unwillingness to go overboard(no pun intended) with this book is that the technicalities of the trip kind of went over my head me not being well schooled in sailing.
However it was far from boring and their is some interesting information on the countries visited which will enable me to bore folks about when finding myself in a discourse about Denmark or Helsinki(a rare thing admittedly).
I look forward to Griff writing a book about something I know more about at some point as he is a gifted writer and tells a take well.

[MF · Rating 4 out of 5]

An epic misadventure was a good subtitle for it. Griff has an impressive command of English and uses it beautifully to paint the scene of their adventures. Some words such as "wan" I hadn't heard of before -now I know a word that is a short synonym for dreary. Nowhere was the book dreary, sorry "wan", though the references to sex shops and such like I found a bit unnecessary and puerile at times. I am not sure the book has won me over to a love of sailing: there is so much that is a pain - its slowness, the need for copious and expensive amounts of charts, leaks and repair work, needing to pay crew (!), bureaucracy at borders and not simply being able to drop down anchor where you fancy, boat envy, cliched yacht clubs, and much more. I felt that the journey lost some of its romance, when crew members came and went, flying home on errands. Also, I couldn't believe crew hands on a journey of a lifetime expected to be paid for the privilege, what world do we live in? Anyway, great book and I could relate to a lot of having cycled a similar route by bicycle (see my book "To St Petersburg With Love" - sorry about the plug!).

[Lesley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank goodness I've finish his book..it has everything I should like on paper, Sailing, Wooden Boats, Exploring new lands, Humour of Griff Rhys-Jones, but for me it lacks all the above and I actually still can't day why I didn't enjoy it. It certainly doesn't have the "At least 3 good jokes on every page" as promised by the Mail on Sunday review on the front cover. A boat full of grumpy old men, a leaky, wet boat and the description of some very stunning countryside is all I gained from it. I would very much like to visit the Scandinavian countries, but have been very much put off St Petersburg, so perhaps all is not lost

[Julian Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gentle adventure of semi-competent sailing, which with an entertaining cast of characters, and the author’s observational humor, makes it a highly satisfying read for the armchair traveler.

Although not perhaps as riotously funny as the Mail on Sunday cover review had me believe, this is still a thoroughly enjoyable book in an instantly engaging writing style, and definitely worth recommending to others.

[Trevor McGuire · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave up after 200 pages when the author started dropping "A mother's job is cleaning up after 'the boys.'" and "The women in Sweden aren't as pretty as in Denmark."

Up to that point, the book was boring, but tolerable. "This happened, then that happened, then this happened, then that happened." Maybe the book is better for British yachtsmen?

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

You really need to be a sailor, or at least have an interest in sailing boats to enjoy this book.

The descriptions of the places visited weren't particularly flattering. The Baltic States have been on my bucket list for some time now, but this book has possibly changed my mind.

[Linda Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now that I have spent the summer sailing into many of the places that Bob and Co sailed into, I thought a re- read was in order. Not a great literary tome but thoroughly enjoyable

[Darla Ebert · Rating 2 out of 5]

A slow read...I think some of the experiences related could have been told in a more interesting way but the premise is a good one.

[Sally Cattle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enjoyable in parts. Perhaps if I was a sailor, I might understand the 'in jokes (if there are any).

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing and informative - think you need to be a sailor to appreciate it fully!

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh!

[Adele Fender · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but not as funny as the reviews on the cover led me to anticipate.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no denying it - Rhys-Jones can write. However he does seem perpetually angry. This is a great description of a North Sea/ Baltic cruise in what sounds like an alarmingly damp wooden vessel. Ryhs-Jones is clearly an experienced sailor and makes light of what must have been some challenging passages. However I couldn't shake the feeling that he resented writing the book somewhat. I came away feeling that I was intruding on his voyage, rather than being part of it. Some of the descriptions are so negative that parts of the Baltic popularly renown for their natural splendor come out sounding like a kind of maritime Slough.
Worth a read if you are planning on visiting this region, but I'd also take the time to read Martin Edge's book 'Bobbing to the Baltic' for a second opinion of some of the same places! Having not actually been to them myself, perhaps Rhys-Jones is correct and Edge is wrong, who knows. The more positive attitude prevalent in Edge's book made for more satisfying reading.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have known Griff was not only an accomplished comedian/comedy writer but what appears to be a gifted amateur sailor.
He does seem, at times, to have lumbered himself with particularly inept crew. If I'd had someone who managed to ram some rocks after repeatedly told to steer another course I'd be getting rid of them pronto.
Also the fact that he was paying what were friends to crew his yacht other than paying all expenses for a holiday that they would all enjoy, makes me wonder whether they were ' fair weather friends '.
All in all though, a very enjoyable read.
I agree with another reviewer that a few charts would have been a welcome addition, photos as well, although the latter would have increased the price of the book.

[Jayne Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well writte, and reasonably funny book. The reason I only gave it three stars is because it is so very full of sailing jargon, and because of this is took me absolutely ages to read. I also think it would be improved if it had maps attached detailing the route of the journey. Not being familiar with the ins and outs of the Baltic myself I got lost quickly. Obviously you could pull out your own map but that makes reading a bit cumbersome. I do however know an awful lot more about sailing and the Baltic region now than I did when I started the book!

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Turgid. I mean, I guess the Baltic is a hard place to love, but Jones brings little delight to it. And, to quote Chubby Brown, who the f*** is Bob? I could see the point if he was some amazing character, cracking witticisms, shagging women and drinking the Baltic dry during Hell raising ventures ashore. But no. He remained a grey persona, un-illuminated through observation or description, and I wondered what was the bloody point of it all. Griff and Bob were about as interesting as a week in the Baltic, frankly.

[JackieB · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoted this at first but began to flag towards the end. It might be because I don't sail so a lot of the stuff about sailing didn't mean a great deal to me. It all sounded pretty uncomfortable to me. I was left wondering why anyone would want to sail so far.

[Mrs Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the sea, I love boats, even those with sails, but I struggled here. There were glimpses of humour and I enjoyed that and interesting details, not all of which went over my head. I'd like to read another book by Griff with more of that dry British humour which he is a master of.

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great! I was laughing out loud in public places reading the antics of this British comic, his friend Bob and their beautiful boat.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an abridged audiobook read by Griff himself it was fine - reminded me of The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers... A cramped, wet and cold yachting tale with an elusive prey.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book so much that I've read it twice and never finished it--that would be too much like having the book be over and I want it to go on forever!

[Diane Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

very entertaining, altho I was starting to lose interest by the end.

[Calum · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mildly amusing. People knowledgable about sailing would probably enjoy it more.