Sea Fever: A Seaside Companion: from buoys and bowlines to selkies and setting sail

by Chris Clothier

Everything you need to know about the sea and shore, from high tides to half-hitches.

'What a fun book! Reading Sea Fever is enticing and intriguing, like watching floating treasure bob past your nose.' Tristan Gooley, author of The Natural Navigator

Can you interpret the shipping forecast? Do you know your flotsam from your jetsam? Or who owns the foreshore? Can you tie a half-hitch - or would you rather splice the mainbrace?

Full of charming illustrations and surprising facts, Sea Fever provides the answers to all these and more. Mixing advice on everything from seasickness to righting a capsized boat with arcane marine lore, recipes, history, dramatic stories of daring-do and guides to the wildlife we share our shores with, even the most experienced ocean-dweller will find something in these pages to surprise and delight.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Nature

320 pages, Paperback

Published May 5, 2022

Reviews

[Gilly Prior · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay... so this book has something for everyone, which also means it has things you won't like. Each wonderfully unique chapter had me swaying from port to starboard from 1 star to 5 stars as I reviewed it in my mind as I tacked along. But I have lots of new knowledge, like, I'm giving myself cancer every time I light a fire at home and I have been stealing the Queen's (now King's) seaweed for years from the beach in my village. The potential of a 1 star review was however mostly down to the overly present inclusion of poetry, but that's down to me not the author (of the poetry or the book). I am allergic to poetry, can't go near the stuff. The 5 star review should be based on the uniqueness of this book, but is, in fact, based purely on the wit. Just my sort of humor, the sort you re-read and have a jolly good chuckle at in bed later. Every time I tie a knot now (often, for various reasons sea and otherwise related) I make sure I am not displaying the international sign of incompetence.

[Theediscerning · Rating 5 out of 5]

The workings of the tides, nailed. Sea sickness, cured. Famous quotes, yokel sayings about the weather, and classic poetry with a link to sailing and suchlike, included. The difference between a ship and a boat, well, slightly bodged, to be fair, but if nobody knows for sure, nobody knows. This is a really friendly and erudite spread of 'trivia', which is nothing but – it can get you out of swimming through a riptide, for one, and out of quicksand for another. I might have seen a lot of it before, but not gathered in such a fashion, and not to such a depth that notable storms and so much more are included. The common thing is to leave such a book for dipping into in the smallest room – so this is perfect for the head, then, in more ways than one.

[Elgouldio · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been described to me as a cross between Swallows and Amazons and Schott's Miscellany. It is a collection of pieces for any salty sea dog but even land lubbers like me can find joy, amusement, education and suspense within its pages. I had no idea of the Great Flood of 1953 and was gripped by the description of how that night unfolded. The 8 year old found much to work on in the Stone Skimming section. I laughed at the sandcastle building instructions and I'll be taking golf balls to the beach in the future. This is a clever, funny, charming and exhaustively researched book.

[Mr Michael R Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book a cross between A seaside almanac and Schott's Miscellany. A collection of pieces for anyone, but particularly us of an island nation, to find enjoyable There is amusement, education and suspense between its covers. Aside from my parents generation, and I’m 68, who knew of the Great Flood of 1953 and was enthralled by the story of what took place that night. I loved the Stone Skimming section. There is something for everyone in this very English book, it is witty, funny, informative and a very well researched book.

[Daniel Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting miscellany of the sea. Some very good historical and factual tales from the deep blue. I skipped over a lot of literary and poetry references. For a more literary and classically refined character this would be a stellar read. However, for a maritime nostalgic such as myself, I was left feeling a bit short-changed. Definitely worth the read, nice bite size chapters, ideal for a lazy Sunday morning peruse.

[Sarah Ensor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anecdotes and factual information about the sea, seaside, sailing and tangentially related matters, including food and safety. Stays the right side of not snobbish and has sensible parenting psychology for managing tinies at the beach. Not sure about the sailing advice, surely you should know all this if you're able to muck about in boats? Otherwise, I hope it encourages new generations to run away to sea. Wish I had.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and it made me learn a lot about maritime terminology and everything related.
I loved the style of writing, the illustrations and how the book is organised.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Nicola Nicholson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly interesting and entertaining book full of snippets of information that you didn't think that you wanted to know!

[Roger Morgan-Grenville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, with the occasional gem.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting collection of nautical related information, knots, weather, points of sailing, etc.