# Crowhurst do***entry/Portishead Radio



## Jonathan H. (Jul 3, 2015)

Just come across an interesting do***entry posted to YouTube entitled 'The two voyages of Donald Crowhurst'. As well as telling the story of Crowhurst, it has a couple of bits of film of Portishead Radio and some words from R/Os Charles Mander & John Lamb.
A fair amount of radio related material is also in the film.

Apparently, the Colin Firth/Rachel Weisz film titled 'The Mercy' about Crowhurst is due to be released around October time.

I did also note a familiar name in the credits!

Cheers
Jonathan


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

Please,

1. Can anybody remember the name of the Royal Mail ship which found the derelict Teignmouth Electron and 

2. Where the derelict was landed?

Was the ship Eleuthera? Or Loch Something? I have a vague recollection of being aboard the ship shortly afterwards (inward bound for the Mersey -and probably the Manchester Ship Canal) but I cannot for the life of me recall whether she still had the derelict on board.

My recollection of being aboard the ship is clear enough. It is whether she was still carrying Crowhust's boat which is unclear. Was it landed somewhere in USA?


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

A very sad story presented in an understated way that fits the event. Quite disturbing to watch and listen to a man descending into depression and possibly insanity.


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## Farmer John (Feb 22, 2012)

I have a copy of the book about his voyage. I have always thought it should be compulsory reading for politicians. A man with some talent, carried along by others wishes to attempt more than he believed he could do, and forced by developing cir***stances into a tighter and tighter bind involving more and more deception. When the end of the race developed unexpectedly with him moving into a winning position, he cracked and broke. Extremely sad, a good society would have said, never mind old chap, at least you went, don't worry about it.

I did get directions to see the hull of the Electron on Google earth, derelict somewhere, but I can't remember where. It could quite clearly be seen.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

#4 

Thank you, FJ.

That fits with my recollection of events.


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## Erimus (Feb 20, 2012)

If you Google it there are lots of articles about the voyage and what happened to the vessel thereafter...sad story all along..one thing you won't find is the name of the ship that took her in tow.

Like Farmer John I too have had a copy of the book, can't find it when I want it though!

geoff


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Found the site on Google Earth and there are some photographs of it taken in 2010. On the island of Cayman Brac.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

#6 

Hi, Geoff,

My recollection of events is that the Royal Mail ship hoisted Crowhurst's boat on board, rather than took her in tow.

I seem to recall a photograph, in one of the books, showing the hoist taking place, at sea. 

Was it Nicholas Tomalin's book? 

The ship might even have been the Somers Isle. Will need to check my own log book - presently in the loft!

PS

Got it (via Google)! It was the Picardy.


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## Jonathan H. (Jul 3, 2015)

I'll have a watch again of 'Deep Water' to see if the ship is mentioned there.
The Electron was bought by an artist, who then had it deposited on Cayman Brac if I recall correctly. I also seem to remember the captain of the ship that hoisted the catamaran on board also wanted Crowhurst's log books to remain secret to avoid further pain to his family, but Halworth, the press agent, had other ideas and they were published.

Having a collection myself of small and handheld radio direction finders, I have tried in vain to get hold of one of Donald Crowhurst's 'Navicators', but have never found one.

Not much left of the Electron now apparently - even the name has been cut out and is doubtless decorating some wall somewhere.

Jonathan


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## Farmer John (Feb 22, 2012)

The other thing I always felt after reading the book, there was a lot of myself in there, making it a terrific lesson. I don't think I would have liked the man, but I would have recognised his personality.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

#10 

Most profound, FJ.

I'm sure that there's at least something of the Crowhurst in most of us - and it's simply that most of us, thank God, are not subjected to the dreadful Corryvreckan of personal and financial pressure which overwhelmed him. Lead us not into temptation.


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## Farmer John (Feb 22, 2012)

Oh, let's be led into temptation, give us the wisdom not to give way to it. A life without temptation would be pale.


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## Cisco (Jan 29, 2007)

The ship was 'Picardy'.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

#12 

Ho, Ho, Bloody Ho!

A life without temptation would indeed be dreadful! For my own part I've suc***bed all too often, although not yet as far as poor old Crowhurst, or dear old Oscar, who famously could resist anything but.

Temptation? Bring it on! But lead me not into it!! Grant me the nous to avoid it.


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

While I understand the desire for temptation and let's be honest we all embrace it, one way or another, but I feel sorry for this man who seems to have been overcome by the idea of the deceit he was about to perpetrate, plus the fact I feel sure he realised he would be found out.

Temptation aside, that would really drive you down into the hole of despair. That's why I find the story disturbing. A clearly intelligent man trapped on a downward spiralling path to hell.

OK, I realise that I'm speculating from the evidence presented, which is not complete. So I'll take my temptation in more Earthly things that don't involve those overheads, just me and a bit of semi-predictable physics.

But your are all right. There's a strong lesson to be learned here, and it seems to me the teacher paid a terrible price for teaching it.


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## Paul Braxton (Jul 21, 2005)

Saw a catamaran in, if I remember correctly, Kingston harbour, Jamaica, in the mid '70's, which I was told was the 'Electron' by those who knew about such things. It was a bit sad, seeing that. A bit like seeing the burnt out hulk of the 'Queen Elizabeth' in Hong Kong harbour in the early '70's.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

#15 

Bob, 

You hit the nail on the head, I think, with your observation that Crowhurst knew that he would be found out, even at the very moment when he left the berth in UK. What a complete, complete tragedy.

Most of us who yield to temptation (who doesn't?) do so in the (usually realistic) expectation that we will get away with it on those occasions when we do yield; and if we really don't think that we'll get away with , then we simply don't yield. It is necessary only to think of the simple matter of breaking or observing the road traffic speed limits- and nothing more insalubrious or salcious than that. If we don't think that we can get away with it, we simply don't do it.

But poor old DC knew from the moment when he let go his last mooring-rope in Plymouth that he was on a hiding to worse than nothing.

As I recall the saga as told, he knew from that moment (and certainly from the night beforehand) that he was not being honest with himself - and no man can live in such a state for long.


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

And what a terrible burden to bear. 

Watching this do***entary I understand he was something of an electronics expert, but look at the spread out of his equipment aboard the vessel. Bare, exposed, utterly disorganized, I feel sure he knew that, he was certainly not an idiot.

Yet he had to ride with it, part of the deception. Eventually the deception takes over your existence, particularly when you are so isolated.

I know, I know, I'm speculating again. But I'm trying to put myself in his situation, which admittedly is likely to be far from what happened. You have to use the outcome of such an event to try and figure it out as best you can.

But all this aside, you are right ... a complete tragedy. The story of the destruction of a man and not anything else. If they are making a film of it, and I believe they are, I hope they look at the philosophic side of the story rather than just the drama (I would have thought the drama would come naturally.)

I'll watch the film, I'm a film buff. But I'm likely to watch it with a very jaundiced eye.


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## Samsette (Sep 3, 2005)

I also read a book about this unfortunate man, many years ago but, I cannot remember the author. The one character I do remember is the journalist who was hell-bent on furthering his own career at the expense of Crowhurst, by filling Crowhurst's head with the urgency of a hasty departure, in spite of C's own misgivings and unpreparedness. It was among the saddest stories I have ever read.


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## Freo (Nov 4, 2005)

I have the book, its called "The Strange Voyage of Donald Crowhurst" published in 1970. The authors were Nicholas Tomalin and Ron Hall. In it there is a picture of the trimaran being offloaded from the RMV Picardy on arrival at Santo Domingo.
What a sad end to a very complex and disturbed man.


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## Mayday (May 26, 2009)

19° 41' 11.33"N 79° 52' 38.6W
Copy and paste to google earth.
Regards, John.

Edit
Really, strange things do happen at sea. Anyone who thinks otherwise has never been there.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

#20 

Thank you for the confirmation, Freo.


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## Dartskipper (Jan 16, 2015)

I also have the book by Tomalin and Hall, and have read it several times. I also worked with some fellows in the old Morgan Giles yard at Teignmouth, who had seen the Teignmouth Electron. Their professional opinion of it, as builders themselves of many fine motor cruisers and sailing yachts, was that either Mr Crowhurst was very brave, or very foolish.

The person who deserves a huge amount of sympathy is his widow. I hope the forthcoming film treats the whole subject with respect. The story doesn't need any dramatic embellishment.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

#23 

Amen to that.

Let us hope that Mrs Crowhurst and family might even gain some comfort from the anguish for poor old Donald, which is clearly widespread amongst all who know the story. It's difficult to see that anybody could feel anything other than sympathy for his family.

I seem to recall that there is a passage in Tomalin's book which reports that, in bed with Mrs C on the night before he sailed, DC expressed his worst fears about the whole bang shoot.

Let's hope also that the Crowhurst family might at least reap some financial benefit from the film. There are some major box-office names involved.


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

I checked out the film on IMDB and it's now in the post production stage. I'm a bit uneasy about the writer (previous credits include The Bourne Ultimatum) but I wont pre-judge because yes the cast and the director look good.

It's going to one of those 'must see' films for me having been introduced to this sad sea story by this thread.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

My wife was aged ten at the time of these events. I asked if she might have heard of the story, or might just remember it?

"A bit" was the answer. I told her the basic facts.

"Holy Jeepers" was her next answer, "Anything with Colin Firth in it is a must-see for me" - thus confirming, as others have observed, that the sad facts call for very little - if any - dramatisation.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

I offer a further observation which some might find callous and others might find irrelevant:

The entire Crowhurst story occurred less than twenty years after the Flying Enterprise incident. A very short period of time in which the sea changed from being a place of strict migratory, mercantile or military use to a place which is, in effect, nothing more than a stage upon which heavily financed yachtsmen can perform for personal glory. A quantum leap indeed.

What does it say about any change in global moral values?

Has there been any change? Or has there not?

Generally, I adhere to the view that moral values do not change in any event - but resurrection of this story reminds me that I might very well be wrong.

As a nine year old boy in Birkenhead in 1952, the Flying Enterprise saga confirmed my belief that a career at sea was an obligatory thing for any boy who wasn't a complete girl's blouse.

By the time of the Crowhust incident in 1969, that belief had changed quite significantly.

In following the glory granted to Carlsen of the Flying Enterprise, was I as weak as Crowhurst of the Teignmouth Electron, eighteen years later? Possibly so.

But it seemed right at the time (i.e. the defence used by Blair, today). On the other hand, Carlsen remains adulated today - and still quite rightly in my absolute view.

Whaddaya know?

To go to sea? Or not? In what capacity?


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

#28 

Of course that is right. With the benefit of hindsight, nobody would dispute it.

The qustion which I raise is that Crowhurst used the sea for money and gave his life in doing so. 

Most of the rest of us (including Carlsen) used the sea for money, but didn't give our lives to that avaricious end. Is it open to any of us to criticise Crowhurst in any way? He took no other life with him.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

You are quite right that Crowhurst was a charlatan. Even he knew that much. He was no fool. Am not at all sure that it is the end of the story, though.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

There have been a great many charlatans in history, but very few who have aroused any sympathy.


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## Dartskipper (Jan 16, 2015)

Crowhurst was inspired by Sir Francis Chichester, and tried to "charter" Gypsy Moth IV to sail himself. Sir Francis has expressed unfavourable views on the suitability of Gypsy Moth IV, saying she was difficult to sail single handed. He also expressed great reservations about Crowhurst's experience and plans for entering the non stop Round the World race.

A little known (at that time,) professional ,entered one of the smallest craft to take part, the 32ft Suhaili. Robin Knox Johnston ultimately won the race, and donated his prize money to Mrs Crowhurst.

Most of the other entrants were experienced long distance sailors, or had served in the RN with sea going time under their belts. Crowhurst, the amateur, did manage to sail his unsuitable trimaran to South America, and if he hadn't embarked on his deception and returned home safely, without completing the course, he may have got a "sympathy vote," and ultimately the publicity he craved to try and save his family business, and ultimately his family home.

Sometimes, discretion truly is the better part of valour.


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## Farmer John (Feb 22, 2012)

Chay Blyth wasn't an experienced long distance sailor, he had barely sailed at all before. He couldn't navigate either. He said that when he first got his boat, his mates left him to go and prepare it for his voyage, and all he could think to do was clean the cooker. He had the sense to realise his boat wasn't up to it, but he nearly did go on.


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

The moral is, I suppose, that when you can see that something is right, then you should do it and do it right away.

He who hesitates is lost.

The mystery is, as Roy points out, why Crowhurst did not bow out gracefully, when he could easily have done so?; and the tragedy is that he drove himself to enter into such a gross deception.

Hate the sin but love the sinner.

That is exactly what has happened in this case.


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## Dartskipper (Jan 16, 2015)

Farmer John said:


> Chay Blyth wasn't an experienced long distance sailor, he had barely sailed at all before. He couldn't navigate either. He said that when he first got his boat, his mates left him to go and prepare it for his voyage, and all he could think to do was clean the cooker. He had the sense to realise his boat wasn't up to it, but he nearly did go on.


Quite right FJ, I had forgotten that both Ridgway and Blyth had entered the race individually. Rowing the Atlantic with a following wind and weather is one adventure, around the World alone is a completely different challenge indeed.

(On a lighter note, with reference to your remarks about Chay Blyth's skills as a sailor, when the passenger trip boats on the River Dart passed Philip's ship yard at Noss, the commentary always pointed out that the yacht British Steel was built there for Chay Blyth, and it was the only boat he didn't sink or run aground!)


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## Barrie Youde (May 29, 2006)

Blyth did extremely well to cir***navigate single-handed and westabout at such speed, with such limited experience!

I recall that in the account of his Atlantic crossing with Ridgway, with oars, it was reported that he addressed Ridgway as "Sir" throughout. With hindsight, that small point is astonishing. I rather think that it led to the abolition of the BEM shortly afterwards, to be replaced by MBE for all. The BEM has of course been reinstated, but that is another matter.


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## Dartskipper (Jan 16, 2015)

Blyth eventually learned from his seagoing challenges, and gained a decent level of competence. (Even if one of the Transatlantic Challengers sunk as well!) I don't think that Ridgway ever went in a small boat again after abandoning his attempt at the Round the World race, preferring to develop his outdoor adventure business in Scotland. One fellow who very quickly appreciated the challenge of going to sea alone was Tom McClean. I saw him and his boat (A Yorkshire Dory, just like Ridgway and Blyth's craft,) at the London Boat Show, and got his autographed photo. He seemed quite shy at that time, and hardly said a word! For an ex Borstal boy,and ex Parachute Regiment, with no experience of the sea, he was one who did make good.

Roy.


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

Teignmouth Electron has come up before, see 

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=14548

My post 12 on that thread describes what happened to the boat after it was landed in Jamaica.

As I said then, if anyone wants to see more recent photographs I can go and take some anytime. The boat looks sadder by the day.


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## Larry Bennett (Aug 28, 2005)

I recall that TV programme - I spent the whole day with the BBC crew and arranged the interview with Charles Mander (who had long since retired). We tried to re-create a 1960s console with old tables and defunct equipment I found lying around in the engineering stores at GKA which is where you see the interview with John Lamb. There have been other do***entaries about Crowhurst in which the film makers have visited GKA, and of course the film "Deep Water". Looking forward to seeing the new film when it hits our screens. There were of course many other R/Os at GKA who were involved at the time but sadly the majority are no longer with us.

Larry +


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## michael charters (Apr 4, 2010)

*Picardy*

For the record

MV Picardy, Royal mail line picked up "Teignmouth Electron"

I sailed as Electrician next trip on Picardy.


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## mervetheswerve (Jan 8, 2021)

michael charters said:


> *Picardy*
> 
> For the record
> 
> ...


Hi Michael. Did you take over from Stuart> Can't remember his second name. I was the Radio Officer on the Picardy, when we picked up the Teignmouth Electron.
Mervyn Boone.


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## mervetheswerve (Jan 8, 2021)

Freo said:


> I have the book, its called "The Strange Voyage of Donald Crowhurst" published in 1970. The authors were Nicholas Tomalin and Ron Hall. In it there is a picture of the trimaran being offloaded from the RMV Picardy on arrival at Santo Domingo.
> What a sad end to a very complex and disturbed man.


Hi. I was the Radio Officer on board RMS Picardy when we picked up the Trimaran Teignmouth Electron.
From what I remember. The Yacht was hauled on to no 2 Hatch. We dropped it off in Kingston Yacht club. The Picardy, then went on to Nassau in the Bahamas, where I was interviewed by a reporter from the Nassau Tribunal. I got in to a bit of bother with Captain Box at the time. I don't recall going to Haiti.

Regards,

Mervyn Boone.


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## mervetheswerve (Jan 8, 2021)

Barrie Youde said:


> Please,
> 
> 1. Can anybody remember the name of the Royal Mail ship which found the derelict Teignmouth Electron and
> 
> ...


Maybe a bit late to reply, but the ship was the Picardy. Royal mail ship. I was the Radio Officer on board at the time, when we found the Teignmouth Electron. She was floating about 700 miles southwest of the Azores. We put the Yacht on top on no 2 Hatch and dropped her off in Kingston Yacht club in Jamaica.


Barrie Youde said:


> Please,
> 
> 1. Can anybody remember the name of the Royal Mail ship which found the derelict Teignmouth Electron and
> 
> ...


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## Spammer (Sep 28, 2021)

mervetheswerve said:


> Hi. I was the Radio Officer on board RMS Picardy when we picked up the Trimaran Teignmouth Electron.
> From what I remember. The Yacht was hauled on to no 2 Hatch. We dropped it off in Kingston Yacht club. The Picardy, then went on to Nassau in the Bahamas, where I was interviewed by a reporter from the Nassau Tribunal. I got in to a bit of bother with Captain Box at the time. I don't recall going to Haiti.
> 
> Regards,
> ...


Mervyn:

I too was on board the Picardy, I was third engineer, and was the one who first sighted her on the bridge as I was filling in the log. I was also the "seaman" who's photographs were published in the Daily Express and subsequently the book. One correction I may make however is, that we dropped her off in Santa Domingo not Kingston, as that is where the Daily Express took my film from my camera. I do not know how she traveled from Santa Domingo back to the UK. It wasn't on the Picardy for sure.

Cheers:

Geoffrey Ashton


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## michael charters (Apr 4, 2010)

mervetheswerve said:


> Hi Michael. Did you take over from Stuart> Can't remember his second name. I was the Radio Officer on the Picardy, when we picked up the Teignmouth Electron.
> Mervyn Boone.


Peter Marshallwas the electrician I Relived


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## Spammer (Sep 28, 2021)

Barrie Youde said:


> Please,
> 
> 1. Can anybody remember the name of the Royal Mail ship which found the derelict Teignmouth Electron and
> 
> ...


The ship was the RMS Picardy and we dropped her off in Santa Domingo.


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## Spammer (Sep 28, 2021)

Barrie Youde said:


> #6
> 
> Hi, Geoff,
> 
> ...


PS, yes that was the photograph I took, I still have it in the Daily Express return envelope.
It was a strange episode for sure.
Cheers


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