Monday, 21 June 2010

VISITING HAMEFARER CAPTAIN MAKES PRESENTATION TO NAFC LIBRARY

A visiting hamefarer Captain with Shetland connections presented the NAFC Marine Centre library with the second edition of his new book last week.

Captain Jack Isbester from Colchester comes from a seafaring family and his grandfather and great grandfather were both sailing ship masters from Whiteness.

His book Bulk Carrier Practice, published by the Nautical Institute, provides interesting and practical advice to readers.

During his visit to the library, Captain Isbester said: “I was delighted to find the first edition of my book already in the well-equipped library at the NAFC and pleased to bring the collection up-to-date with this edition launched just one month ago.  My aim for the book was to produce something that made for a valuable read that could be dipped in and out of, and not just left on a Captain’s bookshelf.  The more widely it is referred to, the happier I will be.”

Accepting the book was NAFC Marine Centre librarian, Ruth Priest.  She said: “I like Nautical Institute books, which are written by people with real maritime experience as these references are excellent and valuable ways to share knowledge with students.”

This is Captain Isbester’s sixth time in Shetland.  One of his previous visits had been as Chief Mate on board the schooner Sir Winston Churchill in 1968/69 and, 30 years later, he was surprised that a distant relative still remembered hearing about his visit on the training ship.

He is looking forward to participating in many of the organised Hamefarin events and intends to return to Shetland later this year to research his next book, which will be a biography of his grandfather.

Further information:

For further information, please contact: Caroline Hepburn, NAFC Marine Centre, tel 01595 772000, email caroline.hepburn@nafc.uhi.ac.uk or visit www.nafc.ac.uk

Or, Louise Rosie, Shaw Marketing and Design Ltd, tel 01595 692465, email louise.rosie@shaw-online.com or visit www.shaw-online.com