Historical Blog Archive

Fascinating - it's really amazing how links continue within families. Thank you Nigel for sharing that with us. Andrew and Guy really have no excuses!!

Wonderful to hear such interesting family history - and great that so much detail has been discovered all in the name of the Indian Ocean Race!! Thanks Nigel.

Every stroke is 10yds further Every wave is 10yds more Every breeze is 10yds nearer Every day is nearer shore Every second brings you closer Every minute on the foam Every time you travel forward Every yd is nearer home ( Steve G ~ thank you Steve! July 9th ~ keep going boys,all downhill now,you can do it)

Message from a top man who is in fact also my boss: From: Glyn Royles Sent: 15 July 2009 10:54 To: Tom Watts Subject: Your Dad's blog Tom I’ve just read your Dad’s blog today about Captain OM Watts. I couldn’t believe that he was related to you. When I was selling Vuarnet sunglasses we had a special lens for yachtsmen called the Vuarnet Nautilux range of glasses. They were very well respected and it made it easy to sell them in the Hamble and along the Solent. However, my best customer was Captian OM Watts on Albemarle Street in Piccadilly. They used to race through the glasses and they were a very good friendly customer. What a small world. It made me smile just thinking about it. Happy Days. Glyn

Hi I just read your fantastic voyage for the first time. When I saw Captain Watts name that reminded me of my first job after school in 1965 when I worked for OM Watts at their Albemarle St address. He was always adressed by the staff as Captain. I never heard anyone call him oswald. Everey morning he arrived by taxi from his home ans us office boys had to meet him to carry his many bags up the three flights of stairs to the offic above the showroom which was above the Lyons Corner house cafe in Albemarle Street. I worked 12 months in the office with the Captain where he taught me office procedures and how to keep track of the hundreds of maill orders that arrived every week. After a year we were progressed down to the show room where Mr Ford and Miss Abby ruled the roost. Probably not the place for all my memories of the captain any way it must have rubbed off on me as I am still working at sea as an deck officer in the Australian merchant navy living in Perth Western Australia. I will be following your progress daily from now on. Good Luck. Patrick Second Officer Sat Diving ship Venturer Singapore.

It has taken me all this time to work out how to leave a comment! The school computer throws out "alien" sites, so it has been a battle! WELL DONE, both of you, it has been fascinating reading the blog - looking forward to seeing you when you return. Lots of love Kat's Mummy and Daddy