Boisterous weather

19th August, Whitby, Yorkshire

OK – Today I thought it would be a good idea to do some homework, so I began reading Darwin’s own journal of his voyage on the Beagle. As I turned the pages, four points leapt out from reading the account of the first leg (Plymouth to Tenerife). I must say that at times I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or to cry.

The first issue concerned delays. Did you know that after arriving in Plymouth on October 24th 1831, Darwin spent the next 10 weeks going precisely nowhere? The “boisterous weather”, as he put it, was so unfavourable that he spent most of the time staying in Plymouth (although he occasionally popped up to London to see friends), organising his minute cabin and walking up and down the streets of the town.

He later wrote in his autobiography that the “two months at Plymouth were the most miserable which I ever spent….”

Even when the Beagle attempted to set sail on 10th December, it was forced back into harbour a day later owing to yet more inclement conditions. The ship finally left on December 27th, 1831, shortly after various crew members had to be tied up in chains for 8 hours as a punishment for getting drunk over Christmas. The crew of the Stad Amsterdam should read Darwin’s account with special care: “such a scene proves how absolutely necessary strict discipline is amongst such thoughtless beings as Sailors….”

The second point that struck me about his narrative concerns the practical issues of when landies (like me) take to the seas. Darwin’s biggest initial challenge seems to have been trying to work out how to get into his hammock, an experience which made me laugh out aloud when I read it:

“I did so last night & experienced a most ludicrous difficulty in getting into it; my great fault of jockeyship was in trying to put my legs in first. The hammock being suspended, I thus only succeeded in pushing it away without making any progress in inserting my own body. The correct method is to sit accurately in centre of bed, then give yourself a dexterous twist & your head & feet come into their respective places. After a little time I daresay I shall, like others, find it very comfortable…”

I daresay I will get into equivalent pickles myself, somewhere along the way. Don’t worry, I’ll let you know….

The third point concerns the dreaded sea-sickness. In his journal entry for Monday 12th December, Darwin writes: “Boisterous weather, the ship rolled a good deal; & I actually felt rather uncomfortable: I look forward to sea-sickness with utter dismay…”

And that was while the Beagle was still docked in harbour…..

My first night will be in harbour, too, on Monday 31st August. Time will tell if Charles and I share a similar disposition. Then, shortly after setting sail, Darwin wrote: “I found in the only thing my stomach would bear was biscuit & raisins” – Hey, look on the brightside Lex [Dutch TV producer], It looks like the travel expenses for Dutch TV may not be so horrific afterall…..

The final cautionary warning from reading this part of Darwin’s journal concerns our initial destination – Tenerife – because in fact Darwin never actually got there, as he explains in his diary entry for 6th January 1832:

“Oh misery, misery — we were just preparing to drop our anchor within ½ a mile of Santa Cruz [Capital of Tenerife] when a boat came alongside bringing with it our death-warrant. The consul declared we must perform a rigorous quarantine of twelve days. Those who have never experienced it can scarcely conceive what a gloom it cast on every one: Matters were soon decided by the Captain ordering all sail to be set & make a course for the Cape Verde Islands. And we have left perhaps one of the most interesting places in the world, just at the moment when we were near enough for every object to create, without satisfying, our utmost curiosity.”

I reckon that’s probably enough homework for one day....