Memories of Patrick O'Brian Weekends, Portsmouth 2003 and 2004

[rifleman_s]

My friends

Since we’re celebrating the tenth anniversary of the release of Master & Commander, The Far Side of the World this month and prompted by the lovely esteven I wondered if you’d indulge me sharing with you the two “Patrick O’Brian Weekends” I was lucky enough to go to in Portsmouth in October 2003 and 2004? My ramblings are somewhat lengthy,

Comments

[alcyone301]

Cannot thank you enough for sharing these amazing experiences, with illustrations no less! What a wonderful memory to cherish, and how appropriate for this anniversary celebration (I've been wondering ever since esteven's post in September what you had in mind). :) :)

[rifleman_s]

Oh thank you so much!! I'm really glad you enjoyed.

Setting it down like that made it seem a bit 'clinical' somehow, but it really was, I suppose, a case of "you had to be there"!

The most amazing thing that I forgot to mention was how great it was to be surrounded by people who knew exactly what you were talking about! None of my friends or family are remotely interested in the sailing navy or these books (although many did enjoy the film!) so I can't really discuss them with them . . . but at these events, you've only say a word or a phrase or quote something and everyone "gets" it! Much like Perfect_Duet, I guess!!

Anyway, I'm really glad you enjoyed my recollections; thanks for reading.

[alcyone301]

It didn't seem clinical at all, quite the reverse, magic. And re P_D, yes, it's quite a revelation to me to be somewhere with people who know and even love the same things. What's even more interesting is that the same set of facts doesn't always produce the same conclusions .. much like real life :)
I was fortunate to share these books with a family member for many years, now alas no more. Recently, I mentioned something very memorable from PC to a friend who had read and enthused about the books several years ago, and drew a blank. *sigh*. Yay for P_D, I say.

[rifleman_s]

Yay, indeed!

(I've been racking my brains to think why the user name "Alcyone" rang a bell (no pun intended!) - then it came to me, To the Ends of the Earth - the ship carrying Miss Marion!)

[amaraal]

Thank your for this long and very interesting post!!!

How did the inedible 'toasted cheese' taste like? I had to giggle about the 'Beef Aubrey' :) YAY!

Everyone needs such an event now and then in his/her life, I think. We all should be touched by Barrett Bonden's ghost on that occasion, not to mention all the people you meet there, the food and drink and MUSIC!

I'm a tiny little bit envious, but thanks again for the scans too. Great to see the autographs. They tell so much about a person!

[rifleman_s]

Oh thank you for your lovely comment - so glad you enjoyed reading.

I've never really 'eaten' india-rubber (eraser if you're in the US) but the texture was very similar!! It smelled like old socks and tasted not much better. Apparently it's made by collecting all the odd bits of rind and leftover cheese, and melting them all together, but it certainly wasn't recognisable as 'cheese'!! No wonder they needed a lot of port, brandy and wine to wash it down ... *grin*

I think I would be envious of anyone who'd been to such an event, if I hadn't, so I do understand your feeling; it was great to look back, remember and share it all here.

[amaraal]

Old socks, guh! No, thank you :) Huzzah to brandy, port and wine then :)

Sharing such events is what makes the world feel like a small village :) Attending to a movie together with the Royals, for example... What else can you do if not share it with your friends!

Thanks again :)

[esteven]

YaY. I have just returned from Innsbruck and found your contributions. Imagine me beaming all across my face, as this was delightful to read. I was so "there" when you described the occasions. :)

And friends and I had the greatest pleasure of meeting Mr White who was charm itself to us.

The weekends are still held, are they not? Maybe one day I will go

Thank you again. May I put a link to your posts on Perfect_Duet's Mirror site at Dreamwidth?

[rifleman_s]

"...beaming all across my face..."

Oh how wonderful! Hope you had a nice time in Innsbruck, too!

How lovely to know that you met Colin Whit - a perfect 'gentleman' of the old school.

I'm not sure about the Weekends, the last information on the website was for 2011, but I'm afraid by then they'd rather priced themselves out of the market for me!

Thank you! I'd be very pleased if you would link to Dreamwidth - what a lovely idea.

I'm so glad you enjoyed reading.

[esteven]

:) Thank you for asking. It was as lovely as it was foggy. But the main thing was to see a friend.

*nods* And enthusiastic! He could not ignore a whole gaggle of geese a group of well-behaved ladies all sporting a t-shirt saying "I am based on Lord Cochrane". ;) He let us into the museum after closing and showed and explained the Geoff Hunt cover paintings. I am thrilled to have some prints of his paintings of Surprise and Speedy on my walls.

they'd rather priced themselves out of the market for me!
If one wishes to go to the complete weekend, then yes. But it was possible to only come to some of the events. Someone from my flist went to two lectures and enjoyed them very much.

Thank you for your permission.

Btw, may I friend you?

[rifleman_s]

Oh, I didn't realise you could just attend some events rather than the whole weekend - what a marvellous idea; that's worth knowing.

Of course you may friend me - welcome aboard!

(I don't post very much, but when the mood takes me, it's usually worth it! *grin*).

[sidlj]

Thank you for sharing all this with us! Obviously it was a wonderful experience, since you returned the following year. It all sounds entirely delightful. :-)

[rifleman_s]

Indeed it was!!

Thank you for reading - I'm glad you enjoyed my 'ramblings'!!

[pollyandr3]

Oh my .... you have just described a DREAM.. of mine...
Or something like it..wow! I am fairly new at being in an online comm/loving Slash/Loving AOS genre/reading nautical fiction you know all of that, I am new at being a fan of POB and MandC, books and film, since 2010. Seven years I missed for personal stupid reasons. Anyway, Wow! I had no idea they did things like this..it is like it is out of some POB fan's imagination. I cannot imagine doing something so amazing... oh! You were so LUCKY!

wow....just wow...

[rifleman_s]

Actually, I still feel like saying "wow...just wow...", especially when I was writing this and the memories kept coming back.

To have stumbled across it rather 'by accident' was a marvel in itself, but finding myself in such good company with people who loved the books as much as I did (and virtually knew them inside-out, too!) was really the best part of it all.

And then to know the film was being made - well, that was just the icing on the cake!

I always enjoy your contributions to P_D so please don't worry about being a 'newbie' - everyone is welcome!

[pollyandr3]

Oh, thank you, that is so sweet! :) I am proud to be a part of it, it is so much fun! I cant wait to see what you all think of my newest contributions, the MandC_Thanks Video and the Crack!Comic are just little tastes of what is coming... ooh I love animating things! *rubs hands in anticipation* You will just love it! Thank you!