Ten things a Regency Lady needs to know about travelling (uninvited) on a naval ship.

 

                         Blog By Hetty Avebury (Leading Lady of  Regency novel, Only a Hero Will Do)

I  have taken over  Susan Lodge’s  blog  today to celebrate the first anniversary of Musa Publishing. Check out the link above to take part in the great Musa blog hop and the chance to win lots of goodies .

There is also a chance to win a free download of Only a Hero Will Do.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this blog. (closes 7.October 2012 )

I will  now take the opportunity to  share useful tips about  sea travel , gained when I inadvertently  found myself  sailing from Portsmouth to Gibraltar on board  a Man of War.

1. Make sure you know which is the leeward side (the sheltered side) of the ship. It is important to know which way the wind is blowing when you are prone to seasickness.

2. Do remember to knock the weevils from the ships biscuits, and do not try to cut biscuits  into delicate pieces; they resist all attempts, and the resulting missiles you will undoubtedly shoot through the air may cause accidents.

3. Obtain something heavy to combat the rats as they scuttle about frequently.  A few of the aforementioned biscuits added to your reticule would make it a suitable weapon for the purpose.

4. Do not stray from the quarterdeck. The stern end is the civilized end of the ship.  Although it is a lot more colorful down the pointed end.

5. Prepare for your sleep to be interrupted. The ringing of the ship’s bell and the beating of drums occur at regular and unsociable times.

6. Be wary of midshipmen of the younger kind; they are often up to no good. Boys are still boys even when at sea and prone to playing practical jokes.

7. Do not complain of boredom, believe me that is a good sign. If you see a French ship approaching things will get very scary, and you will soon wish to be bored again.

8. If  you have a chance to pack for the journey (which I did not)  include warm clothing. Also a supply of lemon juice is useful  to bathe freckles,which multiply like a plague of insects across your skin once exposed to the sea air.

9. Prepare to be stoic.  You will witness the misery and sacrifice of war. Even If you are lucky enough to avoid battle, deaths on board from injury and disease occur frequently.

10.  The Captain is  next to God at sea. Do not upset him especially if he had not invited you to sail on his ship in the first place.

There is much more to tell … but I did say 10 points, and I know you are busy people.

But, if you feel like indulging  in a romantic adventure and discovering  what happened during and after my unscheduled voyage , please follow the links below. ( I haven’t even begun to tell you about  Doctor Withington and you need to know about him).

Hetty’s desperate gamble to avoid an odious match lands her all at sea. Can an overbearing  ship’s physician really be the hero she needs to escape her treacherous family …

Read more about  Only a Hero Will Do  at  www.susanlodge.com

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