I also came to Whitby because there is a James Cook Museum here; James Cook, the navigator who not only discovered worlds but also opened them up, and whose sea charts were still in use 200 years after his tragic death – the same James Cook I told you about during my world tour, whose (rebuilt) house I visited in Melbourne. His biography should be known either way, or read up on https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cook 😉
Here in Whitby – coming from London – he found an instructor who gave him a thorough nautical education; here he spent his youthful years and this house, in whose attic he found shelter, is now a museum. Which gives me the opportunity to try to understand how this boy, some 250 years ago, not only became the most important explorer of his time and the forerunner of modern nautical science, but also provided essential impulses for the Enlightenment with his analytical approach.
Unfortunately, the museum does not live up to its promise. But the anecdotes it reproduces nevertheless shed light on his personality: together with the other young apprentices (career goal: helmsman), he slept under his master’s roof when he was not at sea. This attic was neither insulated nor protected from draughts (there was also no electric light and I only saw a fireplace that provided some warmth in the cold season) – presumably this attic was nevertheless a welcome retreat after the weeks at sea. Cook was considered an attentive apprentice; while his flatmates frequented the pubs in the evenings, he read all the books and travel reports he could somehow get hold of. It is a matter of record that he set up a seat under the (only) skylight, and that the housekeeper kept bringing him candles so that he could read even in the dark.
Yes, James Cook was a geek; he absorbed all knowledge, applied it, and also made clever moves in the social sphere; he was able to approach other people unconditionally, tap into their experiential knowledge and apply it successfully – Cook, for example, considered the ‘nautical charts’ of the Polynesians so promising that he incorporated them into his plans and also integrated the most knowledgeable Polynesians into his crew right away! (Tip: We have some of these ‘maps’ in the original in the Natural History Museum in Basel – I am always amazed how they could be used to navigate in simple outrigger boats through the entire Pacific and Indian Oceans, from Haiti to the Easter Islands and as far as New Zealand and even Madagascar). Cook also understood how much targeted nutritional measures helped, and thus virtually eradicated the deaths on board (scurvy and other deficiencies) that had been common until then. His actions challenged the Admiralty; however, they and other know-it-alls could not stop the success of his measures. Without having a clue about vitamin C, he realised his evidence and gave sauerkraut and lemons to his crew. And thus promoted the British to world power at sea.
For me, James Cook is an example of the worlds into which one can advance when one’s accumulated knowledge is not enough; he did not simply take the current accumulated knowledge as an intellectual resting place, but as a stimulus and starting point that naturally provides far more questions than answers. Knowledge as a springboard to explore beyond, to get smart – try it out, go and see for yourself!
In any case, his discoveries and his consistency (with which he led his crew and pushed his voyages) were so weighty that the achievements were kept under lock and key by the Admiralty for over 100 years! And gave the English Crown supremacy at sea for the next hundred years. – Cook’s curiosity literally turned the world upside down; after his voyages it was a different world than before!
After visiting the Cook Museum, I set off in the afternoon after all, leaving the fun little town of Whitby behind. And thanks to a tip from the fisheries supervisor, I even got the name of a harbour where I could refuel from the boat: Royal Quais Marina, the sports harbour of Newcastle. Just imagine, on the entire east coast of England and Scotland there is only one fuel station. So I happily entered the River Tyne, marvelling at the new housing estates springing up on the river mouth, and even considered driving up to Newcastle; the contacts at the fuel station, the harbour master and the experienced looking ‘lads’ who went out for a chat to dive in the North Sea, all raved about Newcastle. 30 km only – I keep coming to a crossroads: what now? Follow a recommendation spontaneously or follow my goal of taking advantage of the good sea weather and come north?
Well, I decide on Amble. A completely unknown place (as it seemed to me) as a springboard to get to Scotland. And fortunately I left immediately after refuelling, because only a little later I wouldn’t have been able to get into Amble harbour because of the low tide – beginner’s luck, once again. While others conscientiously consult the water level tables, I only see the destination and set off. And I should not regret this choice; Amble is a nest, but it has a privately run marina. And the owner does everything to make his customers’ stay (in this inconveniently located harbour) as pleasant as possible. Anyway, we immediately connect and I get extensive information about this area and my later trip to Scotland. Ingenious.
As inconspicuous as Amble seems, I am surprised when I discover several speciality restaurants in the evening: Far East dominates, but there is also a choice of French and Italian – far more than just fish’n’chips. I decide on the Italian, and indeed the whole family serves me (the chef moved to the north for love) and the ‘Scaloppine al limone’ flatters my palate. When have I ever eaten such fine food on my trip so far!
The reason for this culinary diversity is not the sports harbour, which brings too few walk-in customers; the reason is that Amble has around 800 (!) caravan parking spaces, and that many locals come to this tranquil village for a short trip (and don’t want to cook for themselves). Whitby caters to the fun crowd, Amble to the perhaps more serious inland tourists. In any case, my rather intuitive way of determining my moorings has again led to a surprising result and I have once again encountered something unexpected – and my already overloaded day has found a perfect ending.