1 00:00:10,405 --> 00:00:13,125 Speaker 1: You're listening to a MoMA Mea podcast. 2 00:00:13,925 --> 00:00:16,885 Speaker 2: Mama Maya acknowledges the traditional owners of land and waters 3 00:00:16,885 --> 00:00:18,525 Speaker 2: that this podcast is recorded on. 4 00:00:19,565 --> 00:00:23,325 Speaker 1: I was a complete prisoner in this environment because I 5 00:00:23,405 --> 00:00:27,125 Speaker 1: had no choice on where we would go, and often 6 00:00:27,165 --> 00:00:29,525 Speaker 1: my father wouldn't even tell me where we were going 7 00:00:29,525 --> 00:00:30,445 Speaker 1: to sail to next. 8 00:00:30,485 --> 00:00:32,805 Speaker 3: So you're completely imprisoned in this. 9 00:00:32,725 --> 00:00:35,445 Speaker 1: World and you can't even step off the boat and 10 00:00:35,485 --> 00:00:38,365 Speaker 1: go to school or bring somebody up or anything like that. 11 00:00:47,285 --> 00:00:49,965 Speaker 2: From MoMA may you're listening to no filter. I'm mea 12 00:00:50,005 --> 00:00:53,725 Speaker 2: Friedman and when I was about seven, my parents decided 13 00:00:53,765 --> 00:00:56,805 Speaker 2: we'd go on a road trip around Australia. We're away 14 00:00:57,125 --> 00:01:00,365 Speaker 2: for about six weeks, but it felt like six years, 15 00:01:00,605 --> 00:01:04,445 Speaker 2: and I hated every single second of it. Here's a 16 00:01:04,445 --> 00:01:07,685 Speaker 2: hot tip. Most little kids don't have an appetite for adventure, 17 00:01:08,325 --> 00:01:10,845 Speaker 2: not the kind of advent that takes them away from 18 00:01:10,885 --> 00:01:12,845 Speaker 2: their friends and pets and grandparents. 19 00:01:13,445 --> 00:01:16,445 Speaker 4: Kids like routine, They like being at home. 20 00:01:19,485 --> 00:01:22,645 Speaker 2: When Susan Haywood was seven and her little brother was six, 21 00:01:22,725 --> 00:01:25,205 Speaker 2: they were told by their parents that they'd be leaving 22 00:01:25,205 --> 00:01:29,125 Speaker 2: the UK, leaving school, leaving their dog and their grandparents 23 00:01:29,445 --> 00:01:31,485 Speaker 2: to go and see around the world for three years. 24 00:01:32,405 --> 00:01:35,245 Speaker 2: Suzanne had a doubt about what that would be like, 25 00:01:35,685 --> 00:01:38,605 Speaker 2: but like so many little girls, she trusted her dad. 26 00:01:38,965 --> 00:01:42,005 Speaker 2: He was her hero. But as you're going to hear today, 27 00:01:42,245 --> 00:01:46,325 Speaker 2: there's a fine line between adventure and survival, between an 28 00:01:46,325 --> 00:01:50,925 Speaker 2: extended family holiday and well being held captive by your 29 00:01:50,965 --> 00:01:53,725 Speaker 2: parents for ten years. 30 00:01:54,525 --> 00:01:55,885 Speaker 4: Because what was supposed to be. 31 00:01:55,805 --> 00:01:59,885 Speaker 2: A three year journey turned into a decade long odyssey 32 00:01:59,925 --> 00:02:04,325 Speaker 2: where Suzanne was severely injured, hospitalized, put in a very 33 00:02:04,445 --> 00:02:08,965 Speaker 2: unsafe environment with strangers as a teenage girl, and ultimately 34 00:02:09,565 --> 00:02:14,125 Speaker 2: abandoned in a country where she knew nobody. This story 35 00:02:14,205 --> 00:02:17,125 Speaker 2: is kind of like a Greek myth or an action adventure, 36 00:02:17,445 --> 00:02:21,405 Speaker 2: complete with shipwrecks and desert islands. But for Suzanne, it 37 00:02:21,525 --> 00:02:24,605 Speaker 2: was her life and it's her story. And with such 38 00:02:24,645 --> 00:02:27,285 Speaker 2: a big story like this, I often think about where 39 00:02:27,285 --> 00:02:30,685 Speaker 2: I want to begin these conversations, But with her story, 40 00:02:31,045 --> 00:02:34,285 Speaker 2: I was curious to know where she actually begins. When 41 00:02:34,325 --> 00:02:37,685 Speaker 2: she tells other people about this incredible thing that happened 42 00:02:37,685 --> 00:02:40,365 Speaker 2: to her, what's the beginning for her? 43 00:02:41,845 --> 00:02:45,045 Speaker 1: So the beginning for me is the moment where my 44 00:02:45,125 --> 00:02:48,605 Speaker 1: father says, I want to sail around the world, and 45 00:02:48,685 --> 00:02:49,645 Speaker 1: you're coming with me. 46 00:02:49,885 --> 00:02:50,605 Speaker 3: It's going to be. 47 00:02:50,565 --> 00:02:55,245 Speaker 1: Three years because my whole life changed at that moment, 48 00:02:55,445 --> 00:02:58,285 Speaker 1: And so that is the beginning of the story. And 49 00:02:58,565 --> 00:03:01,365 Speaker 1: up until that point, I'm quite a normal little girl 50 00:03:01,445 --> 00:03:06,125 Speaker 1: living a normal life. I'd go to school, I've got friends, 51 00:03:06,285 --> 00:03:10,325 Speaker 1: everything is normal, and then it changes because of that 52 00:03:10,445 --> 00:03:11,605 Speaker 1: decision that he made. 53 00:03:12,485 --> 00:03:16,605 Speaker 2: That day was in nineteen seventy six. You were only seven, 54 00:03:17,285 --> 00:03:21,005 Speaker 2: Your brother John is six. You're eating your cereal and 55 00:03:21,045 --> 00:03:24,045 Speaker 2: your dad Gordon announced his plan over. 56 00:03:23,925 --> 00:03:25,005 Speaker 4: The breakfast table. 57 00:03:25,565 --> 00:03:28,525 Speaker 2: Had he always had a fascination with Captain Cook? What 58 00:03:28,645 --> 00:03:31,805 Speaker 2: exactly did he tell you all that his plan was? 59 00:03:32,685 --> 00:03:35,405 Speaker 1: So he had had a fascination with Captain Cook. My 60 00:03:35,565 --> 00:03:39,205 Speaker 1: maiden name is actually Cook, and he comes from a 61 00:03:39,205 --> 00:03:42,485 Speaker 1: similar part of the UK to Captain Cook. And for 62 00:03:42,565 --> 00:03:45,245 Speaker 1: many years I believe that we were related to him, 63 00:03:45,325 --> 00:03:47,485 Speaker 1: but I now understand we're not. But it was enough 64 00:03:47,485 --> 00:03:51,285 Speaker 1: of a connection for him to feel that fascination. And 65 00:03:51,365 --> 00:03:55,085 Speaker 1: he'd always loved sailing. He hadn't sailed very far. They'd 66 00:03:55,085 --> 00:03:57,925 Speaker 1: had various small boats, and they'd gone as far as 67 00:03:57,965 --> 00:04:00,965 Speaker 1: crossing the Channel. He didn't really know how to navigate 68 00:04:01,005 --> 00:04:03,605 Speaker 1: at that point, and anyway, as a six year old, 69 00:04:03,685 --> 00:04:06,565 Speaker 1: you don't really question these things. Okay, So my dad's 70 00:04:06,605 --> 00:04:07,725 Speaker 1: trying to sail around the world. 71 00:04:08,085 --> 00:04:09,005 Speaker 3: You know, he's a hero. 72 00:04:09,445 --> 00:04:11,805 Speaker 1: Hero worship my dad like a lot of little girls 73 00:04:11,845 --> 00:04:14,845 Speaker 1: do with their father. Okay, you know, we're going on 74 00:04:14,885 --> 00:04:18,005 Speaker 1: this adventure, and I was worried because I was leaving 75 00:04:18,045 --> 00:04:23,965 Speaker 1: behind all my friends, my dog, Rusty water spaniel, my grandparents. 76 00:04:24,005 --> 00:04:26,485 Speaker 1: I was very close, in particular to my Nana, my 77 00:04:26,525 --> 00:04:29,285 Speaker 1: father's mother. But we were going to be back in 78 00:04:29,365 --> 00:04:31,565 Speaker 1: three years and it was going to be a great adventure. 79 00:04:32,325 --> 00:04:34,685 Speaker 2: You didn't question, of course, you kind of don't even 80 00:04:34,725 --> 00:04:37,645 Speaker 2: get the opportunity to question things. Well, maybe kids do now, 81 00:04:37,725 --> 00:04:39,725 Speaker 2: but back in the seventies, we didn't get the chance 82 00:04:39,805 --> 00:04:43,445 Speaker 2: to question things when our parents told us their plans. 83 00:04:44,245 --> 00:04:47,205 Speaker 2: But how did your mother, Mary, and your brother John, 84 00:04:47,605 --> 00:04:49,605 Speaker 2: who was about the same agency, how did they react 85 00:04:49,605 --> 00:04:51,205 Speaker 2: to the proposition, particularly your mom. 86 00:04:51,765 --> 00:04:54,845 Speaker 1: So my mom was madly in love with my father 87 00:04:55,165 --> 00:04:57,925 Speaker 1: and really would go along with anything that he wanted 88 00:04:58,005 --> 00:05:01,605 Speaker 1: to do. They had one of these dynamics where, you know, 89 00:05:01,685 --> 00:05:04,605 Speaker 1: my father made all the big decisions and my mother 90 00:05:04,645 --> 00:05:07,285 Speaker 1: made all the little decisions, the day to day decisions, 91 00:05:07,685 --> 00:05:10,565 Speaker 1: but the thing was my mom hated, and I knew 92 00:05:10,565 --> 00:05:13,125 Speaker 1: that even as a little girl. My father would often 93 00:05:13,165 --> 00:05:15,645 Speaker 1: go saiving. My mother would not go with him. But 94 00:05:15,725 --> 00:05:18,005 Speaker 1: I think for my mother, the idea that he would 95 00:05:18,085 --> 00:05:22,485 Speaker 1: go sailing without her was inconceivable. And then if she 96 00:05:22,725 --> 00:05:26,045 Speaker 1: was going, of course us kids would go. My brother 97 00:05:26,125 --> 00:05:29,485 Speaker 1: I don't really remember expressing much review. He's a year 98 00:05:29,525 --> 00:05:32,045 Speaker 1: younger than me, so he was five at this point, 99 00:05:32,525 --> 00:05:36,005 Speaker 1: so he didn't really have much review, certainly not at 100 00:05:36,005 --> 00:05:38,645 Speaker 1: that point. But my mother was absolutely going to go. 101 00:05:38,725 --> 00:05:39,685 Speaker 1: I don't remember her. 102 00:05:39,565 --> 00:05:41,645 Speaker 3: Being enthusiastic about it. 103 00:05:42,085 --> 00:05:45,205 Speaker 1: This was my father's dream, not hers, but she was 104 00:05:45,485 --> 00:05:46,645 Speaker 1: absolutely part of it. 105 00:05:47,285 --> 00:05:50,205 Speaker 2: Tell me about your mom. Your relationship with her wasn't easy, 106 00:05:50,805 --> 00:05:52,765 Speaker 2: you write in your book. My father was a hero 107 00:05:52,885 --> 00:05:55,725 Speaker 2: to me, and it seemed to everyone else. My mother 108 00:05:55,805 --> 00:06:01,125 Speaker 2: was a glamorous, if somewhat unwilling and unmaternal accomplice speak 109 00:06:01,205 --> 00:06:02,685 Speaker 2: to me about unmaternal. 110 00:06:03,285 --> 00:06:05,685 Speaker 1: As a small child, I didn't really question how my 111 00:06:05,765 --> 00:06:06,285 Speaker 1: mother was. 112 00:06:06,405 --> 00:06:06,965 Speaker 3: She just was. 113 00:06:07,005 --> 00:06:09,285 Speaker 1: I mean, you just accept your mother as the person, 114 00:06:09,365 --> 00:06:12,765 Speaker 1: and she is. But as I got older, it became 115 00:06:12,845 --> 00:06:17,085 Speaker 1: increasingly apparent not only that she was not maternal. I mean, 116 00:06:17,125 --> 00:06:19,325 Speaker 1: at one point in the book, she leaves me overnight 117 00:06:19,365 --> 00:06:25,085 Speaker 1: at an orphanage, but also she has very clear favorites. 118 00:06:25,125 --> 00:06:28,125 Speaker 1: So my brother becomes very much like a golden child 119 00:06:28,285 --> 00:06:32,085 Speaker 1: on the boat, and I become the Cinderella type character 120 00:06:32,725 --> 00:06:35,565 Speaker 1: and talking to other children, particularly children who were taken 121 00:06:35,685 --> 00:06:40,765 Speaker 1: out of the norm into very physically adventurous circumstances. That 122 00:06:41,365 --> 00:06:43,925 Speaker 1: is a pattern which I'm hearing from other people as well, 123 00:06:43,925 --> 00:06:46,125 Speaker 1: because of course girls are less suited for that sort 124 00:06:46,125 --> 00:06:49,205 Speaker 1: of environment. And then you get into a dynamic where 125 00:06:49,845 --> 00:06:53,125 Speaker 1: because the boy is enjoying it more, they're the good child. 126 00:06:53,245 --> 00:06:55,845 Speaker 1: Because the girl is not enjoying it as much, and 127 00:06:55,925 --> 00:07:00,565 Speaker 1: often girls are craving friendships and normality, they're the bad child. 128 00:07:00,645 --> 00:07:03,445 Speaker 1: And that dynamic was one that my mother played into. 129 00:07:03,525 --> 00:07:07,525 Speaker 1: My mother was always somebody who had favorites people, She 130 00:07:07,965 --> 00:07:11,685 Speaker 1: liked people who flattered her. I now understand, at least 131 00:07:11,685 --> 00:07:14,205 Speaker 1: I've been told, she is quite a narcissistic person. So 132 00:07:14,445 --> 00:07:17,325 Speaker 1: if you flattered her and she liked what you were doing, 133 00:07:17,805 --> 00:07:20,565 Speaker 1: you were wonderful. If you didn't, she disliked you. So 134 00:07:20,645 --> 00:07:24,445 Speaker 1: this relationship I had with her went seriously downhill when 135 00:07:24,485 --> 00:07:28,125 Speaker 1: I became a teenager, and looking back, I now understand 136 00:07:28,165 --> 00:07:31,965 Speaker 1: I was probably in her eyes, competing for attention. You 137 00:07:32,045 --> 00:07:36,725 Speaker 1: have become a pretty teenager. I was academic, and I 138 00:07:36,725 --> 00:07:39,685 Speaker 1: think she just found me really hard to deal with 139 00:07:40,005 --> 00:07:42,205 Speaker 1: on the boat. But her response to that was to 140 00:07:42,245 --> 00:07:45,925 Speaker 1: be really quite unpleasant. And of course you're trapped in 141 00:07:45,965 --> 00:07:48,845 Speaker 1: a tiny boat and you can't go anywhere. As a 142 00:07:48,885 --> 00:07:51,485 Speaker 1: teenage girl, I couldn't go and be a friend. I 143 00:07:51,485 --> 00:07:54,565 Speaker 1: couldn't get off the boat. There was nothing I could. 144 00:07:54,725 --> 00:07:57,485 Speaker 2: You literally couldn't run away. You couldn't even slam a door. 145 00:07:57,565 --> 00:08:01,365 Speaker 2: And you go for a walk to the park. Can 146 00:08:01,405 --> 00:08:04,165 Speaker 2: you tell me your dad went and found this boat 147 00:08:04,285 --> 00:08:07,565 Speaker 2: with the Wavewalker, which is also the name of your 148 00:08:07,605 --> 00:08:08,445 Speaker 2: incredible book. 149 00:08:09,645 --> 00:08:12,005 Speaker 4: What did the boat look like like? What was it like? 150 00:08:12,125 --> 00:08:14,205 Speaker 4: The actual physicality of it on board? 151 00:08:15,085 --> 00:08:18,685 Speaker 1: So wave Walker was a very beautiful boat from the outside, 152 00:08:18,965 --> 00:08:22,605 Speaker 1: a very old fashioned looking boat with a raise that's 153 00:08:22,645 --> 00:08:25,005 Speaker 1: called a kind of poop neck up at the back. 154 00:08:25,125 --> 00:08:28,165 Speaker 1: She was a wooden boat, a schooner, which means the 155 00:08:28,205 --> 00:08:30,165 Speaker 1: mast at the front is smaller than the mass of 156 00:08:30,205 --> 00:08:34,485 Speaker 1: the back gaffrig, which means that the sail between the 157 00:08:34,525 --> 00:08:38,125 Speaker 1: two masts square. So she looked really old fashioned and 158 00:08:38,245 --> 00:08:41,045 Speaker 1: rather beautiful with a long bow sprit at the bow 159 00:08:41,445 --> 00:08:45,205 Speaker 1: or the front, so she was very graceful, but the 160 00:08:45,245 --> 00:08:47,205 Speaker 1: reality of what it was like to live on her 161 00:08:47,685 --> 00:08:50,965 Speaker 1: was quite different. She was a very narrow boat, so 162 00:08:51,165 --> 00:08:54,325 Speaker 1: down below you didn't have a lot of space, certainly 163 00:08:54,365 --> 00:08:57,605 Speaker 1: not a space to live on for many years, and 164 00:08:57,685 --> 00:09:01,365 Speaker 1: particularly because over time my father ran completely out of money. 165 00:09:01,485 --> 00:09:04,765 Speaker 1: We were never very wealthy, but we became very poor 166 00:09:05,005 --> 00:09:07,765 Speaker 1: over time, which is another thing that happens with long 167 00:09:07,845 --> 00:09:10,765 Speaker 1: term sailors, because of course you often don't have a 168 00:09:10,805 --> 00:09:13,885 Speaker 1: real source of income and it's very expensive to try 169 00:09:13,885 --> 00:09:16,325 Speaker 1: and just keep the boat going, so there was no 170 00:09:16,485 --> 00:09:19,285 Speaker 1: money for, you know, anything frivolous at all. I don't 171 00:09:19,285 --> 00:09:22,405 Speaker 1: remember having a new item of clothing as a child. 172 00:09:22,885 --> 00:09:26,565 Speaker 1: So he started taking paying crew on the boat six 173 00:09:26,685 --> 00:09:32,045 Speaker 1: seven a crew usually men on board and downstairs down below, 174 00:09:32,245 --> 00:09:34,885 Speaker 1: the space was very limited, so I was often sharing 175 00:09:35,045 --> 00:09:38,085 Speaker 1: a cabin with these kind of male crews. There was 176 00:09:38,125 --> 00:09:43,125 Speaker 1: only one working bathroom or head, very narrow kind of galley, 177 00:09:43,165 --> 00:09:45,965 Speaker 1: one table that sat kind of five people, but not 178 00:09:46,205 --> 00:09:49,325 Speaker 1: enough space for everybody to sit down, so quite constrained. 179 00:09:49,325 --> 00:09:52,645 Speaker 1: And then imagine being in that environment as a teenage girl. 180 00:09:53,045 --> 00:09:58,005 Speaker 1: Where you want, You want a degree of kind of privacy, 181 00:09:56,325 --> 00:09:59,005 Speaker 1: you know, and of. 182 00:09:58,965 --> 00:10:00,365 Speaker 3: Course you can't get off the boat. 183 00:10:00,525 --> 00:10:04,245 Speaker 1: So and this is this wonderful, really interesting thing for 184 00:10:04,325 --> 00:10:08,965 Speaker 1: me about the contrast between the parents' dream. My father 185 00:10:09,005 --> 00:10:11,045 Speaker 1: had the dream of standing around the world, and for 186 00:10:11,165 --> 00:10:15,005 Speaker 1: heim it was freedom and independence. And you know, if 187 00:10:15,045 --> 00:10:17,885 Speaker 1: they fell out with somebody, which they often did, they 188 00:10:17,925 --> 00:10:20,125 Speaker 1: would pull up the anchor and sail to somewhere else. 189 00:10:20,405 --> 00:10:23,405 Speaker 1: But for me, I was a complete prisoner in this 190 00:10:23,565 --> 00:10:27,565 Speaker 1: environment because I had no choice on where we would go, 191 00:10:28,165 --> 00:10:30,725 Speaker 1: and often my father wouldn't even tell me where we 192 00:10:30,725 --> 00:10:33,645 Speaker 1: were going to sail to next. So you're completely imprisoned 193 00:10:33,845 --> 00:10:36,645 Speaker 1: in this world, and you can't even step off the 194 00:10:36,645 --> 00:10:39,125 Speaker 1: boat and go to school or bring somebody up or 195 00:10:39,125 --> 00:10:39,925 Speaker 1: anything like that. 196 00:10:42,045 --> 00:10:44,125 Speaker 2: After this short break, what was supposed to be a 197 00:10:44,165 --> 00:10:47,965 Speaker 2: three year voyage beginning when Susann was seven, drags out 198 00:10:47,965 --> 00:10:51,725 Speaker 2: for years and years, and she becomes a young woman 199 00:10:51,765 --> 00:10:54,005 Speaker 2: on the yacht, which brings a whole new set of 200 00:10:54,085 --> 00:10:55,765 Speaker 2: challenges and dangers. 201 00:10:56,285 --> 00:10:56,925 Speaker 4: Stay with us. 202 00:10:59,285 --> 00:11:03,045 Speaker 2: Tell me about school, because I imagine when he sold it 203 00:11:03,085 --> 00:11:05,005 Speaker 2: to you, the prospect of not going. 204 00:11:04,765 --> 00:11:06,885 Speaker 4: To school at first for a kid. 205 00:11:07,325 --> 00:11:10,725 Speaker 2: Is kind of great, But what did you do about 206 00:11:10,845 --> 00:11:12,205 Speaker 2: lessons and about school? 207 00:11:12,205 --> 00:11:13,765 Speaker 4: Did you do it? By correspondence? 208 00:11:14,605 --> 00:11:17,365 Speaker 1: So the initial premise was that my mother was going 209 00:11:17,405 --> 00:11:19,965 Speaker 1: to teach us. And my mother was a trained primary 210 00:11:20,005 --> 00:11:23,485 Speaker 1: school teacher, so she had various worksheets that she was 211 00:11:23,565 --> 00:11:24,725 Speaker 1: going to use. 212 00:11:25,285 --> 00:11:26,325 Speaker 3: And I know you say. 213 00:11:26,125 --> 00:11:28,125 Speaker 1: That the kind of promise for most kids would be 214 00:11:28,205 --> 00:11:30,805 Speaker 1: quite exciting not going school, but actually I was taken 215 00:11:30,805 --> 00:11:33,845 Speaker 1: out of school when I was seven, and I was 216 00:11:33,925 --> 00:11:37,845 Speaker 1: quite an academic child, and I enjoyed school anyway. My 217 00:11:37,925 --> 00:11:41,125 Speaker 1: mother did do a few worksheets, particularly in the first 218 00:11:41,565 --> 00:11:44,365 Speaker 1: year or so, but it was very haphazard because she 219 00:11:44,405 --> 00:11:46,965 Speaker 1: wouldn't do any at sea because she got seasick. She 220 00:11:47,005 --> 00:11:49,365 Speaker 1: didn't really like doing them in port because then she'd 221 00:11:49,365 --> 00:11:52,645 Speaker 1: want to go ashore. So every so often it would happen, 222 00:11:52,645 --> 00:11:55,805 Speaker 1: but very very sporadic, and then within the first couple 223 00:11:55,845 --> 00:11:59,325 Speaker 1: of years it stopped altogether. And by the time we 224 00:11:59,485 --> 00:12:01,965 Speaker 1: got to Hawaii, by which point we've been at sea 225 00:12:01,965 --> 00:12:06,285 Speaker 1: for four years, she's long given up any sort of education. 226 00:12:06,925 --> 00:12:10,205 Speaker 1: And I'm incredibly bored, and I just to learn, So 227 00:12:10,285 --> 00:12:13,405 Speaker 1: I'm trying to read every book I can find. I'm 228 00:12:13,405 --> 00:12:15,605 Speaker 1: trying to talk to everybody I can kind of talk to. 229 00:12:15,765 --> 00:12:18,605 Speaker 1: But I'm just desperate to learn, both for the sake 230 00:12:18,645 --> 00:12:23,845 Speaker 1: of learning but also for friendships. I'm really really missing friends. 231 00:12:24,205 --> 00:12:26,525 Speaker 1: And people say to me, but you know what was 232 00:12:26,565 --> 00:12:28,885 Speaker 1: the problem? You know, you had the University of Life, 233 00:12:29,285 --> 00:12:31,765 Speaker 1: to which I say, well, the University of Life is great, 234 00:12:31,845 --> 00:12:35,325 Speaker 1: but I wanted to be a scientist. And how do 235 00:12:35,325 --> 00:12:40,325 Speaker 1: you learn maths and physics and chemistry when you're sitting 236 00:12:40,365 --> 00:12:42,285 Speaker 1: on a boat sailing around the world. 237 00:12:42,885 --> 00:12:45,525 Speaker 2: You just said four years. I mean originally your dad 238 00:12:45,565 --> 00:12:48,765 Speaker 2: had said three years. What was the intention to like 239 00:12:49,285 --> 00:12:51,885 Speaker 2: sail for what a few weeks at a time and 240 00:12:51,925 --> 00:12:53,965 Speaker 2: then go into port and. 241 00:12:53,845 --> 00:12:56,325 Speaker 4: Like live in different cities. 242 00:12:56,125 --> 00:12:59,165 Speaker 2: Or to just be spending the whole time on the ocean, 243 00:12:59,285 --> 00:13:01,605 Speaker 2: Like what was the plan? And also then how did 244 00:13:01,605 --> 00:13:02,245 Speaker 2: it turn out? 245 00:13:02,885 --> 00:13:05,565 Speaker 1: Well, the plan was a slightly crazy plan. So he 246 00:13:05,725 --> 00:13:09,565 Speaker 1: had this idea of recreating Captain Cook's third voyde around 247 00:13:09,605 --> 00:13:12,925 Speaker 1: the world. And the reason why he did that, I 248 00:13:13,005 --> 00:13:15,725 Speaker 1: now believe, is because that was a way of raising 249 00:13:15,765 --> 00:13:19,365 Speaker 1: money to do the voyage, because it felt like, you know, 250 00:13:19,445 --> 00:13:21,565 Speaker 1: something that people would donate money too. 251 00:13:22,125 --> 00:13:24,165 Speaker 4: What did he do for a job? Your dad before 252 00:13:24,205 --> 00:13:24,565 Speaker 4: all of. 253 00:13:24,525 --> 00:13:28,085 Speaker 1: This so he first of all trained as a teacher himself, 254 00:13:28,125 --> 00:13:30,285 Speaker 1: though he hated teaching and only did it for a 255 00:13:30,325 --> 00:13:34,165 Speaker 1: few weeks, and then he ran various things. I remember 256 00:13:34,205 --> 00:13:36,365 Speaker 1: he kind of ran a bowling alley at one point, 257 00:13:36,845 --> 00:13:39,765 Speaker 1: and at the point at which we sold everything to 258 00:13:39,805 --> 00:13:43,485 Speaker 1: buy the boat, he was running Warwick Castle in the UK, 259 00:13:43,605 --> 00:13:47,445 Speaker 1: which is an old castle. So he was always an entrepreneur, 260 00:13:48,205 --> 00:13:51,525 Speaker 1: not a very wealthy entrepreneur, but he was always an entrepreneur. 261 00:13:51,525 --> 00:13:54,285 Speaker 1: He always had ideas, so that's what he was doing. 262 00:13:54,285 --> 00:13:56,205 Speaker 1: And then he had this big idea that he was 263 00:13:56,245 --> 00:13:58,965 Speaker 1: going to sell around the world and then he made 264 00:13:59,005 --> 00:14:02,325 Speaker 1: it the Byzentinary Voyage. So he was able to raise 265 00:14:02,365 --> 00:14:04,885 Speaker 1: some sponsorship for that, which was good because we didn't 266 00:14:04,885 --> 00:14:08,125 Speaker 1: have a huge amount of money. So that was the idea. 267 00:14:08,165 --> 00:14:10,845 Speaker 1: Now the problem we're standing around the world following Captain 268 00:14:10,885 --> 00:14:14,085 Speaker 1: Cook's third voyage is Captain Cook took a very dangerous 269 00:14:14,125 --> 00:14:17,205 Speaker 1: route on his third voyage. So whereas most people who 270 00:14:17,285 --> 00:14:20,085 Speaker 1: sail around the world, they do so standing east to 271 00:14:20,165 --> 00:14:23,245 Speaker 1: west around the equator, So you go from the UK, 272 00:14:23,365 --> 00:14:26,685 Speaker 1: if you're starting from the UK, across the North Atlantic, 273 00:14:26,805 --> 00:14:30,525 Speaker 1: through the Panama Canal down through the Pacific and so on. 274 00:14:31,245 --> 00:14:32,445 Speaker 3: We weren't going that way. 275 00:14:32,645 --> 00:14:35,605 Speaker 1: We were going the other way, which basically you don't 276 00:14:35,805 --> 00:14:39,765 Speaker 1: do unless you're a very extreme sailor. We went down 277 00:14:39,805 --> 00:14:42,885 Speaker 1: to South America and we sailed from west to east. 278 00:14:43,325 --> 00:14:46,125 Speaker 1: That meant that we went across the Southern Atlantic Ocean, 279 00:14:46,165 --> 00:14:49,325 Speaker 1: which is a very dangerous ocean, the wrong way. 280 00:14:49,725 --> 00:14:50,005 Speaker 3: I e. 281 00:14:50,205 --> 00:14:53,965 Speaker 1: Into the winds. And then we went even worse across 282 00:14:54,005 --> 00:14:57,125 Speaker 1: the Southern Indian Ocean. And these trips, by the way, 283 00:14:57,445 --> 00:15:02,245 Speaker 1: you're at sea four ten twelve weeks, weeks, weeks, yes, 284 00:15:03,045 --> 00:15:06,285 Speaker 1: and there's a little kid. You're trapped down below because 285 00:15:06,285 --> 00:15:08,365 Speaker 1: you can't come up on deck because it's too dangerous. 286 00:15:09,365 --> 00:15:11,965 Speaker 1: And in the Southern Indian Ocean we hit a terrible, 287 00:15:12,125 --> 00:15:15,725 Speaker 1: terrible storm. The ways became bigger and bigger, and eventually, 288 00:15:16,205 --> 00:15:18,165 Speaker 1: and I talk about it in the book, were very 289 00:15:18,205 --> 00:15:21,885 Speaker 1: badly shipwrecked. The boat or the sinks, and I am 290 00:15:21,965 --> 00:15:24,925 Speaker 1: quite badly hurt because I'm flung against the ceiling of 291 00:15:24,965 --> 00:15:28,365 Speaker 1: the cabin and against the wall, and I fracture my 292 00:15:28,365 --> 00:15:30,765 Speaker 1: skull and break my nose. And we end up on 293 00:15:30,845 --> 00:15:33,765 Speaker 1: a tiny little atoll island in the middle of the 294 00:15:33,765 --> 00:15:37,405 Speaker 1: Indian Ocean called ourl Amsterdam where I have seven head 295 00:15:37,405 --> 00:15:40,205 Speaker 1: operations without an esthetic, sous. 296 00:15:40,285 --> 00:15:44,205 Speaker 4: That is a lot. And you're how old at this age? 297 00:15:44,445 --> 00:15:46,525 Speaker 1: So I'm still seven, you're still seventh. 298 00:15:46,885 --> 00:15:50,085 Speaker 4: This was in year one of the great adventure. 299 00:15:50,405 --> 00:15:53,445 Speaker 1: Yeah, one of the great adventure. But that's why the 300 00:15:53,565 --> 00:15:56,325 Speaker 1: end of the voyage what is a major you know? 301 00:15:56,405 --> 00:15:58,325 Speaker 1: The turning point of the voyage was supposed to be 302 00:15:58,405 --> 00:16:02,765 Speaker 1: Hawaiian because Hawaiian was where Captain Cook was killed on 303 00:16:02,845 --> 00:16:05,165 Speaker 1: his third voyage, at which point we were supposed to 304 00:16:05,205 --> 00:16:08,885 Speaker 1: then turn around and come back through the Panama Canal 305 00:16:09,125 --> 00:16:11,165 Speaker 1: to the UK, and that was the end of the voat. 306 00:16:11,365 --> 00:16:13,805 Speaker 1: But by the time we got to Hawaii, mother, than 307 00:16:13,845 --> 00:16:17,045 Speaker 1: being three years in, we were four years in because 308 00:16:17,045 --> 00:16:18,805 Speaker 1: of the shipwreck. It took the best part of a 309 00:16:18,925 --> 00:16:22,485 Speaker 1: year to repair the boat in Fremantle. We were in Fremantle. 310 00:16:22,525 --> 00:16:25,405 Speaker 1: I went briefly to school in Fremantle, which I remember 311 00:16:25,445 --> 00:16:26,045 Speaker 1: really loving. 312 00:16:26,245 --> 00:16:27,245 Speaker 4: What school did you go to? 313 00:16:27,925 --> 00:16:29,845 Speaker 1: I can't remember the school. It was a little local 314 00:16:29,885 --> 00:16:33,645 Speaker 1: school near the boatyard in Fremantle, and I remember there 315 00:16:33,645 --> 00:16:37,285 Speaker 1: were these very nice twin boys who used to compete 316 00:16:37,325 --> 00:16:39,405 Speaker 1: over who would carry my school bag back to the 317 00:16:39,405 --> 00:16:40,485 Speaker 1: boatyard every day. 318 00:16:40,805 --> 00:16:41,565 Speaker 3: That was very sweet. 319 00:16:41,645 --> 00:16:43,485 Speaker 4: You must have loved playing with other kids. 320 00:16:44,805 --> 00:16:48,285 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was wonderful because we were going to school. 321 00:16:48,605 --> 00:16:51,845 Speaker 1: We were at one level having a somewhat normal life. 322 00:16:52,205 --> 00:16:54,565 Speaker 1: At another level, we weren't because the boat was very 323 00:16:54,565 --> 00:16:58,085 Speaker 1: badly damaged and in that shipwreck we lost all our toys. 324 00:16:58,125 --> 00:17:01,845 Speaker 1: So we had no toys. We had virtually no money 325 00:17:02,165 --> 00:17:05,885 Speaker 1: because everything was being spent that we had on repairing 326 00:17:05,925 --> 00:17:09,245 Speaker 1: this boat. We were living on this boat which was 327 00:17:09,605 --> 00:17:14,285 Speaker 1: half wrecked, in this boatyard. But when I left the 328 00:17:14,325 --> 00:17:17,005 Speaker 1: boatyard and I put my little kind of saturl on 329 00:17:17,085 --> 00:17:19,365 Speaker 1: and went to school, I could pretend to be normal 330 00:17:19,605 --> 00:17:22,205 Speaker 1: and it was great. I remember kind of practicing a 331 00:17:22,285 --> 00:17:25,565 Speaker 1: musical instrument, the tambourine, I seem to remember for the 332 00:17:25,605 --> 00:17:29,165 Speaker 1: school band. I remember, for a little while, our life 333 00:17:29,245 --> 00:17:32,165 Speaker 1: is normal, And then my father said, now we're saving again, 334 00:17:32,645 --> 00:17:33,525 Speaker 1: and we set off. 335 00:17:33,685 --> 00:17:36,925 Speaker 4: You must have been devastated. What was a typical day 336 00:17:36,965 --> 00:17:40,005 Speaker 4: in the life for you, like as a child on the. 337 00:17:39,965 --> 00:17:44,085 Speaker 1: Boat, Well, days were very governed by the weather. So 338 00:17:44,165 --> 00:17:47,285 Speaker 1: when we set sail from Fremantle, we were sailing across 339 00:17:47,325 --> 00:17:50,805 Speaker 1: the Great Australian Bite to Melbourne. And actually that's a 340 00:17:50,845 --> 00:17:54,205 Speaker 1: pretty rough piece of sea as well, so you will 341 00:17:54,405 --> 00:17:57,365 Speaker 1: have some days where you're completely becalmed with no wind, 342 00:17:57,965 --> 00:18:00,405 Speaker 1: in which case I would get up in the morning, 343 00:18:01,005 --> 00:18:03,765 Speaker 1: you know, find something for breakfast. We often didn't have 344 00:18:04,045 --> 00:18:08,485 Speaker 1: very organized meals because everyone was doing watches. All the 345 00:18:08,525 --> 00:18:11,285 Speaker 1: adults were doing watches. So it's not that you would 346 00:18:11,325 --> 00:18:13,285 Speaker 1: get up in the morning and somebody would be there, 347 00:18:13,365 --> 00:18:16,325 Speaker 1: because you'd have one or two adults on watch and 348 00:18:16,365 --> 00:18:17,125 Speaker 1: everybody else. 349 00:18:16,965 --> 00:18:19,965 Speaker 3: Would be asleep. But you would find yourself some breakfast. 350 00:18:20,045 --> 00:18:22,045 Speaker 1: I'd go up if it was calm enough, I could 351 00:18:22,085 --> 00:18:25,525 Speaker 1: go up and sit in the cockpit with whoever was 352 00:18:25,605 --> 00:18:28,525 Speaker 1: on watch, and I could talk to them, and then 353 00:18:28,605 --> 00:18:30,925 Speaker 1: I would go down and spend the rest of the 354 00:18:31,005 --> 00:18:32,485 Speaker 1: day trying to entertain myself. 355 00:18:32,645 --> 00:18:36,485 Speaker 3: You know. I would have a few books, I would draw, I. 356 00:18:36,485 --> 00:18:39,205 Speaker 1: Would try to find things to do. But we didn't 357 00:18:39,205 --> 00:18:43,805 Speaker 1: have any organized schooling, and we had very limited toys 358 00:18:43,845 --> 00:18:46,125 Speaker 1: on board. The one thing I will say is is 359 00:18:46,205 --> 00:18:50,085 Speaker 1: kids aren't endlessly inventive. So my younger brother and I 360 00:18:50,125 --> 00:18:52,885 Speaker 1: would invent a lot of games, and I would also 361 00:18:52,925 --> 00:18:55,325 Speaker 1: in ment a lot of games. I would play by myself. 362 00:18:55,365 --> 00:18:58,245 Speaker 1: I mean, I remember using we had a chess set 363 00:18:58,285 --> 00:18:59,725 Speaker 1: on board. It was one of the few things that 364 00:18:59,765 --> 00:19:03,485 Speaker 1: we had, and I remember turning that into an entire kingdom, 365 00:19:03,725 --> 00:19:07,405 Speaker 1: you know. But looking back, and particularly now as a parent, 366 00:19:07,485 --> 00:19:09,805 Speaker 1: and I'm a parent of three children myself, it's a 367 00:19:09,965 --> 00:19:13,565 Speaker 1: very deprived world forcing your to I mean, it's almost 368 00:19:13,605 --> 00:19:16,045 Speaker 1: like if my parents have kind of locked me in 369 00:19:16,125 --> 00:19:19,765 Speaker 1: a flat for a decade, we would all say that's 370 00:19:19,845 --> 00:19:22,485 Speaker 1: kind of terrible. But actually being stuck at sea as 371 00:19:22,485 --> 00:19:26,485 Speaker 1: a child, particularly a small child, you're down below in 372 00:19:26,525 --> 00:19:30,005 Speaker 1: a very limited space with very few things to do. 373 00:19:30,085 --> 00:19:33,005 Speaker 2: Like in a cell, because like kids need to run 374 00:19:33,165 --> 00:19:36,885 Speaker 2: and jump and climb, how did you even You couldn't 375 00:19:36,885 --> 00:19:38,285 Speaker 2: even move much. 376 00:19:38,805 --> 00:19:40,805 Speaker 1: So if it was calm, you could go on deck, 377 00:19:41,005 --> 00:19:45,125 Speaker 1: but there's limited deck space. You certainly can't run around 378 00:19:45,205 --> 00:19:47,885 Speaker 1: very much. My brother and I had a game where 379 00:19:47,885 --> 00:19:49,445 Speaker 1: we would try to kind of get from one end 380 00:19:49,445 --> 00:19:51,805 Speaker 1: of the boat to the other without touching the floor. 381 00:19:52,005 --> 00:19:52,485 Speaker 3: I remember. 382 00:19:52,845 --> 00:19:56,445 Speaker 1: But you can't swim, and unless you're import you can't 383 00:19:56,605 --> 00:19:58,925 Speaker 1: go short, so you can't play any sort of ball 384 00:19:59,005 --> 00:20:03,365 Speaker 1: games or anything like that. So, yes, very limited for 385 00:20:03,565 --> 00:20:04,845 Speaker 1: prolonged periods of time. 386 00:20:05,005 --> 00:20:07,165 Speaker 4: Where was your mum? What would she do on the 387 00:20:07,165 --> 00:20:08,165 Speaker 4: biat so my. 388 00:20:08,205 --> 00:20:12,885 Speaker 1: Mum would do watches with everybody else. She got very 389 00:20:12,965 --> 00:20:15,845 Speaker 1: badly seasick. So basically for the first three days, every 390 00:20:15,885 --> 00:20:18,765 Speaker 1: time we left port, she would retreat to her bunk 391 00:20:19,005 --> 00:20:21,285 Speaker 1: in the aft cabin at the back of the boat, 392 00:20:21,325 --> 00:20:23,285 Speaker 1: and she was not to be disturbed. So for the 393 00:20:23,285 --> 00:20:25,445 Speaker 1: first three days you always had to make do once 394 00:20:25,485 --> 00:20:28,285 Speaker 1: you left port, and then she would appear and she 395 00:20:28,445 --> 00:20:33,165 Speaker 1: would cook food. I mean, food on board was quite basic, 396 00:20:33,485 --> 00:20:35,245 Speaker 1: you know, because you had to rely a lot on 397 00:20:35,325 --> 00:20:37,165 Speaker 1: kind of canned and powdered food. 398 00:20:37,565 --> 00:20:39,605 Speaker 4: What would you eat? What were meals like. 399 00:20:40,085 --> 00:20:42,885 Speaker 1: Well, quite a lot of corned beef, quite a lot 400 00:20:42,925 --> 00:20:47,285 Speaker 1: of spam. I don't really recommend. When my father had 401 00:20:47,325 --> 00:20:50,045 Speaker 1: to cook when my mother was ill, his kind of 402 00:20:50,085 --> 00:20:53,605 Speaker 1: go to meal was corned beef and powdered mashed potatoes, 403 00:20:54,085 --> 00:20:58,285 Speaker 1: which actually I remember powdered mash potatoes being remarkably good. Actually, 404 00:20:58,365 --> 00:20:59,885 Speaker 1: I'm not sure I would eat them now, but they 405 00:20:59,925 --> 00:21:03,205 Speaker 1: were good. Later on, when we got into the Pacific, 406 00:21:03,405 --> 00:21:06,125 Speaker 1: we had a wider range of food because we were 407 00:21:06,245 --> 00:21:09,365 Speaker 1: able when we got to an island to trade and 408 00:21:09,445 --> 00:21:13,605 Speaker 1: get bananas or mangoes or whatever. But certainly for those 409 00:21:13,605 --> 00:21:17,205 Speaker 1: first few years. The food was very limited and we 410 00:21:17,205 --> 00:21:19,485 Speaker 1: weren't really able to catch fitsch. I mean, you can't 411 00:21:19,525 --> 00:21:23,405 Speaker 1: really fish in the Southern Indian Ocean again. Kind of 412 00:21:23,445 --> 00:21:26,045 Speaker 1: later on, when we were in the Pacific, we would 413 00:21:26,045 --> 00:21:28,245 Speaker 1: trail lines over the back of the boat, and it 414 00:21:28,365 --> 00:21:31,005 Speaker 1: was very sporadic. But suddenly you would find that you 415 00:21:31,365 --> 00:21:34,165 Speaker 1: caught a maimi or something and you would have a fish. 416 00:21:34,285 --> 00:21:35,645 Speaker 1: But the diet was not. 417 00:21:35,645 --> 00:21:38,045 Speaker 4: Great, not a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables. 418 00:21:38,565 --> 00:21:41,165 Speaker 1: No, certainly not for the first few years. It got 419 00:21:41,165 --> 00:21:43,605 Speaker 1: better once we were in the South Pacific, and then 420 00:21:43,685 --> 00:21:46,485 Speaker 1: on the stormy day you were even more restricted because 421 00:21:46,525 --> 00:21:48,845 Speaker 1: basically you weren't allowed to come up on deck. 422 00:21:49,165 --> 00:21:51,485 Speaker 2: I can't get past the bit where you say your 423 00:21:51,565 --> 00:21:55,525 Speaker 2: mum got seasick and she didn't like sailing, and yet 424 00:21:55,885 --> 00:21:59,445 Speaker 2: you were on this indefinite journey to Hell. I would 425 00:21:59,445 --> 00:22:01,885 Speaker 2: have thought from her point of view, I can understand 426 00:22:01,925 --> 00:22:05,485 Speaker 2: why you wouldn't have had any say. But what made 427 00:22:05,525 --> 00:22:07,845 Speaker 2: her not pull the pin or even do it in 428 00:22:07,845 --> 00:22:08,405 Speaker 2: the first place? 429 00:22:08,485 --> 00:22:11,125 Speaker 4: Was she just so in your father's thrall, and did 430 00:22:11,165 --> 00:22:13,925 Speaker 4: he just hold all the power so she didn't have 431 00:22:14,005 --> 00:22:14,725 Speaker 4: a voice. 432 00:22:15,165 --> 00:22:17,565 Speaker 1: So she certainly had a voice but I think my 433 00:22:17,645 --> 00:22:22,285 Speaker 1: mother's world rotated around my father and always did, and 434 00:22:22,805 --> 00:22:25,085 Speaker 1: she knew this was his dream. He was going to 435 00:22:25,125 --> 00:22:28,205 Speaker 1: do it whether or not she went with him, and 436 00:22:28,885 --> 00:22:30,845 Speaker 1: he was the center of her world, so she was 437 00:22:30,925 --> 00:22:34,645 Speaker 1: going to go. Unfortunately, because she didn't like sailing. That 438 00:22:34,725 --> 00:22:37,365 Speaker 1: meant that she was often quite unhappy on the boat. 439 00:22:38,125 --> 00:22:40,325 Speaker 1: Later on, when we got to the Pacific and the 440 00:22:40,365 --> 00:22:44,085 Speaker 1: sailing was much easier, I think she enjoyed it more. 441 00:22:44,525 --> 00:22:46,125 Speaker 1: And of course she didn't have to deal with the 442 00:22:46,205 --> 00:22:49,085 Speaker 1: isolation because she was an adult, and obviously she was 443 00:22:49,125 --> 00:22:53,125 Speaker 1: with my father. We were taking adult crew on the boat, 444 00:22:53,245 --> 00:22:55,885 Speaker 1: so she had those, you know, those people to kind 445 00:22:55,885 --> 00:22:58,485 Speaker 1: of talk to, although she often fell out with them, 446 00:22:58,845 --> 00:23:01,085 Speaker 1: but she found that part of the sailing. Once we 447 00:23:01,205 --> 00:23:04,845 Speaker 1: got there, she enjoyed it more and she just didn't 448 00:23:04,845 --> 00:23:07,725 Speaker 1: seem to worry about the fact that she had two 449 00:23:07,765 --> 00:23:10,805 Speaker 1: little kids with her who were really getting an education, 450 00:23:11,605 --> 00:23:13,685 Speaker 1: weren't really able to have friendships. 451 00:23:15,205 --> 00:23:17,965 Speaker 2: More of my conversation with Susanne Haywood after this break. 452 00:23:20,445 --> 00:23:25,045 Speaker 2: How do you go through puberty on a boat, sharing, 453 00:23:25,885 --> 00:23:30,205 Speaker 2: you know, a tiny cabin, bunk beds with grown men? 454 00:23:31,365 --> 00:23:32,205 Speaker 4: How does that go? 455 00:23:33,205 --> 00:23:36,645 Speaker 1: It's very difficult. It's really really difficult, and I learned 456 00:23:36,885 --> 00:23:40,365 Speaker 1: I had to kind of look after myself because my parents. 457 00:23:40,325 --> 00:23:42,365 Speaker 3: Just weren't really very interested. 458 00:23:42,725 --> 00:23:44,685 Speaker 1: So I kept to myself, and people see in the 459 00:23:44,725 --> 00:23:47,845 Speaker 1: book what I effectively do is I just become very 460 00:23:48,085 --> 00:23:51,485 Speaker 1: withdrawn into myself and into my head. I have to 461 00:23:51,525 --> 00:23:54,405 Speaker 1: be very careful what I do, so I very rarely 462 00:23:54,445 --> 00:23:56,685 Speaker 1: go ashore on my own, because I realize if you 463 00:23:56,765 --> 00:23:59,605 Speaker 1: go ashore on your own as a teenage girl, you 464 00:23:59,645 --> 00:24:02,405 Speaker 1: get harassed quite a lot, or certainly you did then, 465 00:24:02,845 --> 00:24:05,205 Speaker 1: so I have to be very careful about that. I 466 00:24:05,325 --> 00:24:07,805 Speaker 1: keep to myself on the boat quite a lot. This 467 00:24:07,965 --> 00:24:10,485 Speaker 1: is partly because my relationship my mother is such that 468 00:24:10,605 --> 00:24:13,085 Speaker 1: she will kind of bully me quite a lot if 469 00:24:13,165 --> 00:24:16,765 Speaker 1: I'm visible at all. So I keep very quiet, and 470 00:24:16,845 --> 00:24:20,605 Speaker 1: I write a lot. I have some pen pals, kids 471 00:24:20,685 --> 00:24:23,645 Speaker 1: I've met along the way, and I write letters to them. 472 00:24:24,165 --> 00:24:27,925 Speaker 1: I write my diary. One way or another, you find 473 00:24:27,965 --> 00:24:31,045 Speaker 1: a way to survive. I'm desperately by this point trying 474 00:24:31,085 --> 00:24:34,445 Speaker 1: to study and teach myself as a way of keeping 475 00:24:34,605 --> 00:24:38,965 Speaker 1: because it becomes very clear, particularly after a few years, 476 00:24:38,965 --> 00:24:41,085 Speaker 1: that the reason why my parents want me to be 477 00:24:41,125 --> 00:24:43,485 Speaker 1: on board is because they're using me to work on 478 00:24:43,525 --> 00:24:46,925 Speaker 1: the boat, to cook and clean, and that's they. 479 00:24:46,765 --> 00:24:47,725 Speaker 3: Don't want me to leave. 480 00:24:47,845 --> 00:24:49,565 Speaker 1: They don't want to leave me with somebody to go 481 00:24:49,605 --> 00:24:52,925 Speaker 1: to school because I'm actually useful on the boat. So 482 00:24:53,125 --> 00:24:55,725 Speaker 1: I know I've got to escape because otherwise this voyage 483 00:24:55,765 --> 00:24:58,125 Speaker 1: could go on forever. You know, we've gone way past 484 00:24:58,165 --> 00:25:01,285 Speaker 1: four years. You know, we end up five, six, seven, 485 00:25:01,445 --> 00:25:03,605 Speaker 1: eight years, were still on this boat. 486 00:25:03,765 --> 00:25:08,645 Speaker 2: And did you say, hey, Dad, mum, when is this 487 00:25:08,765 --> 00:25:10,845 Speaker 2: going to end? I mean, I know, even on a 488 00:25:10,845 --> 00:25:14,085 Speaker 2: long car trip, my kids are like, are. 489 00:25:13,965 --> 00:25:15,325 Speaker 4: We there yet? Are we there yet? 490 00:25:15,365 --> 00:25:15,805 Speaker 2: Are we there? 491 00:25:15,845 --> 00:25:18,325 Speaker 4: Hit? I can't like, did you just stop asking? 492 00:25:19,165 --> 00:25:21,165 Speaker 1: So I did ask, and I kind of begged my 493 00:25:21,245 --> 00:25:23,645 Speaker 1: father to kind of send me away to school or 494 00:25:23,725 --> 00:25:25,565 Speaker 1: to let me get off the boat. But my father 495 00:25:25,805 --> 00:25:30,485 Speaker 1: was somebody is somebody who will not accept somebody challenging 496 00:25:30,485 --> 00:25:34,965 Speaker 1: his authority. You know, he was a very physically aggressive man. 497 00:25:35,565 --> 00:25:38,165 Speaker 1: He never hit me, but I saw him hit many 498 00:25:38,325 --> 00:25:41,405 Speaker 1: other people. And I was quite I mean, I love 499 00:25:41,485 --> 00:25:45,165 Speaker 1: my father and I hero worshiped him as a child, 500 00:25:45,445 --> 00:25:47,445 Speaker 1: but I was also quite frightened of him. You can 501 00:25:47,525 --> 00:25:50,885 Speaker 1: hold both of those views at the same time, and 502 00:25:51,165 --> 00:25:53,805 Speaker 1: on the occasions where I did challenge him, he became 503 00:25:53,965 --> 00:25:57,325 Speaker 1: very aggressive and would kind of swear at me. You know, 504 00:25:57,405 --> 00:25:59,685 Speaker 1: don't you you know, effing kind of you know it 505 00:25:59,725 --> 00:26:02,245 Speaker 1: is not your you know you're the child. You're on 506 00:26:02,285 --> 00:26:05,925 Speaker 1: the boat, you know you do this. There was no 507 00:26:05,925 --> 00:26:09,445 Speaker 1: no debate whatsoever, and you knew that if you push that, 508 00:26:10,045 --> 00:26:13,205 Speaker 1: you didn't know what would happen, you know. I mean 509 00:26:13,285 --> 00:26:16,005 Speaker 1: at one point he left two members of crew on 510 00:26:16,045 --> 00:26:19,445 Speaker 1: an island and sailed away. He once put me on 511 00:26:19,525 --> 00:26:22,165 Speaker 1: shore and you know, refused to let me come back 512 00:26:22,205 --> 00:26:23,725 Speaker 1: on the boat for a day. I remember sitting on 513 00:26:23,725 --> 00:26:25,565 Speaker 1: the end of the jetty and I'm a teenage girl, 514 00:26:25,805 --> 00:26:28,245 Speaker 1: and I'm quite a pretty teenage girl who gets quite 515 00:26:28,285 --> 00:26:29,845 Speaker 1: harassed if you're. 516 00:26:29,685 --> 00:26:30,245 Speaker 3: On your own. 517 00:26:30,445 --> 00:26:32,045 Speaker 1: And I remember sitting at the end of the jetty 518 00:26:32,045 --> 00:26:34,245 Speaker 1: because it felt like the safest place to be. So 519 00:26:34,405 --> 00:26:37,645 Speaker 1: he was not a man that you could force. And then, 520 00:26:37,685 --> 00:26:40,525 Speaker 1: of course I had no passport of my own until 521 00:26:40,565 --> 00:26:43,005 Speaker 1: I was sixteen. I didn't have any money. 522 00:26:43,805 --> 00:26:44,245 Speaker 3: I had no. 523 00:26:44,285 --> 00:26:47,925 Speaker 1: Contact with any of my relatives back in UK because 524 00:26:47,925 --> 00:26:50,325 Speaker 1: we left when I was so little. None of them 525 00:26:50,365 --> 00:26:52,605 Speaker 1: had about you come to see us, which I don't 526 00:26:52,605 --> 00:26:55,725 Speaker 1: blame them for but it meant I had no contact 527 00:26:55,925 --> 00:26:58,365 Speaker 1: back with any of them to come back and kind 528 00:26:58,365 --> 00:27:01,885 Speaker 1: of find anybody. So I just accepted I was trapped. 529 00:27:02,045 --> 00:27:05,805 Speaker 1: I was completely trapped. I think it's also very difficult, 530 00:27:06,205 --> 00:27:08,085 Speaker 1: and I've talked to kind of people about it, since 531 00:27:08,285 --> 00:27:10,885 Speaker 1: it's very difficult as a child to challenge. 532 00:27:10,525 --> 00:27:11,485 Speaker 3: Your own world. 533 00:27:11,765 --> 00:27:16,005 Speaker 1: I mean, you challenge and you accept that your parents 534 00:27:16,005 --> 00:27:18,045 Speaker 1: are not good parents to you. Where do you go 535 00:27:18,165 --> 00:27:20,405 Speaker 1: from there, particularly when you live on a boat and 536 00:27:20,445 --> 00:27:23,285 Speaker 1: there's nothing else in your world apart from that. 537 00:27:24,005 --> 00:27:27,685 Speaker 2: Yeah, you had nothing to compare it to, nor did 538 00:27:27,725 --> 00:27:29,805 Speaker 2: your brother. And it's interesting when you talk and in 539 00:27:29,845 --> 00:27:32,285 Speaker 2: the book, your experience was very different to your brother, 540 00:27:32,445 --> 00:27:34,765 Speaker 2: because there's not a sense if you're in this together 541 00:27:35,245 --> 00:27:40,045 Speaker 2: against your two crazy parents who've essentially kidnapped you, why 542 00:27:40,165 --> 00:27:40,565 Speaker 2: is that. 543 00:27:41,165 --> 00:27:44,045 Speaker 1: It's really interesting. So when we were little, we played 544 00:27:44,085 --> 00:27:47,325 Speaker 1: a lot together. I described how we used to make 545 00:27:47,405 --> 00:27:50,805 Speaker 1: up kingdoms and we were quite close. But what happened 546 00:27:50,885 --> 00:27:55,765 Speaker 1: was when we became teenagers. So eleven twelve thirteen, my 547 00:27:55,885 --> 00:27:59,405 Speaker 1: mother chose a favorite, and it was my brother, partly 548 00:27:59,445 --> 00:28:03,085 Speaker 1: because I suspect he didn't rebel like I did. You know, 549 00:28:03,125 --> 00:28:07,125 Speaker 1: he never questioned her. Even though I was cautious about 550 00:28:07,125 --> 00:28:09,365 Speaker 1: how much I challenged my parents, I did challenge, and 551 00:28:09,765 --> 00:28:11,805 Speaker 1: I was unhappy I would get off the boat. He 552 00:28:11,885 --> 00:28:15,525 Speaker 1: never did, to my kind of knowledge. He enjoyed being 553 00:28:15,565 --> 00:28:17,525 Speaker 1: on the boat more than I did. He enjoyed the 554 00:28:17,565 --> 00:28:22,605 Speaker 1: physicality of it. He was treated very differently by both 555 00:28:22,645 --> 00:28:25,765 Speaker 1: of my parents. So my father wanted my brother, because 556 00:28:25,765 --> 00:28:28,005 Speaker 1: he was his son, wanted him to learn how to sail. 557 00:28:28,165 --> 00:28:30,165 Speaker 1: So my brother was allowed to be on deck when 558 00:28:30,205 --> 00:28:32,965 Speaker 1: we were sailing. My father believed I should not be 559 00:28:33,005 --> 00:28:35,365 Speaker 1: on deck when we were sailing because I was a girl, 560 00:28:36,005 --> 00:28:39,205 Speaker 1: and in fact, only bought one set of child size 561 00:28:40,005 --> 00:28:43,525 Speaker 1: working life jackets, so I had an emergency life jacket, 562 00:28:43,565 --> 00:28:45,285 Speaker 1: but I didn't have a set that would enable me 563 00:28:45,325 --> 00:28:47,725 Speaker 1: to work on debt. He gave the only set that 564 00:28:47,765 --> 00:28:50,245 Speaker 1: he had to my brother and then said, you know, 565 00:28:50,325 --> 00:28:53,445 Speaker 1: you can't go on deck because you're a girl. Eventually 566 00:28:53,525 --> 00:28:55,925 Speaker 1: I rebelled against that and went on deck, even without 567 00:28:55,965 --> 00:28:58,605 Speaker 1: the kind of safety equipment, so my brother was able 568 00:28:58,645 --> 00:29:00,925 Speaker 1: to go on deck. You know, it wasn't expected to 569 00:29:00,925 --> 00:29:03,445 Speaker 1: do too many chores. I was expected to cook and 570 00:29:03,485 --> 00:29:06,405 Speaker 1: clean down below with my mother. I had this terrible 571 00:29:06,445 --> 00:29:10,365 Speaker 1: relationship with my mother and I. So we quickly learned, 572 00:29:10,685 --> 00:29:12,885 Speaker 1: you know, once I hit those teenage years, that if 573 00:29:12,965 --> 00:29:15,005 Speaker 1: my brother and I ever had a fight, I would 574 00:29:15,085 --> 00:29:17,885 Speaker 1: be punished and he wouldn't. So this is kind of 575 00:29:17,925 --> 00:29:21,045 Speaker 1: treating two children in such a different way. Meant that 576 00:29:21,125 --> 00:29:26,325 Speaker 1: we separated, and we very rarely rowed. We just separated. 577 00:29:26,405 --> 00:29:28,965 Speaker 1: I kept as far away as I could because I 578 00:29:29,045 --> 00:29:32,605 Speaker 1: knew that I would be punished, you know, and he 579 00:29:32,645 --> 00:29:34,365 Speaker 1: could do as I said. He could do no wrong 580 00:29:34,405 --> 00:29:36,725 Speaker 1: and I could do no right. And it's very sad 581 00:29:36,765 --> 00:29:39,925 Speaker 1: looking back, because I think if we had been treated 582 00:29:39,925 --> 00:29:43,005 Speaker 1: in a similar sort of way, we could together have 583 00:29:43,165 --> 00:29:45,925 Speaker 1: found a way to create a better life on board 584 00:29:45,925 --> 00:29:48,885 Speaker 1: that boat. But because we were treated so differently, we 585 00:29:48,885 --> 00:29:51,765 Speaker 1: were actually pushed apart. And to me as a child, 586 00:29:51,845 --> 00:29:54,645 Speaker 1: that felt much more like there was a triangle of 587 00:29:54,725 --> 00:29:56,925 Speaker 1: my mother, my father, and my brother and then there 588 00:29:57,005 --> 00:30:00,805 Speaker 1: was me. And it's interesting talking to a lot of 589 00:30:00,805 --> 00:30:03,765 Speaker 1: other people who've grown up in very different circumstances, that 590 00:30:03,885 --> 00:30:08,245 Speaker 1: dynamic is not certainly not unique, but it all played 591 00:30:08,285 --> 00:30:10,725 Speaker 1: out on this boat where you're the one who's the 592 00:30:10,805 --> 00:30:12,365 Speaker 1: kind of dislike child. 593 00:30:14,405 --> 00:30:16,045 Speaker 2: So I kind of thought that would be the end 594 00:30:16,525 --> 00:30:20,765 Speaker 2: of Suzanne's story because you know she'd grown up. Surely 595 00:30:20,965 --> 00:30:23,245 Speaker 2: she can get herself off the boat now she's sixteen. 596 00:30:23,805 --> 00:30:25,325 Speaker 2: But that's actually when things. 597 00:30:25,125 --> 00:30:26,805 Speaker 4: Took a really weird turn. 598 00:30:26,725 --> 00:30:30,845 Speaker 2: Because before she sort of drifted away from her brother, 599 00:30:31,565 --> 00:30:35,285 Speaker 2: something extraordinary happened. And here's a little sneak peek of 600 00:30:35,325 --> 00:30:36,605 Speaker 2: part two of this conversation. 601 00:30:37,925 --> 00:30:41,165 Speaker 1: That is the bleakest point of the whole story. I mean, 602 00:30:41,285 --> 00:30:44,405 Speaker 1: even bleaker than being shipwrecked in the Indian Ocean and 603 00:30:44,485 --> 00:30:49,125 Speaker 1: having all the head operations because we're effectively abandoned and 604 00:30:49,205 --> 00:30:52,685 Speaker 1: have nowhere to go to and my job, and this 605 00:30:52,725 --> 00:30:55,245 Speaker 1: has made very clear to me by my parents, is 606 00:30:55,285 --> 00:30:56,845 Speaker 1: of course, to look after my brother. 607 00:30:58,085 --> 00:31:00,125 Speaker 2: You can listen to part two of the episode right 608 00:31:00,165 --> 00:31:02,285 Speaker 2: now by the link in the show notes. And what's 609 00:31:02,325 --> 00:31:06,405 Speaker 2: so interesting about it is that it's really amazing how 610 00:31:06,445 --> 00:31:08,885 Speaker 2: her relationship with her parents changed when she was no 611 00:31:08,965 --> 00:31:10,205 Speaker 2: longer under their control. 612 00:31:10,565 --> 00:31:12,125 Speaker 4: First of all, what they did to her. 613 00:31:12,365 --> 00:31:15,325 Speaker 2: But then it was really not what you would expect 614 00:31:15,765 --> 00:31:17,965 Speaker 2: once she was kind of out on her own. And 615 00:31:18,005 --> 00:31:21,765 Speaker 2: the way this story ends is so it's kind of 616 00:31:21,805 --> 00:31:24,685 Speaker 2: like out of a movie. Have a listen, let me 617 00:31:24,725 --> 00:31:25,285 Speaker 2: know what you think,