Orkney Image Library

This must be the one and only Ginger Brown

Well, that mystery didn't last long! Yes Gordie, Ginger Brown and my son John on a damp return trip from Moaness. My older son came over on his own with Ginger a few days later, and the morning after that, Ginger tragically dropped dead. I've often wondered how a 13-yr-old would have coped had Ginger died on the trip. David maintains he'd have managed somehow, but he wasn't familiar with distress flares etc, never mind the navigational vagaries of Hoy Sound.

Angus (Ginger) Brown, my uncle.

Angus Brown (Ginger)

It was great what a 1/4 bottle of whisky could do if he wasn't in the mood to do a crossing!

Aye hids Ginger alright a good boatman he was, I came ower one night fae Hoy in a SE Gale and that boat in the photo was an ex Thames police launch so was not a natural seaboat. She was low "widded" and flat bottomed so very little water aboard and the flywheel was picking it up! that night there was a fair amount comming in ower, Ginger says tae me "Keep pumping brother and dont stop until were in the harbour" . Ginger had his ways but I aye got on well wae him.

Yes I knew that man very well and I think the boat was called the Jane. He had another boat called the Three Boys named after me and my two cousins. Spent all my childhood on that boats mostly in Stromness on the Jane. Ginger Brown was my grandad