Born in Christchurch, Hampshire (as it was before the boundary changes), the author was educated initially at the local church school before moving to Homefield School for boys in Bournemouth at the age of eight. Following attainment of five GCE passes, John moved to Brokenhurst Sixth Form college in the New Forest, whose after one year, he left to take up his life long passion with a career at sea.

As an indentured Apprentice Deck Officer, with Ellerman and Papyanni Lines of Liverpool, the author served on cargo vessels plying their trade between the UK and Mediterranean ports, and later running to the far east developing along the way an insatiable interest in India and the Orient.

Domestic matters and family ties brought John back to the UK, where he witnessed the last few years of the great passenger liners carrying ex-pats to and from South Africa and the UK. The cessation of this trade created a change of career when the Post Office Marine Division opened a new base for their fleet of cable ships laying and maintaining submarine telecommunication cables around the world during that time John progressed from Navigation officer to Captain with both British telecom and latterly Cable and Wireless. The author has been beset by a speech impediment from early childhood, this book recounts how he conquered this affliction, and gives insight into some of the more intimate experiences of life aboard ship.