Set out in the following pages are a number of tributes, anecdotes and photographs contributed by some of the many people who have sailed on Thalassa over the years.

START OF LOG FOR FASTNET RACE 1947

Heigh for a life on the ocean
And hoe for the ocean wave.
I hope there’ll be plenty of motion
Just think of the money I’d save.
Attributed to Alan Baker

THALASSA’S ARTICLES OF SAILING
We ain’t over anxious to labour
But realise the ship must be manned.
So we’ll put in our eight hours daily
And for sixteen we’ll quickly get canned.
The captain may eat at our table,
He’s a sociable sort of chap,
Provided he minds of his manners
And keeps a tight hold of his trap.
His crew’s response

Alan Baker, with an emergency looming, in cockpit calls “All hands on deck”
No movement below, no reply.
“I said ‘All hands on deck’
Another long silence – and then a voice below pipes up:
“Not until you say “please” Alan.”
Baker family story

Very beautiful, very slow.
Tom Athron

“Smokers to the aft end please! That includes you Geoff and that pipe!”
Simon and Mary Bailey

It has been a privilege to have been given the opportunity to sail on the glorious “Thalassa” over the years. Despite the inevitable foul weather (no matter what time of year), the skipper’s thunderous snore and the dizzyingly incomprehensible nautical terminology (what’s wrong with front/back, left/right we wonder?) We have never failed to return from a sail on her without a sense of exhilaration. Thank you.
Patrick and Breda Alley

Huge generosity and patience especially in teaching and allowing an ever changing selection of inexperienced crew to learn by trial and error whilst he remains calm and maintains overall control! He displays total professionalism in his skippering and it is a joy to be one of his crew. The “heads” provide an opportunity to demonstrate, or not, ones lithesomeness on entering and leaving! On both occasions that we have been on Thalassa we have had much laughter, interesting conversation over delicious meal and drinks of one kind or another, scrambled eggs to die for in a generally huge pan! Thalassa’s lines belie her age and she can be proud of the attention she attracts. Our very best wishes to her on her centenary year and to the skipper.
John and Lizzie Barker

Thalassa was considered a prudent investment by Alan Baker: it was reputed that each of his daughters’ suitors would be expected to crew Thalassa with their chosen partner and if they “survived” the “ordeal” Alan would give his blessing! Thalassa survives - that particular tradition may not!
Nicholas and Paula Bridgman Baker

1st Voyage – circa 1971 – Dartmouth/Portsmouth – conditions poor – hangover similar – wet journey held together by the grouse hanging on the pushpit which we devoured in Portsmouth!
Alan and Julia Bell

Richard has some of the nicest friends and I enjoyed their company on happy weekends.
Jeremy Bennett