It’s a funny thing writing a book: you spend all that time alone in a darkened (if you write at night, like I do) room: just you and your head, nutting out a story, tapping away into the night. Then you give it away and a few months later – it’s ripped from its cosy little womb and exposed into the searing light of day, as well as the public’s gaze.
That’s where I’m at now, with the recent release of a book about the former CSIRO Marine National Facility research vessel Southern Surveyor. Thankfully however, it’s been a pretty easy transition, as quite a few of the wonderful scientists and technicians have gotten back to me to say “hi,” and “thank-you”. Oh, and also to correct a couple of minor errors! Sorry guys!
The book is really a tribute to the value of Australian marine science, centred around the wonderful, much-loved vessel in which so much of it took place. Being a complete science hopeless (don’t ask how I did at physics at school) I thought it was going to be a tough ask, but it turned out to be a joy and a privilege meeting so many scientists, crew and support staff from around Australia that have done such wonderful work adding to our knowledge of our oceans, and really, the world.
I have been asked to choose three scientists out of the many I met over the course of writing Southern Surveyor, which I think is a grossly unfair, not to...
