Clare has certainly paid his dues on the Baltic Sea. Living aboard the icebreaker Otsu he gained a remarkable insight into the psyche of the captain and his crew.
The Finnish, known for their sisu (a dogged resilience), have carved an economy
through the ice, providing safe passage for ships in an inhospitable climate.
The vessel's cargo includes metals like zinc and wind turbines or as Clare poetically describes it, “heat and light
and power."
When he asked the captain about life at sea, the response was,“everything goes wrong and then we fix it.”
This enigmatic downbeat remark is an entirely rational response to his circumstances, navigating the Otsu through this uninviting stretch of sea.
If you would like to hear more from Horatio Clare, he will be leading a walk through the Cwmdu Valley, discussing stories from his book Myths and Legends of the Brecon Beacons on Saturday 26 May at 10am. The bus will take you to Tretower and returns to Hay Festival by 12.30pm available.