Cabo Trafalgar in the Moonlight: Pen & Sail: My Life with Dudley Pope

The Observer newspaper once wrote of Dudley Pope that he was ‘an author who really knows Nelson's navy’, whilst the Guardian maintained he had an 'expert knowledge of naval history'. Imagine, therefore, his heightened emotions and sense of history as he sailed his yacht past Cape Trafalgar one moonlit night. Moreover, standing beside him was his wife Kay; friend, constant companion and much loved, whose support and encouragement he relied upon. Dudley Pope later encapsulated the moment in a doubly romantic dedication in his book Ramage’s Challenge, the fourteenth in the acclaimed series:

‘For Kay who crossed a rubicon with me and sailed past Cabo Trafalgar in the moonlight.’

In her book Kay Pope goes beyond a simple description of her life as the wife and confidant of a famous author sailor, and manages to capture for herself and her readers the atmosphere and idiosyncrasies of the places they visited and lived awhile, along with the humanity of the many people who crossed their paths. It is a gripping tale from a ‘first mate’ whose powers of observation and description will delight her audience, whether or not they are familiar with Dudley Pope’s works. Kay Pope shows herself to be an accomplished author in her own right, with a revealing story of real interest to impart.