Tim Queeney

The other, really the largest supplier of hemp was actually from the area of the Ukraine.

And that's where Britain got most of its hemp from.

And amazingly, one of the reasons why Napoleon, for example, invaded Russia in 1812 was to, there were a number of reasons, but one reason was to cut off the hemp supply to the British Royal Navy.

So then he could finally get around to invading Britain, which he failed to do.

Yeah, whaling started out with just attacking whales from the shore.

But as those whales were used up, these whaling ships had to go farther and farther afield to find whales to harvest.

And the rope was absolutely essential.

The rope had to hold.

After they sunk in that harpoon and the famous Nantucket sleigh ride when the whale's going along the surface and dragging the boat behind it.

The one that's really dangerous, though, is if the whale decides to sound or dive.

Because then the boat has to make sure that they have enough rope on board to let out enough rope so that they're not dragged underwater.

And sometimes whale boats that were following a big whale, the other whale boats would get near them and they would actually...

combine two lengths of rope that they each had in their rope tubs just to prevent the whale from sounding and actually dragging the boat under.

Well, actually, it's interestingly enough, my editor wanted to put a nod on the cover initially, but we realized- Tracy just showed me on her computer.

The idea came up to put a knot on the cover, but I said that this is actually not a knot book because I can't actually take credit for being a knot expert.

All right.

But you must have one.

Let's go.

But I do have a number of knots that I like.

And the one that's sort of the most fun to tie is the flying bowline, the bowline that forms in midair.