I can see from checking the visitor log that the blog gets visitors every day from all over the world. It's so exciting to see where you've all come from. Just in the last week or so, I've been visited by interested folks from: Texas, the Isle of Anglesey, Greece, Brunei, Australia, Canada, the Maldives, Tasmania, Ireland, New Zealand, Tunisia, Italy, and Saudi Arabia.
I'd like to hear from you all. What brought you to the blog? Are you searching for ambergris? Or do you think you found some? Did you read my book? Maybe you should!
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Ambergris article in the New Zealand Herald on Sunday
I suppose that, increasingly, this sort of thing will be part of my future. The journalist uses my book as primary source, quotes from it, includes a lot of information from it, and then mentions me very briefly, somewhere in the middle of the article, in a sentence or two. I'm happy that at least mentioned me at all, I suppose. Take a look: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11188771
Monday, January 13, 2014
Friday, February 1, 2013
Madge the dog Finds Owner Ken a Fortune
Is it? Or isn't it? Perhaps. Maybe. Possibly. Or not.
It's not really possible to conclude anything from a photograph of suspected ambergris. An appraiser would need to see it, smell it, assess it carefully: full its weight and density, the texture of its surface. It's a process that requires more than one sense.
The stories out there about Ken Wilman, who stumbled into a rugby ball-shaped, yellowing chunk of ambergris on Morecambe beach last week are interesting ... but not conclusive.
If I had to guess, I'd say that this substance is perhaps something else -- maybe paraffin wax, or some sort of industrial by-product. Many of the news articles mention a French trader who is interested in buying the piece. Most likely, this is Bernard Perrin, who will not make the mistake of buying something that isn't genuine ambergris. Only time will tell.
Those interested in some good tips for identifying ambergris should buy my book HERE!
It's not really possible to conclude anything from a photograph of suspected ambergris. An appraiser would need to see it, smell it, assess it carefully: full its weight and density, the texture of its surface. It's a process that requires more than one sense.
The stories out there about Ken Wilman, who stumbled into a rugby ball-shaped, yellowing chunk of ambergris on Morecambe beach last week are interesting ... but not conclusive.
If I had to guess, I'd say that this substance is perhaps something else -- maybe paraffin wax, or some sort of industrial by-product. Many of the news articles mention a French trader who is interested in buying the piece. Most likely, this is Bernard Perrin, who will not make the mistake of buying something that isn't genuine ambergris. Only time will tell.
Those interested in some good tips for identifying ambergris should buy my book HERE!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Moby 'Sick' Nets Boy a Fortune
I've been following the news from Bournemouth this week, that lucky 8-year-old Charlie Naysmith found a solid block of ambergris while walking along the shoreline on England's south coast. Mostly, I've been enjoying the errors of fact in reporting.
Ambergris, after all, is not vomit.
It's not coughed up, or regurgitated, or anything like that.
Hundreds of years of slowly accumulated evidence more than suggests that ambergris is actually formed in the hindgut, and exits the sperm whale via the much less illustrious nether end. And anyone who reads my book would know that for themselves, and would be able to school their less educated friends on such matters.
Get educated, folks!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Radio New Zealand
Dear Fellow Ambergris Hunters,
I'm so sorry I haven't been posting regularly on the blog lately. I'd forgotten about it really, and have become caught up in other things. But then I checked today to see who was visiting and I see lots and lots of people, who live in places like Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Iceland, New Zealand, the US, and England. You've come here from all over the world.
Just like ambergris.
And so I think you deserve some new content. In return, I'd like to hear from you all, from my visitors. What brings you here? What do you want to know? Have you read my book? Have you found ambergris? Or have you been following events in the Maldives, where the summer has been filled with lots of valuable ambergris finds?
Either way, you're all welcome here. And I'll try to start posting more often.
If you click on the link I'm providing below, you can listen to an interview I did with Radio New Zealand's Nine to Noon show. It aired last Monday in New Zealand. I hope you enjoy it!
Friday, June 1, 2012
I interview myself
Last week I interviewed myself for the website The Nervous Breakdown. Take a look by clicking on the link below and find out what I, um, ask myself about ambergris, and my book.
http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/tnbnonfiction/2012/05/christopher-kemp-the-tnb-self-interview/
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