Chapter Twenty Five - A Long Goodbye

Partings are rarely simple in Blackmore’s world, and this chapter lingers on the emotions stirred by a farewell that stretches longer than expected. Words left unsaid, glances held too long, and the weight of uncertainty give this goodbye its poignancy.In this chapter, David Llewellyn faces the harsh truth that fishing alone can no longer sustain him, and so he must sign up to go back to sea. His story reflects the real struggles of many South Wales men whose livelihoods depended on shifting tides and uncertain catches. Some became sailors under the stern stone captains, who commanded vessels trading limestone between the South Wales coast and North Devon. Blackmore also roots the tale in a very specific local setting — the Welcome to Town Inn, not the recently demolished Bridgend pub of the same name, but a long-forgotten inn that once stood near The Globe on Newton Nottage Road in Newton, Porthcawl. Such details bring the novel closer to the lived history of the region.For listeners in Porthcawl, Kenfig, and the surrounding coast, this chapter will strike a familiar chord — echoing the bittersweet leave-takings that are part of life in every close-knit community. Whether at the quayside, on the sandhills, or at the threshold of a home, goodbyes carry both sorrow and hope for return.