Reading to Sail
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
Which holds so true for me. The more I read the more I discover and desire to do. With the increased interest in sailing and all things nautical, I've been reading all I can about sail trips and sailors. Here I've listed a few that stood out for me.
Just at the time that the whaling industry was in its last
throes, a whaler attempts to hunt and kill the largest whale ever spotted. Only
to become the hunted, with the whale turning on the whaling fleet and wrecking
havoc on them all. The survivors turn to cannibalism in a last ditch attempt at
survival.
A story that reminds us to be mindful of nature’s
willfulness at all times
Recounts the first Golden Globe Race, a solo
circumnavigation in a sail boat. The comfort Sir Robin demonstrates in living
on his boat, Suhaili, is in strong contrast to Donald Crowhurst’s confused and
fame-seeking delusions. Sir Robin sailed on to become the first person ever to
sail solo and non-stop around the world. Donald Crowhurst meandered around in
the Atlantic, sending blatant lies about his boat’s position, pretending he was
circumnavigating the world, only to commit suicide within reach of his
destination. The book shares the experiences of all 9 participants and offers
a ring side view into each individual’s race readiness, mental preparation and character.
Is an insightful account of one man’s quest for fame and
fortune that ends with a broken family, a disillusioned sailing fraternity, one
man’s generosity and the other’s suicide.
Sometime’s reading about failure prepares you better than
any success story. The fear of it happening to you keeps you on your toes.
She was born with wind in her sails and a taste for the sea
that saw her run through as many boats and boyfriends as she did sail races.
The youngest to complete the Golden Globe race, her gender does not inspire as
much awe as her passion for sailing and her determination to make it happen
One of the more recent books that I read, it reminded me
again of the need to take good care of the boat and the fact that no matter how
well the boat is built or refurbished or maintained, accidents and malfunctions
are part of the game.
A failed expedition to the Antarctic Circle becomes a
celebration of leadership and endurance when Shakleton, the Captain of
Endurance realises that his is a failed mission, and yet rallies his entire
crew and brings them safely home.
A gentle, humourous account of the journey that has moulded
Dilip Donde into the hero he is today. Revealing in its simplicity, and as
understated as himself, the book motivated me in so many ways.
Last Voyages by Nicholas Grey
Short accounts of acclaimed, experienced sailors meeting
their end at sea. A constant reminder never to let ones guard down at sea, even
if sailing literally in one’s own backyard.
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