Desperate Voyage by John Caldwell

[ianandrews]

Excellent book about a young man crossing the Pacific with no previous sailing experience. Comparable with "Ice Bird" for sheer white knuckle reading. Highly recommended.

 

[chrisgee]

Thoroughly agree must one of the best -must I read it each year again and again.

 

[Rabbie]

Great read. I much regret lending it to a 'friend' and never seeing it again!

 

[irishskipper]

What an excellent book - up there with 'Voyage for Madmen' and Conrad's short sea stories as one of my all-time favourites!

 

[Searush]

Yes, it's a good antidote to the "you must have a training course for that" gang. Mind you, he didn't actually make it home did he! Tho' IIRC it was due to being single-handed and with limited info on local currents rather than any navigational or seamanship issues.

 

[Rabbie]

The shark didn't help much either! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Torp]

On Amazon second hand for 33p.

 

[nickjones]

There's a website somewhere, I'm told, that shows a world map with recent shark attacks recorded in two colours: one for provoked attacks - and guess where they all occur. Yup, along american seaboards.
At least our hero used a hook - unlike the 'bright spark' who fed his catch an explosive charge a la jaws. Unfortunately for all, the shark blew up directly under his boat.