Half-Safe: Across the Atlantic by Jeep

by Ben Carlin

The original part of Ben Carlin's insane amphibious round-the-world adventure. It covers sourcing, building, testing and then setting off in the amphibious jeep from North America across the Atlantic to the western Sahara, before driving it up to England and undertaking a protracted rebuild.

Genres: Travel

279 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1955

Reviews

[Stuart Shafran · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the 1940’s Thor Heyerdahl travelled across the pacific ocean in a raft and in the 1950’s Ben Carlin circumnavigated the globe in an amphibious jeep. Crazy stuff, and awe inspiring! This is the story of the first part of Ben Carlins journey, crossing the atlantic ocean. He set off with his wife on a shoestring budget, modifying and maintaining the jeep himself throughout the journey. A great adventure yarn and a worthwhile read if you can find the book. It was published in 1955 and unfortunately hasn’t been reprinted...

[Andrea Boltresz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book - a mad adventure like this is usually a good read - but I will always think it's wrong that Carlin's wife, Elinore, who accompanied him and provided a good deal of the text for the book, didn't get her name on the title and is barely mentioned by history. Carlin is actually not a terribly nice man - selfish, obsessed and completely lacking any warmth or regard for others - and I spent most of the book hoping he would be taken by a shark. Or that Elinore might push him overboard. Or just leave him at the next port. But she was made of sterner stuff and stuck it out on the Half Safe for far longer than her husband deserved. Although Carlin uses excerpts from Elinore's diary through his book, he also never misses a chance to ridicule her (unjustly) and make jokes at her expense. The adventure itself is almost secondary to their peculiar relationship. I'd love to see someone publish a book from Elinore's perspective because I'm sure her journey was very different to her husbands'. It's still a book worth reading and I'll read it again.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read, and almost hard to believe they survived. I have a feeling he was a bit of a self centered man. But this was a long time ago!