Southern Winds : Escaping to the Heart of the Mediterranean

by Sebastian Smith

Sebastian Smith is on a quest to experience the winds that blow across the Mediterranean and explore the legends and stories that follow in their wake. This is the story of a journey under sail and a modern odyssey in which he contemplates not only the sea, but the nature of wandering itself.

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 27, 2004

Reviews

[Eric Gross · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't too thrilled by this. There was much mention of Ancient Greek novels, like seriously every other page on average. It was interesting to hear so much of the ancient travelers and how they'd use the characteristics of the wind to navigate (ie, dry and red from the south to bring you north). But boy that seemed to permeate as well. If you're looking for characters, stories, or to experience what it would be like to sail the mediterranean, keep looking. Most of the time it sounded like a slog of a trip, either way too much wind, or none at all. There were little bits sprinkled in about the culture, like the local fisherman who set up a feast, or how they over wintered in Northern Africa, but to be honest if I didn't know that they sailed a Contessa 26 (never mentioned) I'd have likely put it down. But I am inspired to read Ulysses.