Seasoned by Salt: A Voyage in Search of the Caribbean

by Jerry L. Mashaw, Anne MacClintock

An account of a one-year cruise, from Connecticut to Grenada and back, undertaken by an adventurous sailing couple. Their story is brimming with humour and high adventure and reflects a deep respect for and understanding of the history, people and economy of the many islands that they visit. Over the course of their voyage they come to realise the historical bond between North America and the Caribbean, particularly their intertwined colonical past and racial division. A romance, a comedy and a shared speech for personal meaning, "Seasoned by Salt" is an engaing and intelligent sailing story that finds parallels between individuals' relationships and nations and explores the crucial and continuing ties between the sea and history.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book would be a light, fun read about a couple's adventures as they spent almost a year leaving "the real world" behind and sailing through the Caribbean. It was a wonderful book but not always light--Jerry Mashaw loves history and I soon found myself caught up in slavery, revolution, buccaneering, privateering, wars and colonizing. The West Indies changed hands so many times over the centuries between the French, English and Dutch, it almost requires a scorecard. "Seasoned by Salt" alternates back and forth between Jerry & Anne's personal experiences (they have never sailed in open ocean before and faced several harrowing multi-day passages), their dream anchorages in turquoise waters and balmy breezes, and the historical background of whichever set of islands they happened to be visiting. I enjoyed this book tremendously!

[Mik Hetu · Rating 3 out of 5]

A man and a woman, each from their perspective, tell their story of a common dream: taking a year off to sail the Caribbean.
If you’re thinking of cruising the Caribbean, or dreaming of someday cruising the Caribbean, this is a helpful book. Unlike some other sailing narratives, this book feels like it was written for you, to give you a feel for what it is like, what it might be like if you did this (as opposed to simply telling the specifics of one person’s particular trip.) Plus, without being distracting or overbearing, the authors give you a bit of history and background of the different islands.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, well written. I wish it never ended!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun cruise to the South Pacific without all the work.