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HOLD FAST!
‘Nobody is left behind’ they say in Norway, but Samuel Massie wasn’t aware of this when dyslexia and concentration difficulties resulted in formal education eroding his self-confidence and making his life unbearable. At the age of 16 he was breaking the law as often as he attended college.
Two years later Samuel has written his final will and testament and stands at the helm of the sailing boat ‘Berserk’, bound for Antarctica and willing to risk his life for something he believes in.
So, what happened?
This is Samuel’s story of how he rediscovered faith in himself and in life.
HOLD FAST! is a story of empowerment and achievement, it is also a story of friendship, loss, and the ability to change.
It reminds us to never give up on the people and beliefs we hold dear.
The cold wind howls and I scour the darkness for floating sea ice and icebergs for we are so far south they are now a hazard. We’re much further south than most ships dare to sail, further south than I ever dreamed I would travel. I’m in Antarctica at the bottom of the earth and it feels special. Nobody has forced me to be here, cold wind and rough seas are what I asked for.
No light from moon or stars tonight but I can distinguish the dark sky from the deeper blackness of the sea and discern the approaching wave. Between waves and sheltered from the worst of the storm it becomes eerily quiet, then we climb, and climb, and at the top we are exposed to the howling crescendo.
I grip the wheel.
Adrenalin!
It sings it's song, expelling all fear and doubt. I am fully focused. The doctors who told me I had concentration problems should be here now. I feel honoured that the crew has trusted me this responsibility and put their life in my hands, it’s an honour but also a necessity, for if we are to survive we must have faith in one another.
I hold course and check the sail as we scale the monstrous wave. At the top the wind screams and the boat points to the heavens before hurtling down with the bow pointing at the sea bed. I feel the thrill of working with wind and current to keep her on course as we plummet down the back of the wave, I know the thrill of riding the salt water roller coaster. We hit bottom with a BOOM and the sea engulfs the boat. When we emerge the cockpit is flooded and I stand up to my waist in an icy bath in the middle of the Southern Ocean. Within seconds the water drains and I’m already gauging the next wave.
We climb… the storm snarls… we ride the crest and we tip… to race down… down… I draw a deep breath and we plough into the water… the ocean holds us... embraces us… to release us.
I breathe again and yell into the night.
‘YEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAH!’
I shake the water from my hair and focus on the next wave.
Two years later Samuel has written his final will and testament and stands at the helm of the sailing boat ‘Berserk’, bound for Antarctica and willing to risk his life for something he believes in.
So, what happened?
This is Samuel’s story of how he rediscovered faith in himself and in life.
HOLD FAST! is a story of empowerment and achievement, it is also a story of friendship, loss, and the ability to change.
It reminds us to never give up on the people and beliefs we hold dear.
The cold wind howls and I scour the darkness for floating sea ice and icebergs for we are so far south they are now a hazard. We’re much further south than most ships dare to sail, further south than I ever dreamed I would travel. I’m in Antarctica at the bottom of the earth and it feels special. Nobody has forced me to be here, cold wind and rough seas are what I asked for.
No light from moon or stars tonight but I can distinguish the dark sky from the deeper blackness of the sea and discern the approaching wave. Between waves and sheltered from the worst of the storm it becomes eerily quiet, then we climb, and climb, and at the top we are exposed to the howling crescendo.
I grip the wheel.
Adrenalin!
It sings it's song, expelling all fear and doubt. I am fully focused. The doctors who told me I had concentration problems should be here now. I feel honoured that the crew has trusted me this responsibility and put their life in my hands, it’s an honour but also a necessity, for if we are to survive we must have faith in one another.
I hold course and check the sail as we scale the monstrous wave. At the top the wind screams and the boat points to the heavens before hurtling down with the bow pointing at the sea bed. I feel the thrill of working with wind and current to keep her on course as we plummet down the back of the wave, I know the thrill of riding the salt water roller coaster. We hit bottom with a BOOM and the sea engulfs the boat. When we emerge the cockpit is flooded and I stand up to my waist in an icy bath in the middle of the Southern Ocean. Within seconds the water drains and I’m already gauging the next wave.
We climb… the storm snarls… we ride the crest and we tip… to race down… down… I draw a deep breath and we plough into the water… the ocean holds us... embraces us… to release us.
I breathe again and yell into the night.
‘YEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAH!’
I shake the water from my hair and focus on the next wave.
367 pages, Paperback
Published June 18, 2021
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