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Bold Man Of The Sea: My Epic Journey
During an action-packed 274 days at sea, Jim Shekhdar became the first person to row across the Pacific Ocean single-handedly. This is the story of his epic journey.
255 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 19, 2015
Style over substance, a sheep in wolf’s clothing.
I bought this book from a charity (thrift) shop. I remember thinking at the time of purchase how odd that I hadn’t heard of this ocean-crossing (2000) adventure before.
I enjoyed reading this book. It was difficult to put down. I ended-up using a total of 26 sticky page-markers. I was interested to read of the initial row across the Atlantic Ocean, between Tenerife (Canary Islands) and Barbados; because it brought back good memories to me of a similar point to point crossing by hot-air balloon: (see https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
But just because a book is an enjoyable read; it doesn’t necessarily follow that it’s a good book. As I progressed, I developed an unsettling sense that something wasn’t quite right; beginning with Shekhtar declaring on the first page of his introduction:
“Why did I do it?”
”The first reason is that I wanted to row across the Pacific because nobody had done it before”
”Passing my fiftieth birthday as just another stressed, overweight entrepreneur …”
Are these Shekhtar’s words, or his ghostwriter’s? Did Shekhtar make any revisions?
Shekhtar completely ignores, and makes absolutely no mention whatsoever of Peter Bird, holder of the official world record for the first person to row across the Pacific solo (East-West, in 1982) [see http://www.oceanrowing.com/Guinness_W...]. Did Shekhtar really not think to first check with Guinness World Records? (website at time of writing this review is at http://corporate.guinnessworldrecords... ) before happily committing £75,000 of his savings to his project? That’s hard to believe.
A few pages later Shekhtar saccharinely claims his final reason to be that, “I wanted to do something to make my family proud. I wanted to see the pride and pleasure in their eyes when I reached my destination. That was the image that sustained me through 274 days, more than 10,000 miles, regular disasters and daily mood swings. And it happened.”(p.5)
Cue chorus of Walt Disney circling and tweeting (in the old sense) bluebirds. Excuse me whilst I throw-up. Unfortunately this wasn’t the only instance of (what I perceived as) swollen-headed writing. However, Shekhtar does reveal the odd pleasingly self-deprecatingly streak here and there; such as during initial training to row across the Atlantic, his team-mate, David Jackson, queries as to why the lights of Plymouth appear on the ‘wrong’ side of the boat. Shekhtar had made a 180° turn without realising it! I began to empathise with Jackson, and steadily developed a strong sense that Jackson constantly copped the tough end of the Atlantic deal.
Shekhtar emphasises to his reader the immense importance to him of completing his Pacific journey not onlyt without assistance, but “completely unaided” (p.5, p.14, p.66,), … This he manifestly fails to do. Copious use of a satellite communications (‘phone and e-mail), plus listening to the BBC World Service, for example, can hardly be classed as ‘unaided’. Hang it all; without significant assistance, I’m not convinced that Shekhtar would have even succeeded in leaving Chile!
Virgin (Richard Branson) declined to sponsor Shekhtar’s Pacific crossing; but whether that was a well-reasoned management call or an instance of corporate inactivity, cannot be known. Given Shekhtar’s inability to enable his wife to understand exactly why he simply ‘had’ to take, at great expense and potential danger, to a rowing boat to, unaided, cross the Pacific; I could appreciate perhaps why Virgin cold-shouldered Shekhtar. Let other budding long-distance rowers learn what lessons they may.
Despite so many negatives, I really was actually enjoying reading this larger than life book. Throughout, it remained difficult to put down. To avoid this becoming a dreadfully long review, I’ll not bore everyone silly by revisiting all of my bookmarks. So why did I clearly enjoy this book so much? Possibly because at much the same time the BBC ”Top Gear” fiasco blew up [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainme... & probably several million other websites worldwide as well]. For I imagined Jim Shekhtar and Jeremey Clarkson rowing together from the Arctic to Antarctica, a choice vision indeed: Shekhtar anti-environmentally disposing of food and other waste straight overboard (p.139) and Clarkson complaining about the number of near misses with larger shipping. Shekhtar’s radar reflector appears to actually have been nearly worse than useless; not that he had bothered to fully trial it before casting off from Chile.
Will I keep this book? No. I feel it’s my duty to bring a whimsy and amusement into the world of my fellow bookworms, to read and enjoy this book for both of what it is, and, most importantly, for what it isn’t. I’ve put my in the box to go back to charity.
I bought this book from a charity (thrift) shop. I remember thinking at the time of purchase how odd that I hadn’t heard of this ocean-crossing (2000) adventure before.
I enjoyed reading this book. It was difficult to put down. I ended-up using a total of 26 sticky page-markers. I was interested to read of the initial row across the Atlantic Ocean, between Tenerife (Canary Islands) and Barbados; because it brought back good memories to me of a similar point to point crossing by hot-air balloon: (see https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
But just because a book is an enjoyable read; it doesn’t necessarily follow that it’s a good book. As I progressed, I developed an unsettling sense that something wasn’t quite right; beginning with Shekhtar declaring on the first page of his introduction:
“Why did I do it?”
”The first reason is that I wanted to row across the Pacific because nobody had done it before”
”Passing my fiftieth birthday as just another stressed, overweight entrepreneur …”
Are these Shekhtar’s words, or his ghostwriter’s? Did Shekhtar make any revisions?
Shekhtar completely ignores, and makes absolutely no mention whatsoever of Peter Bird, holder of the official world record for the first person to row across the Pacific solo (East-West, in 1982) [see http://www.oceanrowing.com/Guinness_W...]. Did Shekhtar really not think to first check with Guinness World Records? (website at time of writing this review is at http://corporate.guinnessworldrecords... ) before happily committing £75,000 of his savings to his project? That’s hard to believe.
A few pages later Shekhtar saccharinely claims his final reason to be that, “I wanted to do something to make my family proud. I wanted to see the pride and pleasure in their eyes when I reached my destination. That was the image that sustained me through 274 days, more than 10,000 miles, regular disasters and daily mood swings. And it happened.”(p.5)
Cue chorus of Walt Disney circling and tweeting (in the old sense) bluebirds. Excuse me whilst I throw-up. Unfortunately this wasn’t the only instance of (what I perceived as) swollen-headed writing. However, Shekhtar does reveal the odd pleasingly self-deprecatingly streak here and there; such as during initial training to row across the Atlantic, his team-mate, David Jackson, queries as to why the lights of Plymouth appear on the ‘wrong’ side of the boat. Shekhtar had made a 180° turn without realising it! I began to empathise with Jackson, and steadily developed a strong sense that Jackson constantly copped the tough end of the Atlantic deal.
Shekhtar emphasises to his reader the immense importance to him of completing his Pacific journey not onlyt without assistance, but “completely unaided” (p.5, p.14, p.66,), … This he manifestly fails to do. Copious use of a satellite communications (‘phone and e-mail), plus listening to the BBC World Service, for example, can hardly be classed as ‘unaided’. Hang it all; without significant assistance, I’m not convinced that Shekhtar would have even succeeded in leaving Chile!
Virgin (Richard Branson) declined to sponsor Shekhtar’s Pacific crossing; but whether that was a well-reasoned management call or an instance of corporate inactivity, cannot be known. Given Shekhtar’s inability to enable his wife to understand exactly why he simply ‘had’ to take, at great expense and potential danger, to a rowing boat to, unaided, cross the Pacific; I could appreciate perhaps why Virgin cold-shouldered Shekhtar. Let other budding long-distance rowers learn what lessons they may.
Despite so many negatives, I really was actually enjoying reading this larger than life book. Throughout, it remained difficult to put down. To avoid this becoming a dreadfully long review, I’ll not bore everyone silly by revisiting all of my bookmarks. So why did I clearly enjoy this book so much? Possibly because at much the same time the BBC ”Top Gear” fiasco blew up [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainme... & probably several million other websites worldwide as well]. For I imagined Jim Shekhtar and Jeremey Clarkson rowing together from the Arctic to Antarctica, a choice vision indeed: Shekhtar anti-environmentally disposing of food and other waste straight overboard (p.139) and Clarkson complaining about the number of near misses with larger shipping. Shekhtar’s radar reflector appears to actually have been nearly worse than useless; not that he had bothered to fully trial it before casting off from Chile.
Will I keep this book? No. I feel it’s my duty to bring a whimsy and amusement into the world of my fellow bookworms, to read and enjoy this book for both of what it is, and, most importantly, for what it isn’t. I’ve put my in the box to go back to charity.
February 7, 2010
ordered 1/28/10;picked up 2/3/10
read 2/6-2/7
This is the one book that I would recommend to anyone considering doing an ocean row, or who wants to know more about the details involved in such a trip.
It covered : funding. The difficulties of the beginning logistics of putting a row together. It showed the total dependence on a support group for support and organizations, as well as fortuitous support along the way. It demonstrated daily existence, rowing discipline, a third party discussion of rebuilding the water-maker, and the related importance of the water-maker, water-boilers, and the boat electronics. it also flatly stated that these rowing boats are totally at the whim of the wind(1) and current(2). Rowing does help determine some movement and direction, but it can't be used in emergency maneuvers to steer clear of islands, enter straights, and can't really be depended on for a great distance course correction.
The book covers the importance of satellite communications, the hazards of crossing shipping lanes, the great length of time that may pass on a voyage.
It also hits on wildlife observations and the importance of family support.
It is a very good observation of government and organizational red tape and failure to endorse or recognize this type of adventure.
The book has a bonus of describing in general the first Atlantic crossing that had already been completed, and the aspect of rowing with a partner.
The only negatives I see in the boat are the rather too long biography at the start and the 2 page digression on religion at the end. The end of the book could put off some religious types, but by then the book as a row to be done has been completed.
read 2/6-2/7
This is the one book that I would recommend to anyone considering doing an ocean row, or who wants to know more about the details involved in such a trip.
It covered : funding. The difficulties of the beginning logistics of putting a row together. It showed the total dependence on a support group for support and organizations, as well as fortuitous support along the way. It demonstrated daily existence, rowing discipline, a third party discussion of rebuilding the water-maker, and the related importance of the water-maker, water-boilers, and the boat electronics. it also flatly stated that these rowing boats are totally at the whim of the wind(1) and current(2). Rowing does help determine some movement and direction, but it can't be used in emergency maneuvers to steer clear of islands, enter straights, and can't really be depended on for a great distance course correction.
The book covers the importance of satellite communications, the hazards of crossing shipping lanes, the great length of time that may pass on a voyage.
It also hits on wildlife observations and the importance of family support.
It is a very good observation of government and organizational red tape and failure to endorse or recognize this type of adventure.
The book has a bonus of describing in general the first Atlantic crossing that had already been completed, and the aspect of rowing with a partner.
The only negatives I see in the boat are the rather too long biography at the start and the 2 page digression on religion at the end. The end of the book could put off some religious types, but by then the book as a row to be done has been completed.
November 15, 2024
Loved this book. Jim's style of writing is very similar to our own and he had you gripped as he told his story, beginning with the end! But this worked a treat. Highly recommended if you are a water sports person or just interest in human interest stories
May 13, 2012
Wow, what an amazing experience for this man to row single handledly across the Pacific Ocean. 9 months of being away from loved ones and being a tiny speck in the vast ocean. I really enjoyed this book and it certainly proves that when you set you mind on doing something, to achieve the ultimate goal is really living.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews