Status Updates From Gipsy Moth Circles the World

He carries on from Australia toward distant Cape Horn in Chile. I think it helps to know a bit about sailing to enjoy a book like this. It also helps to be an engaged reader rather than a spectator reader - that is to say, decide what you’d do next if you were him, how you might solve this or that problem - try to sail the yacht. The story becomes more interesting if you attempt this ⛵️

“An OZ fisher who set out in his crayfish boat to take fruit, champagne & beer to the English yachtsman was beaten back by 40 mph winds & waves estimated at 30 feet. After struggling through the gale for 50 miles, the bottles were smashed, the fruit was pulp and everyone aboard the 50 foot motorboat was seasick.”

It was time to “turn left”, for 7000 miles of running down the easting on the clipper way, one of the greatest sails in the world. Seven thousand miles in a straight line - there are not many places in the world where that could happen ⛵️

Grandpa would have said, “This is a grand adventure!”

And so it is 🌊☀️

Hc. First edition 1967. Paper is so thick it feels I’ve turned two or three pages at the same time instead of only one.

🌊 Spring is a fine time to go to sea 🌊

“I had no feeling of romance about the voyage yet but, of course, seasickness is very anti-romantic.”

⚓️ Call me Ishmael ⚓️