Tales of adventures on the high seas captivate both sailors and those who stand on the shore and gaze out across the oceans. In this original collection of sea stories, edited by veteran writer Dick Durham, the gamut of human experience is mirrored in a world of tragic shipwrecks and sea monsters, epic races and brave rescues, tall ships and tiny dinghies.
Written in the author's inimitable powerful and poetic style, Amazing Sailing Stories brings the incredible, frightening, and whimsical - from worlds ancient and modern - to life.
- A collection of stories ideal for the armchair enthusiast and active sailor alike
- Durham is the author of three sailing titles and contributes regularly to the yachting press
The perfect gift for lovers of sea yarns or the sea, Amazing Sailing Stories is certain to entertain readers for years to come.
Set sail on a thrilling journey to discover some of the most exciting tales of adventure afloat. There's every sort of vessel from majestic square rigger to humble homemade yacht. Journey around gale-whipped headlands and survive mountainous seas - or turn the page to discover the delights of cruising among the islands of a tropical paradise.
The exploits of sailing's greatest names are recounted, along with an eclectic mix of tales that never made the headlines, yet make compelling reading.
Discover a treasure trove of stories from across centuries, and from the four corners of the globe. This is wonderful reading for anyone with a love of sailing and the sea.
Autorentext
In his childhood Dick Durham explored the creeks and rivers of Essex, Kent and Suffolk in a collection of dinghies and dayboats. When he left school he signed on as mate of the Thames sailing barge Cambria, and served on the last working Thames barge before beginning his writing career on Fleet Street, writing for national newspapers and sailing magazines. He joined Yachting Monthly in 1998 as a feature writer and news editor and has travelled the globe in search of the best sailing stories and adventures. He is well known for his powerful and poetic writing style.
Inhalt
Part One Survival
Voyage of Desperation 3
Three Months Adrift in a Rubber Dinghy 7
The True Story ofMobyDick 10
Psychopaths in the Fo'c'sle 14
Once is More Than Enough 20
The Greatest Sea Voyage of All Time? 23
Decoy Ship 27
Death Did Not Deter Her 30
Bligh: A Flawed Real Life 'Master and Commander' 33
Drifting Alone Across the Ocean in a Punctured Life-Raft 37
Part Two Calm
A Ship Swallowed by a Cave 43
Orchestra from Hell 48
Death at the Helm 51
Sunk by a Leviathan in Thick Fog 54
The Silent Creeks 58
Part Three Storm
Fastnet 79: The Killer Storm 65
A Chop-Stick Fortune in the South Seas 68
Fatal Delivery Trip 71
Anchoring a Tall Ship in a Puddle 74
Three Times Capsized Sailing Round Antarctica 78
Part Four Human Error
UK Border Patrol of Yesteryear 83
Man Overboard in the Middle of the Pacific 88
Pilot Error Causes Shipwreck and Death 91
Family Day-Trip Becomes Rescue at Sea 95
The Curse of Ill-Gotten Gains 99
Sailing to the Wrong Hemisphere 103
Hanging by a Thread from a Shipwreck 108
Part Five Adventure
A Real Life Monster of the Deep 113
Treasure Island 116
No Way Back: By Raft Across the Pacific 119
The Queen's Pirate 122
Shoal Waters Run Deep 125
From Honeymoon to Shipwreck 128
A Bitter-Sweet Taste of the Racing Life 132
Dayboat Capsize, Gales and Dismasting 139
Record of Records 142
Part Six Tragedy
The Last Tragic Voyage of Francis Chichester 149
Sailing into Madness 153
After the Wave 160
The Mysterious Voyage of the Mary Celeste 167
The Mysterious Voyage of John Franklin 171
The Raft of the Medusa 176
The Riddle of Erskine Childers 181
Part Seven Rescue
Frozen to the Rigging 187
Good Samaritan of the Southern Ocean 191
Mystery Fire at Sea 194
Sea Dark, Sky Crying 198
The Four Rescues of a Solo Atlantic Yachtsman 205
Part Eight Deliverance
The Exploding Whale 213
Downhill Racer 216
The First Man to Sail Round the World Alone 219
Not Quite the Fastest Ship 223
The First Man to Sail Round the World Non-Stop and Alone 226
Deliverance Trip 229
The Ship that Sailed Herself 232
Round the World in 1000 Breakages 235
DIY Ocean Racer 240
The Dead Lay in Her Wake 246
The Terror of a Lee-Shore 252
The Smallest Boat to Sail Round the World 254
Bibliography 259