“Sailing Alone Around the World” by Joshua Slocum

Joshua Slocum was the first person to sail around the world alone, and he wrote a memoir about his journey called Sailing Alone Around the World. The memoir was published in 1900 and became an international best-seller.

Slocum completed his three-year solo circumnavigation in 1898 sailing his 37-foot sloop, the Spray, for more than 46,000 miles. His story is adventurous and inspiring, and his sense of wonder is delightful. He shows a great respect and curiosity for the different cultures and places he encounters, as well as a deep appreciation for the beauty and mystery of nature; it is a grand tale of a courageous and curious explorer. 

My Favorite Part:

Some of Slocum’s antics are nearly unbelievable. One of the most challenging and dangerous parts of his voyage was sailing through the Straits of Magellan, a narrow passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at the southern tip of South America. He entered the straits on November 13, 1895, the strong winds, currents, tides, and fog, making navigation difficult and risky.

The real threat, though, came from the hostile natives of Tierra del Fuego. According to the memoir, Slocum had been warned that the natives were hostile and might try to board his boat at night. When a friend gave him a bag of carpet tacks, he couldn’t imagine how he might have a use for them on his sailboat. But as it turns out, his experienced friend had given him good advice:

“As drowsiness came on I sprinkled the deck with tacks, and then I turned in, bearing in mind the advice of my old friend Samblich that I was not to step on them myself. I saw to it that not a few of them stood ‘business-end’ up ….” 

The memoir showcases Slocum’s remarkable sailing skills and his lively storytelling, stories of goats on board eating his charts, being mistaken for the anti-Christ, etc. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves adventure, humor, and history. 

A hardcopy might be hard to come by but you can get a free ebook at Project Guteberg – Sailing Alone Around the World  by Joshua Slocum

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