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 sailing 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.

In 2016, Sandy Winterbottom embarked on an epic six-week tall-ship voyage from Uruguay to Antarctica. At the mid-way stop in South Georgia, her pristine image of the Antarctic was shattered when she discovered the dark legacy of twentieth century industrial-scale whaling. Enraged by what she found, she was quick to blame the men who undertook this wholescale slaughter, but then she stumbled upon the grave of an eighteen-year-old whaler from Edinburgh who she could not allow to bear the brunt of blame. There are two sides to every story. The Two-Headed Whale vividly brings to life the spectacular scenery and wildlife of the vast Southern Oceans, set alongside the true-life story of Anthony Ford, the boy in the grave, as he sailed the same seas and toiled in an industry where profits outranked human life. In this compelling account, Sandy challenges our preconceptions of the Antarctic, weaving in themes of colonialism, capitalism and its link to both environmental and human exploitation. Drawing together threads of nature and travel writing with an unflinching narrative of life onboard a whaling factory ship and the legacy it left behind, The Two-Headed Whale leaves us questioning our troubled relationship with the extraordinary abundance of this planet.

Long established as the bible for long-distance cruisers and a bestseller for more than 25 years, World Cruising Routes is the indispensable planning guide to nearly 1,000 sailing routes covering all the oceans of the world from the tropical South Seas to the high latitudes of the Arctic and Antarctic, geared specifically to the needs of cruising sailors. It contains information on the winds, currents, regional and seasonal weather, as well as suggestions about optimum times for individual routes. This new, fully revised and updated 9th edition assesses how changes around the world (including Brexit and Covid) have affected cruising routes and how climatic change has altered the cruising landscape and necessitated adaptations in timing and route-planning. It provides over 6,000 waypoints to assist skippers in planning individual routes, and is the perfect one-stop reference for planning a cruise anywhere in the world. 'The most important book for long-distance voyagers to come along in decades.' Cruising World

"I am very thankful to the crew of HMS Lightning for the hospitality we were met with and the way they treated us ...after being adrift for seven days in the lifeboats Although it was night time when they picked us up, they gave us food and hot drinks as much as we could swallow and tried in every way to make us feel comfortable, which they did with great success They shall never be forgotten by us Norwegians" John Dann born and educated in Wales. He enjoyed a career in the travel industry, served briefly in the RNR at HMS President and Drake enjoys maritime history, now a writer, living and sailing in Cornwall.

Your ultimate guide to planning a long-distance voyage. Jimmy Cornell is the undisputed authority on long distance voyaging. In the 3rd edition of this book, he and his son Ivan help the would-be voyager plan their trip step by step. Aimed at those seriously contemplating (or dreaming about) an extended cruise, this book details what is involved in developing the right strategy. Amongst many important aspects, Jimmy and Ivan consider: - World weather systems - Strategies for sailing long or short circuits in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans - The pros and cons of different routes at different times of year (taking into account weather, currents, wind directions and strengths, likelihood of fog, icebergs, gales, piracy etc) - Practicalities (repair facilities, common gear breakage on extended voyages, places to leave the boat to fly home if necessary, health considerations, provisioning for a long trip, personal safety measures, and much more) Written from a completely international point of view, World Voyage Planner will help sailors from any country going to any other country to achieve a safe and enjoyable cruise.

There are few people who can resist the appeal of gliding over the open sea in a trim and handsome yacht, or the glamour of the great international yachting challenges. Unlike dinghy sailing, yachting offers the opportunity to cruise in comfort to exotic destinations, and advances in design and technology make today's boats safer and better appointed than ever before
But getting started can be a complex and costly business. The Yachting Handbook is aimed at the sailor who wants to move up to bigger, more advanced craft. The book covers the basics - technical, legal and financial - of buying the right vessel and fitting it out for your needs, as well as the care and maintenance of hull, rigging, engine, water and electrical systems. Chapters on navigation (both celestial and electronic) and weather and tides will offer the essentials of these complex and fascinating subjects, and chapters on planning cruises, cruising routes and races will provide inspiration for anyone who's ever dreamed of venturing beyond the harbour mouth.
There is comprehensive coverage of emergency procedures. Illustrated throughout in full colour, The Yachting Handbook will appeal to sailors of all experience levels. Contents include: Choosing a cruising yacht; Preparing your yacht; Communications and Navigation; Weather; Safety and Emergencies; Cruising and Cruising destinations; and Racing.

The Solent is the spiritual home of sailing and one of Britain's most popular sailing spots, offering a varied and interesting cruising ground. In this fully updated third edition, Derek Aslett provides an authoritative companion that helps you make the most of your visit. Centred on Cowes and covering the area from Keyhaven and Yarmouth in the west to Chichester and Bembridge in the east, the Solent Cruising Companion provides comprehensive pilotage and nautical information, as well as suggestions of where to eat and what to do ashore. The book is enhanced with colour charts and detailed photography, including spectacular aerial shots of ports, harbours and anchorages.

This second edition, 2018, shows - 8 new marinas, 11 new pontoons & 13 new sets of visitor moorings - also new roads and ferry routes. This high quality topographical map is specially designed to show the `Big Picture' for the yachtsman planning to cruise in the West of Scotland at a convenient scale of 1:350,000. It provides a unique combination of the best information shown on a conventional road map with selected nautical details. The map covers the sailing area from the Clyde to Ullapool and the Outer Hebrides as far north as Stornaway. The topographical base map is a quite detailed and shows the information that is important to most visitors - towns, villages, roads, railways, stations, ferry crossings, airports, islands, bays, headlands, straits, mountains, relief, rivers and lakes with all this detail in slightly muted colours. Over this is superimposed the sailing information - highlighted in bright colours to stand out - Marinas, pontoons, visitor moorings, selected anchorages, diesel supplies, areas with especially strong tidal streams, and a few selected pubs. The format of the map is designed to be clear, convenient and user friendly.

From Land's End to Cape Clear, past Roaringwater Bay and Cod's Head, on past Inishvickillane and Inishtooskert, up through the Hebrides, to Orkney and on to the Faeroes stretches the richest and wildest coastline in Europe. Adam Nicolson decided to sail this coast in the "Auk," a 42-foot wooden ketch, embarking on a 1,500-mile voyage through what he hoped would be a sequence of revelatory landscapes. He was not disappointed.

"Seamanship" is more than a travel journal. It describes an inner journey as much as an outer one--disasters and discoveries, powerful landscapes and modern visionaries, and encounters with the animals living on the wild edge of the Atlantic. Above all, it is about the gaps that open up between those who go and those who stay at home.

"Seamanship," in the end, is not about the sea. It's about being alive.

When, as a young man in the 1880s, Benjamin Lundy signed up for duty aboard a square-rigged commercial sailing vessel, he began a journey more exciting, and more terrifying, than he could have ever imagined: a treacherous, white-knuckle passage around that notorious "graveyard of ships," Cape Horn.

A century later, Derek Lundy, author of the bestselling "Godforsaken Sea" and an accomplished amateur seaman himself, set out to recount his forebear's journey. "The Way of a Ship" is a mesmerizing account of life on board a square-rigger, a remarkable reconstruction of a harrowing voyage through the most dangerous waters. Derek Lundy's masterful account evokes the excitement, romance, and brutality of a bygone era -- "a fantastic ride through one of the greatest moments in the history of adventure" ("Seattle Times").

The Topper is a brilliant boat - just under 50,000 have been sold and thousands of people learn the basic skills in Toppers every year. This is the only book which shows you how to rig, sail and race - right up to World Champion standard. It is packed full of advice, go-fast tips, photo sequences and diagrams. It starts by describing how to rig and sail the boat before moving on to racing and providing master classes for success in competitions.

An ex-yacht chef uncovers the dark reality of life at sea. By the age of twenty-two, Melanie is ticking life's boxes as if filling in a routine survey. Good grades at school? Check. Reliable university degree? Check. Steady graduate job? Check. Her two feet are planted firmly on solid ground; her life to date perfectly mirrors society's expectations. That is until she finds herself plunged into the superyacht industry, like an ice cube thrown into a cut crystal glass of the finest whisky, having stepped foot on a boat just three times before. Not only is she required to learn how to run, sail, and race a multi-million-pound yacht on the job, she is forced to adapt to a wholly unnatural life afloat, largely confined to a bunk bed, crammed galley, and live-in colleagues. Oh, and to devise, develop, and deliver fine dining menus for some of the wealthiest people on the planet. No biggie. From the Mediterranean to the Caribbean to the Arctic she cruises, visiting places many can only dream of, orienting herself in an environment few have the opportunity to observe. But while her culinary knowledge evolves and her on-board responsibilities grow, the world as she knows it begins to close in. The depth of the ocean no longer phases her; it's the darkness inside which she fears. Behind Ocean Lines is a deeply personal account of a deterioration in mental health against a backdrop of opulence. It is, shockingly, not an anomaly in the industry. It is about time the public is told.

'What Jimmy Cornell doesn't know about cruising isn't worth knowing' - Yachting World One of the most influential cruising yachtsmen writing today, Jimmy Cornell has sailed over 200,000 miles on all the oceans of the world, including three circumnavigations and voyages to the Arctic and Antarctic. His successful guide to sailing around the world, World Cruising Routes, has helped many aspirational voyagers turn their dreams into reality and follow in his footsteps. Here in its extensively revised third edition is its partner, covering all the land-based essentials for cruisers, including new updates throughout on the long-lasting impact of climate change, Brexit and Covid. This substantial handbook profiles every cruising destination in the world, with information on cruising attractions, history, culture, climate (including average monthly temperatures and rainfall, plus tropical storm seasons), local laws, regulations and formalities, facilities, plus public holidays and events, emergency telephone numbers, and much more. Lavishly illustrated throughout, it is not only a must-have onboard reference work for long distance sailors, but will undoubtedly inspire the adventurous to sail where they have never sailed before.

Well established as 'the East Coast yachtsman's bible', this 20th edition of Jan Harber's classic cruising companion marks the book's 60th anniversary. Dating back to 1956 when Jack Coote, Jan's father, produced the first black and white edition, East Coast Rivers, now extending from Lowestoft to Ramsgate, continues to cover the rivers, curlew-haunted creeks and intricate shoals and swatchways of the Thames Estuary and surrounding rivers. Comprehensive pilotage and nautical information based on years of local knowledge is complemented by port information and local maritime history, helping cruising sailors to make the most of their visit to the East Coast. The text is illustrated throughout with updated charts and photographs, including spectacular aerial shots of a number of the rivers and entrances that make up this cherished cruising ground. Not only a pilot guide, this is the memoir of a family's history; exploring, capturing and celebrating this extraordinary sailing area.

In 1895, emissaries from the New York Yacht Club traveled to Deer Isle, Maine, to recruit the nation's best sailors, an "All American" crew. This remote island in Penobscot Bay sent nearly thirty of its fishing men to sail "Defender," and under skipper Hank Haff, they beat their opponents in a difficult and controversial series. To the delight of the American public, the charismatic Sir Thomas Lipton sent a surprise challenge in 1899. The New York Yacht Club knew where to turn and again recruited Deer Isle's fisherman sailors. Undefeated in two defense campaigns, they are still considered one of the best American sail-racing teams ever assembled. Read their fascinating story and relive their adventure.

At forty, Mary South had a beautiful home, good friends, and a successful career in book publishing. But she couldn't help feeling that she was missing something intangible but essential. So she decided to go looking for it . . . at sea. Six months later she had quit her job, sold the house, and was living aboard a forty-foot, thirty-ton steel trawler she rechristened Bossanova. Despite her total lack of experience, South set out on her maiden voyage--a fifteen-hundred-mile odyssey from Florida to Maine--with her one-man, two-dog crew. But what began as the fulfillment of an idle wish became a crash course in navigating the complicated byways of the self.

The story of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart boat race - the most dramatic in yacht racing history The waters between Sydney and Hobart are famously treacherous. No one is fooled by the clear skies. In the hours before the 1998 Sydney to Hobart race, skippers gathered for a weather briefing. An intense low pressure was predicted, but three different forecasts disagreed about the exact course of the stormy weather. No one was unduly alarmed and all decided to sail. But within hours the yachts were confronted with hurricane-force winds and waves the height of a five-storey building. Six sailors died; fifty-five were pulled from the water. Of the 115 boats that started, just 43 would finish. In Hobart a memorial service replaced the legendary parties that normally follow the race. By focussing on a handful of yachts and those who crewed them, Bruce Knecht brilliantly recreates those dramatic hours and the stomach wrenching fear of those caught in the eye of the storm, battling, some forlornly, for their lives.

Long before Western man 'discovered' them, the 'People of the Sea', as many inhabitants of the South Pacific called themselves, had a vibrant, socially sophisticated culture in which travel on water played an essential part. For sixty-five years James Wharram has designed, built, and sailed craft of Polynesian double canoe form, demonstrating that the sea, far from being a barrier between the islands of the South Pacific, is their highway. The ocean voyages of James and his team culminated in their circumnavigation in the stunning 63ft 'Spirit of Gaia', during which they explored the lands and cultures of their vessel's spiritual home - the Polynesian islands. Inspired by the lifetime of creativity and discovery James describes in this book, many modern 'People of the Sea' are sailing the world's oceans, seas, coasts and rivers in craft they have built for themselves to James Wharram designs.

America's Cup: Trials & Triumphs is a concise history of some of the most interesting of the international struggles for possession of the acclaimed Cup. But more than that, Simpson writes about the ingenuity and technical advancements made over the years in hull and sail design for swift oceangoing sailing yachts. Not satisfied by relating only the history of the America's Cup challenges and defenses, Simpson illustrates some of the interesting events that have changed commercial sailing into the popular sport of sailboat racing. A sport that was once the singular pleasure of wealthy barons of industry is now enjoyed by thousands of middle-class citizens from many nations with access to the sea. Also included in this volume are sailing techniques, maneuvers and useful nautical terminology.

In a post-exploration world, two relatively ordinary blokes, serving Royal Marines, decided they wanted an extraordinary 21st century adventure. In this refreshingly honest account they re-live the highs and lows of sailing and rowing a tiny open boat, completely unsupported, through one of the most iconic wilderness waterways on the planet - the Northwest Passage across the top of Canada. They describe battling with an Arctic storm miles from land and being caught in the worst sea ice for more than a decade. At one point they are forced to drag Arctic Mariner, their seventeen-foot boat, across ten miles of broken pack ice to reach open water. Their story is enriched by the Inuit people and the incredible wildlife they met along the way, including all-too-close encounters with both grizzly and polar bears. And they relate with honesty how the isolation and stresses of the high Arctic shaped the bond between their two very different personalities. This is neither an expose of global warming, nor a detailed study of Inuit culture. It is not particularly long on the historical quest for the Northwest Passage. It is quite simply the tale of two blokes, up north. b/w photographs, maps, drawings

Greek Waters Pilot is the definitive cruising guide to the coasts and islands of Greece, covering the entire area from the Ionian Islands to the Aegean, Rhodes and Crete and includes details of over 450 harbours and anchorages in a single volume. Greek Waters Pilot has been painstakingly compiled from Rod and Lucinda Heikell's own survey work and exploration over four decades, as well as first-hand information from their network of contributors. The organisation of so much detail within the confines of a single volume is impressive. This, the fourteenth edition, marks the fortieth anniversary of the first edition of this celebrated cruising guide. It has once again been thoroughly updated to reflect developments and changes across the whole region. Enriched with fascinating historical, mythological and gastronomic information, Greek Waters Pilot is an incomparable resource and companion for anyone planning to spend time in these endlessly enticing waters.

'An extraordinary account of heroism and sacrifice. An unexpected and important story, rivetingly told. Rip roaring stuff. Get this into the paws of the sea dog in your life.' - Griff Rhys Jones 'A book that had to be written' - Let's Talk 'People ashore don’t realise what a grim war we are waging at sea with the Germans. A cold-blooded war, in a way I think requiring the maximum of bravery from the men of both sides in the long run, as it is so ceaseless and intangible. You just don’t know whether the next moment will be your last.' Robert Hichens, RNVSR Several years ago, Julia Jones was searching through long-forgotten items stored at her house and discovered some suitcases of old written material, which turned out to be accounts by her father of his experiences in the RNVSR (Royal Naval Volunteer Supplementary Reserve). She realised that as a child she’d met some of the people mentioned, and although she was too young to truly know them, these youthful impressions spurred her on to rediscovery and understanding. In this absorbing book Julia tells the compelling stories of the yachtsmen. Some were famous (such as Sir Peter Scott), others were wealthy (such as August Courtauld, who returned his pay to help with the war effort) but the majority were just 'ordinary' professionals such as publishers, lawyers and advertising agents, who signed up because they loved sailing. Few could ever have dreamed that they would end up acting in areas that were so far beyond their normal lives, as they found themselves commanding destroyers and submarines, and undertaking covert missions of sabotage. Some undertook the dangerous daily drudgery of minesweeping; others tackled unexploded bombs, engaged the enemy in high-speed attacks or played key roles in Ian Fleming's famous intelligence commandos. This varied crew of men were given tasks vital to the war effort, requiring endurance, extraordinary bravery, resourcefulness and quick thinking. Some died in the process, but for the ones who survived, Julia asks how their experiences changed them. Could their love of sailing and the sea survive the harsh realities of war?

Thomas J. Lipton's America's Cup Campaigns is the saga on one man's three decade obsession with winning the America's Cup. This is author Richard V. Simpson's fifth title concerning the quest for the America's Cup-the Blue Riband prize for the sport of large ocean racing yachts. In this book, Simpson relates brief stories of some of the most interesting of the early races for the Cup which lead up to the Lipton challenges. The narrative covers the development of the early sloops and schooners from wood, to metal and the challenges faced by designers. For this narrative Simpson has searched century-old tabloids for early sport writers' predictions and observation of the contestants; he has resurrected many long-forgotten contemporary accounts relative to late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century yachts built especially as America's Cup racers. This historical account of the Lipton and Herreshoff face-offs is a sterling read for professional, amateur, and armchair sailor.