27.8.12

Summer readings


This summer I have read three great books:

DOVE, the 1972 classic book that every sailor or dreamer has read sometime. It's the story of Robin Lee Graham, a guy who spent five years sailing around the world as a single-handed sailor starting when he was 16-years old.
My favourite line from the book:

"It's the next horizon that matters, said Charles. Just think of it that way and you'll be home before you know it."

So true!



SOLITAIRE SPIRIT, from Les Powels, who is now 86 years old and living aboard his self-built yacht in Lymington, UK.
This fantastic book it's about his three successful solo circumnavigations. His first circumnavigation took place when he was 37 years old and only eight hours sailing experience!! On his last one he was 67 when he started it, returning eight years later. He was awarded the Ocean Cruising Award of Merit.



The other book it's called ROUNDING THE HORN - a deck's-eye view of Cape Horn, from journalist and sailor Dallas Murphy.
This is the history of Cape Horn described through some historical chronicles. From Drake to FitzRoy (the captain of the Beagle). It's also a firsthand experience of Murphy´s own trip to Cape Horn.
I recomend this book for the entertaining and historical side of it but mind you that you should read it with an open mind because the author sometimes it's too opinionated and not that historically accurate.