More lockdown sailing reading

[Fogg 427]

Just started this. Can’t believe never heard of this guy before. Astonishing achievements & resilience. Must be one of the greatest unsung heroes of sailing?

Or maybe I’m the only person in the world who’s never heard of him before…

[Black Panther 1,767]

Met him in Sydney back in the 80s. He was getting ready for his 2nd or 3rd trip to Antarctica. 

You should also read his book We The Navigators.

[Fogg 427]

Is that the one when he ditches (or switches off) all his nav instruments sails from the islands to NZ using sun / stars / waves / birds?

[Black Panther 1,767]

5 minutes ago, Fogg said:

Is that the one when he ditches (or switches off) all his nav instruments sails from the islands to NZ using sun / stars / waves / birds?

After that he got a grant from an aussie university to sail around the pacific,and collect as much of the old navigation lore as possible. This book is the presentation of his research.

[ex Elly 265]

I read Ice Bird last year. He's not the greatest writer, but did the most amazing voyage. He is also very foolish or brave to attempt such a trip in such a rush with substandard equipment. Also helps that he's a doctor, so can repair himself, and give himself amphetamines when he needs to do a long stretch!

New biography and interview with the biographer here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018774821/ben-lowings-unsung-pacific-explorer-david-lewis This podcast is well worth a listen, as it gives some insight into his other acheivements and womanizing.

 

[Psyche 807]

He's a legend, was it him who  stepped of the boat onto the ice in some kind of delirium and only just made it back onboard?

[whitepointer 34]

I think his last voyage to the ice was in a ferro  yacht, fitted with a steel pipe for a mast, didn’t make it far before mast came adrift from the base, Sir Peter Blake donated the mast if my memory is correct, a very intrepid sailor

[Fish 0]

I've read Ice Bird. Was kind of left with the whole 'why?' question (he explained that himself), but the whole thing very much seemed like masturbating with a cheese grater - slightly amusing but mainly painful.

He didn't take any form of heating, if I remember correctly, because he was in a hurry to leave... There were so many little things he could have done to make the trip easier or safer, but he mainly wanted to see how much he could endure. A fair bit, it turns out.

[B00B00 330]

My brother was inspired by David Lewis to do a trip to Antarctica on his boat Snow Petrel with my Dad and younger brother as crew. 

My younger brother did a documentary on it and my Dad wrote a book. It's a pretty cool story of a real adventure on a super low budget but my eldest brother is a master mariner and really left no stone unturned in his preparation. 

For anyone interested the documentary Snow Petrel downunder is now on YouTube in 3 parts and the book is available online(or I have a copy of the book and DVD if anyone wants to borrow them). 

Its best to watch the movie first then read the book as the movie paints the picture and the book goes into way more behind the scene type details.

Here is the link to part one. 

 

[Priscilla II 450]

Dr David Lewis along with his second wife Fiona and two daughters were the first people to circumnavigate the globe in a multihull aboard the catamaran Rehu Moana.

 

[Fogg 427]

1 hour ago, B00B00 said:

My brother was inspired by David Lewis to do a trip to Antarctica on his boat Snow Petrel with my Dad and younger brother as crew. 

My younger brother did a documentary on it and my Dad wrote a book. It's a pretty cool story of a real adventure on a super low budget but my eldest brother is a master mariner and really left no stone unturned in his preparation. 

For anyone interested the documentary Snow Petrel downunder is now on YouTube in 3 parts and the book is available online(or I have a copy of the book and DVD if anyone wants to borrow them). 

Its best to watch the movie first then read the book as the movie paints the picture and the book goes into way more behind the scene type details.

Here is the link to part one. 

 

Thanks Josh, I’ll take a look. I’ve already bought & read the book but didn’t realise they had made the movie too!

[muzled 140]

3 hours ago, B00B00 said:

My brother was inspired by David Lewis to do a trip to Antarctica on his boat Snow Petrel with my Dad and younger brother as crew. 

That's awesome!  Just watched all three vids over dinner with the kids.  Brings out the wanderlust.

[B00B00 330]

If you enjoyed the movie then you should read the book too. 

Do you want to borrow it? 

[Psyche 807]

I saw Gerry Clark when he gave a talk a few days after getting back to Keri Keri from his first trip in the 80's Anyway it was awe inspiring, near death experiences, multiple 360's in the southern ocean, the raw beauty of the high latitudes and it appeared to me that part of him remained in that world. He did it in a modified Nova bilge keeler I'm pretty sure! Sadly he died on a similar trip some years later.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Clark#The_Totorore_expedition

[Neil C 1]

Thanks Josh, the Snow Petrel book is great reading,

Also , the recently published biography by Ben Lowings ' The Dolphin - The Life of David Lewis'

[Black Panther 1,767]

1 hour ago, Neil C said:

Thanks Josh, the Snow Petrel book is great reading,

Also , the recently published biography by Ben Lowings ' The Dolphin - The Life of David Lewis'

Is that a real book or online?

That reminds me of something,  new thread coming up.

[waikiore 484]

Ice Bird is his most dreary read, the others reflect him much better -met him when preparing his last boat -the biography that Rebecca wrote an intro to is a good read-he never lost his eye for the "ladies" right into old age 😉

[waikiore 484]

Shapes in the Wind i think it was , and I was lucky enough to meet some of the old Cook Island schooner men who explained a bit to me on their way of navigating,

It was very sad when the mast went through the bottom of Davids Ferro boat and it went straight down, they were exceedingly lucky that they were at the Barrier on their initial cruise -as the rest of the crew whilst younger were not of Davids calibre as a seaman.

[B00B00 330]

Anyone ever read the voyage of the golden lotus? Its a facinating read about a voyage from hong Kong to NZ in a chinnese junk. 

The actual boat golden lotus is actually still on a farm somehwere in south auckland. 

 

I also have the book 'An island to oneself' in a PD file. Its the story of Tom Neale who lived on the island of Suwarrow by himself for 6 years. If anyone wants a copy then let me know.

[Neil C 1]

'Half Safe' by Ben Carlin an Aussie guy.  In 1947 he bought a war surplus amphibious jeep and drove it across the Atlantic. Did a valve grind half way across !