Some Perspective on Boating
10-25-2018, 07:59 AM
#21
Admirals Club 
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by PhilRhodes
gnuisance, I agree with you 100%. There has been some debate over who, Bligh or Shackleton, had the greater voyage. Bligh's was much longer, but Shackleton's was in the Southern Ocean in winter. I thought about that debate last year when there was a TV show about a group of guys that re-enacted Bligh's voyage. (they didn't finish it). Nobody has stepped up to repeat what Shackleton did. Even beyond the voyage, throughout the entire ordeal, Shackleton didn't loose a single man. Amazing leadership.
08-19-2019, 12:19 PM
#22
Admirals Club
Thread Starter
I wanted to update this thread to say that I found another awesome book on polar exploration called "Kingdom of Ice" by Hampton Sides. Not quite as compelling as "Endurance" by Alfred Lansing but very very good.
It tells the story of the "U.S. Arctic Expedition" lead by De Long on the Jeanette. This voyage was funded by James Gordon Bennett one of the New York Herald tycoons.
It tells the story of the "U.S. Arctic Expedition" lead by De Long on the Jeanette. This voyage was funded by James Gordon Bennett one of the New York Herald tycoons.
08-19-2019, 12:49 PM
#23
Senior Member
Originally Posted by fireisland1
Op. You are forgetting most sailors died at sea or were lost forever. They would have loved GPS and Eperbs
OP, it is a fantastic book. I read it a couple of years ago. Simply amazing. I highly recommend the book to anyone who is interested in boats, adventure, the Arctic/Antarctic, survival and/or leadership.
08-19-2019, 12:51 PM
#24
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Chris Craft Cutlass
Not taking anything away from the Polynesians but was it cold and icy ? The Shackleton story is the most incredible thing I've ever read, anyone that has not read it if ya want a good worth while read check it out?
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08-19-2019, 01:05 PM
#25
Admirals Club
Originally Posted by Burgmane
OP, if you haven't read In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick add it to your list. The story inspired Melville's Moby Dick, but chronicles the ordeal following the sinking of the whaleship Essex. To say those guys did some incredible things under absurd circumstances is an understatement. They also made some monumentally stupid decisions in hindsight. Interesting read.
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08-19-2019, 01:39 PM
#27
Senior Member
For a great discussion (and overall a very cool book to boot) of how the Pacific Islanders negotiated thousands of miles of ocean with no charts, sextants, compasses or anything else. I recommend "How to Read Water" by Tristan Gooley. His "Natural Navigation" is excellent as well.
08-19-2019, 03:58 PM
#28
I've read most books mentioned in this thread, they are all freaking great. I do a lot of work in the polar regions so it puts it in some perspective for me. Those guys were all way harder than we are now. Here are some pics of the full size replica of Shackletons boat he sailed from Elephant island. Also a full size replica of Magellan's ship. These are hand made by a guy that lives on Magelleans strait in Punta Arenas Chile. He also just finished a full size replica of Darwins ship the Beagle
Might as well add a few more pics from down there.
Might as well add a few more pics from down there.
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08-19-2019, 04:28 PM
#29
Senior Member
Great photos. Thanks.
08-19-2019, 04:47 PM
#30
Admirals Club
Originally Posted by Drako
That's Kon-Tiki and that was a pretty wild thing. A Norwegian guy proposed a theory that Polynesia was settled by people from South America sailing west. Everyone said "Nah, impossible, no way they could sail this far". The Norwegian guy, Thor Heyerdahl, then replied: "Oh yeah? Hold my aquavit and watch this!".
And so he built a raft out of balsa logs, jumped onto it with a merry crew, and sailed off in the general westerly direction. After about a hundred days they made to French Polynesia :-D
And so he built a raft out of balsa logs, jumped onto it with a merry crew, and sailed off in the general westerly direction. After about a hundred days they made to French Polynesia :-D
08-19-2019, 05:27 PM
#31
Senior Member
In the heart of the Sea, The tragedy of the whaleship Essex is another good one. Cannibalism in that one. Inspiration for Moby Dick.
When those guys went whaling, they went out for.... years.... Those big tall ships could also be knocked down by the wind too. And they right them and pump them out and get back to sailing. Sometimes people got back to find that they've been given up for dead and their wife had remarried.
When those guys went whaling, they went out for.... years.... Those big tall ships could also be knocked down by the wind too. And they right them and pump them out and get back to sailing. Sometimes people got back to find that they've been given up for dead and their wife had remarried.
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08-19-2019, 05:33 PM
#32
Senior Member
Originally Posted by fireisland1
Op. You are forgetting most sailors died at sea or were lost forever. They would have loved GPS and Eperbs
08-19-2019, 11:12 PM
#34
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Stillwater, MN and Naples, FL
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Not completely a boat story but another good read is "Alone on the Ice". It's the story of Douglas Mawson and his survival alone after a tragic Antarctic expedition. He was one tough Aussie.
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