Perhaps the title of this book, Bernard Moitessier's first, should have been "Sailing on the Reefs'--for that is exactly what he did, almost unbelievably, twice. After finding his beloved Marie-Therese, a beautiful junk in the Gulf of Siam, he set off across the Indian Ocean for Africa and eventually the Caribbean. Eighty days or so into the trip, Moitessier and Marie-Therese found themselves on the reef at Diego Garcia. It took Moitessier just nine months to build Marie-Therese II from scratch in Mauritius with no boat plans or power tools. From her launch he sailed her down to South Africa....
Perhaps the title of this book, Bernard Moitessier's first, should have been "Sailing on the Reefs'--for that is exactly what he did, almost unbelieva...
"Song of the Sirens is rich in detail, colorful characters, and poignant insights. It is the story of one man's love affair with the old boats he has owned or chartered. Focusing on his favorites (his 17 sirens), the book explores the fascination man has with the sea and attempts to explain the allure of the vessels he has designed to sail upon her. Like the sirens of Greek mythology who, with enchanting songs, lured by sailors to dash their ships against hidden rocks, Gann's ships are seductresses, tempting and urging him on until he plunges forward into their purchase, unmindful of the...
"Song of the Sirens is rich in detail, colorful characters, and poignant insights. It is the story of one man's love affair with the old boats he has ...