Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
David Lewis and his small yacht, Ice Bird, set sail from Sydney, Australia, on a search for high adventure. The voyage, full of drama, emotion, and pain, takes place in the least hospitable and most fascinating part of the earth, the Antarctic. No one had ever sailed a yacht single-handed to Antarctica until David Lewis' attempt. Along the way, he would not touch land for more than fourteen weeks, facing mountainous seas, constant gales, snowstorms, and freezing temperatures. Twice his small yacht was capsized and once it was dismasted 3,500 miles from help. His survival was a miracle of fortitude, skill, and some luck.
Synopsis
Imagine sailing alone for 14 weeks in freezing temperatures aboard a 32-foot sailboat. Imagine your boat capsizing three times, and losing your mast and rigging. And imagine doing all this without modern electronic navigational tools like the Global Positioning System. ICE BIRD: The Classic Story of the First Single-handed Voyage to Antarctica chronicles the author's 1972 trip from Australia to Antarctica aboard the sailboat ICE BIRD. Along the way, David Lewis sank into unbelievable despair as his small boat lost its mast, and he suffered frostbite and broken ribs. Eventually, he lost the use of his radio and engine, and was forced to hand-steer the boat. Though it was summer in the Southern Hemisphere, it snowed daily. Lewis faced gale-force winds and huge waves as he sailed 3,500 miles in his jury-rigged sailboat. Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down. It tells the wonderful, true adventure of a man forced to overcome serious injury, damage to his boat and unbelievable stress as he captained his small craft more than halfway around the world at 60 degrees south latitude. If you enjoy sailing, read Lewis's adventure. You won't be able to put it down.
Synopsis
Lewis set out with ICE BIRD in search of high adventure. Their voyage, full of drama, emotion, and pain, unfolds in the least hospitable corner of the Antarctic. No one had ever sailed a yacht single-handed to Antarctica. For over 14 weeks, he faced mountainous seas, constant gales, and freezing snow storms. Twice ICE BIRD capsized, and was dismasted 3,500 miles from help. Survival required fortitude, skill, and luck. One of the great true sea stories of the 20th century, and a testimony to man's ability to overcome adversity--physical or psychological--to stay alive.