Best Sailing Narratives

In his most ambitious journey ever, Heat-Moon sets off aboard a small boat he named Nikawa ("river horse" in Osage) from the Atlantic at New York Harbor in hopes of entering the Pacific near Astoria, Oregon. But the hard days yield up incomparable pleasures: strangers generous with help and eccentric tales, landscapes unchanged since Sacagawea saw them, riverscapes flowing with a lively past, and the growing belief that efforts to protect our lands and waters are beginning to pay off. The voyage--from New York harbor to the Pacific Ocean--packs surprises, wisdom, regrets, mishaps, candor, and conversations that readers who savored Blue Highways and PrairyErth will delight in. The impetus for River Horse is one of intrigue--less urgent than the departure in Blue Highways --and the narrative possesses a captivating pull as it courses westward through the strongest currents and pauses in the back eddies of contemporary American life. Written in short thematic chapters, River Horse plies canals, greets the Missouri's many moods, and challenges chaotic waves. Writing under the name Heat-Moon (Blue Highways), William Trogdon once again sets out across America, this time propelled chiefly by a dual-outboard boat dubbed Nikawa, "River Horse" in Osage. Citing 19th-century travelogues and dredging odd bits of the rivers' past, Heat-Moon conveys the significance of passing "beneath a bridge that has looked down on the stovepipe hat of Abraham Lincoln, the mustache of Mark Twain, the sooty funnels of a hundred thousand steamboats."

Slocum's account of his epic voyage is a classic of sailing literature, acclaimed as an unequalled masterpiece of vital yet disciplined prose. Slocum's writing is as elegant as his thirty-seven-foot sloop, Spray , whose crossing of the Atlantic he describes vividly. "— The New Yorker "There is so much to this book that it is not surprising that it is has been continually in print since 1889..this book has literary merit, thoughtful and beautifully written and packed with incident.

After forty-four hours in the icy water clinging to an overturned dinghy, her back broken and paralyzed below the waist, Judith miraculously survived, winding up in a small community on the New Zealand coast. Read "Ten Degrees of Reckoning," You must.a. aAnn Hood, author of "The Knitting Circle" and "Comfort: A Journey Through Grief" Hester Rumberg is an experienced ocean sailor, with thousands of nautical miles under her belt. When the tragedy befell the crew of the Melinda Lee , together with Judith Sleavin, she established The Sleavin Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting maritime safety throughout the world.

Pinpoint locations at all times Determine the precise ranges and bearings of destinations Compensate for wind and current effects Avoid underwater hazards. The Fast, Easy Way to Master Boat Navigation. Thanks to modern electronic navigation tools, getting from one place to another on the water has never been faster, easier, or safer. Ideal for inland and coastal cruisers, sportfishers, and aspiring recreational boaters, this innovative handbook features an easy-to-use, quick-reference format that helps you operate your GPS, depth sounder, and radar and interpret what they tell you. With the help of over 300 full-color illustrations, you’ll learn how to use your electronics to navigate even the most treacherous waterways with little or no risk, and discover waypoint navigation techniques that let you choose a destination, plot a course, and monitor your progress as you go. *Plot GPS positions on paper and digital charts *Determine the precise range and bearing of your destination *Evaluate and compensate for wind and current effects *Avoid reefs and other underwater hazards *Make a seamless transition to chart-and-compass navigation if your electronics fail *Praise for GPS for Mariners: "Useful for those looking to buy a GPS, as well as current owners who want to use theirs more efficiently. Now a business advisor to high-tech companies and a navigation instructor, Bob holds a Senior Navigator rating with The U.S. Power Squadrons. Ideal for inland and coastal cruisers, sportfishers, and aspiring recreational boaters, this innovative handbook features an easy-to-use, quick-reference format that helps you operate your GPS, depth sounder, and radar and interpret what they tell you. With the help of over 300 full-color illustrations, you’ll learn how to use your electronics to navigate safely in all conditions, and you'll discover waypoint navigation techniques that let you choose a destination, plot a course, and monitor your progress as you go. Plot GPS positions on paper and digital charts Determine the precise range and bearing of your destination Evaluate and compensate for wind and current effects Avoid reefs and other underwater hazards Integrate GPS information with compass courses, visual bearings, dead reckoning, and the other techniques of traditional piloting Make a seamless transition to chart-and-compass navigation if your electronics fail. Now a business advisor to high-tech companies and a navigation instructor, Bob holds a Senior Navigator rating with The U.S. Power Squadrons.