Solo Circumnavigation

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

This post has troubled me for a bit. I didn't think a simple thank you was enough so I have quoted it to remind FS and similar-minded folk about walking in someone else's boat shoes.

[Butler]

Let us not forget Les Powles a Brit who built his own glass boat and went around three times. The first time getting his sights wrong and washing ashore at a river mouth in Brazil thinking he was in the Caribbean and the last time when he was in his seventies. His book, Solitaire Spirit is a wonderful read... he has a nice Limey sense of humor (as dry as his gin). Available via Amazon for Kindle or as hard copy.
And please don't leave out another of my heros, the American Harry Heckel who did at least two circuits the last one solo when he was in his 80s and in my favorite fat grrl , a Dreadnought 32!

[gjordan]

I was in Tahiti when Less Powel came through in the late 70s, with his stories of near disasters and starvation. It seemed like he arrived at every port with only a cup of rice or a tin of biscuits left to eat. Because he was a single hander with great stories to tell, he was always being invited to other boats for meals. When he was getting ready to leave, many of the cruising ladies took pity on him and stocked him up with all kinds of food. I suspect he used this ploy in other ports also. His stories made him out to be too stupid to have survived a day sail let alone 1/2 way around the world. My thoughts, and many others at the time was that he was a good sailor, that bent the truth to the point of scamming the people around him. I would put him in a similar class as Triston Jones. _____Grant.

[Butler]

Scamming is a bit strong Grant. Charming some folks out of casseroles and the odd lot of supplies or spinning a good yarn; both seem pretty harmless and in some ways typically salty. It's like calling Tristan a liar. If their books are any indication seems to me that they both "sang for their supper" and it certainly does not take away from either's accomplishments eh?

[Blue Crab]

Good stuff! A distinction between scamming and charming. I love it!

[Jim Cate]

Has anyone mentioned Harry Pidgeon yet? He was the second singlehanded circumnavigator, not long after Joshua, and also in a boat that he built for himself. He was the antithesis of Slocum... fairly shy, not seeking the limelight, and he did it twice!

A great cruiser and a good read in his book... something about the "Cruise of the Islander", but it has been a long time since I read it.

Cheers,

Jim

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Good stuff! A distinction between scamming and charming. I love it!

I would not call it 'Scamming'..... to the best of my knowledge a scam is where one tries to get something for nothing...
Being a single hander in the main on my own boats I've been in similar situations... in the Azores on my last solo crossing I was one of only 2 single handers in Horta June and July.. (hard place to leave.. keep meeting new folk in Peters... so you spend a couple more days.. again.. and the whispers spread).. told no hard luck stories but quite a few of the crewed boats seemed fascinated that some one would choose to do it solo... and act so blasé
So.. you get invited for a meal... hard to get to the nitty gritty in a noisy bar with lots of distractions..
Sometimes you get called aboard on your way back to your boat and end up drinking some one else's booze till the early hours...
If folk don't feel I'm good entertainment the 'Bums Rush' comes fairly quickly... If folk are enjoying my company time flies...
And I have been known to bring a bottle once in a while...
and have played the host... usually when I'm working...

[Blue Crab]

I agree with you Phil. Charming isn't scamming. Sorry if my post read that way.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

I agree with you Phil. Charming isn't scamming. Sorry if my post read that way.

No crack at your post mate... loved the humour
I was responding to the single handers are bums out for free food slant..
Its actually the free booze...

[Butler]

Harry built his boat on the mudflats in L.A. harbor and once upon a time a smaller boat he built for open water and I think his second one... been awhile... was on display at the Port of L.A. Maritime Museum. Unfortunately the museum sent it down to Riverside for storage. In it's place a celebration of the Tuna Canneries on Terminal Island and not even a trace of Pidgeon's story. Those Canneries, the tuna fisheries in general were important for a lot of people particularly new immigrants but it was unfortunate to lose that part of the port's role in the history of circumnavigators. I will have to find his book.

Thanks for the real time version Phil. That was a funny bit of hair splitting on my part that didn't help much in making the point I wanted to.
And yes Powels repeated refrain was "and I barely made it home with just a spoonful of rice" With Jessica Watson (she's a fav of mine) the refrain was "then I called mum and dad..." And with Captain Woody (Circumnavigating Low Key) it was "...and I opened another coldy"...