Book the Captain has snoozed upon:
Taking on the World, by Ellen MacArthur
The Can Opener finally finished Ellen MacArthur‘s first book, Taking on the World… and moments later was snoozing on the sofa, drooling on my cushion! He’d read it in one looooong rush.
‘Quite addictive,’ he pronounced before passing out.
Herewith his report, knocked out with flying fingers after I roused him with the scent of real Irish coffee. (Our coffee maker has an auto-start button suitable for tapping with cat paws. Of course.)
Who is this Dame Ellen MacArthur?
In 2001 ‘she raced single-handedly non-stop around the world in the Vendée Globe when only 24 years old… second in one of the hardest races in offshore sailing… Prior to her Vendée success, she won the solo transatlantic race from the UK to the USA and went on to win the Route du Rhum from France to the Caribbean in 2002.’
She departed ‘from Falmouth, UK in 2004 on board the 75ft trimaran B&Q… and returned 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes, 33 seconds later, having sailed over 26,000 miles to become the fastest person to circumnavigate the globe single-handed.
She was knighted by the Queen in 2005 and has received the Legion d’Honneur from French President, Nicolas Sarkozy.’ *
Getting into her prep for the Vendée Globe and her description of actually sailing it lasts for most of the rest of the tome.
Her win in the Route du Rhum from France to the Caribbean in 2002 is tacked on in just a few pages at the end.
The Best Part
MacArthur’s drive to get sailing from pretty much day one in her life is very clear. Her dedication and indeed determination over decades is amazing.
Best part about this book? We were on the edge of our seat every time she described having to climb the mast under terrifying Antarctic conditions and were vastly relieved every time she made it safely back down to the deck.
We had no clue what conditions in extreme solo racing were really like when we picked up this book. I am sure that reading about it doesn’t come close to actually living it – but it certainly paints a vivid picture.
And we learned that while the Can Opener and I admire such daring exploits – when we head off on our long term adventures, we will certainly be heading straight for warmer climes!
Wishes
Hmm. She repeatedly gives thanks to the support teams that made her achievements possible. But in a vague and general way. We would have liked to hear about more specific support team incidents (builders, mechanics etc) and how these fed into the final outcome.
One began to get the uneasy feeling that these thank yous were perfunctory and added in as an afterthought. This is more true at the beginning of the book and less true at the end. Somehow Clare Francis’ descriptions of this aspect of racing in Come Hell or High Water seemed a lot more personal and believable.
Conclusion
Inspirational. Glad we bought it. Now we’ll donate it to the Red Tabby Yacht Club library. Good to spread the inspiration around.
Ever read Taking on the World, by Ellen MacArthur? How did you find it? Any good recommendations for other books for the sea library?
(transcribed by the Can Opener)
* from the Ellen MacArthur Official Website bio
Previously: The Reluctant Mariner
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