Desperate Voyage

[CelNav57]

At Rumata's suggestion I purchased and received, today, a copy of John Caldwell's book, "Desperate Voyage".  The book came autographed by John Caldwell himself!  All for $3.85 from ebay!  In brief the book covers his 1946 solo sail from Panama to Australia.  He got wrecked on islands East of Fiji and is carried by ship to Australia.

The story he tells of his trip is nothing but disaster after disaster.  He didn't even know how to sail when leaving Panama and what happens to him along the way is evidence of that.  It would be difficult for me to describe the troubles he got himself into or that they even happened. 

He taught himself navigation while underway.  Here are a few words from the chapter entitled "Malpelo Isle". 

If you will navigate, take what is listed here and sail away.  When, after ten days of study and stars, you can't fix your position, turn back and take up harbor sailing, for you will never navigate.  Any sensible person who can see the sun or horizon plainly can use these tools to go around the world".

Mr. Caldwell's total navigational instrument cost was $8.90.  The sextant was given to him by a sea captain.

In keeping with my interest in boat names and how well things go for the captains of oddly named boats Caldwell's story is no different.  I'm not superstitious except about boat names.  Don't name your boat anything that challenges or affronts The Great Commodore of the Universe.  Here are some famous boat names and what happened to them;

Titanic.  Titanic is ancient Chaldean for....satanic.
Endurance.  (Shackleton's ship).  Crushed by ice and sunk.
HMS Terror (Franklin's ship) Sunk in the Arctic.  Crew- all died through starvation on land.

So what has that to do with the book Desperate Voyage?  It's this- Caldwell's boat is named- Pagan.  His boat was wrecked and smashed to pieces on an island near Fiji. 

But he alone has survived to tell thee.

It's a very interesting and exciting book so far.

Fair winds....

CelNav57

[Rumata]

At Rumata's suggestion I purchased and received, today, a copy of John Caldwell's book, "Desperate Voyage".  The book came autographed by John Caldwell himself!  All for $3.85 from ebay!  In brief the book covers his 1946 solo sail from Panama to Australia.  He got wrecked on islands East of Fiji and is carried by ship to Australia.

The story he tells of his trip is nothing but disaster after disaster.  He didn't even know how to sail when leaving Panama and what happens to him along the way is evidence of that.  It would be difficult for me to describe the troubles he got himself into or that they even happened. 

He taught himself navigation while underway.  Here are a few words from the chapter entitled "Malpelo Isle". 

If you will navigate, take what is listed here and sail away.  When, after ten days of study and stars, you can't fix your position, turn back and take up harbor sailing, for you will never navigate.  Any sensible person who can see the sun or horizon plainly can use these tools to go around the world".

Mr. Caldwell's total navigational instrument cost was $8.90.  The sextant was given to him by a sea captain.

In keeping with my interest in boat names and how well things go for the captains of oddly named boats Caldwell's story is no different.  I'm not superstitious except about boat names.  Don't name your boat anything that challenges or affronts The Great Commodore of the Universe.  Here are some famous boat names and what happened to them;

Titanic.  Titanic is ancient Chaldean for....satanic.
Endurance.  (Shackleton's ship).  Crushed by ice and sunk.
HMS Terror (Franklin's ship) Sunk in the Arctic.  Crew- all died through starvation on land.

So what has that to do with the book Desperate Voyage?  It's this- Caldwell's boat is named- Pagan.  His boat was wrecked and smashed to pieces on an island near Fiji. 

But he alone has survived to tell thee.

It's a very interested and exciting book so far.

Fair winds....

CelNav57

Yes, Celnav, I got the same impression. But I was immensely impressed by the shear courage of that man. He learned because he didn't have a chance while sitting in his boat in the middle of the Indian Ocean.  And yes he could always stay off water because he didn't have enough knowledge even to lift the anchor. Just prove the point-if someone wants it then it is achievable. Admittedly, not always without tragedies.

[Rdutton]

I read Desperate Voyage quite a while ago and enjoyed it. His courage and persistence were phenomenal. I've wondered why he was always trying to harpoon the biggest, baddest creatures of the deep? The shark really destroyed a good portion of his boat!

The comments he made about, uh, Dutton (no relation) and Bowditch, have always made me laugh. I have a copy of Dutton, 1943?, and have found it to be only confusing. It looks really good on my book shelf. The effect both books had upon him is that they put him into a "navigational fog". I'm not sure but I think he said he did use Bowditch (or Dutton?) to start his Primus gas stove.

R. Dutton

[Rumata]

I read Desperate Voyage quite a while ago and enjoyed it.  His courage and persistence were phenomenal.  I've wondered why he was always trying to harpoon the biggest, baddest creatures of the deep?  The shark really destroyed a good portion of his boat!

The comments he made about, uh, Dutton (no relation) and Bowditch, have always made me laugh.  I have a copy of Dutton, 1943?, and have found it to be only confusing.  It looks really good on my book shelf.  The effect both books had upon him is that they put him into a "navigational fog".  I'm not sure but I think he said he did use Bowditch (or Dutton?) to start his Primus gas stove.

R. Dutton

Well, I didn't find his comments about Dutton/Bowditch laughable. Those were the comments of a person who wasn't afraid to show his monumental ignorance, but he showed it in the middle of the real real Nowhere. Not in t the community pool. ;> ;> You and I know that there are not too many hard-boiled professionals, including Sir Francis ( not Drake, of course ;>) who performed similar trips and it was no fun. Yes, I agree, it was a pure adventure which had every chance to finalize in a total disaster.  But by luck, and damned determination that guy did a lot. I'm not trying to make him a saint, of course not.   If he would take anyone without any knowledge of blue water navigation on board-it would be so irresponsible that I'm sure we wouldn't talk about him.  You are right about his unique determination.  Agree.

I also have a copy of 1943 edition of Dutton and found it quite interesting, far from confusing. For instance, its description of basic techniques to create deviation tables , or usage of Napier diagram, or even its Navigational Work at sea I read with interest and found quite a lot of interesting details.  But maybe because I'm not practicing navigator. Anyway, this is the way I see the book by Coldwell and 1943 edition of Dutton.  Just very subjective.  I know.
Sorry for the wordy reply.



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