A voyage for madmen - peter nichols
The stories of the men who took departure of the 1968 non-stop, single-handed, round-the-world yacht race Sunday Times Golden Globe Race had little sailing experience. They were adventurers after all. The human stories are daunting, extraordinary, and inspiring. That was a time were there was no direct communication between the race organizers and the participants. Only spotters relayed back news on the yachts’s average and whereabout. Organizers and the press could go weeks without getting any news about the sailors. That makes the endeavour even more fascinating in today’s hyperconnected world.
This sailing race was controversial due to the failure of most participants, and the dementia and suicide of one participant who tried to fake a round-the-world voyage by hiding. The race is also famous for the philosophical decision of Bernard Moitessier to reject the reason behind a commercialised competition.
