Contents

Dedication

Epigraph

List of Figures

Preface

World Map

1 Ann Davison and the Meaning of Life

2 Seabirds

3 Shackford, “Rob Roy,” and “Centennial” Set the Stage

4 Wind, Ships, Sleep, Engines, Wind

5 The First Solo Circumnavigator: Joshua Slocum

6 Sharks

7 Just Cruisin’ with Harry Pidgeon

8 Sea Turtles, Fish, Squid

9 Florentino Das: For Family

10 Pets, Companionship over the Rail

11 Kenichi Horie Against the North Pacific

12 Extrasensory Perception

13 Sharon Sites Adams Had the Right to Sail Alone

14 Self-Steering

15 Bernard Moitessier and a Sea of Spiritual Solitude

16 Landlessness, Loneliness, Death Wish

17 Tevake and the Voyage of No Return

18 Animism, the Boat

19 Sailing While Black: Teddy Seymour Plays His Love Song

20 Dolphins, Whales

21 Bill Pinkney and Neal Petersen: For the Children

22 Ships Again, Rescue

23 The Case of Youth: Laura Dekker, Jessica Watson, and Abby Sunderland

24 Storms, Waves

25 The Environmental Epiphany of Ellen MacArthur

26 The Solo Sailor Survives and Tries to Find Meaning

Dramatis personae

Notes

Selected Bibliography

Acknowledgments

Index

About the Author