A SPECK ON THE SEA

This book contains more than seventy accounts of big adventures in small boats. In "A Speck on the Sea", William Longyard reaches back through five centuries to gather a collection of sea adventures in which the smallest, unlikeliest craft - and the daring individuals aboard them - completed extraordinary voyages against great odds. From canoes and small sailboats to a pair of strap-to-your-feet pontoons, the watercraft in these true stories make nearly as varied a collection as the mariners who piloted them. The intrepid seafarers and their feats of seamanship include: Ed Gillet's kite-powered transpacific kayak voyage Gladys Gradely's 1902 quest to become the first woman to solo the Atlantic; Ben Lecomte's swim across an ocean for love; Hugo Vihlen's 1968 ocean crossing in the 6-foot sailboat, April Fool; Peter Bird's tragic attempt to row across the Pacific; and, scores more. Whether driven by desperation, adventure, or a desire for fame and fortune, the risktakers in these stories show what vast oceans can be crossed in tiny contrivances by those who dare. 'Great fun to read' - "Cruising World". 'Very few reference books make for such riveting reading' - "Good Old Boat". 'Re-creates these awe-inspiring adventures in fascinating detail' - "NW Yachting". 'Seagoing heroes and scalawags come alive with rich detail in Longyard's volume of salty tales' - Judy Blumhorst, Commodore Emeritus, Northern California Association of West Wight Potter Owners and Webmaster, www.trailersailer.com. William H. Longyard has spent twenty-five years paddling, rowing, and sailing small boats of all kinds. He has published several books and written numerous articles for boating journals.