Daredevils of the Atlantic Ocean: Unusual Crossings in Unlikely Vessels

"Daredevils of the Atlantic Ocean" chronicles the exploits of a relatively new breed of adventurers and fortune-seekers who sometimes succeed and sometimes fail at crossing the Atlantic Ocean in all sorts of unlikely vessels and contraptions, including a few who even tried to swim across. Some were powered by motors, some by sails, currents, or just raw human power and athletic stamina. Many were outlandish attempts that only a madman could have conceived. These are their stories. The Atlantic Ocean separates two great continents, and men (and it has usually been the male species) have always sought new ways to cross 'the pond'-and not all of them in boats. This book is about these people: some wise and thoughtful, others reckless and frankly crazy; some well-prepared, others impetuous and disorganized; some skilled and proficient who understood the risks, while others were hot-headed, inexperienced, and impulsive; some voyages were carefully planned, while others seemed to be cooked up on little more than a whim. In the world of trans-Atlantic sailing, as in life, it takes all sorts... What all these adventurers have in common, however, is that they launched themselves on a voyage of personal challenge and discovery, during which they put their lives on the line. For that reason alone, we should take our (sailing) hats off to them.

About the Author :
Peter Firstbrook grew up in England, and from an early age he developed a life-long passion for sailing. After studying oceanography at university, he became a documentary film producer and worked for BBC Television for 25 years. Since then, he has developed a writing career, and his previous books include The Voyage of the Matthew (about the explorer John Cabot), Lost on Everest (about the climber George Mallory), The Obamas: The Untold Story of an African Family, and A Man Most Driven (a biography of John Smith of Jamestown).Over the years, Peter Firstbrook has sailed extensively from the Baltic to the Mediterranean, on both sides of the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and the Pacific and Indian Oceans-sometimes with a crew, and at other times single-handed. This experience has given him a profound respect for those who commit to long ocean passages, often sailing against the odds (and sometimes in totally unsuitable craft).Firstbrook became fascinated by what motivates people to risk life and limb in pursuit of their dreams, and this led to extensive research to write "Daredevils of the Atlantic," in which he combines his love and expert knowledge of sailing, with a trained understanding of the weather and oceans, all told by a skilled and experienced story-teller.Lost on Everest was translated into six languages, and won the prestigious International Trento Mountain Book Festival award. Peter Firstbrook has also won more than thirty international awards for his work in television. He sails his classic Vindö 40 out of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight, southern England.