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Library > New Acquisitions > Book Review
Through The Land Of Fire; Ben Pester; Seafarer Books, 2004; £13.95; CA16608
Much though I respect the world-girdling efforts of modern-day but heavily sponsored professional yacht crews, my preference remains for the ‘little man’ who achieves everything by his own resourcefulness. In 1999 after a lifetime of seafaring, Ben Pester began his adventure in his 75th year – the aggregate age of the crew was 193 years.
In a 36-ft, 35-year old wooden yacht he voyaged south from Falmouth, circumnavigated Tierra del Fuego, doubled Cape Horn and, after the Falkland Islands, completed a single-leg passage home in the first half of 2000. He had two companions, including one who joined and was replaced on the outward leg in not-too-well explained circumstances. Throughout the voyage the author favoured traditional ways of weather prediction and with little desire for immediate global communication, hailed passing ships to pass on news of their continued survival. The narrative offers ample evidence of team effort and mutual support in the difficult areas around Tierra del Fuego, and in the author’s frequent, and quite philosophical reflection upon his trail-blazing predecessors, Magellan, Drake, Cavendish and Davis feature strongly.
The book is soft bound of conventional size, but I had some unease over the paper quality. There are two groups of pleasing coloured illustrations, although in the second, a couple of larger-scale chart illustrations would have been useful. This book offers satisfying and evocative reading for dreamers and planners alike. – EC
Page prepared 11 January 2006