My Old Man and the Sea

by David Hays

Release Date: 05 June, 1996

Edition: Paperback

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A fascinating account of a physical and emotional voyage.

Cape Horn looms in sailing lore as the ultimate challenge; a graveyard of ships whose rocks and capricious weather should be feared by even the most seasoned old salt. Yet, the temptation to be one of the few who have met this challenge (Cape Horners are even allowed to put their feet up on the tablein the officers' wardroom in an English warship) is as great as the danger, and the father and son team of David and Daniel Hays are not immune to this temptation . On one level, this is the day by day account of two men who became the first Americans to sail around Cape Horn in a sailboat under 30 ft long. The details of living and surviving in such a small efficient space are fascinating, not only to sailors, but to casual readers, who will marvel at spending that much time closely confined with a family member and no form of entertainment other than books or (gasp) conversation. On a deeper, and perhaps even more interesting level, this is an account of the mental and emotional journey taken by a father and son. Alternating between the voices of the romantic, dramatic David, and his cynical, directionless son Daniel, it is a vivid picture of a troubled but enduring relationship. The two play off of eachother in the narrative much as they must have played off of each other during that year-long solitary voyage. As you read, you feel sometimes the cramped environment of two such different men forced to live in such a small space, and sometimes admiration, for the almost wordless emotional partnership of two men who share love for each other and for the sea; a partnership whose strength is attested by their accomplishment. Finally, it is subtly mythical tale of a father who learns to acknowledge his son's adulthood, and a son who learns to accept a leadership role in the family. Generations of seafaring fathers weave in and out of the narrative and become part of the heroic quest. Sometimes jokey, sometimes over-sentimental, the narrative tone varies wildly (and sometimes annoyingly) but the book itself is easy to read and interesting, as the simple details of the voyage open up the interior lives of the voyagers.

A Special Father and Son Relationship Set on the Ocean

This book is based upon journals kept by a father and son during their sailing voyage around Cape Horn. They really do a great job of integrating each person's observations as they sail down from New England to Panama, through the canal, then South and eventually around the Cape. Both writers share a great sense of humor including letters, the daily ship's log, and games they played to pass the many hours of sailing such a small craft that far. There are some esoteric points that are made that wouldn't make a lot of sense to anyone but a sailing enthusiast but overall the book does a nice job of providing laymen's definitions of such things as how to do celestial navigation. I really enjoyed their description of places they visited like Galapagos Easter Island, and the Horn. Maps are provided at the beginning of each portion of their journey so the reader gets a good idea of where and what to expect. If you enjoy sailing you'll especially enjoy this father and son accomplishment.