Topsail and Battleaxe: A Voyage in the Wake of the Vikings

by Tom Cunliffe

Release Date: January, 1998

Edition: Paperback

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Laid back true adventure.

This is the story of a voyage across the north atlantic to retrace the great voyages of the Viking era. Sailing in a Bristol cutter the brave crew undertake to go north instead of the traditional southerly route favoured by us in already high latitudes. Dressed for cold in their best salvaged clothing this book captures the real flavour of the long night watches (complete with nonsense poetry) the heart stopping excitement of rough weather sailing and all the real adventure that is open to anyone who can cadge a boat and a few charts. We come to know the cutter very well as a boat, and in Norway there is an opportunity to compare it in the water against the Femboring, a modern day descendant of the traditional Viking ship. There are interesting tales of the attitudes of Customs officers to bonded whisky and of the differences between drinkers and Christians in Norway. The book is enticing in its description of sailing in northern latitudes and may even convince me to consider a jaunt up towards the Faroes myself. More than just a sailing book this is a good reading book and a great way of working in a little Viking history to a light read.