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When, as a young man in the 1880s, Benjamin Lundy signed up for duty aboard a square-rigged commercial sailing vessel, he began a journey more exciting, and more terrifying, than he could have ever imagined: a treacherous, white-knuckle passage around that notorious "graveyard of ships," Cape Horn.
A century later, Derek Lundy, author of the bestselling Godforsaken Sea and an accomplished amateur seaman himself, set out to recount his forebear's journey. The Way of a Ship is a mesmerizing account of life on board a square-rigger, a remarkable reconstruction of a harrowing voyage through the most dangerous waters. Derek Lundy's masterful account evokes the excitement, romance, and brutality of a bygone era -- "a fantastic ride through one of the greatest moments in the history of adventure" (Seattle Times).
In this magnificent seagoing yarn, Derek Lundy recreates the voyage of the Beara Head, a merchant ship that sailed around Cape Horn in the 1880s. Based partly on the experiences of Lundy’s great-great uncle, The Way of a Ship examines the cultural and economic significance of the rise of steamships — and the inevitable death of the Age of Sail and its centuries-old traditions.
Lundy seamlessly weaves together historical context with a gripping narrative style to recreate a white-knuckle journey that depicts not only the dangerous day-to-day life of a sailor, but also, as sail gave way to steam, the end of an era. The Way of a Ship is more than a nautical history; like Melville and Conrad, Lundy portrays the sea voyage as a poignant metaphor for life itself. Derek Lundy is the author of the international bestseller Godforsaken Sea: Racing the World’s Most Dangerous Waters. He lives in Salt Spring Island. “A fantastic ride through one of the greatest moments in the history of adventure ... Lundy is a master of tension and storytelling.” — Seattle TimesYou may also like
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