The Long Way

The Long Way chronicles Bernard Moitessier's participation in the 1968 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race - the first solo non-stop circumnavigation sailing contest. Moitessier records his journey aboard his 39-foot steel ketch Joshua as he departs Plymouth, England and sails through the world's most challenging waters. The narrative combines technical sailing details with Moitessier's observations about life at sea and his internal experience during months of solitude. His documentation includes navigation logs, weather patterns, and the practical challenges of maintaining a vessel during an extended ocean voyage. Through prose and photographs, Moitessier captures daily life aboard Joshua - from routine maintenance to encounters with albatrosses and the raw forces of nature. The book includes his original charts, diagrams, and messages sent via slingshot to passing ships. The text stands as both a sailing memoir and a meditation on humanity's relationship with the natural world. Moitessier's account explores themes of solitude, freedom, and the tension between competition and personal truth.

Readers describe this as both a sailing narrative and philosophical journey, with many noting Moitessier's unique writing style that blends technical details with introspective musings. Readers appreciate: - Raw, honest descriptions of solitude at sea - Detailed sailing techniques and navigation methods - The author's connection with nature and meditation - Simple but poetic prose, even in translation - Insights into the mental challenges of solo sailing Common criticisms: - Frequent tangents and stream-of-consciousness passages - Repetitive descriptions of weather and boat conditions - Some find the spiritual/philosophical sections self-indulgent - Navigation details can be dense for non-sailors Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (240+ ratings) One reader noted: "It's like sitting in a bar listening to a sailor tell his story - meandering but captivating." Another commented: "The technical parts were a slog, but his observations about solitude made it worthwhile."

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🌊 Bernard Moitessier dropped out of the 1968-69 Golden Globe Race while in the lead, choosing to sail on to Tahiti instead of returning to England because he found such peace at sea. ⛵ The book chronicles Moitessier's 37,455-mile journey aboard his steel ketch Joshua, which was nearly twice the distance needed to complete the race's circumnavigation. 📝 To communicate with passing ships during his voyage, Moitessier used a slingshot to launch film canisters containing messages onto their decks. 🧭 Despite having modern navigation equipment available, Moitessier preferred traditional celestial navigation and even practiced a Polynesian technique of using the swells to determine direction. 🌟 The Long Way (originally La Longue Route in French) has become a cult classic among sailors and is considered one of the most influential sailing narratives ever written, inspiring countless voyagers to pursue long-distance solo sailing.