Description
John Kretschmer is sailing’s practical philosopher – as much a doer as a thinker. And that is the overarching theme of this chronicle of a sailing life. Often amusing, sometimes poignant, occasionally terrifying but always inspiring, his deeply personal account is a welcome reminder of the good life waiting at sea.
With hundreds of thousands of nautical miles under his keel, John’s adventures have taken him several times around the world, with challenging crossings of the Atlantic and the Pacific, a narrow escape from a coup in Yemen, an unlikely deliverance from a coral reef off Belize as well as more serene, introspective passages where trade winds are blowing and stories are flowing. His crew has included CEOs, actors, writers, teachers, kids – in essence, everyone.
John’s narrative is interwoven with practical tips and advice in seamanship, but also, and just as importantly, his hard-won insights about making the most of our lives. He truly believes we find out who we really are, and what we are capable of, far from the shackles of land, when we find a place where time changes shape – days may merge into one another, but minutes are memorable.
To live adventurously is to live more fully, and that is the life John Kretschmer continues to live. In this book he shares his simple profundities that will inspire those who live to sail, and those seeking something more rewarding from life.
oneoceantec –
One of the best seafaring books I have read. John Kretschmer brings the world of sailing alive with his fine descriptions of life at sea, with his self deprecating view of his own skills as a seafarer, which engenders empathy from the reader. It is refreshing to know that he has made the same mistakes as we do when we sail.
His narrative is rich and expressive and I feel as though I am with him on his passages as I read his stories from the comfort of my shoreside seat.
The book leaves me thirsty for adventure, sailing and like minded individuals who call the sea their home.
Meuryn Hughes
March 2023