The Big Book of Sailing: The Sailors, the Ships, and the Sea

The awe inspiring vastness of the sea, its overpowering beauty, and its unfathomable depths never fail to impress us. Throughout history people have ventured out onto the sea in boats that are powered only by wind in sails and steered only by hand. Why? Perhaps because the sea is the embodiment of freedom? Or because it holds a magic appeal for both body and mind? Only the wind knows. This comprehensive book, unique in concept and execution, tries to find the answers to these questions. At the same time, it traces the development of yachting from its beginnings to the present. Sailors who have made solo voyages around the world tell of their adventures on the Seven Seas. But the sea offers more than just a challenge, It also offers an opportunity to explore the inner life. At sea, time often loses its meaning, and the thythms of life become one with the mighty forces of wind and water. Writers with experience of the sea deal with all these aspects of yachting. Professional photographers from all over the world have contributed to a fascinating collection of pictures. This is a magnificent book that opens to us, through word and image, one of the last arenas of adventure left in our time.