On Wits and Wind - Softcover

William Ward Vickers

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1425909477 ISBN 13: 9781425909475

Publisher: Authorhouse, 2006

Synopsis

When they set sail from Long Beach, CA in 1949 on a 65 foot barkentine to sail around the world, they forgot their navigation maps, unknowingly skewed the boat's compass, had too little money ($500), and insufficient sailing experience. All six of the crew had no idea of the life-threatening challenges they would face. Five years later the crew will have proven their mettle as they successfully and ceremoniously returned to Long Beach harbor having survived encounters with cannibals, a venomous snake in a sleeping bag, malaria in Panama, worm holes in the hull of their boat, passage through an unpublicized revolution in Indonesia, sand storms in the Red Sea, blown out sails, loss of an engine, cabin fever, spies, smugglers, and the departure and arrival of new crew members. Through it all, they persevered by writing about their adventures and selling them to magazines such as Reader's Digest so there would be a check waiting for them in the next port to pay for paint, engine parts, sails, or some other repair. By the time they returned to a rousing welcome, TV stations were broadcasting how this crew survived their circumnavigation exclusively on their wits and wind.

About this title

About the Author:

Dr. William W. Vickers was born in San Francisco in 1923. He attended Cal. Tech. before enlisting as a Marine pilot in WW II where he flew Corsairs off of air craft carriers. After his circumnavigation he became a Fulbright Scholar in Norway and a Research Scientist in Antartica during the 1957-'58 International Geophysical year. He then worked as an Atmospheric Physicist for MITRE Corp. in Massachusetts for almost 3 decades. Upon his retirement, he moved to southern California to live on an avocado ranch near a few of his crew mates from the "California". He and his wife whom he met on the voyage have been married for over 50 years and enjoy their 3 children and 5 grandchildren.

About this edition

• Publisher: Authorhouse
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1425909477
• ISBN 13: 9781425909475
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 372