Around The

World The

Hard Way

Chichester and Rose did it with one stop and Knox-Johnson circumnavi gated the globe non-stop. When almost across his outward track, Bernd Moisettier, in typical French fashion decided to try another lap but called a halt at Tahiti.

There were no more worlds to con quer; or so it seemed to Chay Blyth, an adventurous Scottish ex-com mando, who with fellow serviceman John Ridgeway, had already rowed the Atlantic. Previous solo globe trotters had all sailed west to east about, taking advantage of the Roar ing Forties like the great clipper ships of yesteryear. This fact did not escape Mr Blyth—why not sail around the world the other way, east to west, the “wrong way”.

So began the adventure which is described in the title of Chay Blyth’s book as The Impossible Voyage. If not exactly a thriller, the book does give a fair insight into human re actions to situations bordering on catastrophic, keeping in mind Mr Blyth’s commando training in sur vival.

A lot of the book is based on notations from log and diary, which while keeping times and dates etc accurate, do tend to get a little dry after a few pages. On the plus side, Chay Blyth reveals himself as a very human Scotsman, with little quota tions from Robbie Burns and cele brations of haggis (canned) and Drambuie when a significant meridian is crossed.

For a modest paperback The Im possible Voyage is well illustrated with colour and black and white, but the painting on the cover is the most descriptive, showing Blyth’s yacht British Steel battling waves of immense proportions.

Why did he do it? A simple answer to this question is nowhere to be found. J. R. L. Anderson in the prologue says it’s a human trait called the Ulysses factor, something which could equally be interpreted by some as the Ulysses complex; rather like the Hillary complex, because it’s there. —John Collins.

I The Impossible Voyage, By Chay

Blyth, Pan Books. $1.50.)

• Unless otherwise stated, prices given for books are in Australian currency.