Book Review: A Voyage for Madmen

This summer we spent a wonderful week on the Devon coast at East Prawle, a few miles West of Start Point. On our first evening the yachts of the Fastnet Race swept past our window on their outward leg, and on the bookshelf beside the window I found a book I had heard of but never read: A Voyage For Madmen

Peter Nichols' book follows the nine diverse characters who set out to be first to sail around the world non-stop. The race started in 1968 and Nichols does a great job of exploring the characters of these extraordinary men, and the dynamics of the race that developed, fuelled by the growing interest of the media. It held particular interest to me as I have met two of the survivors of the race, John Ridgway and Robin Knox-Johnson, who eventually won the race.

First to start was John Ridgway, an early celebrity favourite having rowed across the Atlantic two years earlier with Chay Blythe. Like most of the other competitors, Ridgway was sailing in a fundamentally unsuitable craft, the bilge keeled English Rose IV, and after a collision with a press boat as he leaves Ireland he was baling out all the way south through the Atlantic. He pulled out after only 6 weeks at sea.

Ridgway and Blythe (who set sail a week or so later) were both early casualties of the malign influence of sponsors - both were sailing boats provided by manufacturers eager for publicity for inshore cruisers that were not fit for the Southern Ocean. But much greater pressure was to befall the last competitor to set sail, Donald Crowhurst, who beat the race deadline of 31 October by only a few hours. He had gambled his house on winning the competition for the fastest circumnavigation, and set sail in a boat that was entirely unfit for the storms ahead.

Nichol tracks Crowhurst's lonely preparations, departure and, eventually, his decision to cheat in order to save his family. After months at sea and a surreal episode when he goes ashore in South America and has a fine meal with customs officers, Crowhurst's log records his descent into madness. His abandoned craft was found sometime later. He is presumed to have stepped overboard.

Meanwhile, Robin Knox-Johnson, with his radio and self steering gear broken, is relentlessly progressing through the mountainous seas of the Southern Ocean, and eventually returns to a hero's welcome as the only competitor to complete the circumnavigation. In a remarkable act of generosity he gave his winnings to Donald Crowhurst's widow. Psychologists' reports of Knox-Johnson commissioned by his media sponsors before he left described him as "distressingly normal".

Nevertheless, this is an excellent and entertaining study of 9 remarkable men and their endeavours in a bygone age in which it was possible to be without contact with any other human for more than 4 months. I heartily recommend it to anyone interested in the study of determination and adventure.

I worked for John Ridgway in 1990 as an instructor at his adventure school in the highlands of Scotland and so it was a special treat for me to read an account of one of his earlier exploits. I spent a very enjoyable evening with Robin Knox-Johnson more recently at an event where he was presenting on the challenges of raising sponsorship for sporting events. When I mentioned that I had worked for John before becoming a Royal Marine, he collected us some drinks and regaled me with tales of his encounters with Royal Marines in Norway and elsewhere for the rest of the evening.

How to Spend Fifty Weeks on Holiday Each Year

I'm on holiday in the North Western Highlands at the moment and as I jumped into the icy clear waters of the North Atlantic this morning I remembered some words of wisdom I heard 21 years ago from a Manchester paper magnate.

In 1991 I worked for John Ridgway. Each week or fortnight small groups of hardy individuals would arrive in Ardmore for sailing, kayaking, climbing and hill walking challenges. My role was to accompany the groups and keep them safe. Drying out after a particularly challenging 16 hours on a windy mountain, I asked one of the visitors why he returned to Ardmore every year to spend a fortnight being eaten by midges, soaked at sea and ashore and driven to physical exhaustion. His answer made a big impression on me:

"Everyone I know goes on holiday for 2 weeks each year and spends the other 50 wishing they were still on holiday. I spend a fortnight here each summer and 50 weeks thanking God I'm warm and dry somewhere else!"

This was from a man who had built a successful business empire from scratch. At 50 he was as fit as many people on the course who were half his age. Most of all I was struck by his enthusiasm for everything he did.

Not everyone will agree with his holiday prescription, but then if it's true that we assess our wellbeing by reference to relative rather than absolute comfort, health and wealth, perhaps it does make sense to take short sharp shocks from time to time.

3 lessons from an Atlantic rower: self reliance, positive thinking and LPATBTYFT

In 1991 I worked for 8 months for John Ridgway at his adventure school in Ardmore, close to Cape Wrath in the Highlands of Scotland.

In 1966, John had rowed across the Atlantic in an open boat with Chay Blyth, taking 92 days - a story recounted in his book A Fighting Chance. On his return he set out to create an enclave where people could learn some of the lessons he learned on this and many subsequent adventures.

As an 18 year old fresh out of school and wanting to test myself in a challenging environment, John's enclave was the perfect testing ground. For the princely salary of £5 per week each, a team of 10 instructors led diverse and hardy individuals on canoeing, climbing, hillwalking, sailing, swimming and survival expeditions.

John's vision centres on three qualities he believes enable people to achieve their full potential. He always stressed them to us, and to the 12,000 people who passed through his adventure school. I still think they provide a great guide. They are:

1. Self Reliance
2. Positive Thinking
3. Leaving People And Things Better Than You Find Them

If you have any suggestions that you think should be added to the list please add comments below. I think these attributes are not far from the Four Commando Qualities.

And if you want to enjoy beautiful landscape and outdoor adventures suitable for every level of ability, Ridgeway Adventure is well worth a visit!