Godforsaken Sea: Racing the World’s Most Dangerous Waters

Non-fiction it may be, but it contains all the tension of a thriller Stuart Alexander, The Independent The Vendee Globe is a 27,000 mile, single-handed yacht race through the world’s most treacherous seas. A four month journey where the sailors pit themselves against icebergs, hurricane-force winds and waves the height of six-storey buildings. On 3 November 1996 sixteen sailors, including Tony Bullimore and Pete Goss set out. Only six crossed the finishing line, six others withdrew or were disqualified for seeking outside help, three were plucked from sinking boats while the world watched and one disappeared without trace. It is a captivating tale. This is a book which vividly transcends its immediate brief as a narrative of the race and those who sailed it, and presents a gripping and poetic evocation of the terrible and seductive power of the sea John Tague, The Independent on Sunday.