The Long Way

The Long Way is Bernard Moitessier's own incredible story of his participation in the first Golden Globe Race, a solo, non-stop circumnavigation rounding the three great Capes of Good Hope, Leeuwin, and the Horn. For seven months, the veteran seafarer battled storms, doldrums, gear-failures, knock-downs, as well as overwhelming fatigue and loneliness. Then, nearing the finish, Moitessier pulled out of the race and sailed on for another three months before ending his 37,455-mile journey in Tahiti. Not once had he touched land.

Bernard Moitessier was born in 1925 in Indochina and much of his sailing knowledge was gained during time spent at sea with the fishermen of the Gulf of Siam. One of the greatest ocean voyagers, he became a legend in his time. He was also a gifted writer and wrote four books describing his seagoing adventures. He moved to France where he spent the last years of his life working on his memoirs, Tamata and the Alliance (Sheridan House, 1995), the story of an unusual man and an exciting life. Bernard Moitessier died in the summer of 1994.

Part One Chapter 1: Full Sail Chapter 2: Clear Light Chapter 3: Sunday at Trinidad Chapter 4: Muchos Pocos Hacen Un Muncho Chapter 5: Played and Lost…Played and Won Part Two Chapter 6: Good Hope Chapter 7: A Saw-tooth Wake Chapter 8: The Days and the Nights Chapter 9: The Long Way Chapter 10: The Rule of the Game Chapter 11: Christmas and the Rat Chapter 12: The Time of the Very Beginnings Part Three Chapter 13: My Elder Brother Chapter 14: Joshua against Joshua Chapter 15: One Night… Chapter 16: One Day…and a Night Part Four Chapter 17: True Dreams-and False Chapter 18: Time to Choose Chapter 19: The Turning Point Chapter 20: Listen, Joshua… Chapter 21: Time to Choose-Part II Chapter 22: The Second Turning Point Appendix Glossary