Solitude of the Open Sea

The Solitude of the Open Sea, ? is a collection of seventeen narrative essays based upon Smith's years of ocean sailing aboard his 39-foot Fast Passage cutter, Atlantean. The book is not a chronological account of Smith's travels, but instead utilizes carefully observed events to illuminate the themes of his work: the importance of broadening our horizons beyond the known and commonplace; freeing ourselves from cultural self-centeredness and prejudice; and achieving self-realization through perseverance, hardship, and solitude. The individual pieces range from light and humorous, as the na've sailor attempts to make sense of the world's unfamiliar places and peoples, to sober and reflective, as encountering harsh realities becomes unavoidable. And because there is inherent danger in facing the sea, one of Smith's accounts even describes a harrowing brush with death. The messages of ?The Solitude of the Open Sea? are not unique to sailing, but rather are intended for a general audience of reflective readers who value travel and the insights it provides in helping us understand our place in the world around us.Smith, Gregory Newell is the author of 'Solitude of the Open Sea', published 2005 under ISBN 9781892399229 and ISBN 1892399229.