Book Review - In Slocum’s Wake

* * * by Nat Warren-White

outskirts press

Review by Alex Agnew, Boston Station/Gulf of Maine Post

“Boys who do not like this book ought to be drowned at once.” —Arthur Ransome on Slocum’s Sailing Alone Around the World

CCA member Nat Warren-White’s account of his circumnavigation on his Montevideo 43 Bahati is elevated by association with Joshua Slocum’s historic work of adventure literature. Despite the huge differences, there is a comparison to be enjoyed between the two accounts, and it is well worth the time to pull out Sailing Alone while reading In Slocum’s Wake.

A nontechnical travelogue, In Slocum’s Wake has a mission: to persuade mere mortals to follow in Bahati’s wake, to imply how much easier it is to sail on a modern boat with a crew, to thank his 50-odd crewmembers, wife Betsy, and son Josh, to credit those who advised him, to document the voyage, and to demystify circumnavigating.

Slocum’s account demonstrated his amazing skills and confidence, and we have thrilled at reading every racy, amazing page. Nat’s account is more introspective and demonstrates his character, humility, intelligence, and generosity of spirit, while suggesting that if he did it, then so can we. Few of us believe sailing alone Slocum-style is either sane or safe. But we get Nat’s idea that Bahati’s voyage is within reach — if we just have the guts, optimism, commitment, and passion.

Quick summary: Captain Nat’s trip on Bahati: five years, west-around, more than 50 crew, 43' LOA, 13' beam, 6.4' draft, net tonnage 16, gross tonnage 18.

Captain Josh’s trip on Spray: 3.3 years, west-around, one crew (plus ghost), 36' 9" LOA, 14' 2" beam, 4' 2" draft, net tonnage 9, gross tonnage 13.

Nat’s dream, hatched in the 1960s, took more than 40 years to pull off. Nat’s wife supported the dream, but only after trying to talk him out of it. In the end, Betsy supported both onshore and at sea.

It’s amusing to learn that possibly the worst part of the trip was the first couple of weeks in the north Atlantic trying to get from Norfolk to the Caribbean in November. The leg from Norfolk to Bermuda took 12 miserable days, and Bermuda was not the destination. But Nat and Joshua are both optimists, probably a requirement for a circumnavigation. From Nat: “In a world that focuses so much on the ‘bad guys,’ it’s helpful to be reminded that the vast majority of people living on Earth are compassionate, generous and well-meaning.” And from Slocum: “Dangers there are, to be sure, on the sea as well as the land, but the intelligence and skill God gives to man reduce these to a minimum.”

Both Captains Nat and Josh capture the wonder of the voyaging life, practical and spiritual, with every page. Yet ocean sailing participation continues to decline. This is not due to the expense since there are so many capable and durable voyaging sailboats available at low cost. Nat is one of a dying breed in that he was raised sailing and got a thorough education in it from his parents. Then he successfully trained his son, Josh, who turned out to be a key to the success of the Bahati voyage. Nat raised Josh well, and Josh has paid it back in spades, continuing a family tradition. Call it privilege or luck, but it is increasingly rare. It is fantastic to hear that Bahati is now back at sea with a young family and a voyage in the making. Well done, Nat. As CCA members, it behooves us to encourage the next generation by passing on copies of both of these books.

The book is available from local bookstores and online.

Alex Agnew is executive director of Sailing Ships Maine, a sail training nonprofit that manages schooner Harvey Gamage, the high school sail training vessel owned by Phineas Sprague Jr. Agnew is associate publisher of Ocean Navigator and Professional Mariner magazines. He is a part-owner of the Valiant 32 Haiku and the Swan 40 Chase.