Maiden Voyage, by Bernadette Brennan and Tania Aebi
Maiden Voyage is a testament to the extraordinary potential hidden within ordinary lives. Tania Aebi, an unremarkable New York City teenager, transformed from a wayward bicycle messenger into a record-breaking sailor through sheer determination and grit. Faced with her father's ultimatum - college or circumnavigation - Aebi chose the path less traveled. Armed with minimal sailing experience and a healthy dose of teenage stubbornness, she embarked on a 27,000-mile journey that would test her limits and rewrite the history books.
For two and a half years, Aebi and her feline companion Tarzoon battled treacherous seas, narrowly escaped a collision with a tanker, and grappled with the crushing weight of solitude. Each nautical mile brought new challenges, forcing Aebi to dig deep and discover reserves of strength she never knew she possessed.
More than just a tale of adventure on the high seas, Maiden Voyage chronicles Aebi's metamorphosis from an aimless youth to the youngest American to sail solo around the world. Her triumphant return to New York Harbor in November 1987 marked not just the end of a physical journey, but the beginning of a lifelong quest for self-discovery.
“October 23, 1987., another dawn - my thirty-seventh alone on the North Atlantic. Around me, the sea is a liquid mountain range of heaving swells, and I’m really scared. The winds and waves have been steadily increasing since yesterday, when they veered from southeast to northeast. Varuna has been knocked mast-down to the water countless times last night, and I haven’t been able to relax, sleep, eat or think about anything other than staying alive. Following now are the biggest waves I have ever seen - probably 25 feet. It’s almost winter and I’ve pushed my luck. The weather can only get worse.”
Interesting Facts & Links:
Tania Aebi was only 18 years old when she began her solo circumnavigation of the globe, which forms the basis of the book. This made her one of the youngest people to sail around the world alone at the time. The voyage described in the book wasn't initially intended to be a complete circumnavigation. Aebi's father offered her the choice between college or a boat, and she chose the boat, initially planning just to sail to Europe.
Wikipedia has a great list of teenagers who have sailed around the world. We also recommend Laura Dekker’s (One Girl, One Dream). She received Maiden Voyage as a child and was likely inspired by the book.
Learn more about Tania Aebi at her own website.
Maiden Voyage is on our list of our recommendations of the best travel books. See of our full list by clicking through to our summary of the absolute best in travel writing.
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