My Ocean

Preface to My Ocean In the 1970s and 80s, it was every sailor's dream to cross the Atlantic Ocean alone. I have cherished this dream ever since I was a teenager, reading all the books written by the "sea dogs."The books that fascinated me most were about the adventures experienced and told by the solo sailors who became famous. For me, this started with Joshua Slocum (1844-1898) who in 1895 built his own boat, the legendary Spray in the garden of his home. He then became the first man in maritime history to singlehandedly sail around the world.In the following decades, Francis Chichester (1901-1972) (the creator of the OSTAR) did the same in 1966 with his 16-meter Gipsy Moth IV, sailing solo around the world in 274 days. Bernard Moitessier (1925-1994) and his boat Joshua (he named his boat in honor of Joshua Slocum, his (and my) inspiration) participated in the 1965 Golden Globe Race, a round-the-world yacht race. He decided to abandon the crossing, although he was the likely winner, to sail further around the world and then stop in Tahiti, in Polynesia. In 1964 another hero of the sea, Eric Tabarly (1931-1998) won the OSTAR with the legendary Pen Duick VI. The first Italian to have such an experience was Ambrogio Fogar (1941-2005), with his boat Surprise. He inspired millions of Italians to become passionate about sailing. I devoured the books they wrote, and their stories quickly became the story I wanted to pursue. I was determined to follow their example, no matter what. I no longer cared about living my life as a small entrepreneur searching for the ephemeral: I wanted to lift my restless spirit. I didn't want to set records, nor become famous; I just wanted to dig into the depths of my soul to explore and discover all of the enigmas that tormented me. I hadn't had an easy childhood, and so I wanted to defeat the ghosts of my past. What experiences would shape my character and launch me into a visionary state of being? I knew that a strong emotional shock could change my existence and make me feel alive, and therefore more 'myself.'My motivations were strong and thoughtful - I couldn't escape my destiny. The dream of a solo crossing had entered my conscience, and my efforts made it a reality. In the end, my perseverance rewarded me and one fateful day, one of the most beautiful and memorable of my life, I raised anchor and plunged into my adventure.DedicationI dedicate this book to all sea lovers, especially to sailors who want to embark on the adventure of transoceanic sailing alone, and to the friends who spurred me to publish this wonderful experience of mine. I thank everyone for their support.Elio Cosio

• | Author: Mr Elio Cosio
• | Publisher: Independently published
• | Publication Date: January 03, 2020
• | Number of Pages: 199 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Paperback
• | ISBN-10: 1655128329
• | ISBN-13: 9781655128325