Endless Summer: Book Review

Created by doina. Last modified on 2007-03-13 13:47:45
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Topic: Books,Charts and DVDs

Endless Summer by Michael L. Frankel

Published 2007 by www.lulu.com

ISBN 978-1-4303-1913-9

Michael Frankel has followed up his “Dreaming of Columbus” (Noonsite Book of the Month December 2006) with “Endless Summer”, a description of his voyage around the world as part of the Millennium Odyssey. Whereas his first book described the author’s adventures on board his Sabra as participant in America 500, a transatlantic rally that celebrated the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s voyage to the New World, in the Millennium Odyssey the author signed on as crew on Hornblower, whose owners Bob and Judy Hall had also participated in America 500.

The Millennium Odyssey, a rally that took place between 1998 and 2000 and carried a message of peace round the world, provides only a backdrop to a vivid description of a circumnavigation that provided the author with a unique opportunity to comment on the many places visited and the people encountered. Throughout the book the author refers to the famous explorers and discoverers in whose wake he was obviously proud to follow. History is only one source of inspiration as the author also dwells on global weather and current climate changes, giant waves and tsunamis, wetlands, plankton, coral reefs and endangered species. As a keen observer of the world around him, the author expresses deep concern on the state of the environment and the damage being done to it. Nowhere is this more evident than when he describes walking on a windward reef on a beautiful tropical island that was covered in garbage, most of it indestructible plastic.

The endless summer of the title was inspired by “sailing in the Indian Ocean with mile after mile of balmy temperatures and ten to twenty knot winds on the quarter or beam.” Unfortunately that perfect image was spoilt, not necessarily for the author himself, by a sequence of breakages suffered both on Hornblower but even more so on the accompanying Distant Drum. The crew of the latter, Duke and Betty Marx, were also America 500 veterans and, being in their early seventies were the oldest participants in the Millennium Odyssey. The never-ending list of breakages that poor Duke had to endure filled this reviewer with sympathy but also with much admiration for this remarkable couple who managed to complete such an arduous voyage against all odds.

As a very proactive person, Michael Frankel took a keen interest in his fellow participants and while in Tahiti interviewed many of them on various aspects of their voyage, including finances and other practical matters. Together with the author’s comments on life on board this information will be of great interest to anyone contemplating a long offshore voyage.

“Endless Summer“ as well as ”Dreaming of Columbus” were both published by the author with the help of internet based publisher www.lulu.com. The books can be ordered directly from that website, and are also available at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and www.borders.com.