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This timeless classic is an exciting true story of survival against all odds.

‘There was a sudden sickening sense of disaster. I felt a great lurch and heel, and a thunder of sound filled my ears. I was conscious, in a terrified moment, of being driven into the front and side of my bunk with tremendous force. At the same time there was a tearing cracking sound, as if Tzu Hang was being ripped apart, and water burst solidly, raging into the cabin. There was darkness, black boards, and I fought wildly to get out, thinking Tzu Hang had already gone. Then suddenly I was standing again, waist deep in water, and floorboards and cushions, mattresses and books were sloshing in wild confusion round me.’

Miles Smeeton and his wife Beryl sailed their 46-ft Bermuda ketch, Tzu Hang, in the wild seas of Cape Horn, following the tracks of the old sailing clippers through the world’s most notorious waters. This is an exciting true story of survival against all odds, but it is also a thoughtful book which provides hard-learned lessons for other intrepid sailors.

As Nevil Shute writes in his foreword: ‘It has been left to Miles Smeeton to tell us in clear and simple language just where the limits of safety lie.’

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1959

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Miles Smeeton

23 books

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5 stars
152 (39%)
4 stars
162 (41%)
3 stars
55 (14%)
2 stars
12 (3%)
1 star
5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for ^.
907 reviews64 followers
February 15, 2016
One doesn’t have to be a sailor; not even so much as a week-end sailor to enjoy this book. It didn’t matter that as a landlubber I don’t understand the lexicon and technicalities of sailing a small ketch, let alone one in the roughest and most dangerous seas on our planet. I let the technical language wash over me whilst I caught more than enough in the gist, the sense of it all, the at times madness of it all, and I came out of the adventure amazed.

Practiced sailors will lap-up the technical minutiae. For myself, I followed the ship’s cat, Pwe; incredulous that such an animal could contentedly take to the confinement of such a small seafaring vessel; http://www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/featurin...

The slim paperback in my hands packed a punch greater than I had expected. It’s a rattling good, and most importantly, true, yarn.
2 reviews
February 14, 2019
Plenty of better seafaring books out there.

The middle section of the book is pretty tedious. The calamities at sea more interesting - stuck with it but it was a struggle at times
Profile Image for James Fields.
29 reviews
July 7, 2018
An old gem of adventure writing.

The easy style with which the author narrates this tale, his obvious affection for life, and his calm demeanor in fulfilling the duties of survival make this a sensitive exception in a world of masculine daring-do. Loved this book! I want to buy a boat and sail somewhere right now!
33 reviews
July 22, 2021
I wish I understood all these sailing equipment terms. Great book even for a landlubber.

Riveting story. Well told. My Texas speak had a little issue with the British lingo... and alotta issues trying to understand all the deep sailing equipment and hardware references. But excellent story with plenty of excitement. The occasional map sketches were very helpful to me.
Profile Image for Hugh Melvin.
103 reviews4 followers
July 7, 2021
A quite amazing adventure. If you need an example of grit and determination (maybe folly) then this is it.

If you need a working example of a superwoman then Beryl is it. There's not many like her for sure.

Some guys make their own luck.
Profile Image for Nate Hendrix.
1,143 reviews6 followers
April 30, 2011
Three people are sailing from Australia twards South America when they are flipped over and lose their mast. They then sail for five weeks and land in Chile. They spend Several months repairing their boat and head off again only to be flipped over one more time. Very good story, but full of sailing jargon that I had trouble with, mizzen, jibbing, halyard. Good book even for nonsailors.
Profile Image for Sandra.
21 reviews
June 9, 2014
The personal story of the Smeeton's attempt to take their boat, the Tzu Hang, around Cape Horn in the 1950s. Two times. Twice, disaster strikes and they are struck down by angry seas. A maritime survival story and a true classic sailing misadventure. Features Pwe the cat, Nukaat's hero.
110 reviews3 followers
January 21, 2019
Tough Sailing

Amazing resilience of this couple and friend to survive demasting and rig jury rigs to sail back to safety - twice. Even reading how they did this was almost unbelievable. Written more as a documentary - it was an interesting story.
1 review
August 23, 2008
Trio sailing South Pacific in mid 1950s meet huge wave; then exercise effective teamwork to make safe landfall.
Profile Image for Unit of Raine.
304 reviews
October 26, 2010
Fascinating tale of Miles and Beryl's sailing adventure. I am partial to the true Victorian voice.

Profile Image for Paul Trammell.
Author 16 books6 followers
September 16, 2019
This is a fantastic book of persistent courage and daring in an old wooden ship, trying to sail around Cape Horn.
24 reviews
April 25, 2020
Very interesting book, but a few to many technical items for a non sailing person.
Profile Image for Mickey Bits.
828 reviews4 followers
January 6, 2022
Another classic of the circumnavigating sailors genre. A wonderful and true story of a most memorable boat journey, especially dealing with Cape Horn.
11 reviews
January 16, 2022
Great read

Wonderful story tellng. Exceptionally brave and hardy people. If experiencing one pitchpole and "man overboard" was not already enough! An epic.
Profile Image for Adhoc.
248 reviews2 followers
October 15, 2023
Tedious sledding much of the way
Too much cat

Observations:
Boat is thoroughly prepared for the sea yet no one checks the goose neck?
Only one hammer aboard a wooden ship?
A gasoline engine in a cruiser?
Engine is not sealed up (carb and exhaust) when idle for long periods when at sea?
Drawers and lockers not locked down even after initial pitch pole experience?
Charts left out in in the open when they could be kept in waterproof tubes.
Navigation tools not locked in drawer.
Batteries not strapped down
The boat had a fatal design flaw .
Profile Image for Sandra Strange.
2,665 reviews33 followers
March 20, 2024
This book is the first person account of a couple who sailed a yacht from Australia around Cape Horn, hoping to continue up the Americas. The narrative requires the reader to understand sailing terms, since much of the narrative involves the chores of trying to sail efficiently and effectively. There are moments of crisis and adventure when the couple with their crewmate runs into threats from ocean and storm, threats that almost kill them. The rest of the narrative moves very slowly, especially the months of repairing/rebuilding their craft after one of the disasters they experienced.
Profile Image for Ryan Scott.
11 reviews1 follower
March 22, 2025
3.5 writing, 5.5 story.

“GIVE A MAN —or a girl for that matter-
-a horse he can ride, and
sooner or later he, or she, will want to ride further and faster and to jump higher. Let a man climb one mountain and he must find another until he seeks the snows. It is the same with a ship.”
Profile Image for Chloe.
83 reviews
August 3, 2025
Pretty mad sailing story, Beryl is the MVP x
Profile Image for L.C. Tang.
Author 2 books203 followers
August 8, 2025
A true story of an older adventurous couple who documents the trials and tribulations of crossing big seas in small boats. Should be required reading for all novice sailors contemplating a serious crossing. Includes maps and drawings, which help the reader visualize this situation. Setting takes place in the mid-1950s. Smeeton and his wife, Beryl, retired after World War II, Smeeton being a British Army officer and veteran of that war. As a sailor myself, I found some parts of the story a bit boring. Borrowed the book from the library.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

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