- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Abacus; New edition edition (5 Oct 1995)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0349106509
- ISBN-13: 978-0349106502
- Product Dimensions: 19.7 x 12.6 x 2.9 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 325,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'An extraordinary explorer.' INDEPENDENT 'Tim Severin is one of the last of the old-style explorers... His deeds speak to us of the purity of achievement in an age where experience has become blunted by comfort and complacency. We watch then, awed.. A vivid picture of the aching space of the ocean, the loneliness of the long distance sailor.' THE TIMES 'riveting account...he can certainly plan, take risks: and... he can excite.' IRISH TIMES 'much of the pleasure of this fascinating book is due to his understanding of the politics of confinement in sometimes desperate situations.' SCOTSMAN 'the story of this courageous quest is gripping and a wonderful armchair can escape to read adventure in an increasingly mundane world.' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'Illustrated with beautiful line drawings by Nina Kojima, and a variety of photos of the crew looking miserable, it's a good antidote to the pampered mundanity of urban existence.' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY '[A] vivid account.' ASIA WEEK
Product Description
The story of how six men and one woman made maritime history: sailing the Pacific on a bamboo raft where every wave washed right through the structure. Their purpose was to test the theory that Asian raft sailors reached America some 2000 years ago. Forming a team of builders and riggers he constructed a 60-foot ocean-going raft from 220 giant bamboos, lashing them together with rattan. Named Hsu Fu, in honour of a Chinese mariner who was sent to explore the Pacific in the third century BC, the raft set out from Hong Kong on its epic voyage. They contended with pirates, fog, gales, breakages to spars and rigging, and the gnawing of bamboo beetles eating the very fabric of the raft. They took records of the birds, fish and whales - and pollution - they encountered, and supplemented their diet by catching fish by harpoon as well as hook and line. Broken ribs, a meeting with a killer whale, and the steady deterioration of their half-submerged vessel contribute to this remarkable tale. The crossing ended 5500 miles from Hong Kong after 6 months at sea - a modern record for raft journeys in hostile waters.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Surely you're joking...,
By
This review is from: The China Voyage: A Pacific Quest by Bamboo Raft (Paperback)
Cross the Pacific in a raft made from bamboo - You must be joking!I first read about this trip in a one-page National Geographic article, which didn't do the trip nor Tim Severin and his crew justice. A long-time fan of Mr.Severin, I know what to expect from his books; very intense, often repetitious eulogies on the strengths and weaknesses of the craft; the pros & cons of his theories and the methods used to explore the possibilities opened up by these theories. This book is no exception, refusing to take any modern assistance (except mandatory safety equipment), insisting on traditional materials and building techniques, he constructs a raft which has never been seen outside Vietnam for a century, in order to test his theory that Asian culture could have migrated via the Pacific (either by accident or design) to the Americas. The trip is punctuated by storms, any one of which would destroy your average 60foot yacht, but Hsu Fu calmly lets the mightiest waves run right through her, barely disturbing the crew at their supper. A bonus is that the raft needs no helmsman, once set on a tack she steers herself, her attendant shoals of fish ensure continuous supplies of fresh food, the only problem is after 5 months at sea, she's falling apart at the seams. Having seen the original Sindbad dhow (parked on a roundabout in Muscat, Oman), I can attest to the workmanship and attention to detail that goes into each one of Mr.Severin's boats, so it must have been heart-breaking for him to see his journey cut short by the break-up of the raft, due to no fault of his own, and so near to the final goal. I'd love to see the videos that they took on the voyage - the narrative gives you a real feeling of being at one with the sea, but I'd like to compare the picture in my head with the real thing. Thoroughly recommended reading; I'm just about to start on 'The Spice Islands Voyage - In Search of Wallace', which should combine two of my favourite subjects:- Exploration and Evolution ... more on that later.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews) 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well written adventure,
By Dean Caldwell (caldwell@valise.com) - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The China Voyage: Across the Pacific by Bamboo Raft (Paperback)
In this book, Tim Severin has demonstrated the sense of scholarly adventure of Thor Hyerdahl while showing the enthusiasm for new experiences of Richard Haliburton. His adventure has purpose in trying to understand how the ancients may have been able to make trans-pacific voyages. He makes the reader feel as if the reader is experiencing the adventure with the others on the raft. This involvement is achieved through an exploration of the human struggles as well as the physical struggles that such an epic adventure requires. It struck me while reading the book that this would be a good book for managers to read to learn about teambuilding skills. This book is instructional, well researched, and entertaining to read. If you have enjoyed Tim Severin's previous books, you will certainly enjoy this book.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More brilliant testing of theory.,
By A. J. Watson "Bones" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The China Voyage: Across the Pacific by Bamboo Raft (Paperback)
Cross the Pacific in a raft made from bamboo - You must be joking!I first read about this trip in a one-page National Geographic article, which didn't do the trip nor Tim Severin and his crew justice. I'd love to see the videos that they took on the voyage - the narrative gives you a real feeling of being at one with the sea, but I'd like to compare the picture in my head with the real thing.
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Spice Islands Voyage,
By gazalvan - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The China Voyage: Across the Pacific by Bamboo Raft (Paperback)
Very interesting review of the concept of evolution and a fascinating revisiting of Alfred Wallace's travels in Indonesia 150 years after the original exploits. great reading.
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