Product Description
A couple of quiet weeks sailing on the river Severn was the intention, 'Somehow things got out of hand...' Writes A J Mackinnon. 'A year later I had reached Romania and was still going.' Equipped with his cheerful optimism and a pith helmet, this Odysseus in a Mirror dinghy takes you with him from the borders of North Wales to the Black Sea-4900 kilometres over salt and fresh water, under sail, at the oars or at the end of a two rope-through twelve countries, 282 locks and numerous trials and adventures including an encounter with Balkan pirates. An epic voyage undertaken with courage and recounted with flair and humour.
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About the Author
A.J.Mackinnon (called Sandy) was born in Australia in 1963. He spent his childhood between England and Australia, travelling as a small boy with his family on the last P&O liners to sail between the two countries, a factor to which he attributes his life-long love of maritime travel. He was educated at the Pulteney Grammar School, Adelaide, and the University of Adelaide, completing a Diploma in Education and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Linguistics and Anglo-Saxon. His teaching career started at Westminster School, Adelaide, where he taught English and Drama for four years. After this time he travelled overland to England by yacht, hitch-hiking, river-canoe and even horseback… spending a brief time in a Chinese prison after accidentally swimming into China, and being attacked by Komodo Dragons, amongst other experiences. England provided a somewhat tamer existence as he taught at the prestigious schools of Sherborne and Cheltenham, before becoming Head of Drama at Ellesmere College, Shropshire, for six years where he also taught English at all levels. Last year, ready for more adventure, he set off in a ten-foot open sailing dinghy from the school gates at Ellesmere, and nine months later had managed to row and sail all the way to Romania and the Black Sea… a journey of some four thousand miles, passing through twelve different countries and involving shipwreck, arrest, capture by pirates and becoming lost in the English Channel. He has just completed this illustrated book of his voyage, ‘The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow.' His interests include painting, philosophy, writing, conjuring and home-made fireworks, and he has written and directed a number of plays and musicals. After a two year period teaching in Argentina, he is currently back home enjoying his English and Drama teaching at the renowned Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia, where he also instructs students to sail Mirror dinghies in the Summer months. His students don't believe a word he says.
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
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