Book Description
The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow: A Mirror Odyssey from North Wales to the Black Sea. In 1998 Sandy Mackinnon set off in a Mirror Dinghy from the North Shropshire school where he had been teaching English for six years, sailed off on what was supposed to be a one week jaunt down the Severn River, and a year later found himself sailing out onto the Black Sea. The whole journey was accomplished simply by rowing and sailing in an open Mirror dinghy less than eleven feet in length, and took him across three thousand miles of rivers, canals and open sea and through eleven countries, including war-torn Yugoslavia at a time of crisis.It is about this trip that he has written the book. Some further highlights of this unlikely voyage include: getting arrested by the River Police as he was being swept out on a night-tide under Westminster Bridge; meeting Michael Palin; being shipwrecked in a storm off Whitstable; the solo crossing of the English Channel; being tear-gassed in the Budapest Metro; being trapped without funds in Serbia under threat of bombardment; even capture by Romanian river pirates in the Danube Delta… and much, much more. The resulting book is a blend of high adventure laced with comedy, and is at times thoughtful and lyrical where the author's poetic education and day-dream turn of mind shine through; a cross between Jerome K. Jerome, Jonathan Raban and Patrick Leigh Fermor. He has, in addition, illustrated the book himself with over sixty finely drawn pictures and maps that capture the Swallows and Amazons feel of the adventure perfectly.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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 the
Paperback
edition.
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