An Inexplicable Attraction
by Eric Forsyth
Yacht Fiona publications
yachtfiona.com
400 pages
I consider myself a cruising sailor and enjoy reading excerpts in various publications about where other sailors have sailed and what they’ve found there. But reading about 50 years of cruising passages and destinations, as Eric Forsyth’s book proclaimed … that seemed like it might be a little over the top.
I needn’t have worried. I’ve listened to Mr. Forsyth talk about some of his cruises, and I am happy to report that his writing style is as engaging as his storytelling.
If you like cruising, ocean passages or visiting exotic places, read this book. Mr. Forsyth does a wonderful job of taking you along on the boat with him and his crew (whom he seems to have a magic Rolodex for finding), and sharing the high and low points of each passage. Repairs at sea, crossing the equator, issues with crew — it’s all there, and it’s all something any of us who have ventured offshore can relate to. Also chronicled are all of his interesting onshore experiences.
It’s all presented in Mr. Forsyth’s matter-of-fact, often tongue-in-cheek style that underscores the humor and patience one needs when voyaging.
I do a transoceanic passage every five years or so; there is an itch to it that is hard to deny. I believe that Eric Forsyth has that itch in permanent form, hence the 50 years and the “inexplicable attraction.” While I envy his ability to act on his love of sailing, I am also grateful that he can share his experiences with us. An Inexplicable Attraction is second best to actually being there.