Unpathed Waters, Undreamed Shores
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has courage to lose sight of the shore.”
I’ve been reading alot of adventure stories lately – some true, some fiction, all inspiring.
The one I’m reading right now is The Brendan Voyage by Tim Severin.
The author, an Irishman intrigued by the story of Saint Brendan’s legendary 6th century voyage from Ireland to North America, decided to find out if the voyage could have actually happened.
Severin, with the help of many historians and craftsmen, built a boat out of ash trees and oxhides, using only the materials and processes available in the 6th century.
A leather boat!
Only 36 feet long and shaped like an oversized canoe.
At this point in the book, they’ve only made it to Iceland, but they have encountered fin whales and killer whales, eaten seagulls for dinner, survived gales and wicked currents in near-freezing waters, all while wearing woolen and leather clothing that would have been worn by Saint Brendan in the early dark ages.
Absolutely astounding!
The four sailors on the Brendan (the vessel aptly named after the Irish monk) seemed to prefer the challenges of open water navigation in a leather boat over the hustle and bustle of city life in the ports they stopped along the way.
This real-life tale of adventure, challenge, and teamwork is inspiring in so many ways.
The modern crew of the Brendan engaged with the natural world in a manner that many believe is no longer possible.
They proved that a different (and often more rewarding) way of living is available, as long as we have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
The sailors researched, prepared, and planned, but also learned quickly that moving in concert with nature sped them along their path much more pleasantly and efficiently than trying to fight the wind and tide.
Comforts such as hot food, a dry sleeping bag, and warm hands were gladly exchanged for the expansive beauty of sunrise and sunset across the vast horizon, the magnificent dance of sea birds on the ocean, and the teems of fish, dolphins, sharks, and even whales racing the current side-by-side with the curragh.
North Atlantic gannet in flight
I love that these kinds of experiences are still available to us, even though we are constantly barraged with the statement that there are no frontiers left on earth.
I for one, refuse to believe that.
Adventure doesn’t have to involve sailing a leather boat across the North Atlantic Ocean like the crew of the Brendan or sailing a balsa wood raft tied together with hemp across the South Pacific Ocean from Peru to Polynesia, ala Thor Heyerdahl in Kon-Tiki.
Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki
“Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.”
Adventure can be trying something new, like a new food, or talking to someone you normally would avoid. Some would say that the entire year of 2020 was an adventure, even though most of us never left our homes. Adventure can happen anywhere!
Do you have any favorite adventure stories? Have you had any adventures in the past year?
“To unpath’d waters, undream’d shores”
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