Over The Top

In 1975, when Adrian Flanagan was fifteen, he read Sir Francis Chichester's account of his record-breaking circumnavigation and a dream began to form. Thirty years later, on 28 October 2005, Adrian set sail from the south coast of England on his quest to voyage vertically around the earth by the most difficult route imaginable, via Cape Horn and the icebound waters of the Russian Arctic. Adrian mortgaged his house and bought a unique stainless steel boat with the unlikely name of Barrabas. With limited funds and no means of paying a professional support team, he persuaded his ex-wife Louise to manage the expedition. The challenges would test the limits of his endurance. Adrian faced death when a rogue wave swept him from the deck. He was chased by pirates off Brazil, dislocated both wrists and, at Cape Horn, Barrabas capsized in a hurricane. He also swam in water ten miles deep, sailed in the company of whales, hunted with a spear gun and came to appreciate the fragile balance of the natural world from a perspective that few have ever seen. After 30,825 miles, Adrian arrived home on 21 May 2008, with a Royal Navy escort. Over the Top is the inspirational story of an epic voyage, a life-changing adventure and a dream fulfilled. HB 416pp