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The Next Distant Sea: The 28-foot Sailboat Atom Continues Her Second Circumnavigation Kindle Edition

by James Baldwin (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 283 ratings
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In this, the third book about his travels aboard the 28-foot sailboat Atom, James Baldwin creates an ode to the sea and to those who venture upon her in small voyaging sailboats. The Next Distant Sea continues the memoir of his second adventurous circumnavigation as begun in his earlier book Bound for Distant Seas.

Known for books and magazine articles about his earlier solo voyages, the author here describes the struggles and rewards of navigating distant seas, the joys and challenges of interacting with foreign cultures, as well as the love and loss of an intoxicating island girl. Beginning in Hong Kong, The Next Distant Sea takes readers to diverse destinations, through the lesser-travelled islands of the Philippines and Indonesia, to far-flung island outposts in the Indian Ocean, including a lengthy exploration of mysterious Madagascar, then on to newly post-apartheid South Africa.

Along the way Baldwin’s personal journey is interwoven with tales of the extraordinary and often outlandish characters he befriended, from a man who crossed the Pacific alone in a dugout canoe, to a vagabond trader who traveled to the poorest ports of east Africa in an engineless steel junk, to a young sailor who tragically lost his life. By melding their stories and his own, Baldwin provides valuable insight into the individualist, minimalist, and libertarian mindset of the voyaging vagabond.

The Next Distant Sea is essential reading for all who would go to sea in small boats.
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  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    December 30, 2017
  5. File size
    2348 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
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  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

April 2019Cruising World MagazineReaders may be familiar with James Baldwin from his previous books (including 2015's Bound for Distant Seas) and articles in sailing magazines worldwide. This second volume in the retrospective Distant Seas trilogy begins in Hong Kong in the 1990s, as Baldwin and his 28-foot Pearson Triton, Atom, prepare to set sail on an extended voyage through Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean to South Africa.A singlehanded sailor, and avowed individualist, Baldwin is a perpetual seeker of what lies beyond the next horizon, already having circumnavigated once in Atom in the 1980s (Across islands and Oceans, 2012). On this journey, he cruises in company and takes us refreshingly far off the "usual" cruising path. There's no shortage of adventure, sailing detail, humor or romance, plus insightful observations on life, history, culture, geography and politics - all with a slightly transcendentalist spin. An added bonus are the miniprofiles of inspirational people he meets along the way. As he puts it, "An adventure without reflection is a pretty shallow experience and makes for a shallow story." This latest story is anything but shallow - Baldwin's fine writing comes from the depths of his wandering sailor's soul.- Lynda Morris Childress

About the Author

Atom's Virtual Homeport at http: //www.atomvoyages.com contains stories and scenes from over 20 years and two voyages around the world seeking adventure aboard our 28-foot Pearson Triton sailboat, Atom

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B078QYC3QC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atom Voyages (December 30, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 30, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2348 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 283 ratings

About the author

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James Baldwin

James Baldwin

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Atom's Virtual Homeport at http://www.atomvoyages.com/ contains stories and scenes from over 20 years and two voyages around the world seeking adventure aboard our 28-foot Pearson Triton sailboat, Atom.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
283 global ratings
Great read for armchair sailors (or real sailors for that matter).
5 Stars
Great read for armchair sailors (or real sailors for that matter).
Another segment of James Baldwin's circumnavigation is chronicled here. All the ups and downs of circling the globe in a 28 foot sailboat. He's a good writer and conveys the details of his journey well. I also follow his Youtube channel in which he documents his various boat projects, some for clients and some for his own boat. He's a very interesting guy and is always up to something.
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Top reviews from the United States

1camper
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
I found the authors candid search hard to put down. It is inspirational to a novice sailor like myself. The inclusion of stories of other sailors and there reasons to travel and circumstances make the book great.
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Whistler32
4.0 out of 5 stars Full of Gems -- Fun and Rewarding
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2018
Verified Purchase
Opening in 1992 with an account of the author killing time in Hong Kong waiting for weather, and then continuing with his voyage through the Philippines and on to South Africa, Baldwin’s new book is sprinkled with insightful historical backgrounds of places he visited and excellent stories about local people he met along the way.

For me, the best parts were the striking profiles of other voyagers whom the author befriends. Reading these is like being introduced to the cream of the (unrecognized, underground, and alternative) human crop through the author’s eyes. One particular story, all by itself, makes the book worth buying. It's the tale of Alberto Torroba, who sailed a hand-built open dugout canoe alone across the Pacific from Panama to the Philippines. His is a fantastic story about an even more remarkable person. Baldwin clearly admires him and honors him by saying, “In all my travels, I have never met his equal and doubt one exists.” Quite a tribute.

Other highlights include maps of the author’s route, which are helpful as the reader follows along. Great photos add much to the story telling.

Like his attitude towards voyaging, Baldwin’s writing is frugal, spare, and simple. For readers who are paying attention and open to the author’s expertise and knowledge, he’s incredibly generous with content. Especially for those interested in voyaging themselves, he drops gems of hard won advice into the text throughout, which makes reading like an Easter Egg hunt for prizes; fun and rewarding.

I found the book compelling, often funny, and easy to read. I strongly recommend it for anyone (sailors and others) interested in adventuring off the beaten path and exploring their own “Next Distant Sea,” wherever that might be.
6 people found this helpful
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Adamwhere
5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Real Story about Sailing, Seamanship and Local Cultures
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2018
Verified Purchase
Absolutely enjoyed the book. I found James's story after reading a Latitude 38(a great free magazine based on the west coast of the US) which mentioned Kris Larssen's recent publicity.
About this book, downloaded my first kindle book ever, actually started with the "free sample" and immediately upon devouring that moved to the purchase of the whole story.
I must admit, I'm not a big reader of books, its been several years, however this was just what I was looking for. A true story of a minimalistic ocean man. He does such a great job of sharing his perspective of the sea, local people, variable and sometimes downright scary sea conditions, and best of all, he did an excellent job of showcasing other sailors he has met along the way during his time at sea. In some ways, I felt like I was on the boat with him traveling through the Indian Ocean. I learned alot from his experiences, and I am planning to read his other books next, along with several other books and authors he references(most of whom he actually met in person). Thank you very much for sharing your story, an incredible one to say the least. And as you can imagine, it would be an honor to meet you in some distant anchorage.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A most enjoyable book!
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2018
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As in his previous books, James is able to mesh sailing, geography, history, socioeconomic and personal issues into one beautifully written account of his travels. The beauty of the book is that it is much more than just the mechanics of sailing from one point to another. James is able to transport the reader to all these places he visits through vivid and very descriptive accounts of what he sees, hears, smells, and feels. I was amazed to read about Alberto Torroba and his travels using the most primitive of methods, especially since we share the same country of birth.
Well done James!
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John Fishburne
4.0 out of 5 stars A sailors bits of life
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2023
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The author's description of each harbor, island and mountain made an easy and colorful image for the reader. I particularly. Enjoyed the detail of his sailing.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for armchair sailors (or real sailors for that matter).
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2019
Verified Purchase
Another segment of James Baldwin's circumnavigation is chronicled here. All the ups and downs of circling the globe in a 28 foot sailboat. He's a good writer and conveys the details of his journey well. I also follow his Youtube channel in which he documents his various boat projects, some for clients and some for his own boat. He's a very interesting guy and is always up to something.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for armchair sailors (or real sailors for that matter).
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2019
Another segment of James Baldwin's circumnavigation is chronicled here. All the ups and downs of circling the globe in a 28 foot sailboat. He's a good writer and conveys the details of his journey well. I also follow his Youtube channel in which he documents his various boat projects, some for clients and some for his own boat. He's a very interesting guy and is always up to something.
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One person found this helpful
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TJM
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, well written, and a nice read.
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2021
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Very well written. I recommend all of his books but read them in series.
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Amazon Customer 36
4.0 out of 5 stars So this is a good followup to his first book
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2018
Verified Purchase
So this is a good followup to his first book.
Well written, the story moves along without dragging.
Lots of good personal details plus info about the ports and countries.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Lydia
5.0 out of 5 stars Baldwin's Books - the Best
Reviewed in Canada on September 22, 2018
Verified Purchase
Thank you James for taking me on those wonderful trips around the world, for introducing me to so many wonderful people and places and adventurous sailing. I heartily recommend all of James Baldwin's books.
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David Towle
5.0 out of 5 stars fine
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 26, 2019
Verified Purchase
fine
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting cast of characters within the story.
Reviewed in Australia on January 3, 2019
Verified Purchase
For those who can't redirect their life to go sailing at least you can read about it. An interesting story if you like sailing or just discovering new places.
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