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

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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.

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 30, 2017

75 people are currently reading
23 people want to read

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James Baldwin

11 books14 followers

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
2 reviews
June 14, 2023
I love buying and reading these types of books.
Boats, yachts, historical events and books about the sea are generally excellent. If there are sequels in your series, I would love to read them.

The beauties of owning the books of important authors cannot be discussed. I'm looking forward to your new books.

For friends who want to read this book, I leave the importance of reading a book here. I wish good luck to the sellers and customers...

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56 reviews1 follower
February 26, 2019
This book, the second in James Baldwin's book career continues his world circling voyages, but much matured now, some years after the first circumnavigation. What I found interesting in this one is James is less enthralled with the places he visits and takes a greater interest in some of the more colorful characters he meets along the way.

While still voyaging in his 28 foot Pearson Triton, He has succumbed to the wisdom he acquired in his earlier voyages and has added an outboard motor to assure getting into and out of difficult harbors and circumstances. He is still finding romance along the way with island girls.

The voyaging is less interesting this time around and he spends a good deal of the book relating the stories of some colorful characters and their adventures and philosophies. There are some pretty unusual folks out there.

The most interesting thing I found in this book is James maturation. He is older now and reflects more on his choices and is less driven by innocent ideas of how it should be and plans and executes his choices as to how things really are. If you have read his first book, this will be quite clear and instructive for the would be cruiser/adventurer. The phrase, "You can never go back again" is quite clear. Time passes, the world changes and the inner self sees with enlightened eyes.

38 reviews1 follower
July 16, 2020
James Baldwin is one of my sailing heroes. He has circumnavigated twice in an engineless Pearson Triton and this is one of his books--his website is also amazing! I had the pleasure of meeting him at the dock once and he came aboard our own small Pearson and deemed it acceptable, which I took as high praise.
This book is down to earth and affable without trying to please every reader. I don't think he leaves out too much.
What I gather from his experience is that those who spend long periods alone at sea in tiny habitats aren't wired the same as most people I encounter. Also, the world is big, beautiful, and sometimes inhospitable.
For good advice on sailing bluewater, this is a good book to read.
4 reviews
July 14, 2018
Enjoyable sailing yarn and interesting interactions with people and places

Sailing around the world on your own timeline is a luxury we wish we could indulge. James has done it and tells about it in a way that will keep you interested and you’ll learn some things.
10 reviews
March 7, 2020
A good read especially if the reader is a sailor. I appreciated the obvious effort by the author to make the book readable and informative. I especially enjoyed the mini historical side bars that added flavor to his nomadic life.
5 reviews3 followers
July 2, 2021
Another Great Read for the Voyager

Baldwin comes through again with a introspective and adventuresome tale of the Indian Ocean and the mysterious place Madagascar. Highly recommended.
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6 reviews
August 13, 2021
Brovo

Yeppers I was with you through every scary moment as well as port calls and exploring the islands. The descriptions and details of the people,the food’s,history and politics was amazing. I’m
eager to start the next adventure.
8 reviews
August 29, 2023
A sailors bits of life

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.

2 reviews
May 26, 2018
Fantastic

I enjoyed the integration of history in James second book making it. a great follow up from the first adventure.
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277 reviews2 followers
March 6, 2020
A great way to be out in the wide world, sailing, even if you sit on your couch. I know this is not the real deal, but perhaps the beginning of one's own voyage...
Looking forward to the third book.
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