At sixty-five Francis Chichester set out to sail single-handed round the world. This is the story of that adventure.
SAILING ROUND THE WORLD
Before he sailed round the world single-handed, Francis Chichester had already surprised his friends several times. He had tried to fly round the world but failed. That was in 1931.
The years passed. He gave up flying and began sailing. He enjoyed it greatly. Chichester was already 58 years old when he won the first solo transatlantic sailing race. His old dream of going round the world came back, but this time he would sail. His friends and doctors did not think he could do it, as he had lung cancer. But Chichester was determined to carry out his plan. In August, 1966, at the age of nearly sixty-five, an age when many men retire, he began the greatest voyage of his life. Soon, he was away in his new 16-metre boat, Gips Moth.
Chichester followed the route of the great nineteenth century clipper ships. But the clippers had had plenty of crew. Chichester did it all by himself, even after the main steering device had been damaged by gales. Chichester covered 14,100miles before stopping in Sydney, Australia. This was more than twice the distance anyone had previously sailed alone.
He arrived in Australia on 12 December, just 107 days out from England. He received a warm welcome from the Australians and from his family who had flown there to meet him. On shore, Chichester could not walk without help. Everybody said the same thing: he had done enough; he must not go any further. But he did not listen.
After resting in Sydney for a few weeks, Chichester set off once more in spite of his friends'attempts to dissuade him. The second half of his voyage was by far the more dangerous part, during which he sailed round the treacherous Cape Horn.
On 29 January he left Australia. The next night, the blackest he had 35 ever known, the sea became so rough that the boat almost turned over. Food, clothes, and broken glass were all mixed together. Fortunately, the damage to the boat was not too serious. Chichester calmly got into bed and went to sleep. When he woke up, the sea had become calm again. Still, he could. not help thinking that if anything should happen, the nearest person he could contact by radio, unless there was a ship nearby, would be on an island 885 miles away.
After succeeding in sailing round Cape Horn, Chichester sent the following radio message to London: -I feel as if I had wakened from a night mare. Wild horses could not drag me down to Cape Horn and that sinister 45 Southern Ocean again.
Just before 9 0'clock on Sunday evening 28 May, 1967 , he arrived back in England, where a quarter of a million people were waiting to welcome him. Queen Elizabeth II knighted him with the very sword that Queen Elizabeth I had used almost 400 years earlier to knight Sir Francis Drake after he had sailed round the world for the first time. The whole voyage from England and back had covered 28,500 miles. It had taken him nine months, of which the sailing time was 226 days. He had done what he wanted to accomplish.
Like many other adventurers, Chichester had experienced fear and amquered it. In doing so, he had undoubtedly learnt something about himself . Moreover, in the moderri age when human beings depend so much on machines, he had given men throughout the world new pride.
New Words
single-handed a. (done) by one person alone 单独的 ( 地 )
& ad.
adventure n. 冒险（活动）
solo a. single-handed 单独的
transatlantic a. crossing the Atlantic Ocean 横渡大西洋的
lung n. part of the body with which one breathes 肺
cancer n. 癌
determined a. with one's mind firmly made up 下定了决心的
determine v.
determination n.
retire vi. stop working at one's job (because of age) 退休
voyage n. sea journey 航海 ; 航行
route n. way from one place to another 路线
clipper n. 快速帆船
crew n. group of people who work together on a ship or aeroplane 全体船员 ; 全体乘务员
steer vt. make (esp.a boat or road vehicle) go in a particular direction 为 ... 掌舵 ; 驾驶
device n. a piece of equipment 设备 ; 装备
steering device n. 操舵装置
damage vt. cause harm or injury to 损坏
n. harm, injury 损坏
gale n. very strong wind 大风
cover vt. travel (a certain distance) 行过 ( 一段距离 )
previously ad. before 以前
previous a.
attempt v. & n. try 试图 , 尝试
dissuade vt. prevent (sb.)from doing sth. by reasoning 劝阻
treacherous a. more dangerous than it seems 暗藏危险的 ; 奸诈的
cape n. 海角
rough a. (of weather or the sea) stormy;not calm ( 气候 ) 有暴风雨的 ;( 海 ) 波涛汹涌的
fortunately ad. luckily 幸运地 ; 幸亏
fortunate a.
contact vt. get in touch with 联系 , 接触
nearby i ad. close by 在附近
following a. next; to be mentioned immediately 接着的 ; 下列的
waken v. (cause to ) wake 唤醒 ; 醒来
nightmare n. terrible dream 恶梦
drag vt. pull along with great effort 拖 , 拉
sinister a. 凶恶的 , 邪恶的
knight n. 爵士 vt. 封 ... 为爵士
sword n. 剑 , 刀
accomplish vt. finish successfully 完成
conquer vt. overcome 征服
undoubtedly ad. certainly 无疑地
moreover ad. in addition 此外 , 而且
human a. of or concerning people 人们
being n. a living thing, esp. a person 生物 ; 人
Phrases & Expressions
set out begin a course of action 着手 , 开始
give up stop doing 放弃
be determined to (do) have a strong will to ( do) 决心 ( 做 )
(all) by oneself (completely) alone
in spite of not taking notice of; not caring about 尽管 ; 虽然
by far by a large amount or degree ... 得多
turn over (cause to) fall over, upset ( 使 )翻倒 ,( 使 ) 倾覆