In this magnificent seagoing yarn, Derek Lundy recreates the voyage of the Beara Head, a merchant ship that sailed around Cape Horn in the 1880s. Based partly on the experiences of Lundy’s great-great uncle, The Way of a Ship examines the cultural and economic significance of the rise of steamships — and the inevitable death of the Age of Sail and its centuries-old traditions.
Lundy seamlessly weaves together historical context with a gripping narrative style to recreate a white-knuckle journey that depicts not only the dangerous day-to-day life of a sailor, but also, as sail gave way to steam, the end of an era. The Way of a Ship is more than a nautical history; like Melville and Conrad, Lundy portrays the sea voyage as a poignant metaphor for life itself.
Derek Lundy is the author of the international bestseller Godforsaken Sea: Racing the World’s Most Dangerous Waters. He lives in Salt Spring Island.
“A fantastic ride through one of the greatest moments in the history of adventure ... Lundy is a master of tension and storytelling.” — Seattle Times
