Product Description

Pete Goss became a national and international hero when he rescued French yachtsman Raphael Dinelli as his boat sank beneath him in the round-the-world single-handed sailing race, the Vendee Globe, on Christmas Day 1996. In doing so Pete scuppered his own chances in the race but was awarded the Legion d'Honneur by France's president and made a friend for life in Dinelli. Close to the Wind is his own story of the race and its dramas, his revolutionary boat, Aqua Quorum, his thoughts and emotions during four months of solitude at sea, the extraordinary surgery that he had to perform on his own elbow and the aftermath of the rescue in the Southern Ocean.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #144783 in Books
• Published on: 1999-06-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
On December 25, 1996, Pete Goss turned his 50-ft yacht Aqua Quorum back into a hurricane- force headwind to rescue French sailor Raphael Dinelli. He risked his life and any chance of winning one of the world's great yachting challenges--the Vendeé Globe non-stop, single- handed, round-the- world race. Instead, he was awarded France's highest honour--the Legion d'Honneur--and an MBE in the 1998 New Year's Honour List.

Close to the Wind is Goss's story. He starts with the years of preparation as a merchant seaman and skipper on one of the 10 yachts in Chay Blyth's British Steel Challenge. He describes how he attempted to get sponsorship but was constantly rebuffed and he discusses the hardships he faced--nights spent sleeping on platforms before business meetings because there was no money to spare for a room. The drama of the Vendee is recounted in detail, down to Goss's having to operate on his elbow without anaesthetic and with the assistance only of faxed instructions. And will he race again? He plans to set off on in a 115-ft catamaran in The Race, December 2000.

Review
CLOSE TO THE WIND - Quotes 'Nothing Ian Fleming wrote has you wondering so anxiously how the hero is going to get out of this pickle' Independent 'Parents, wives and sisters who buy this book for the family daredevil must read it first. It celebrates an ancient, beautiful way of being human.' Libby Purves in The Times 'This is a wonderful book, a book to make the reader realise that he or she could never be a hero. I recommend it.' Michael Beaumont, Spectator 'More impressive than fiction could ever be ... compelling' Independent on Sunday 'Goss takes you so vividly on board with him ... he has a genuine talent for writing tense narrative.' Independent 'The story of a brave man; a man who turned into the teeth of a hurricane to save the life of a fellow competitor in a single-handed round-the-world yacht race. A wonderful book. I recommend it.' Spectator 'Just buy it, you'll love it, a real life adventure story' Royal Yachting Association 'It is far from just a book about the Vendee events, but a soul-bearing autobiography' Western Morning News 'His down-to-earth storytelling is gripping. His modesty is endearing. His dedication to a cause and the manner of achieving it are humbling and inspiring' Cambridge Evening News 'A lot of people will be sending out for a copy of Close to the Wind to see if they can find out a little more about [Goss]. They will be richly rewarded.' Independent 'A truly inspirational, incredible story... ' South Wales Argus 'The story is a compelling one. Goss's prose is honest and unexaggerated.' Independent on Sunday 'In my book, he will always be Pete Goss, BFBH: bona fide British hero' Tim Jeffrey in Daily Telegraph 'Prose as trim as his vessel ... incredible' Kirkus Reviews 'Tense, fast-moving and illustrated with colour photographs that put you in the middle of the action' New York Times 'His heroism and modesty redeem the gun-ho bits of this mesmerising memoir. Buy it' The Times 'Goss writes about his experiences in a conversational and direct style that brings alive the terrors of the open sea' The Sunday Times

About the Author
Pete Goss is a professional yachtsman and a former member of the Royal Marines. After nine years in the Marines he left to embark on a full-time sailing career which led to success in the single-handed transatlantic race and the Vendée Globe, during which he rescued fellow-yachtsman Raphael Dinelli. He continues to sail all over the world and lives in Cornwall with his family.

Customer Reviews

Epic read !
I ploughed through this book like pete goss must have ploughed through the southern ocean... This is an informative, inspiring and generous book ..

Riveting, inspiring yarn well told and unnervingly casual.
Having seen Pete speak at my companies' annual conference early July of 1999, I was eager to hear more of his fantastic tale. The book is clearly written with a laid back delivery of the high-level of drama it contains - much like the man himself.

Indeed, the book left me with much the same feeling as his presentation - wanting more and rather surprised that it had finished so soon. You feel, through Pete's very lucid writing, that you are reminiscing with a close friend over the last few years of their lives.

Pete describes life aboard a 50 foot yacht in vivid and 'non-seaman accessible' detail, yet much of the book is the story of the run up to the race and it is all the better for it.

As Pete says time and again, the race was not single-handed after all - it belonged to the incredible yet very normal group of people that got Pete and Aqua Quorum to the start line and eventually home again.

'Close to the Wind' is a book for anyone with an interest in the sea, adventure, teamwork or the story of an everyday chap that achieved his life-long dream - oh yes, and saved a fellow yachtman's life amid 60' waves and a huge storm in the most inhospitable ocean in the world... sorry nearly forgot to mention it...

Pete's incredible experiences have given him a simple but extremely insightful philosophy. The book is littered with excellent snippets of wisdom and it is these that will live on with you after you have put the book down... which I guarentee will be not that long after you pick it up....

Make that three and half stars!
Welcome to my first review of one of the very first books I've bought through Amazon.

I decided to read this book on the undersatnding that it was a true account of much adventure on the high seas by a man alone. I was wrong but never dissappointed. I should have paid more attention to other reviews. This is about a huge team effort and all the preparations that go into a single handed non-stop circumnavigation when you don't have any money to do so!

The account is very believable, easy to read and maybe a little short of good written visualisation (if you've read 'Perfect Storm' you'll know what I mean). However, Pete Goss comes over as a very likeable man and you will him along as you read.

The story of the actual race is quite short but nicely told. Missing is an understanding why he does these thing alone and I'd like him to reveal more of himself to the reader.

I don't want to appear too critcal - I neither write well or sail! Go and buy the book - it is inspiring.