The Art of Getting Wrecked

Book excerpt: The Art of Getting Wrecked is the true story about what led the author to build a yacht in his garden, sail off to circumnavigate the world, and hopefully, somewhere along the route, find his roots, dreams, and Shangri La. His dream of a circumnavigation was put on hold in the Caribbean when he was shipwrecked after hitting a reef at night. Peter and his mate Mariann raise their dream while living on the beach and go on to survive just about everything that can be thrown at sailors- tropical storms, a Latin-American revolution, a mutiny, and two dismastings. Peter's 35 years on a tiny tropical island are described with pathos, wit, and gentle humour. His amazing story offers a whimsical mix of observation, opinion, and anecdote. By choice he is thrust into a small Caribbean island culture, which he describes with sincerity, warmth, and respect for the people of Bequia - his Island in the Sun, where he has lived the good life since 1984.