Running Away to Sea: Round the World on a Tramp Freighter

by George Fetherling

At a turning point in his life, George Fetherling embarked on an adventure to sail round the world on one of the last of the tramp freighters. The four-month voyage carried him 30,000 nautical miles from Europe via the Panama Canal to the South Pacific and back by way of Singapore, Indonesia, the Indian Ocean, and Suez.

Written with dash, colour, and droll humour, Fetherling’s narrative is peopled by a rich cast of characters, from the Foreign Legionnaires of French Polynesia to the raskol gangs of Papua New Guinea. The author captures the reality of life aboard a working cargo ship -- the boredom, the seclusion, the differences of nationality and culture that isolation and cramped quarters seem to exaggerate. But the routine of loneliness or tranquillity is punctuated by moments of near-panic -- shipboard fires, furniture-smashing storms, even a brush with pirates in the Straits of Malacca.

Genres: Biography Memoir

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Douglas George Fetherling (born January 1, 1949) is a Canadian writer, poet, novelist, biographer, artist, and cultural commentator. One of the most prolific figures in Canadian letters, he has written or edited more than fifty books.
He previously published under the name Douglas Fetherling until 1999, and thereafter under the name George Fetherling, switching to his middle name to honor his father George, after recovering from life-saving surgery for the same medical condition that had killed his father.
One of his most popular works is Travels by Night: A Memoir, which recreates leading personalities and events in the fabled Canadian cultural renaissance of 1965–75.
Fetherling is also a visual artist. He lives in Vancouver.

Reviews

[Matti Vanninen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The anecdotes about Polynesia and Melanesia were pretty interesting and gave some insight into a part of the world maybe I'll never visit. The narrative was good too. The author is somewhat contemptuous of the other folks on the boat and complains a bit about his divorce, but basically seems like a nice guy and good writer. I enjoyed this book.

[Pat Borghesan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this ostensibly "travel" book as a quick read and was quickly captivated. This fellow, who manages to get passage on a freighter with several others sizes up the crowd and there is the usual cast of characters. Once he gets to Polynesia, the book becomes excellent commentary on both colonialism and the current state of affairs. His section on New Guinea should be required reading for anyone planning a trip there. Thoroughly enjoyable - this travel method soon to be a thing of the past I think.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book! Funny too.