2.5.08

I'm Sailing Away

Today is Scurvy Awareness Day. What better day to announce that in a six weeks I will be taking to the open seas. I have chosen to schedule a voyage on a freighter to return to America. Many have question the logic in this decision. While a fraction of the choice was made in an attempt to never fly Northwest Airlines again, mostly it is because it is there. I have flown across the ocean dozens of times, but for once would love to see it first hand. I look forward to standing on the deck with nothing but blue for as far as the eye can see.

As I prepare for the voyage you can help. I am looking for suggestions for entertainment to occupy my time. Specifically, I'm looking for some good ocean/boat/voyage media. So far I have packed Moby Dick and Cabin Boy. I have also loaded Come Sail Away and Every Ship Must Sail Away on the iPod.

So any suggestions? (Beatings for the first to mention Titanic!)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Life of Pi by Yann Martel and the short story "Open Boat" by Stephen Crane. Both will make you glad your boat doesn't sink, that is, if it doesn't...

Anonymous said...

Ooh! Don't forget "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot!

Anonymous said...

Definitely "Captain Blood" by Rafael Sabatini.

If you want some weird ass SF/F/H, check out China Mieville's "The Scar." It's got pirates, sea monsters, a floating city populated by Cactus men and a vampire, and possibly the coolest sword ever created. (Yes, cooler than a lightsaber.)

Anonymous said...

you are my hero! Jodie

Mickie said...

I second the Life if Pi book...perfect for a voyage! Some movies...The Life Aquatic...Finding Nemo...The Sponge Bob Square Pants movie...lol...Pirates of the Caribbean..Jaws...

I find anything about the Shackleton boat expedition fascinating (I've mainly read National Geographic articles about it and seen specials on TV.) But I see Amazon has a variety of reading material/documentaries etc about it.

Maybe something submarine themed...like Hunt for Red October?

Or how about a documentary about underwater sea life?

Ryan said...

Thanks for all the tips so far...

Jeff while the Gordon Lightfoot song might be along the lines of Titanic, it is already on the iPod.

Anonymous said...

Dear Ryan,

Though I may be misinterpreting--and I of course apologize in advance if I am--nevertheless I believe I detect a most pernicious and loathsome affront to the good honor of the venerable Gordon Lightfoot; if indeed I do detect such an affront (and again you have my sincerest apologies if I am wrong), I hereby challenge you, good sir, to a gentlemanly duel, at which time I intend to defend the accused's honor to the death.

Good day, Sir! I said Good Day!!!

Ryan said...

Jeff,
While I am always up for a gentlemanly duel, I don't know if we need to arrange a time just yet. I love the timeless works of Mr. Lightfoot. If you were to check out my iTunes folder you would see both Gord's Gold albums there. And while a shipwreck song might not be suited for a sea voyage, it will be on the iPod.

BTW, if you do like that song, I recommend checking out Laura Cantrell's version.

Good night. I said Good Night SIR!