On Friday 14 June 1968 Suhili, a tiny ketch, slipped almost unnoticed out of Falmouth harbour, steered by the solitary figure at her helm, Robin Knox-Johnston. Ten and half months later Suhili, paintwork peeling and rust-streaked, her once white sails weathered and brown, her self-steering gone, her tiller arm jury-rigged to the rudder head, came romping joyously back to Falmouth to a fantastic reception for Robin, who had become the first man to sail round the world non-stop single-handed. By every standard it was an incredible adventure, perhaps the last great uncomputerized journey left to man. Every hazard, every temptation to abandon the astounding voyage came Robin's way, from polluted water tanks, smashed cabin top and collapsed boom to lost self-steering gear and sheered off tiller, and all before the tiny ketch had fought her way to Cape Horn, the point of no return, the fearsome test of any seaman's nerve and determination. "A World of My Own" is Robin's uninhibited account of one of the greatest sea adventures of our time.
Author Biography
Robin Knox-Johnston entered the Merchant Navy at the age of 17,obtaining his Master's Certificate 8 years later. Of the 9 competitorshe was the only one to complete the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race in1968 after 312 days alone at sea and win the trophy for the first solonon-stop circumnavigation. Since then Robin has participated in manyocean races including the Whitbread, and in 1994 co-skippered Enza withSir Peter Blake to set a new world record for a circumnavigation. Hehas been UK Yachtsman of the Year twice, International Yachtsman of theYear in 1995, and was knighted in 1995. He still owns and sails Suhaili.
