Australia the Hard Way

The first open boat voyage from the UK David Pyle With a new Introduction by the author I foolishly thought that I was indestructible and capable of sailing a Drascombe Lugger halfway around the world. The reason, I thought then, was to prove that it could be done, and that due to the type and size of this vessel our route would take us through countries, rivers, remote places and harbours that no other vessel could reach… There were many occasions when we thought our lives were in serious danger… but someone or something fortunately decided otherwise. In Australia the Hard Way, unavailable since 1972, David Pyle records how youth, resourcefulness, determination – and a Drascombe Lugger – got him and his companion to the other side of the world. They voyaged by sea, land and river – including the ancient river Tigris through Iraq – gaining unforgettable experiences: arrest in France; storm in the Mediterranean; reed-hut hospitality by the Tigris; being suspected of smuggling in India, meeting pirates in Indonesia. For the first time ever, an open boat was sailed from England to Australia.