Vendredi 17 mai 2023
Story of the Week #5 : Donald Crowhurst
The strange journey of Donald Crowhurst is one of the most mysterious stories in the history of sailing. In 1968, Crowhurst, a British amateur sailor, participated in the Golden Globe single-handed round-the-world race, which was intended to reward the first sailor for sailing single-handed, non-stop and unassisted.
However, early in the race, Crowhurst encountered problems with his boat, which was not ready for such an expedition.
Rather than abandon the race, Crowhurst decided to fake a false position on the navigation chart to give the impression that he had covered more distance than he had, hoping to gain time to repair his boat and make it seaworthy.
As the months passed, Crowhurst continued to fake his position on the chart, even writing fake logs to maintain the illusion of his progress worldwide, but it soon became apparent that he could not win the race and could not make it to the finish line.
Eventually, after several months of drifting at sea, Crowhurst eventually lost his mind and committed suicide. His boat was found adrift, and his logbook revealed the extent of his lie.
As the months passed, Crowhurst continued to fake his position on the chart, even writing fake logs to maintain the illusion of his progress worldwide, but it soon became apparent that he could not win the race and could not make it to the finish line.
Eventually, after several months of drifting at sea, Crowhurst eventually lost his mind and committed suicide. His boat was found adrift, and his logbook revealed the extent of his lie.
The Strange Voyage of Donald Crowhurst was adapted into a film in 2017 under the title ‘The Mercy’.
The story has sparked much debate about the pressure competitions can put on amateur sailors and the risks of single-handed sailing on the high seas.
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