'What drives someone to climb a mountain, trek across a desert, or sail solo around the world? Is it to satisfy a sense of adventure, a test of personal strength, or just sheer stupidity?
'For Greg Currie, former Navy Reserve psychologist officer, it was none of these. Following a traumatic deployment to Banda Aceh after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, Greg tries to outrun his depression and his problems. He sets sail in his 22-foot yacht, Bekka, to travel solo from Australia to South Africa.
'His journey across the notorious Indian Ocean is beset with problems and near disasters but with steely determination, help from the sailing fraternity, and a lot of luck, he achieves his goal. When he isn’t making repairs to his boat, battling storms, getting lost at sea, and narrowly avoiding colliding with ships, Greg recalls the many challenges in his life. With help from a journal he kept on the trip and hours of alone-time for reflection, he tells his tale of survival.
'But it is more than a sailing story, more than a memoir. Alone: a Sailor’s Life is about a man running away from his problems only to realise that he must confront the demons that haunt him and accept himself.' (Publication summary)
