Quote:

---

there are some great historical and geo-political references throughout the book. I could see some very interesting explanations... Would love to know more.

---

Reference--The Spray being chased by pirates just out of Gibraltar.--Chp 4

OK--its 90 years after Second Barbary War --but does give a indication to the danger still posed to vessels by the North African Pirates


The Spray

Indeed... Having read Richard Zacks' book (The Pirate Coast), when I reread Slocum's book I thought about the Barbary pirates.

The family of Yussif Karamanli would have still been in power along the Barbary coast and I am quite sure they may have honored the treaties regarding US government vessels, but a private yacht of the size of Spray would have been "fair game" in their view.

Osp,

I was excited to see reference to this in Scuttlebutt. You've done a great job with it. On re-reading the book earlier this year I also used Google Earth to explore the route and started trying to create a map similar to yours. I see you avoided the issue I had - I was trying to create waypoints and polygons that were very detailed rather than focusing on the key way points with a more generalized set of polygons outlining the route. I also like your text - I had a vague idea of doing something similar but never got past trying to layout the route.

I look forward to playing the trip and following in Captain Slocum's wake again.

Regards,
Nathan Eaton

Embedded from OspreyLightning You Tube Channel

Nathan,

Thanks for the comments.. It was very challenging to try to select waypoints. Some were obvious with specific locations or relative location (like 300 miles east of the Azores)... and other were selected because of the text narrative.

The toughest part was the waypoint set within the Straits of Magellan. I experienced a similar frustration that Slocum felt when he was in this area. I was ready to abandon ship many times....

OSP

Thank you very much for performing and posting this project for all to see and use. It is just fantastic. Really fine job. It really gives an added dimension to the story, and even more than I was Googling for.

I happened to find it halfway through reading Capt. Slocum's book, wishing I had a way to actually see the route and follow along. Your project is more than perfect. I'll have you know in advance that I intend catch up to where I am in the story using your project, and to have your post along with my reading voyage the rest of the even more wonderful trip.

Thanks again.

DS,

Glad you like my project. I am working on some enhancements and will post a new version... sometime this year. I am also working on another similar project.

Regards,

Osp

I have read the book myself so thoroughly enjoyed this tour, my favorite section from the book:

Quote
_________________________________________________________

As drowsiness came on I sprinkled the deck with tacks, and then I turned in, bearing in mind the advice of my old friend Samblich that I was not to step on them myself. I saw to it that not a few of them stood "business end" up; for when the _Spray_ passed Thieves' Bay two canoes had put out and followed in her wake, and there was no disguising the fact any longer that I was alone.

Now, it is well known that one cannot step on a tack without saying something about it. A pretty good Christian will whistle when he steps on the "commercial end" of a carpet-tack; a savage will howl and claw the air, and that was just what happened that night about twelve o'clock, while I was asleep in the cabin, where the savages thought they "had me," sloop and all, but changed their minds when they stepped on deck, for then they thought that I or somebody else had them.

I had no need of a dog; they howled like a pack of hounds. I had hardly use for a gun. They jumped pell-mell, some into their canoes and some into the sea, to cool off, I suppose, and there was a deal of free language over it as they went. I fired several guns when I came on deck, to let the rascals know that I was home, and then I turned in again, feeling sure I should not be disturbed any more by people who left in so great a hurry.

______________________________________________________________