Speck on the Sea cover

Speck on the Sea

by William Longyard

Throughout history, the bold, the desperate, and the foolhardy have dared the wide oceans in the tiniest of boats The unique and wonderful A Speck on the Sea looks back half a millennium to chronicle the greatest ocean voyages attempted in the littlest boats--rowboats, canoes, tiny sailboats, even a pair of wooden floats strapped to one adventurer's feet. Driven by desperation, a spirit of adventure, or irrepressible exuberance, these amazing feats include: * Diego Mendez's voyage to rescue Columbus * William Okeley's 1639 escape from slavery in a folding rowboat * Hugo Vihlen's 1968 ocean crossing in the six-foot sailboat April Fool * Ernest Shackleton and William Bligh's death-cheating journeys * The tragic story of Peter Bird's attempt to row across the Pacific * And many more Never have sailors dared the sea in frailer boats. This fascinating history will appeal to sailors and landlubbers alike.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?