The Impossible Voyage.

BLYTH, Chay.

Item Number: 112804

London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1971.

First edition of Blyth’s account of his single-handed round the world voyage, the longest windward sail in history. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, illustrated. From the library of of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in 2002 in his 10-story high balloon Spirit of Freedom. He completed the 2002 trip in 13 days, 8 hours, and 33 minutes and set records for both the Longest Distance Flown Solo in a Balloon and Fastest Balloon Flight Around the World. Fossett was also one of sailing’s most prolific distance record holders set the Absolute World Speed Record for airships with a Zeppelin NT in 2004. He received numerous awards and honors throughout his career including aviation’s highest award, the Gold Medal of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), which he was awarded in 2002. Fossett disappeared on September 3, 2007 while flying a light aircraft over the Great Basin Desert, between Nevada and California. Fine in a fine price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket design by Tom Wardill from a photograph taken by the author.

In 1971, Scottish yachtsman Sir Charles Blyth became the first person to sail single-handed non-stop westwards around the world on a 59-foot boat called British Steel, this is his firsthand account of that remarkable feat. "The most astounding passage under sail that has ever been made by one man alone" (The Times).