Joshua Slocum

Author and sailor Joshua Slocum (1804–1909[?]) was the first man to sail alone around the world. He wrote about this historic voyage in his most famous book, Sailing Alone Around the World. Although he thought of himself as a sailor first, he was clearly as gifted a writer as he was a shipwright and navigator. His other books include Voyage of the Liberdade and Voyage of the Destroyer.

In 1892, an acquaintance gave Slocum an old sloop, the Spray, which he completely rebuilt and used for an unsuccessful fishing season in 1894. A year later, Slocum decided to sail the boat around the world. He embarked from Boston, Massachusetts, and three years later, after encountering many hardships on his 46,000-mile voyage, he completed his journey in Newport, Rhode Island. He proclaimed himself healthier, happier, and younger than when he left.

Captain Slocum continued to sail the Spray, and in 1909, at the age of 65, he set out once again on a long, single-handed voyage. This time he headed for the Orinoco River and the headwaters of the Amazon. He never arrived and was presumed dead.