Perhaps the most important lesson that my sailing life has taught me is that there is a solution to everything, provided you are determined to find it and willing to act upon it. The restrictions imposed by the pandemic have proved to be just such a situation. Rather than give in to the frustration of the long confinement, I decided to put this opportunity to good use and revise and update my memoir 200,000 Miles. There have been many changes in the five years since that book was published, both in my personal life but even more so in global climate conditions and the increasing awareness that we are now faced with an existential crisis. The latest Aventura was in direct response to that concern by showing that long-distance cruising with a zero carbon footprint is both possible and sustainable.
Working on my book gave me the opportunity to look back on a long and eventful life. It was akin to having a long dream, but one that turns out to be true when waking up.
After more than a year of online family meetings, a temporary easing of travel restrictions allowed us to spend Christmas together at our daughter Doina’s home in the west of England. The newly printed book brought back memories of our voyage on the first Aventura over 40 years ago. Reflecting on that voyage, my son Ivan remarked how grateful he was for having had that opportunity to see and experience the world as it was at that time. We were profoundly moved by his words, as we all share his feelings. They are also the leitmotif of Sail the World with Me, as I want to share with my readers the countless happy moments of a charmed life.
I wish you a healthy and peaceful New Year.
Jimmy Cornell
Sail The World With Me, Jimmy Cornell’s 18th book, is based on his extensive knowledge of offshore cruising gained from an experience that stretches over four decades. Sail The World With Me supersedes 200,000 Miles, and has been updated and revised to include Jimmy’s latest adventures with his fifth boat, Aventura Zero and the challenges of zero-carbon sailing.
