CLASSIC CHOICE

Once is Enough, By Miles Smeeton

An unquestionable classic of the genre, Once is Enough is also the book that to some extent ushered in the modern era of adventurous cruising yachtsmen unafraid to head into the high latitudes in search of adventure. This is surprising, as this is a cautionary tale that starts o in Melbourne in 1956 where Miles Smeeton and his wife, Beryl, are fitting out their yacht Tzu Hang, a 46’ Bermudian double ended ketch, for a trip eastabout around Cape Horn following the old clipper ship route much further south than previously attempted in a small yacht. They are accompanied by experienced sailor John Guzzwell and their Siamese cat, Pwe. Things take a dramatic turn about ¾ of the way into their passage when, while running before a big storm, Tzu Hang was pitchpoled by an immense wave. Beryl was thrown from the cockpit into the sea and the boat was completely dismasted and emerged waterlogged. Initially, Guzzwell didn’t think it worth pulling Beryl back onboard as he thought they would soon be joining her but after a superhuman e ort the boat was bailed out, shored up and proceeded under jury rig to Chile where she was refitted in Talcahuano. Following this, Miles and Beryl once again headed south with the intention of tackling Cape Horn but, unbelievably, they were rolled in another huge storm and again dismasted. They then accepted defeat and had the boat shipped home but eventually rounded the Horn in her over a decade later, in 1968. All this is fascinating but there are certain sailors who have an ability to make even the most dramatic story sound dull. Smeeton is not one of those. He writes in an easy, accessible style and paints a vivid and a ectionate portrait of his wife and Guzzwell who both come across as exceptional characters. The book also makes you think long and hard about techniques for dealing with extreme weather and also the wisdom of being down in the

Southern Ocean in a small yacht.