“Nobody grows old living a number of years; people grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

When Crispin Latymer hit 50 he had a “What now?” moment - and decided he wanted to sail the Atlantic solo. But he was no intrepid adventurer - Latymer was an ordinary sailor, used to cruising the coasts of the UK, who wanted to do something memorable before he was too old.

His voyage turned into an epic. Only two days into his trip, Latymer was caught by Tropical Storm Delta. During the following 23 days he also broke two ribs, was followed by pirates in a scary incident off the Mauritanian coast, and then broke a toe. He describes it all as “magical”.

Writing in an understated, inspirational way that speaks to ordinary sailors just like himself, Crispin's captivating story will encourage other cosy cruisers to break out of their comfort zone and dare to push their boundaries to where the ocean meets the sky.