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Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
Sailing Blue Water Mystique Solo: Sailing The Exumas Alone by H. Downing Lane is the life story of the author as he realized that as long as he is near water, he is happy. The author lost his father the summer before he turned 8 and moved to the countryside where he found his first love (sailing) in the strangest yet most exciting way. That was the beginning of something new and lasting. As he sailed through Exumas years later, he experienced many things, both physical and emotional. Sailing solo isn’t the easiest of tasks, but the way H. Downing Lane does it seems like a dream come true. He shares his thoughts, his hurdles, and how failing at romance twice doesn’t mean he has no other prospects in life (even though it might have seemed like that to him at the time). The water taught him many things and he shares that knowledge with readers so that they too can feel the serenity he felt when he was on his voyage.
I felt so calm after reading Sailing Blue Water Mystique Solo. I have no idea how the author did it, but somehow he used his sailing experience as something universal. I could relate to his struggles, how he had to rethink everything about his life and relationships, and how he had to find himself once again. He shared his past, present, and his future; he poured his heart out and allowed you a glimpse into his life. The waters of Exumas tested him and he passed each of them in his own way. He has a trusty friend in the form of the vast water and the reader has that friend in the author. You can feel the love for the Exumas and the beautiful cays that he encountered during his solo sailing experiences. The way he described the blue water and the sky made me feel like I was on the boat with him. The way author H. Downing Lane describes his experiences, his life story, and his thoughts is almost cathartic. His words have healing properties and I felt rejuvenated after finishing this book. Kudos to Mr. Lane for writing something so simple yet so refreshing!
