❖ AROUND THE WORLD ❖

415 pgs, published by author 2013.

Scudding––To run before the wind. It is usually, but not necessarily, understood to mean before a high wind.
To scud under bare poles––To run before the wind without any sail set, the masts, yards, and rigging of a ship being sufficient to keep way on her, even in a moderate breeze. Vessels may occasionally be seen scudding to an anchorage in large estuaries. That the practice is ancient is certain, for St. Luke speaks of it.       

from A Dictionary of Sea Terms by A. Ansted. Glasgow;
Brown, Son & Ferguson, Ltd. Nautical Publishers; 1920.

Library of the Saltwater People Historical Society.

Sailor George Maynard, now retired to Port Townsend, WA, published his incredible memoir in July 2013. Thanks to "Heidi," her review is one of many positive ones posted on Amazon:
      "Scudding is a beautifully written memoir about a man who takes his family on a five year sailing voyage around the world--without an engine! But the book is more than just another travelogue. Author George Maynard weaves multiple story lines into one luminous tale.
      One strand of the story portrays the poignancy of family life at sea. As the family sails from port to port, Maynard's three children grow into resilient teenagers. They learn to sail, to navigate unfamiliar cultures, and to sell their own handmade crafts. Another strand of the book depicts the beauty of the places Maynard visits: the Azores, Polynesian and Bali, to name a few. Maynard uses vivid description to bring readers along with him as he breathes the scents and tastes the fruits of these exotic locations. Readers also get to watch as Maynard built his yacht in a New England back yard. Neighbors breathe down Maynard's neck as he works, dispensing advice and warnings.
      But perhaps the most compelling strand of Maynard's book tells of the years he spent in the Navy prior to building SCUD. Maynard was assigned to duty aboard nuclear submarines, and this duty left deep psychological scars. Maynard describes the confinement of submarine life, the terror of cold war "actions" and the secrecy surrounding them. Readers should be prepared for scenes of fear and confusion, and plenty of foul language.

SCUD
Built by the author, George Maynard.
Photo provided by the author.

       As Maynard tells it, the building and sailing of his sturdy boat SCUD is what saved him from the clutch of his post-cold war demons. Maynard is a poet and philosopher as well as a sailor, and we readers reap the benefits of his long hard look at what life is about, and how to love life despite its apparent lack of meaning.
      As I read Scudding, I felt I was there with Maynard in each scene, whether he was tromping through a Polynesian jungle or sweating in a narrow bunk aboard a submarine. Maynard's writing is compelling. I didn't want to put the book down. I suggest you buy a copy for yourself, and two or three more for friends and family."
From a huge fleet of friends, congratulations George, on a job well done; on the beautiful boat and the beautiful book!
Maynard, George Sherlock. Scudding. Published by George Sherlock Maynard. 2012.