The China voyage

the long version

The China Voyage is the extraordinary story of how Tim Severin and his crew made maritime history by sailing across the Pacific on a bamboo raft. Their purpose: to test the theory that Asian raft sailors reached America some 2,000 years ago. Their experience provides armchair adventurers with one of the most remarkable sea voyages ever, and offers a unique perspective of what happens when historical theories are literally put to the test. For 105 days Hsu Fu edged eastward, contending with fog, gales, snapped spars and ribbing, and the gnawing of bamboo beetles eating the very fabric of the raft. Semi-submerged, the crew became part of the sea itself: companions to the birds, fish, and whales that lived alongside them. Broken ribs, a meeting with a killer whale, and the steady deterioration of the raft are all part of this remarkable tale, masterfully told in Severin's unique blend of scholarship, narrative, and good humor.