Customer Reviews

Below the Convergence: Voyages Towards Antarctica, 1699-1839

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a land-lubber I didn't know whether I would enjoy this book, but after completing it today (31st Dec 1998), I find myself contemplating the Antarctic summer! The book is scientifically very sound on many technical subjects, but will delight all readers. The sailor, naval architect, historian, naturalist, marine surveyor, and navy-man will particularly appreciate the erudition of Mr. Gurney. No-one will feel left-out! Mr.Gurney has taken the cream of perhaps 200-250 books and condensed it into a single superbly written volume. Save yourself the reading and read this one volume; it is very well constructed and will whet the appetite for perhaps further literary exploration or even real exploration (or at least maybe (ahem) "soft exploration" aboard a southern cruise-ship). I particularly liked the hand-drawn maps at the back although I know nothing about land-surveying. Let's hope that Mr. Gurney will produce further works like this one which greatly enhanced my knowledge in many areas. By the way, the title of book was meaningless to me before I read it, and I think the author could have chosen a more "saleable" title, because the book will be loved by many who don't have a clue what this is.

The subject-matter may seem a narrow historical theme but the great joy of this book is how well it relates to wider concerns and themes. It is superbly written (as well as being an excellent example of a well-produced book, with apposite text illustrations, maps and a good index). The passage on pp 59 to 61 of the ecology of the Southern Ocean gives a succinct and witty account of the food-chain and ends with a paragraph in celebration of the whales that have survived (just) the whalers which followed in the wake of the great discoverers. There are accounts to appeal to island-lovers of the earliest contacts with the wonderful remote islands of the Southern Ocean. Readers of The Times (London) will find good historial material here about Kerguelen (Desolation) Island to which one of the paper's best columnists (Matthew Parris) has just set off. No surprise to me that the author, Alan Gurney lives on a lovely and historic Scottish island, Islay. Read his book with a fine malt whisky from Islay close to hand. You can then regularly toast the many fine descriptive passages (both his own and in quotations from his sources, which he uses with great skill) and his narrative skill in telling an exciting story.

After reading about the Antarctic explorers Shackleton , Scott, and Amundsen (5 star books), I wanted more information about previous Antarctic and deep South Atlantic Ocean explorers.

Below the Convergence by Alan Gurney is a fascinating read. For me a real page burner. Lots of interesting material. My favorite chapter was about Captain James Cook. Here was a really great nautical man, highly intelligent and thoughtful for his men's safety. Back in the late 1700s the English Royal Navy still used some brutal methods for crew compliance. Also the dreaded "plaque of the seas" scurvy was not understood.

Even though the need for Vitamin C ( Ascorbic acid) was not known, Captain Cook realized eating fresh greens, lemon juice and certain plants and fresh meats helped keep scurvy away. Eating sour kraut and lime juice too ( not as good against scurvy as lemon juice). He was proud that none of the men on his ship Resolution developed scurvy after eating a diet rich in then unknown vitamin C. Captain Cook becomes a hero of the Royal navy with his explorations. He seems to be on the fast track to becoming an Admiral but is horribly hacked to pieces during an attack by natives on his third circumnavigation. One of the greatest explorers and British Royal Navy heroes.

We see explorers like Edmond Halley( astronomer too.. Halley's comet) and his Pink Paramore ship. Also Weddell and Brisbane and John Biscoe, Kemp, Balleny and Ross as well as a Russian explorer. Many were sealers and whalers who went deep south for the riches of seal furs, and oil. Millions of seals killed with no conservation of a limited resource. Some seals hunted almost to extinction. A fascinating account of seal, penguin and whale slaughter. The animals were needed for furs and oil but absolutely no conservation.Horrible vast indiscriminate slaughter.

There was reference to Charles Darwin and the Voyage of the Beagle. Interesting, so I bought that book on Amazon also. Reading it now.

The big hold back on accurate long distance sea navigation for centuries was getting the right longitude. Money prizes were given out for developing accurate methods. Both lunar methods and chronograph watches developed. We see the eventual improvements of being able to find different islands and better charts with improved longitude readings.

Alan Gurney did a great job of giving a history of exploration south of the convergence zone from 1699-1839. Anyone interested in Antarctic exploration, and the different animals encountered in the deep southern Atlantic Ocean will like this book. Some great maps showing the routes the various explorers/sealers/Royal Navy/ / merchant marine members went as well as some interesting b/w pictures. A great book. 5 stars

My brother, a 20th Century racing sailor extradordinaire, gave me this book while I was home from the sea for a week last Christmas. I have nothing but praise for Mr. Gurney's engaging and effortless prose and thoroughly enjoyed every moment in the frigid southern seas as my ship sailed over the Atlantic. There is something very appropriate in reading this book while ghosting along of an evening under topsails aboard a square rigged ship. Those hard and corageous men (perhaps foolish and motivated more by profit upon the hapless seal) cause a modern throw-back to admire their skill and endurance. Even more, lying comfortable & safe tucked into a climate controled cabin aboard a 350 foot square-rigged ship, I found the romance in Gurney's writing intoxicating. Here is an insight into our own seafaring history, of men long forgot who paved the way for the demystification of our small world.

An engrossing and satisfying read that everyone should devour.

Most of all, this is a book about history and not about the men engaged in it. This book clearly covers the early history of Artic exploration, of the historic events of men and ships discovering and reaching the Artic. The detail is great and complete.

I ding this book one star because it leaves off the human element where more of the interest and drama lay. Artic exploration is full or great tales, of Scott and Shackelton and the like, the human dimension and cost of exploring the artic. This book concentrates on the historic events, not the people. Therefore, at times, the book is a bit dense and uninteresting to all but the most ardent arm-chair polar explorers. For instance, this book discussing Captain Gray's sails in the southern ocean, but didn't go into his interactions that made him the legend that he is today.

This is indeed a good book, well researched and full of detail. However, unless you're really interested, all of the detail can be a bit overwhealming and the historic accounts become dry unless you're really into the subject matter.