Customer Reviews

Clean, Sweet Wind: Sailing with the Last Boatmakers of the Carribean

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I love this book, and I haven't even finished it yet. I'll admit I'm biased, as I know the Grenadines well and have long been fascinated with the traditional watercraft. But anyone can appreciate the way Pyle develops his story, with a low-key humour that bubbles through the text. Good pics too. The chapter on whaling is fascinating. Straight out of Moby Dick! A thoroughly good read.

I first encountered this book on my first trip to the Grenadines in the early eighties when local boatbuilding was still practiced in the harbor at Bequia. Times are changing, even in the islands and though the building of local work boats still goes on, its heyday has passed. Although it has been a generation since it was written, it's good to see an old friend back in print. It is a fine tribute to local human ingenuity and creativity.

The book gave me back, in clear, concise and unsentimental prose, the feel and ambiance of the Eastern Caribbean, taking me back nostalgically and effortlessly to Carriacou. Although mildly technical in parts, the book is well constructed and written. An interesting sequel would be an account of the observations of a latter-day visit by Pyle to the Lesser Antilles -- the islands have changed so much since the timeframe of the book. It's puzzling how the author was able to put the Caribbean behind him in order to take up cattle ranching inland in the United States, never to return to the Eastern Caribbean. But I guess that's just as odd as the fact that I'm writing this message in Zimbabwe, where I live -- also just about as landlocked as one can get!

I love this book and have shared it with individuals of all backgrounds. We all agree that it is a classic, both literary and humorous as Pyle explored the island world of the Caribbean, learning about the vessels and their makers. It is one of the best books ever written.