Customer Reviews

Red Sky in Mourning

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I met Tami at the St. Petersburg Sailboat Expo. She was at a table with several other authors talking about their books. She told me a little about "Red Sky in Mourning", and it sounded very interesting, but I moved on. The next day at the Expo, I went straight back and bought the book. I'm very glad I did. The story of this woman's stuggle to survive alone at sea, in what was left of the boat after the hurricane is truly inspiring. This experience alone would have been enough for a gripping adventure novel. But the author very tenderly intertwines her survival with flashbacks of her loving memories of her fiance, Richard. And then there was the voice that was always there to get her back on track when she got discouraged or wanted to give up the fight to survive. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in sailing, the sea, love, spirituality, and adventure.

While Hemingway provides a moving fictional tale in The Old Man and the Sea, Tami Oldham Ashcraft shares her heart-rending, real-life experience with the reader in Red Sky in Mourning. Other written accounts of storms at sea often leave non-sailors wondering why anyone would traverse any ocean in a cruising boat, but this book balances the immense joys of sailing in the South Pacific with the risk of facing a survival situation. On a deeper level though, she inspires a passion for life. Can any man who has not ridden a Manta Ray, "caressed the side of the moon," or made ardent love in a tropical waterfall have lived as fully as Richard? Can any woman who has not ridden the bow with whales in a phosphorescent sea, smelled the earth, or loved so deeply be as complete? She copes with grief, faces her fears and charts her own course. In the end she not only survives but quietly triumphs. What a movie this would make!

I had the pleasure of meetig Tami at a book signing in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island. I was more than surprised that such an epic adventure could have come from her personal experiences. I am a born "desert rat", but also love the sea, while having a great deal of respect for its power and vastness. I have had the opportunity of visiting French Polynesia and the Cook Islands in the South Pacific and can relate to much of Tami's earlier experiences. The book was well written, moving from flashbacks of beauty and love, to her present in the terror and challenges of the disaster which befell her. It is one of those rare books which are difficult to put down until the last page. A movie needs to be made. I've seen some that are much less riveting.

I really enjoyed this book not only because of the author's harrowing account of her indurance and survival at sea accompanied by her profound loss and grief, but also because it gives an interesting account of her sailing life leading up to that point, together with an honest and intimate rememberence of her relationship and love she shared with her fiance - very personal and reflective. I also enjoyed reading about the friends, lifestyle and beauty of French Polynesia which only added to the richness of the story. A fast read that kept my attention. I highly recommend it.

Tami Oldham Ashcraft's "Red Sky in Mourning: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Survival at Sea" is her autobiographical account of struggle at sea after being dismasted in a hurricane. Not only is it the story of her surviving the storm, it's her story about surviving the loss of her fiancé during the storm.

Tami tells much of the story of her free-spirited life after high school through flashbacks: moving to Mexico to surf, sailing away to Tahiti, and finally meeting and falling in love with Richard. She paints a wonderful picture of Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands. She and Richard agreed to deliver a boat back to San Diego. Hurricane Raymond hit them on their passage to San Diego. Tami woke up to a dismasted, wrecked boat and no sign of Richard. She was then able to sail the wrecked boat to Hawaii.

This is a great sailing story, and Tami's strength and knowledge of sailing helped her survive 42 days at sea. In part, she attributed her survival to a "voice" that talked her through the rough times; it's not clear whether this was God, Richard, a guardian angel, or something else. Although her story of survival and seamanship wasn't as great as Bligh's or Shackleton's ocean journeys, it's much more real and hard-hitting because it happened to a young woman all by herself in the Pacific. At the end of the book, Tami does a good job tying up the loose ends, describing her short- and long-term struggles to overcome her loss, and moving on with her life.

This is a great book for both the sailor and the general reader. Although it focused too much on the "love story" for my taste, this aspect will appeal to many who wouldn't otherwise be interested in a sailing story.

First of all, Tami's story is astounding. As for what she went through, and for her demonstrated abilities to survive at sea (bearing in mind that this was a woman in her early-twenties who successfully sailed a demasted vessel and found Hawaii right where she calculated it would be), she deserves every accolade. Also, we should remember that she accomplished this in the wake of the terrible reality of losing her beloved fiance. But let's review the book. The story is a compelling one, and here's a chance for fans of the genre to (i) avoid a choking saga of the open lifeboat, and (ii) experience a firsthand account of what was, all in all, a happy and successful ending. The presentation is split between a narrative of the capsize and the ensuing survival tale, and a full biographical account of the author's life with a heavy focus on the relationship between the author and her fiance. At times, this presentation was confusing as events in one part (the real-time capsize account) did not click with events not yet revealed in the other part (the unnecessarily comprehensive biographical account). Like country music, the writing is cliche-ridden (beginning with the title of the book), but that seems to occur mostly in the biographical portions of the book. The accounts of the some-40 days at sea are awesome, and Tami does a pretty good job of putting us there. Big clumps of time seemed to be passed over quickly, but we do get the sense that there were many days and nights that came and went with seeming endlessless and little action.

It's interesting that God gets a lot of mention in this book, although most of it is in the "in vain" nature (here's a game - I dare you to take a drink of beer everytime you read "Oh my ---!"). And God is both prayed to and His presence acknowledged many times, but we also see the author and her lover proudly getting it on in full (and explicitly acknowledged) view of the deity. Weird perspective for the author to share . . . .

Note that I listend to the audio version of this book, read by the author. The author's reading was a little flat, and this could have used a professional actress, but it was neat to hear the author tell her own story. All in all, this is not among the best in its genre. But it's a heck of a story, and this is the only place to hear it.

This is a fabulous book. A true story-- Tami Oldham Ashcraft tells it with her fellow author Susea McGearhart with a cinematic sense of excitement. BETTER THAN A PERFECT STORM. What makes this so realistic (of course it's true) is the vulnerability that is revealed. She overcomes obstacle after obstacle inside and outside. Perfect summer reading. Great reading if you're having a tough time in your life-- very inspirational. Plus terrific if you've just ended a romance or are in the midst of a break-up. Her power of letting go and moving on is truly admirable. The dialogue sounds real, the pictures they paint with words are powerful. REQUIRED reading for any sailor or anyone who is an armchair traveler. You won't be able to put it down !!

I did my best with this book but I couldn't finish it. I was underwhelmed by the writing, which seemed geared toward young adults and readers of romance fiction. The numerous description of the author's vanished consort and the cliched snippets of erotica that went with them were too much for me. I felt at times that I was reading one of those books that people leave behind on airplane seats. This doesn't detract from my admiration of Ms. Ashcraft and her journey. I just wish she'd chosen a different collaborator.

This book was way overdue, it should have been on the market in the 80's, but I am not surprised this author needed years to digest the experience. I read the book in one sitting at first, but have been going back and back through it for the details. We live near the Atlantic shore and thought about buying a boat this summer. As each new "pre-boat" research book arrives through Amazon, that day we sail on anything we call our own is justifiably getting bumped another season, and then perhaps even another. There is just so much to learn.

The part that stands out for me most is Tami's emphasis on the traditional science of celestial navigation - she and Tania Aebi together bring home that it wasn't so long ago (the 80's) that not everyone had a GPS, and that in the case of some catastrophic satellite failure in the future, basic survival skills (how to make fire) should never be taken for granted. A book for anyone contemplating or owning a sailboat, for certain ... for anyone owning a power boat, a smart buy ... for anyone who loves a great read .. that it is, too.

What an inspirational story! When she was only twenty-two years old, Tami Oldham Ashcraft and her fiancee Richard Sharp took on a job to deliver a yacht from Tahiti to San Diego. Both Tami and Richard were experienced sailors, with over 50,000 miles of blue water sailing between them. What should have been a pleasant adventure turned into disaster though, on Day 19 of the trip, when the two were unable to outrun Hurricane Raymond. The two sailors fought bravely to escape the storm, but to Tami's horror, she woke up after what she thought was a brief sleep below decks, only to discover that the ship was filling up with water, and Richard apparently was washed overboard, his D-ring having broken open. What follows is a remarkable story of determination, faith, and dealing with a lost love, as Tami survives forty-one days on her own and manages to navigate the demasted ship to Hilo, Hawaii.

In addition to telling the story of her survival , Tami includes reflections on the trip she and Richard had taken to Tahiti just before they started their fateful trip back to California. This book did such a great job of conveying the romance of the sea and long ocean voyages. Unlike some other tales of surviving disasters, Tami is completely humble in her telling of the story. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and a wonderful tribute to the human spirit. I highly recommend this book to all!