Red Sky in Mourning [Paperback]

Tami, L Ashcraft (Author), McGearhart Susea (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0965583775 | ISBN-13: 978-0965583770 | Publication Date: October 1, 1998 | Edition: 1

Tami Oldham and her fiance, Richard Sharp, are caught in a violent hurricane in the crystal waters of the Pacific Ocean. Richard is swept overboard and Tami is left grief-stricken and alone on a revaged yacht.

Red Sky in Mourning is her amazing story of 41 days of survival recounted amoung poignant flashbacks of the adventure and romance she and Richard experienced while cruising French Polynesia.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Whilst sailing in the Pacific Ocean, Tami and her fianc Richard are hit by a hurricane; Richard is thrown overboard and she is knocked unconscious. With very limited supplies, ruined equipment and all alone, Tami then spends 40 gruelling days at sea before eventually finding land. A true tale of gripping adventure and astonishing determination through the eyes of a very extraordinary woman. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Tami Oldham Ashcraft grew up in San Diego. She spent much of her teenage years surfing and spending time in the water. Tami gave up her surfboard for sails when she signed onto a yacht as crew headed for French Polynesia. During this time her love of sailing developed and has been a priority in her life. Tami now resides in Friday Harbor, Washington, with her family. In addition to writing, she owns and operates Brightwork By Tami, a yacht refinishing business.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Bright Works Pub; 1 edition (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965583775
• ISBN-13: 978-0965583770
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,691,765 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Courageous Tale of Love and Survival, December 5, 1999

By 

Dan Flaherty (Morgantown, Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Sky in Mourning (Paperback)

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More stirring than Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea", November 8, 1999

By 

Captain Mary Stoltz (Clearwater, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Sky in Mourning (Paperback)

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!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much More Than Expected, November 22, 1999

By 

Phil Hanson (Peoria, Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Sky in Mourning (Paperback)

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.