Story about the 1968 Sunday Times Golden Globe Around the World Race, and the story of Donald Crowhurst. If you enjoyed this documentary, you may want to check out the adapted 2017 film “The Mercy”. Trailer: • THE MERCY - Official T...
What an amazing human being Robin Knox-Johnson is. A true hero, a kind, compassionate man. He was not a rich man, by any means. But he gave all the prize money to Crowhurst’s family, because “it was the right thing to do.” Amazing, I know it is mentioned in the text at the end of this tragic story, but for me it is one of the most important features, even lessons, for us all. Thank you Robin for being such a great role model.
AT THE SAME TIME......He knew there would be book deals, interviews, and sponsorships that would make that 5 grand or so seek like chump change..probably started getting offers as soon as he stepped onto the hard.....it was a great thing to do, but it bought more in the way of legend impacting sponserxhips that actually made him more money
@@norml.hugh-mann I actually don’t think it was quite as clear cut as you are attempting to portray it. Remember, this was Britain in 1969, not a commercial place at all. Knox-Johnston had already spent all his savings on his boat. Francis Chichester, before him, had not clinched many huge sponsorships or book deals. So he was basically skint, and indeed had to go back to work pretty soon afterwards. £5000 was a lot of money in 1969, and it would be by no means certain he would be able to get equivalent amounts so easily or as quickly as you suggest. Even if he could have, it still doesn’t lower the generosity in my eyes. Remember, Crowhurst was cheating and potentially could have cheated Knox-Johnston out of the prize. But that didn’t cloud his judgement and without question he handed the money to Mrs Crowhurst. I think it was an incredible act, with no equivalent that I know of. I have been fortunate to meet him and Chay Blyth. Both gentlemen are heroes in my eyes. Not just for their achievements but for their humility.
Warmest of blessings to Claire Crowhurst. She had to carry the weight of her own pain, as well as Donald's, and her children's. I really hope she has been able to find some peace.
Men are bloody terrible to women at times. She was an unbelievable wife and most of all Mother. We have to respect women, they are magnificent with children.
@@YoitsmeitsmeitsCairoLeeAGAINI think you have to be an extremely introverted, emotionally self sufficient person to be a sailor. Especially a lone sailor. The sea evokes a loneliness nowhere else does I think. I couldn’t do it at all.
@@SophieJackson1993 It helps when there is a lot of work. And there is, you must constantly check and repair things, or the mast will come down, the rudder gets stuck, you name it. I've read lots of books about these races, we used to have Henk de Velde, a Dutch man. And indeed, he was a professional captain, doing his solo around the world record attemps like it is a job. Long working days, doing every detail the best he can, in fact working hard to give his sponsors value for money. In one of his books he wrote, working on a ship, the work never ends and you simply MUST work hard, you got no choice, your life depends on that ship, so repair it, prevent problems. You see? There is no time for too much thinking and getting confused. Still, he shared the moments the mainsail split in two, he could forget that 100 days world record. He shared his fear, seeing huge surfing waves, 120 feet high, writing this is impossible, some of those okay, but not everywhere he could see, white tops of monster waves, so he steered himself, several days, no sleep, not trusting the autopilot anymore. Yes, these books tell us, sailing the oceans solo, it takes a lot. Being mentally stable is an understatement, you need to cope a lot of stress. But Henk showed, being extravert is possible, he took a video camera with him, doing a video diary. He wrote his paper diary. And on his non-racing travels, he talked a lot with anyone he met. But okay, this Henk was one of the sailing heroes. Maybe his books were translated, you could find out.
I know this story well, but I realized watching this today that Tetley gave Crowhurst a perfect solution: Crowhurst could have called Mayday (“Help Me”) on the radio when in sight of a ship off Spain or the Azores, prepared his liferaft or dinghy; scuttled his boat by removing a hose on a through hull fitting with an open stopcock, step aboard his dinghy and been rescued. He would have gone home to his family and obscurity with more experience and a second chance; and I doubt the sponsor would have bothered him. Pity.
Considering Tetley's situation was ultimately caused by his deception ... that reality likely accelerated Crowhurst's rapidly declining mental state, rendering unable to recognize it as a possible solution. Or maybe he simply couldn't live with the shame, nor the prospect of lifelong secrecy.
Thank you for this story. You can only imagine the desperate sadness of Donald's supporters and family as it became clearer what had happened. From the joy of his rejoining the race and imminent heroic return to the waiting and confusion and then confirmation of finding the abandoned yacht. The day-to-day reality of his family must have been unbearable. The humanity of RKJ is there for us to admire. In a time of few proper heroes, he is one.
A wonderful download and tribute to Donald Crowhurst for his daring to attempt and Robert Knox Johnston for his humanity and absolutely great seamanship and humbleness. Thank Providence he is still with us!
Even alone in the middle of an ocean, one cannot call their life their own. Loved that Crowhurst had a good friend who described him as a hero when others were so quick to judge him harshly.
@@nativevirginian8344 he wanted to help his family, frankly; in that era, there was much more wonder. He had the ultimate human experience. It hurt. It is one of the saddest and reallest stories. Get a grip.
@@price-singspuccini6124The fact that you stoop to insults says more about you. He was no hero. Heroes go prepared. He ignored every red flag for the sake of notoriety and fame. He didn’t care what effect it would have on his family, he only cared about the spotlight. Hero ?? More like a zero.
What a tragic story. Very few win the prize or take the gold in this life ....but show me how many men had the courage to try. In the end he chose truth and for that he is a hero. Rest in Peace Mr. Crowhurst.
This documentary was done very delicately. So many conflicting thoughts and feelings as I watch and empathize with each person in turn. What a tangled mess we weave with our pride and our terror of humiliation.
I watched this in the morning. Hours later I opened my computer screen to this documentary paused at the end. I just started crying. What an amazing and heart wrenching story. It made me relate to the feeling of unpreparedness and "cowardice" that everyone has felt at least once. I sail and I just recently completed a long distance sail. The ocean is no joke. It took guts to do what each of those men did. I guess the moral of the story is that if you try to deceive others, you will only deceive yourself. What an invigorating documentary. Thank you VASSdesign for uploading! I would have never seen it Otherwise. Thank you!
Great film I cannot imagine what it must be like to be in those seas all alone on a tiny boat, my heart goes out to the Crowhurst family if only he could have pulled back from the story he'd created before it was too late returned and admitted he'd not been able to continue (which he couldn't have done in that boat as it wouldn't have got through the forties or round the cape) The thought that his sponsor would have ruined him tells you all you need to know about that man. Everyone of those guys that set sail are hero's.
What a tragic story of no doubt an ordinary and good man who finds himself in a situation with no apparent way out, takes what he probably knew was the wrong but expedient path, and life deals another card and threatens to blow his cover. Along with the tragedy of the terrible final outcome of his choices, the real tragedy is the weight of shame left behind for his innocent family to endure for the rest of their lives. Wonderful acts of wisdom and compassion from those in his life afterward. A sobering and almost biblical lesson for all of us should we find ourselves facing similar conundrum.
Considering the circumstances, the fact that he was not a sailor on a faulty boat- he actually accomplished a lot! He traversed the Atlantic and reached The siuthern part of Argentina and back again! That is huge!!!!
@@Grinningfartking6969 and he did accomplish a lot- all things considering. He DID cross the Atlantic, in a faulty boat nonatheless. Yes he died, went nuts, wanted to cheat- all that is valid- but at the same time, he did accomplish crossing from the UK all the way down to Argentina.
I won’t ever forget this story. How desperately sad- I wish I could tell mrs crowhurst that it wasn’t her fault- how else should she have replied when he asked her if he should do it? A husband who hadn’t found his niche, hadn’t been able to provide as he wanted, who had a complicated psyche in a society that didn’t like to acknowledge mental health at all- she supported him, loved him, and that’s what people should do. She couldn’t have known he’d deteriorate like that. No one can know, not even now, nearly 60 years later. Humans are resilient AND fragile. And his children- well, I can relate. My mother moved back home to England and set up her life there, but weeks later she’d committed suicide. We all thought she was setting out on a journey and might thrive , might be one of those people who divorce and then find a freer, happier, healthier version of themselves. Instead, she’d lost hope in weeks. A person can set off on a journey, literally or figuratively, with hope and confidence and goals and without ANYONE realizing it they can choose to quit and die. And then the ones left have to come to terms with it, except that never quite seems to happen. No one wins and there aren’t answers that are good enough. And there’s no one to blame, because everyone involved was always doing what they could. This is what life is. We can’t stop everything, can’t prevent everything. You can’t predict perfectly what will happen. We keep ourselves alive by dreaming and hoping. It’s as vital as oxygen, water, food. I love that mrs. Crowhurst said her husband deserved a chance to dream. He did, and he dreamt and he tried. He took the chance- it just went terribly wrong. Everyone meant well. That’s all a person can really try for, I think.
David Paulides CANAM 411 brought me here. He did a very compassionate feature about Donald Crowhurst. What a beautiful family the Crowhursts are, Donald already had the finest of treasures and the greatest of blessings, very sad.
Thanks to those who post it. Many years later, I've watched this movie again, and the same tears have rolled down my face. I love how delicate this film is, I just love that final sequence and that music... the feeling of redemption becomes immense... it is a beautiful human history about the worst our existences face along our lives...
Finding where you belong and fitting in your own skin, brings peace. Mr Crowhursts demise, although sad, is a poignant and much connected link to the future. His drive for success and celebrity, is rampant today. Thanks you for a very incite full and well made programme.
I read the book The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst in the 1970s (still have it). It is indeed a sad story for all involved. His failure was fatal to him and borne by his family. This documentary is a worthy post script to a tragic story.
I hope I can obtain a copy of that book. The video was what attracted me, because I’ve previously read “Sailing Alone Around the World “ by Joshua Slocum. No tragedies here. Only victories. Looking forward to the next Golden Globe Race!
His poor family. He was lucky to have them, for the brief time that he did. If only he'd realized he ALREADY had the greatest good fortune a man could obtain.
I totally agree and have previously expressed similar sentiments on other vlogs covering Donald’s adventures. I truly think the Crowhurst family grew to become remarkable adults because they were so ably guided and supported by their mother single handed.
Thank you for posting this video, I had seen this years ago and I just watched it again. It's a sad thing to watch his son (now an adult) and see him relive those memories. This is a documentary that is worth coming back to watch again after years have passed. It makes you slow down and think about your own life and how our choices effect the ones we love.
Yes, just watched it a second time. An amazing documentary that makes you feel for all involved. Yourself, of course, being put in the center of your own problems. So informative and heartfelt at this impasse of his journey.
When my son was born many years ago, I knew that this life was no longer about me only. I stopped riding motorcycles even. Too dangerous. People were relying on me. To gamble my family's house and go off on a ship that I just built when I have no idea what I'm doing is one of the most selfish things I've ever seen. Deplorable. His poor family.😢
Watching his wife blame herself even though he left her behind to raise 4 small children. I never deplore suicide as a selfish act, it is an act of desperation and despair but the fact that it came to that because he decided to do something dangerous like sailing around the world in a leaky homemade boat is what I can't forgive.
yes, as a Mother [single with one deeply loved Son ] I am inclined to agree with you. The children became Fatherless and his wife, a Widow, all avoidable..... how tragic.
I must agree with you , to say otherwise would not be honest just like the French sailor on this documentary who turned and went back out to sea and left his wife and child to cry and then to say he loved them and that he was right but couldn’t put the reason he was right into words , because it wasn’t right
Men like you are the real heroes. Donald had everything a man could want. A loving wife who was happy with their simple life and children to carry on his name. It was nothing but ego that made him ignore every warning sign. He even had an opportunity to get help midway but kept going. How anyone could see this selfish fool as a “ hero “ is beyond me.
People revile the publicists, but the book (by Nicholas Tomalin) includes many details you don't see in the movie. Donald lied to his sponsors and family during the building phase, telling them everything was going, well, swimmingly. But in fact, he was stiffing suppliers and contractors, failing to show up for design meetings, and leaving them in a desperate state of chaos. The boat was nowhere near finished by the deadline, but only he knew HOW unfinished. He kept all these groups of men separate from one another, thus ensuring that the publicity machine wouldn't discover the truth. It was _he_ who kept pushing his _sponsor_ to stick with it, not the other way round. (The outfitters never did get paid.) Even in the last week, when the financier saw a messy pile of wires on board, Donald assured him he'd have plenty of time to connect them all once underway. Because he had a background in electronic engineering, his sponsors believed him--why not.
Dear Leapinglaura....what do you take from thestory? To me it seems he was a bit Out of Touch with reality...almost delusional, from the start. His intelligence made him believe in ideas and dreams, but he became un tethered from practical reality. In the end, he sacrificed even his family for his desire to be acknowledged for achieving something noteworthy. The price of satisfying our Ego's are very high.
ALL MY LOVE TO THE CROWHURST FAMILY. THIS FILM CRUSHED ME. IT'S EASY TO IMAGINE HOW YOU FEEL!!!! FOR FATHER TO STRIKE OUT AND STRUGGLE LIKE THIS. THE STRUGGLE!!!!💪🙏🇺🇸❤
I was glad that old dude at the end gave Crowhurst a heroes burial because it was still a huge achievement. Those that have built their own boats know.
I think this documentary shows one thing really. The absolute most important part of a mans life is his family, we are drawn away by ideas and thoughts of adventure, but at the end of the day, they are all that matter.
It’s such a tragic story that I feel so sorry for Donald such that it was fairly obvious he was overtaken by events and had no intention to deceive but was between a rock and a hard place and of course his family , I respect all of them and Robin of course having compassion
I've lost family, friends, spouse and child too. The hardest part is after. The hopeless rut. The everyday Null. That spiral black hole that is inevitable and inescapable. An event horizon. A Vøid. You poor soul. Isolated and demotivated. You have my sympathy, and my empathy, unlike certain other assumers. I apologise for him. I hope you are well. Your strife is understood friend. Divided by many barriers but in our minds, there are similarities. In our hearts, we know isolatory pain. If I'm honest, I don't even remember what loneliness feels like anymore.
@@Blessed_V0id at one time I had a multimillion dollar tugboat and barge operation with petroleum barges. A series of calamities put it in bankruptcy and now at age 66 I am homeless living in a tiny RV. But I don't regret the experience. I might, just might be getting a subsidized apartment soon.
This story of great adventure ended in the death of the protagonist. It was so well put together that I did not know of the death until the end. That is an amazing literary accomplishment.
Wonderful, sad documentary. I always get goosebumps when Moitessier turns his ship around to go further. I read his book. Very interesting. Robin Knox-Johnston is a great man. I am so sad for the Crowhurst family.
Knox Johnston wrote a book about this race too, "a world of my own". he is a great man, but in my opinion the best book about the race is "the strange last voyage of donald crowhurst". god that is a hopeless story, but so so compelling
Offshore sailing , done a little but I would never underestimate the challenge. Even taken seriously, the danger is extremely real and any mistake will quickly swallow you. The ocean is absolutely relentless.
Nobody celebrates when someone fails at something. It is a tragedy for all of humanity when we fail to provide a safe space for someone to return to society to make amends for what they have done or not done. Donald Crowhurst clearly found himself drawn into a situation that spiralled rapidly out of control and for which he did not plan. Did that make him a bad person? I doubt it. Did it make him a broken person in the end? Without doubt. The sad thing is that this kind of story is replicated each and every day in different places and times, but always for a similar reason: the idea that society does not provide for a return journey. Perhaps it is time for society to reflect on this type of thing and become a little more compassionate towards fellow human beings? 🤔
Your compassion is rare. I fear it too is going extinct in this 6th mass extinction. Man too often bullies, and too rarely sacrifices. I wish I could know of this God revealing itself he spoke of. Not sure if its in this as I'm half way through, but I can find a channel that displays it if your interested.
He did not "find himself in a situation". He got himself in a sticky spot of his own making. Don't shift the blame. I feel sorry for his children and wife but not for him.
Having just watched this. It must have been one of the saddest stories I have heard. Donald Crowhurst was a brave man trying to do the right thing. His family and us should remember him as a hero and be proud of him.
The poor son, and Robin Knox-Johnston was amazing. And things like this, and COVID, show the substantial differences between introverts and extroverts….what is torture to an extrovert (months of isolation) is just fine to an introvert (who loved it and kept going), and vice versa.
Yeah he was willing to give his life for his dream; face terrible threats at sea , alone and feeling like a failure. If it were not for his minds turn to fantasy, his life perhaps wouldn’t have become ‘known’ for that lie that he could not live with. His friend knew that he had truly accomplished something in his boat design as well as having the courage to reach for his dream but saw the fatal riff caused by the lie. He knew the lie was a mistake : he shouldn’t have lied about the boat being ready nor his nautical position. How wrong he felt is displayed in the losing of his rational mind and ego-driven pressure to seal his fate by disappearance.
I could relate to his Sons emotions, because my father and I were sailing in Hawaii when I was 12 or so, and I thought he was going to be Electrocuted right in front of my eyes when our anchor Snagged a Power line. My life flashed before my eyes. Luckily it was only a Phone line! His name was ironically "Donald" as well.Made me realize how much I loved my Father....like Donalds Son..im certain. Cant imagine what that mustve been like growing up without Dad.
The music at the end? Somber and peaceful. Although so long ago, RIP Mr Crowhurst. Prayers to his family and close friends who still mourn his passing...But be of good cheer. He is Home now.
And when his best friend said he gave Donald a Heroes burial and when I read that Robin Knox-Johnson had give the Crowhurst family the £5,000 prize money.
I went to university in a coastal town. I spent quite a bit of time walking along the seafront, admiring the waves, and sometimes used to take a late walk after a night at the pub to sober up a bit. It was beautiful, but if I looked at it too long, it began to scare me. It could be merciless, and during rough weather the waves would crash into the seawall and the water would fly as high as the tops of the tall Victorian lampposts. The thought of being out there all alone for as long as Donald and the other sailors is even more terrifying.
The documentary barely talks about him but Nigel Tetley was a bizarre and tragic figure in his own right. After the race, he tried unsuccessfully to raise money to fix his boat so that he could race again, and then ended up dying from autoerotic asphyxiation. The photo of him eating Christmas dinner alone on his boat always gets me.
@@markpurnell7437 I had originally thought that he hung himself out of despair, since he couldn't pull together the funds to repair his vessel. But it would seem that he was found hanged and wearing lingerie. With the Western epidemic of suicide, one has to wonder how many "suicides" were actually autoerotic misadventures.
"Whose husband did you arrive with?" "You will marry an impossible man, but will be greatly loved." I just loved hearing these 'meet cute-love at first sight-proposal within a week' anecdotes that people of older generation experience. I know this is more of a heartbreaking story but that part is just so sweet.
I was 17 when this race was held, I vaguely remember, but maybe it wasn't as big news here in USA because it seems most sailers were from Europe . Great story, thanks for kick starting this old mind of mine.
Watched this quite a few years ago but cannot remember the source. Then again during GGR2018 as a refresher. Always leave a like and most of the time a comment! Sir Robin surely needed that 5k pounds but gave it to the Crowhursts. What a living legend.
I started the sport of sailing in 1972 the ocean is just so enormous and relentless with its power it plays tricks on a persons mind so poor Donald it was just too much pressure on him and Sir Knox Johnston and SA sailor Bertie Reed are my mentors i thank you Sir Knox Johnston for your kindness and help
Despite the fact that he tried to cheat people like Knox Johnson out of their due rewards I think you have to recognise that what Crowhurst achieved was no mean feat . He was not an expert sailor like the others but sailed through the Atlantic alone for months . He paid the ultimate price for his deceitful behaviour,and left a devastated family. What a wonderful act by Knox Johnson ..a thoroughly decent man,and tremendous sailor.
I've listened to this repeatedly while working in my shop and I consider Crowhurst a hero. He went for it. None of us know how we would respond in such a crazy predicament. Of course he should have turned for home and given his family their husband/father back regardless of financial consequences, but by that point he was clearly out of his gourd. And, not without good reason. What if he had read the Stanley Best contract and walked away, unwilling to take the risk? He would have lived the rest of his life probably in the same mediocrity that inspired him to pursue the race in the first place, wondering if he would have been the most famous man in the country had he shown more courage. I can relate to the way he was thinking in pursuing the race; on paper, his plan made sense. Raise funds via sponsorship and apply every form of the latest technology. The engineer brain works completely differently from that of the artist like Moitessier, but it takes all types to make the world work.
Like they say, it's the guy who gets in the ring who counts, not the person who criticizes from the sidelines. It's easy to find flaws while watching from the side.
There are many fascinating stories to read and I have read very few. I found an old paperback for cheap at a book sale. As I am a flatlander I've always been fascinated by sailing and stories about voyagers. Upon reading this book I found myself becoming more curious about the human mind and less about sailing. To this day this is the most spooky story I have ever read and any videos I see just enhance that feeling.😱💖🐻🌏🌠👩🦳🇨🇦
Why is there no blame on the sponsors who did not allow him to make a decision that would not ruin him one way or another. He would have been able to get out of the race had he not been faced with financial ruin. It is immoral to leave a man without a choice to save his life or to commit suicide. There was no other option for him than to loose everything or die.. I am saddened that it was not addressed in the film, because it is what drove him to cheat and lie and essentially come up with the "solution" that ended his life in suicide. Those who gave him no choice by drafting contracts of this kind are the responsible parties. You need to say this loud and clear,
a fascinating race. The great Bernard Moitessier was in commanding position to win, then laid off after rounding the Horn and kept going to Tahiti. His stories about Joshua are great reading
When Chichester saw the mileages and together with the fact that the boat was not tested and DC's poor seamanship, he knew right away what was going on...
What a documentary, Mr.Crowhurst's heart was dearly one done in by a life lived out from a man's heart of hearts. It reminds me of the supremacy of the primed dagger, " Life at its finest".... meaning Life's fiery piercing shadows, try as you might, but Life's treacherous ways seek our every insidious mis steps... surely Life won't let us gather enough lasting progress to goodly present, much less display our best intention. That's just life doing what it does best-- successfully finding its sweet spot in us, to lay one bare. There's only one true way to win and that is to be found in Christ our Lord. Peace to all, have a grateful day.
What an astonishing turn of events. So much to get your head around. The heavy burden that Donald Crowhurst carried that he felt he had to do it, the pride of not being able to face his mistakes and dare I say some selfishness in forgetting he had a wife and children who loved him and would have clearly supported him regardless of his mistakes and they needed him. That said, he appeared on the edge even before his initial departure so he was not ready by a country mile and all that solitude would be a killer. I feel hugely for Claire Crowhurst. Clearly a lot of regret and she has certainly had to be much stronger than she should. And for his kids too. Incredibly tough to lose their dad the way they did. I do tip my hat to Sir Robin Knox-Johnson. He could so easily have branded Donald a cheat and walked away but donating the prize money to the family... Now that was a very fine thing to do. And he completed it and won it, fair and square. Cannot take that away from Sir Robin. As for Bernhard Moitessier.. What a crazy man! Nearly home and then heads off for a partial repeat.!! What a character.!!
This was my second movie today about sailing and @ 1:16:49 he writes in his logbook about "cosmic beings" and the same thing was mentioned in the other one, twice. It's quite interesting to hear about ET reaching out when you're in the middle of the Ocean on the high seas...
That was an amazing story. Our world has changed so much, and nowadays, nothing would be "lost" in admitting that his boat wasn't ready to tackle the southern ocean, and dropping out of the race, but in those days that would be shameful by general public standards, which of course is pure ignorance to hold that stance, 'cause they didn't really fully know the deep perils of global sail 'cause of lack of info, but that is all fully exposed now in an information age. It's easy to say now he did the wrong thing, but nowadays everything is more open, but then life was totally different.
Well, today there would be exponentially more $$in $$ involved....which is actually what pushed him...the loans/money he owed....not so much his image but the company he created making electronic navigational aids that he believed winning the race would help advertise and give him "his break"
the shame of failure and deception was only part of it - he stood to be declared bankrupt. Of course when he killed himself he was leaving his wife to face it all alone.
