Sailing Alone Around the World · Chapter
II explained
Captain Slocum spends time fishing off the coast, then decides to embark on a voyage around the world.
What happens
Captain Slocum spends time fishing off the coast, then decides to embark on a voyage around the world. He departs Boston on April 24, 1895, sails to Gloucester for supplies, and then to Nova Scotia, where he visits old friends. He refits the Spray, including a half-dory as a boat, and continues his journey.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the dramatic climax because it marks the psychological and physical turning point of the voyage: after…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Freedom and Independence
Slocum sets out alone, relying on his own judgment and skills.
- Craftsmanship and Seamanship
Refitting the Spray, including making a half-dory, demonstrates practical seamanship.
- Resilience and Perseverance
Despite challenges like rough weather and a wrong course, Slocum persists.
Characters to notice
- Spray
The sloop is overhauled and refitted for the voyage.
- Captain Joshua Slocum
Decides on a voyage around the world and departs Boston.
- Mr. Lowry
A tailor from Briar's Island, remembered for an eccentric accident with gunpowder.
Key passages
“I had resolved on a voyage around the world, and as the wind on the morning of April 24, 1895, was fair, at noon I weighed anchor, set sail, and filled away from Boston.”
Slocum decided to circumnavigate the globe and left Boston on April 24, 1895, with favorable winds.
The departure from Boston marks the beginning of his solo voyage.
“The want of a chronometer for the voyage was all that now worried me.”
Slocum was concerned about not having a chronometer for navigation.
He chose to leave his old chronometer behind due to cost, relying on other methods.
