Books: The Brendan Voyage

The Brendan Voyage

(Extract)

'A truly awesome sight loomed up out of the dark just downwind of us - the white and serrated edge of a massive floe, twice the size of Brendan and glinting with malice. This apparition was rolling and wallowing like some enormous log. Its powerful, squat shape had one great bluff end which was pointing like a battering ram straight at Brendan, and was rocking backward and forward with ponderous certainty to deliver a blow of perhaps a hundred tons or so at the fragile leather. George took one look at this monster and leapt up the foremast to try to clear the jammed sail and give us steerage way. It was a slim hope. "Hang on tight !" I bellowed at him as the swell gathered up Brendan and pushed her at the great ice lump which heaved up ponderously to greet her. Crack ! Thump ! the whole boat shook as if she had struck a reef, which indeed she had, but a reef of ice. The impact flung George backward from the mast ...'

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