Tommi Dreik Lone navigator, descendant of the famous pirate Country: USA

1. The Unfortunate Sailor - Tommy Drake
2. Building the First Yacht
3. Continuing with Determination
4. A Hero's Welcome
5. The Fourth Yacht

The Unfortunate Sailor - Tommy Drake

Tommy Drake, a lone sailor and descendant of the famous pirate, was known as a failure, and there was a great deal of truth to that. With incredible perseverance, he attempted to circumnavigate the globe, but luck was not on his side. Three of his yachts now rest at the bottom of the sea. However, Drake was also known as a lucky man, and this too was not without truth. He emerged unscathed from three maritime disasters, a feat not achieved by many.

Building the First Yacht

In 1915, Drake built his first yacht with his own hands. This small schooner measured 9.75 meters in length and 3.05 meters in width. Drake used oak for the keel, sternpost, and frames, and cedar for the hull and deck. His navigation equipment consisted of a sextant, barometer, compass, and... an alarm clock. For several years, Drake sailed along the west coast of North America, before venturing into the Caribbean Sea and ports along the Atlantic coast. On his return journey to Puget Sound, after passing through the Panama Canal, his schooner, loaded with collections of shells, corals, and sponges, was wrecked during a severe storm off the coast of Mexico in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Drake suffered no bodily injuries during the shipwreck, but his schooner was severely damaged. Undeterred by this failure, Drake built a new yacht and set sail once again.

Continuing with Determination

Misfortune continued to haunt Drake on his second voyage. While sailing near the Greater Antilles, his yacht was wrecked on coral reefs near Cuba. The sailor escaped with minor scratches. Undeterred, Drake embarked on the construction of his third yacht. Despite not being a superstitious man, Drake chose not to name this new yacht after his pirate ancestor. Instead, he named it "Success". This schooner measured 10.6 meters in length, 3.4 meters in width, and had a draft of 1.2 meters. It seemed that luck had finally come to the sailor's side. Setting sail once again, Drake attempted to complete his circumnavigation. He successfully sailed along the eastern shores of the American continent and spent several months in the Caribbean Sea. From Nassau in the Bahamas, Drake sailed to Charleston, South Carolina, where he spent several months repairing the yacht before crossing the Atlantic. Well-prepared, he set course towards the shores of Europe, passing the Azores. However, near the coast of England, his yacht encountered a severe storm - the first storm of the entire journey. After fifty-two days of solo travel, Drake made a stop in Falmouth, Cornwall.

A Hero's Welcome

Drake then sailed up the Thames and visited his hometown of Gravesend, where he had not been for fifty years. The sailor was warmly welcomed, and his yacht became an object of pilgrimage. Drake continued his journey to the North Sea, visiting ports in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. While navigating stormy weather off the coast of the Netherlands, in very poor visibility conditions, his yacht was wrecked at the mouth of the Scheldt. The sixty-six-year-old sailor, who managed to save himself on a lifeboat, was rescued by local fishermen. Drake returned to Puget Sound by steamship. The journey lasted over three years, during which time the yacht covered 30,000 miles and visited 117 ports.

The Fourth Yacht

Drake's fourth yacht was a two-masted schooner measuring 11.3 meters in length, 3.7 meters in width, and with a draft of 1.2 meters. The seventy-year-old Drake embarked on another voyage, this time along the Pacific coast of North America. He then set sail for the Hawaiian Islands, reaching them in twenty-eight days, covering 3,000 miles. After an extended stay among the islands, Drake began his return journey to the mainland, which took him fifty-three days. This voyage was particularly challenging, with constant storms and headwinds hindering good progress. Additionally, the sailor seriously injured his left hand.

According to some sources, Drake sailed a total of 130,000 miles during his voyages.