Flirting with Mermaids
The Unpredictable Life of a Sailboat Delivery Skipper
by John Kretschmer
Recommended by Antonio García Martínez
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Reading Profile
Should I read this?
Flirting With Mermaids reads like a salt-stained logbook of long passages: episodic, vivid accounts of Cape Horn, a Force 13 North Atlantic winter crossing, and an unusual Caribbean research voyage. The book's value lies in sensory storm reporting and concrete moments of seamanship that show how decisions play out under pressure. Its main limitation is anecdote density—stories accumulate without organized instruction—and an occasional taste for risk-tinted romance that won't satisfy readers looking for systematic technical guidance.
Read this if...
- •a coastal cruiser preparing for a first offshore passage who wants visceral accounts to calibrate weather, seamanship demands, and the stakes of long runs
- •an armchair sailor who collects maritime memoirs and enjoys high-adrenaline, scene-by-scene stories of storms, landfalls, and odd voyages
- •a yacht-club instructor looking for real-life anecdotes to illustrate seamanship, weather respect, and decision-making under stress for classroom discussion
Skip this if...
- •annoying if you prefer step-by-step instruction or modern navigation detail—the book lacks systematic technical guidance
- •you'll likely put it down when similar storm-and-landfall anecdotes repeat and stop adding new insight, especially mid-book when the pace feels cyclical
- •annoying if you dislike a romantic or risk-tinted tone—readers wanting detached analysis or cautious planning may find the author's bravado grating
In fifteen years of making landfalls, the author has had numerous sailing adventures including a voyage around Cape Horn, a winter crossing of the North Atlantic with Force 13 winds, and an unusual research voyage in the Caribbean....
Before You Buy
Reading Specifications
Difficulty:medium
Audience Fit
- a coastal cruiser preparing for a first offshore passage who wants visceral accounts to calibrate weather, seamanship demands, and the stakes of long runs
- an armchair sailor who collects maritime memoirs and enjoys high-adrenaline, scene-by-scene stories of storms, landfalls, and odd voyages
- a yacht-club instructor looking for real-life anecdotes to illustrate seamanship, weather respect, and decision-making under stress for classroom discussion
- annoying if you prefer step-by-step instruction or modern navigation detail—the book lacks systematic technical guidance
- you'll likely put it down when similar storm-and-landfall anecdotes repeat and stop adding new insight, especially mid-book when the pace feels cyclical
- annoying if you dislike a romantic or risk-tinted tone—readers wanting detached analysis or cautious planning may find the author's bravado grating
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Why recommended
Recommended by 1 source and appears in Sailing and Travel.
Recommended by notable people
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
Appears In
Not sure if this is the right fit?
Consider Au Contraire! by Gilles Asselin. Recommended by 3 sources.
“Starts breezy and conversational, full of short, often wry anecdotes and cultural snapshots that aim to make the French feel legible without pretense. Most useful as a mood-setting primer: it points out recurring contradictions—independence and romance, formality and spontaneity—in ways you can repeat in conversation or use to temper expectations as a visitor or newcomer. Limiting when you want systematic analysis, statistics, or practical behavioral steps: the tone favors impressionistic storytelling and generalization, so skeptical readers may find it light on evidence.”
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How recommendation signals are reviewed
Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.