Gregory Newell Smith draws on his 50,000 miles of blue water sailing, and a lifetime of world travels, to describe what it's really like to be out there--on your own, far away from family, friends, and the societal safety nets we have come to depend on. From a terrifying storm in the Tasman Sea, to the befuddlement of a Fijian kava ceremony, to the intimate relationship with the stars for sextant navigation, Smith tells would-be-adventurers how it feels to experience the pleasures and trials of extended travel. These days, with the Internet, sailing blogs, and GPS, cruising may seem less daunting, but the ocean--the Open Sea--still remains the greatest challenge of all.