Wayward Sailor Delves into the life of Tristan Jones and uncovers a great work of fiction

Wayward Sailor: In search of the real Tristan Jones

by Anthony Dalton, International Marine 2003/2004

If you have read any of Tristan Jones’ yarns, you are likely in one of two camps.  The first camp loves his books and views them as great adventures in storytelling.  The second camp views them as pure hogwash and certainly not worthy of time expenditure.  I belong to the first of the camps.  And although I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read a story about Tristan, I found it fascinating.

Tristan was one of the most successful sailing writers of the twentieth century, but few knew him well.  Everyone knew he sailed.  But most also knew that it would have taken many lifetimes to experience all the adventures Tristan recounted.  Anthony Dalton, an expedition guide and adventurer in his own right, set out to learn who Tristan really was.  What he found weaves a story almost as good as one of Tristan’s yarns. 

Not surprisingly, Tristan was not who he said he was, but who he wanted us to believe he was.  Self-educated and highly creative, his persona was probably his most creative work.  A painstainkingly written and absorbing story of Tristan’s parallel lives – the one he lived, and the one he created.

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