Once is Enough

The book recounts the Smeeton family's near-fatal attempt to sail their boat, the *Tzu Hang*, around Cape Horn in the Southern Ocean. They were caught in a massive storm that violently pitch-poled (capsized end-over-end) their vessel.

The crew consisted of Miles Smeeton, his wife Beryl Smeeton, and their friend John Guzzwell. Despite the violent capsizing in freezing Antarctic waters, all three incredibly survived the ordeal and managed to save the sinking boat.

Yes, Miles Smeeton actually made two more attempts to round the notorious cape after repairing the *Tzu Hang*. This stubborn pursuit of a route that almost killed them is the source of the book's famous title, "Once is Enough."

It is frequently compared to Joshua Slocum's "Sailing Alone Around the World" as a masterpiece of maritime survival literature. It stands out in the genre for its honest depiction of the sheer terrifying power of the Southern Ocean.