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by Jenny Whelan (Author)
Dogsail: Sailing round Britain with a Dog, a Chatbot, and a Swedish Viking
"The doctor spoke carefully. Long stay. Months in intensive care. Slow recovery. A new kind of life, smaller and more cautious than the one before. Pete listened. Then he signed himself out, walked to the marina, and climbed back aboard his yacht."
Seven years after being declared clinically dead following a stroke, Pete, a stubborn Swedish Viking with a penchant for offshore sailing and a refusal to follow "inadvisable" medical advice, decided it was finally time to fulfill a boyhood dream: a full circumnavigation of Great Britain.
But this wasn't a solo voyage. He was bringing along 38 kilograms of gentle, fur-shedding loyalty: Svea, a Bernese Mountain Dog who had been raised aboard his Westerly Fulmar and expected to be adored in every pub from Shotley to Stornoway.
Then, there was me. As a veteran detective with London's Metropolitan Police, I was more used to fighting criminals than fighting tides. I came to the crew with two complications: a lifelong fear of dogs and a fascination with Artificial Intelligence.
Dogsail is the story of an 1,800-mile experiment in trust, technology, and the enduring power of a dog's bladder.
Inside the Voyage:
- The Viking vs. The Machine: Watch the sparks fly as Pete's traditional paper charts and "Mk 1 Eyeball" navigation go head-to-head with a chatbot that can time a lock perfectly but thinks Wetherspoons allows dogs.
- A New Breed of Crew: Follow the transformation of a nervous first mate who once gave dogs a wide berth into a woman who found herself leaning into a 45kg Bernese for comfort during the heavy overfalls of the Irish Sea.
- The Wild Edges of Britain: Experience the "strong fjord" of Strangford Lough at 12 knots, the eerie silence of being held in the mud of Bridlington, and the breathtaking moment an AI identified a mysterious fin off Peterhead as an orca.
- The "Scandinavian" Discount: Discover how Pete's Swedish heritage (and a few strategic omissions about living in Suffolk) earned the crew free drinks and celebrity status in every Scottish fishing village.
Practical Wisdom for Modern Sailors:
More than just a memoir, DOGSAIL includes the hard-won "Dogsail Tips" that every cruising sailor needs:
- The D.O.B. (Dog Overboard) Drill: Why a wet dog suddenly weighs 55kg and how to rig a spinnaker halyard to lift them safely.
- The Bladder Equation: How to plan 80-mile passages around the "Dog Filter"-finding grass within five minutes of the pontoon.
- AI vs. The Almanac: A definitive guide on when to trust the chatbot and when to stick with the "Golden Rule"-Reeds doesn't argue, so always back the Almanac.
The sea doesn't change. The sailor does. Coming back is how you measure the distance."
Whether you are a seasoned yachtsman, a dog lover, or someone curious about how AI is changing our world, DOGSAIL is a funny, moving, and technically insightful account of what happens when you stop trying to force the plan and start following the dog.
Order your copy today and join the crew on the ultimate 130-day loop around the British Isles
