More than a tale of adventure, this touching account of a father and son's rite of passage assesses their complex and evolving relationship. Alone with nothing but the mammoth waves of the Southern Ocean, the unceasing wind, a compass, a sextant, and a pet cat, David and Daniel Hays voyage down the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, past the Galapagos Islands, beyond Easter Island, and around their desintation--Cape Horn. Father and son alternately narrate, their voices weaving together an engrossing story of travel, exploration, and difficult, dangerous sailing. 16 maps. Line drawings.