Captain Heo Yeong-man and thirteen reckless men, our island's unpowered yacht voyage!

Heo Young-man and thirteen men, what started out as a joke grew into a serious accident.
A single word from artist Heo Young-man, who was having a drink with his friends at a bar in Insa-dong, became the cause of the trouble.
"There's a path through the sea, isn't there? But why have we only traveled through the mountains all this time? Let's take a sailboat and explore the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range of the sea.
“From the West Sea to the South Sea, all the way to the youngest part of the country, Dokdo.” Captain Park Young-seok, the Himalayan man who was standing next to him, supported Painter Heo.
“Fighting the waves and riding the wind to Dokdo∼.
“Wow, that sounds good.”

That's how the yacht tour began, leaving Jeongok Port, cruising the South Sea and the East Sea, circling Dokdo, and ending in Samcheok.
The straight-line distance by land between Jeongok Port and Samcheok Port is 218 kilometers.
If you drive, you can get there in less than four hours, and if you ride a bike, you can get there in half a day.
It took a full year to travel that short distance by sea, passing through the outer islands that served as territorial waters, and the total sailing distance was 3,075 kilometers.

The ox horn was pulled out in one fell swoop.
Fourteen middle-aged men, determined to circumnavigate the islands along the Korean Peninsula's sea route in a non-powered sailboat, hurriedly acquired an old yacht that was 15 years old.
And after six months of yacht repairs, they finally departed from Jeongok Port in Gyeonggi Province on June 6, 2009, and embarked on a year-long voyage around the Korean Peninsula, from the Gyeokryeolbi Islands at the tip of the West Sea to Marado and Ulleungdo, and finally to Dokdo at the tip of the East Sea.
They were a complete stranger to the sea and navigation, and all they had was trust in each other, a childlike sense of adventure, and curiosity.


Until this time, no one could have anticipated the great ordeal that awaited them.
As soon as the voyage began, they had to endure the constant onslaught of mosquitoes day and night in the summer, and in the cold winter, they had to get used to bivouacs where they had to rely on a single sleeping bag on the cement floor, not to mention sailing through the biting winds. Seasickness made even Captain Park Young-seok, the man of the Himalayas, give up.
On days when there was no wind, I was worried because the boat wouldn't move forward, and on days when the wind was strong, I was in danger from high waves more than once.
Among them, the most difficult thing was to become an acrobat on a rocking boat and solve physiological problems.


Throughout their voyage, they had to deal with rough sea men instead of the beautiful women on yachts they had seen in movies, and instead of romantic red wine, they saw crimson blood.
As you personally experience the truth that 'leaving home is hardship,' you discover the vitality of life hidden behind that hardship.


As Mr. Heo said, “I had so much fun hoisting the sails and tying the ropes that I didn’t even realize I was hurt, with blood running down my forehead.” Through this rough challenge, he was able to escape the boredom of everyday life and gain new joy and vitality.


South Korean men are crushed by the responsibility of being the eldest and live without a place to rest their weary souls.
For the men of this land, who were once focused on work and the company, but are now suddenly confused by the question, "Am I living a proper life?", the reckless but cheerful challenge of Heo Yeong-man and the thirteen men will provide a deep sense of vicarious satisfaction.
In particular, the witty paintings of artist Heo Yeong-man, who has a particularly colorful(?) experience of running away from home, and the photos containing the scenery of our sea and our islands are pushing us to leave with our backpacks on our backs.


What you can only see through non-motorized yacht camping,
A hidden gem-like island and a fantastic taste known only to the islanders!

In recent years, some of our islands with hidden scenic beauty have become known thanks to the TV program "2 Days & 1 Night" and the island camping craze, but many islands still have yet to reveal their jewel-like beauty.
It is fortunate that through this book I can quench my thirst for beautiful places that I want to visit but cannot because there are no passenger ships.


From the first day they set sail on their epic journey around the Korean Peninsula, they are captivated by the beauty of the seagull kingdom, Seondan-yeo, spread out in the sea off Gureopdo Island, and the taste of the steamed skate prepared by the Gureopdo village chief.
If Dokdo is at the eastern end, there are probably not many people who know that Gyeokryeolbi Islands are at the western end.
If you check out the Gyeokryeokbi Islands at the tip of the West Sea, where black-tailed gulls claim to be the masters, and then go down to Eocheong Island, located at the outermost point of the Gogunsan Islands in South Chungcheong Province, you can see the ghostly skills of the naval petty officers who protect our seas.
After boarding a yacht that heads south via Simipadongdo and Sangwangdeungdo, you will soon arrive at Samhakdo in the historic city of Mokpo.
The next sailing destination is Hwasun Port in Jeju, passing through the Uldulmok area of ​​the Battle of Myeongnyang, Jodo and Hayido.
Even up to here, our islands, whose names even the most seasoned seafarers have never heard of, are spread out like stars in the sky.

Leaving behind Beomseom Island, Munseom Island, and Seopseom Island off the coast of Seogwipo, which boast spectacular volcanic rock columnar joints, we enter Yeosu Port, the center of Hallyeohaesang National Park.
From here to Busan Port, the breathtaking scenery is so breathtaking that even artist Heo Yeong-man, whose hometown is the sea, is amazed.
Geomundo, Sorido, Mulgeonhang, Maemuldo, Yokjido, Geojedo, Isudo, Jinhae, Suyeongman… … .

Leaving Busan Port and entering the East Sea, the yacht encounters a sea of ​​a completely different dimension.
As you speed up along the monotonous but cool East Sea, Seoraksan Mountain appears in the distance.
And finally, the final voyage.
The thirteen men's struggle for Dokdo continues, and the long voyage ends with their arrival at Samcheok Port at dawn.

Although I was not able to visit and experience all the islands, this yacht voyage introduced me to some of our islands.
For those who might be interested in visiting the island, I've put together a simple list of transportation options for your reference.
Since the original purpose was to circumnavigate our oceans on a non-powered yacht, I have briefly summarized detailed information about the stops and other information necessary for the trip.


At the end of the voyage, Heo Yeong-man and the thirteen men speak.
“There were countless hardships and difficulties that cannot be expressed in words, but in return for those hardships, they realized with their hearts how dazzlingly beautiful the sea, islands, and coastline of the Republic of Korea are, and as a bonus, they gained the deep friendship of men.”
So they are simulating another challenge.
I'm going to go on a coastal food tour by bike soon.


※ This book is a revised and supplemented version of “Leaving Home is Hard, But I Go Out Anyway,” which was published in 2010.

What makes camping great is that it takes us deep into nature.
A tent is like a portable accommodation.
Rather than planning your travel route around your accommodations, we bring your accommodations into your travel route.
If you want, you can build your own secret villa in a hidden spot deep in the forest or by the lake, where few people know about it.

Fall asleep looking at the stars that seem ready to pour down.
Or spend the night listening to the pitter-patter of rain and pondering the past, present, and future.
Wake up in the morning and breathe deeply into the refreshing mist rising from the water.
If you get a taste of this feeling even just once, hotel travel will become boring from then on.
No fancy hotel can match the comfort and tranquility that nature offers.
--- p.80

The day has dawned again.
I woke up refreshed as the dazzling morning sunlight poured into the tent.
Everyone goes out of the tent with a disheveled look and stretches.
A night in the forest.
My whole body feels refreshed, as if I have been nourished by phytoncide.
--- p.81

We will walk the Rockies on a 'Woobosan hike'.
Because we have not come to conquer the peak of Rocky, but to open our whole body and mind and become one with the mountains, trees, and lakes.
--- pp.85~86

The moon rises.
It wasn't a full moon, but there was enough light.
It was much brighter than the moon seen in Korea, so much so that no lights were needed.
If it's the same month, why is Canada's moon bigger, brighter, and more beautiful? Is it a motherly heart comforting those on the road? Suddenly, all the stars in the sky hold their breath.
Everyone was speechless at this completely unexpected gift from nature.
Yong-kwon is lying down and using his dragon to capture this scene on camera, and as we were just saying “Good, good,” the captain suddenly says something that makes our hearts ache.
“I’m already trying to be happy.
What should I do?”

--- pp.92~93