True Grit

They become tough by displaying spirit and determination against overwhelming odds.

His unconventional method of exploring was to travel light and fast.

And a little dose of eccentricity so often goes hand in hand with such endeavours.

Imagine what they could do to this lightweight, ramshackle raft constructed by a crazy Norwegian who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

when death seems almost certain, one of the most human reactions is a refusal to lie down and let it win.

True grit isn’t just about endurance. It’s about ingenuity too.

He argued that humans – even primitive ones – were capable of remarkable things. Of great endurance and incredible ingenuity.

By now, his body and mind were closing down. He later spoke of feeling the ghosts of all those who had ever been lost at sea surrounding him. Waiting for him to become one of their number. But they would have to carry on waiting. Steve wasn’t quite beaten yet.

He said that to go to sea was a way of reminding himself how insignificant all humans are in the face of the natural world. That it is a way of glimpsing the face of God.