The Cruise of the Snark: Jack London's voyage that went off plan
Read Jack London's first-person account of the Snark voyage: its delayed construction, early failures, Pacific journey and abandoned plan to sail around the world.
Last updated September 2026
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Jack London wrote The Cruise of the Snark about a small boat and a trip that went off plan. He meant to sail around the world with his wife, Charmian, and their friends. The early chapters tell how the boat was built, why it ran late, and what broke once it reached open water.
Image note: This shows a bookcase, not London's boat or the 1911 book. William Henry Fox Talbot took the photo in 1839. The Met marks it Public Domain/Open Access.
The gap between plan and trip gives the book its main thread. London writes about a voyage across the Pacific, not a full trip around the world. He shows what happened when the plan met bad weather, broken gear, high costs, and tired crew.
Why London wanted the voyage
In the foreword, London says he and his friend Roscoe first talked about small boats and Joshua Slocum's Spray. They chose a boat about forty feet long. London wanted to take on a hard task and see more of the world.
Honolulu was the first planned stop. London would choose later ports as the Snark drew near. He lists possible islands in the South Pacific, then a longer route. These were plans, not places he had already reached.
The Snark's construction is part of the story
Much of the book covers the boat before it sailed. London writes about its plan, gear, delays, rising costs, and his belief that the boat was strong. In the foreword he gives the planned length as forty feet, then forty-five. In the later “Backword,” he changes that figure to forty-three after he measures the boat.
The boat soon lets its owners down. London writes of a late start, a damaged engine, leaks, and broken parts. He also tells of a rough first trip. These events test his early faith in the boat, and he changes some claims as he goes.
The opening chapters show the book's tone
The book opens with “Foreword,” then “The Inconceivable and Monstrous” and “Adventure.” The titles match London's mix of jokes, anger, and risk. He shows the gap between a grand plan and the hard work of getting a poor boat to sea.
This is a travel book, not a how-to guide for sailors. London writes about the people aboard and his choices. The boat's gear and faults drive the story. If you need steps for sailing today, use a current sailing manual. If you want to see how London tells of a bold trip gone wrong, start here.
The book records an unfinished world voyage
London meant to sail around the world, but the trip in the book did not make a full circuit. In the “Backword,” he says illness forced him to stop and return to California. The note to Charmian says the sailing lasted two years.
Keep the plan and the trip apart. London planned a full world voyage but wrote about a Pacific trip.
Where to read The Cruise of the Snark
The 1911 New York Macmillan book has a Library of Congress scan. Its title and copyright pages name London and say it came out in June 1911. Project Gutenberg offers the English text as eBook 2512 and marks it public domain in the U.S. Its note asks readers in other lands to check local law.
Project Gutenberg lists the formats on its eBook page. Check it for current details and rights.
Verdict
Read The Cruise of the Snark for London's account of a trip that began with a bold plan and met real trouble. The boat's late build and early faults give the opening a clear path. Later chapters follow the Pacific trip that drew London to sea. He did not finish his plan to sail around the world.