46k Miles Alone at Sea - Joshua Slocum

Slocum was the first solo sailor to circle the planet in the late 1890's.  He rebuilt a 100 year old boat and set sail on an incredible journey that has been recreated many times in replicas of his boat.  One of his most famous incidents was near the Straits of Magellan.  In order to ward off the local pirates he was given a box of sharp tacks.  At night, he would sprinkle them around his deck so if a local came aboard, he would step on the tacks and then jump off the boat.  It worked!  Here is a nice look back at his life from penniless mariner to toasting with presidents.