Newspaper readers across America were concerned when Jack London announced his intention to sail around the world – and months later, they were mostly amused: The boat that the author had specially built was never completed, consumed vast amounts of money, and soon became the laughingstock of the nation. Jack London was undeterred. In April 1907, the Snark finally set sail, leaving San Francisco headed for Hawaii. However, shortly after departing, the mishaps continued: The ship's engine proved to be useless, the interior fell apart, the ship's cook couldn't cook, no one on board knew how to navigate, and the assistant navigator firmly believed that the ship was sailing inside a hollow Earth. There was no doubt: The journey was a debacle. Yet, Jack London spent time aboard the Snark, in the company of his crew.