Ice! - Tristan Jones

This is the story of Tristan Jones' sailing expedition in the Arctic, undertaken after his discharge from the Navy, apparently unfit for more seagoing. He converted a small yacht, Cresswell", to a cruising ketch and started sailing, determined to sail farther north than anyone else. He set out from Iceland accompanied only by Nelson, his one-eyed, three-legged dog.
Jones spent two winters in suspense and danger in this bleak polar region. He was trapped by violent snowstorms, attacked by a ravenous polar bear, and marooned on an ice pack in the Arctic Ocean - all the while struggling with loneliness and despair, plus dwindling supplies. Finally, when the ice shifted, crushing "Cresswell" like a matchbox, Jones had to deal with the horror of possible death."