Modern Era Voyaging

Adventure in Depth – Commander William King

Published by Putnam’s, New York 1975, a first edition. Octavo, 250 pages, nicely illustrated and with a chart of the voyage. Very good condition.

Bill King perhaps the greatest Submarine Commander ever, well the only one to survive the whole of WWII. Here, in 1973, he circumnavigates the world in his specially built junk-type rigged “Galway Blazer II. Survives a capsize in the South Atlantic before being hit and damaged by a killer whale near Western Australia. Following the roaring forties route over the Pacific and Round the Horn and the return home.

An unusual book with reminiscences of submarine activity intermingled with the adventures of his circumnavigation.

Incredible voyage and reminiscences from an incredible man

$30.00

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117 Days Adrift (In the Pacific) – Maurice & Maralyn Bailey – First Australian Edition 1974

Published by The Australasian Publishing Co, Hornsby a first edition 1974. Large octavo, 192 pages with endpaper maps, further charts and numerous excellent illustrations

This story is up there with Apollo 13.

Maurice and Maralyn Bailey give up their lives as a clerk and a tax officer in the South of England sell their house to live life at sea. They had the Auralyn built to meet their own needs and finally sailed for New Zealand in June 1972.

The made the Atlantic and through the Panama without notable incident. However North East of the Galapagos it all went wrong when they were hit by a whale and the boat began to sink. All attempts to save her were in vain and they had to abandon the Auralyn for their inflatable raft and dinghy. Meagre supplies were recovered.

Along the way we have storms, capsizing, numerous sightings of ship that did not see them … the first on day 8! They captured fresh water but not without difficulty and caught fish and turtles for food. Eventually rescued by a Korean fishing vessel “Weolmi 306” drifting further north having already crossed the main shipping route.

Their remarkable story and their survival among the marine life of Pacific area known as the “Tropical convergence” warranted foreword by Sir peter Scott

Incredible story of survival in the Pacific

$30.00

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Come Aboard – Eric Hiscock – First Edition 1978

Published by Oxford University Press a first edition 1978. Octavo, 237 pages with 43 coloured photographs by the Hiscock’s and seven charts. Very good near fine condition.

In 1976, Eric Hiscock and his wife set off on their third circumnavigation of the world.

They traveled west from New Zealand in the jib-headed ketch Wanderer IV via the Durban to England, the Canaries and a stop off in the West Indies before through the Panama and across the Pacific taking in the Marquesas, Tahiti and Fiji.

Nicely illustrated and with good technical dialogue.

Fine sailing third time all the way

$30.00

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The Happy Island – Bengt Danielsson – First UK Edition 1952

A scarce book, the first UK edition published by George Allen & Unwin, London 1952 .. we also have the first US Edition. Octavo, 256 pages nicely illustrated with the authors photographs. Good to better condition with a chip lower dust jacket.

The author was part of the Kon-Tiki expedition. They were shipwrecked at Raroia which is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago, to the east of Tahiti.

Danielsson and his wife returned there and spent a year and a half enjoying the relaxed lifestyle. A very funny account but there is tragedy in the death of a key character and the inevitable cyclone.

Perspective .. in 2012 the population of Raroia was 233, there is nowhere to stay so visitors are always invited to stay in the homes of maybe the friendliest people on earth!

Unusual Pacific account

$30.00

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Trade Winds and Turtles – Dan Mulville – First Edition 1960

Published by Putnam, London in 1960 a first edition. Octavo, 248 pages with frontispiece of the boat and two charts. Very good near fine condition.

Dan Mulville bought an old French fishing boat “L’ Adventurier” in the Canary Isles. With a new friend he made for the West Indies and had one great adventure … involving bar fights, smuggling and shark fishing. A different sort of sailing book

Irish born Dan Mulville left school and joined an insurance company. It didn’t last long … and that was his last proper job. He was in the RAF during the war. Afterwards he delivered yachts for rich Greeks, cars for London motor firms and boasted a fine wine cellar. We like the cut of his jib!

Sailing and the wild life in the West Indies.

$25.00

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The Misty Islands – Miles Smeeton – First Ed 1969

Published by the Nautical Publishing Company (Captain’s Row, Lymington) in association with Harrap, London.

Octavo, 214 pages nicely illustrated and with endpaper maps. Very good near fine condition.

The Smeeton’s experienced sailors spent a year in Japan after a prior voyage before they set sail for Southern Ireland via … the Aleutians, Alaska, British Columbia … the down the west coast and through Panama to the West Indies. Heading north to colder foggier climate past Labrador and across to round Iceland before heading near south to the Hebrides and the final leg. Much about the sailing and the stopping’s off along the way. A special record.

Unusual voyage and a liking for colder water

$30.00

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Adventure in Depth – Commander William King

117 Days Adrift (In the Pacific) – Maurice & Maralyn Bailey – First Australian Edition 1974

Come Aboard – Eric Hiscock – First Edition 1978

The Happy Island – Bengt Danielsson – First UK Edition 1952

Trade Winds and Turtles – Dan Mulville – First Edition 1960

The Misty Islands – Miles Smeeton – First Ed 1969

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