Modern Era Voyaging

The Last Voyage of the Schooner Rosamond – Haakon Chevalier

A first edition published by Andre Deutsch, London in 1970. Octavo, 248 pages including “Glossary of Nautical Terms” Illustrations limited to the endpaper maps and the schematic of the vessel. Reflects the lengthy delay to the publication of the account.

It is 1920 and Haakon Chevalier and Donald Snedden decide to skip University to experience the last voyage of the four-masted schooner Rosamond. And what an experience. Just check out the chart of the voyage and imagine the sailing conditions in more than one or two spots. Great narrative.

Hard to beat a four-master on its final mammoth voyage.

$25.00

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Sea Wanderers to Australia – Martin

Published by Macmillan, Sydney a first edition 1977. Octavo, 192 pages with endpaper maps and nicely illustrated. A very good if not fine copy.

Norman Martin’s car hire business got into difficulty as UK Governments changed the rules. This was partly the stimulus that drove him and wife Sheila to give it all up in 1970 and spend five years at sea in their 42 foot ketch “Shebessa”.

And what an adventure. Circumnavigating west to the Caribbean through Panama to the Galapagos, on to the Marquesas, the Tuamato Group, Tahiti, Cook Islands, Tonga, Fiji then down to Australia landing at Byron. Down to Sydney and Melbourne before sailing for Lord Howe Island and on up to New Caledonia, Santa Cruz, Cheery Islands. Through the Solomon Islands to Rabaul and on to Madang before turning back to Cairns and on through the Torres Straits and the long sail to the Maldives. The voyage continues with equal intensity.

Martins in the Shebessa a full voyage every beauty spot visited.

$25.00

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Sails Full and By – Dom Degnon

Published by Sheridan House, Dobbs Ferry a first edition 1995. Octavo, 244 pages illustrated. Very good near fine condition.

A seven-year circumnavigation in the 41 foot ketch “Taku”. With so much time they need a full crew of friends and family who come and go during the “voyage”. With more time than some they have more time for the exotic .. and in the Pacific Ahe, Tahiti, Samoa, Sunwarrow, Tonga, Fiji and New Zealand. Then off to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea and then difficulties with the boat and they just made it to Australia’s Lizard island. And then more ….

A long time around the world an unusual narrative

$25.00

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Of Ships and Men – Alan Villiers

Published by Newnes, London in 1964 after the 1962 first. Tall octavo, 206 pages heavily illustrated. Very good condition and the best printing of a book published in a number of forms.

A personal anthology by the Master Mariner. In chronological order with “The Build-up” … the opening sentence is “There were sailing ships at the bottom of our street – real sailing-ships, I mean – Cape Horners, four-masted barques, fully-rigged” …. love it!

Then we are off with … “The Real Thing” and then “Steamships” and “Little Ships” and “War”.

Villiers unique knowledgeable writing style

$25.00

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Cutting Loose – James Lipscomb

Published by Angus and Robertson in 1975 having been published by Little, Brown in the USA the year before. Octavo, 304 pages plus diagrams of the boat and endpaper maps of the voyage. Very good condition.

This book by James Lipscomb is unusual .. five young men sail the “Four Winds” from San Pedro south to Costa Rica and then across the Pacific and on up to Singapore. His son John is the leader of the group … difficulties arise including personality issues and illness. Written in “diary fashion” it makes for interesting reading.

Cutting Loose – more than a voyage

$25.00

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Starbound (Circumnavigation) – Gordan and Nina Stuermer – 1977

Published by David McKay, New York a first edition 1977. Large octavo, 330 pages with numerous photographic illustrations taken on their voyage. Very good condition.

Gordan and Nina Stuermer decided to give up a “normal” life to sail on the square-sail ketch “Starbound”. The circumnavigated the globe in two and a half years with their teenage son. But not after living on and growing accustomed to the vessel for seven years.

They set of around the world from Annapolis, Maryland in October 1973 … down the Chesapeake Bay and off to Bermuda. Some tips on how to deal with the Panama Canal (should you be lucking enough to need them) and then into the Pacific and the beautiful island nations. Tips on the inside of the Great Barrier Reef and arriving at Dili just in time for a revolution. And further remarkable adventures ensue. Useful appendices for those with ambitious plans including the preserving of meat and other produce onboard.

Circumnavigating … a comprehensive account

$30.00

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The Last Voyage of the Schooner Rosamond – Haakon Chevalier

Sea Wanderers to Australia – Martin

Sails Full and By – Dom Degnon

Of Ships and Men – Alan Villiers

Cutting Loose – James Lipscomb

Starbound (Circumnavigation) – Gordan and Nina Stuermer – 1977

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