Just Sea and Sky cover art

Just Sea and Sky

England to New Zealand the Hard Way

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Just Sea and Sky

By: Ben Pester, Dick Durham - introduction
Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
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About this listen

This charming account of the voyage of two men in a small boat half way round the world from Plymouth to New Zealand in 1953 is a rare insight into a time, not long ago, when sailors had no GPS, electronics, radio or any of the mod cons that we take for granted today. Without lifejacket or a life raft, they 'just took what came along', hand steering all the way, navigating by sextant, hand-cranking their engine and using oil lamps for light at night and for navigation. Sailors will be staggered how primitive conditions were only a few decades ago, even though it was the norm at the time. Part travelogue and part adventure story, the two friends encountered drunken harbor masters, the mafia, the legacy of slavery and lost civilizations in the Pacific. Beautifully written, vivid in its descriptions of the two men's exploits ashore and on board, this quirky and entertaining audiobook will be a fascinating listen for sailors and non-sailors alike.

"A compelling story - I feel like I have sailed with them." (Yachting Monthly)

©2010 Ben Pester (P)2014 Audible Inc.
Adventure Travel Australia & Oceania Oceania Sailing Travel Writing & Commentary Adventure Transportation

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Good story not well told

Exciting story told in an inflated style: the author would rather say "not inconsiderable " than "big".
The reader is obviously not a sailor, mispronouncing words like "leadline". He pronounces names like Batavia and the Marquesas in a way I've never before heard.

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