****
Today, I'm featuring reviews of three sailing-related books. Two were written by fellow members of the Women Who Sail Facebook group - Jackie Parry and Daria Blackwell - and recount their adventures crossing oceans, exploring new countries and cultures, and connecting with fellow cruisers. Chris DiCroce's book is jam-packed with information about the ins and outs of traveling along the Atlantic ICW (intracoastal waterway).
>>This is It<< is a wonderfully
well-written memoir of the author's adventures buying a sailboat in
San Francisco with her husband, and then sailing it across the
Pacific back to their home in Australia. The author has a beautiful
voice and way with words which effortlessly draws the reader in and
makes them feel like they're part of the adventure.
During the course of the book, we follow the crew of Pyewacket from San Francisco on the first part of their journey through Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama and then across the Pacific with stops at fascinating places like Pitcairn, the Gambiers, and Suwarrow. The descriptions of the highs and lows of cruising are fascinating. I loved reading about their experiences immersing themselves in local cultures, and the friendships they made with fellow cruisers. There were also times when I was sitting at the edge of my seat with my pulse racing as the author described the treacherous conditions they faced during their journey.
Bonus material is provided at the end of the book with information about buying a boat in a foreign country, the areas where they cruised, and the process of importing a boat into Australia.
This book is far more than a travel memoir about sailing; it helps you understand the restless spirit that drives and inspires people to lead a nomadic life in search of their next adventure. A great read for anyone who is dreaming about cruising, as well as those already out there living the dream.
During the course of the book, we follow the crew of Pyewacket from San Francisco on the first part of their journey through Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama and then across the Pacific with stops at fascinating places like Pitcairn, the Gambiers, and Suwarrow. The descriptions of the highs and lows of cruising are fascinating. I loved reading about their experiences immersing themselves in local cultures, and the friendships they made with fellow cruisers. There were also times when I was sitting at the edge of my seat with my pulse racing as the author described the treacherous conditions they faced during their journey.
Bonus material is provided at the end of the book with information about buying a boat in a foreign country, the areas where they cruised, and the process of importing a boat into Australia.
This book is far more than a travel memoir about sailing; it helps you understand the restless spirit that drives and inspires people to lead a nomadic life in search of their next adventure. A great read for anyone who is dreaming about cruising, as well as those already out there living the dream.
THE NAKED TRUTH: A NAUTICAL MURDER MYSTERY | by Daria Blackwell
If
you've ever wanted to know what it's like to cross the Atlantic on a
sailboat and cruise in the Caribbean, then this book is for you. >>The
Naked Truth<< reads like a fictional travel memoir with a “murderous”
twist.
The two main characters, Xander and Jessica Lynch, are exploring the Canary Islands on their Oyster 47 ketch, Arcadia, when Jessica witnesses a brutal murder. Unfortunately, the murder remains an unsolved mystery when they depart the Canaries and sail to Barbados. Other mysterious events take place during their time in the Caribbean which turn out to have a surprising cause.
The two main characters, Xander and Jessica Lynch, are exploring the Canary Islands on their Oyster 47 ketch, Arcadia, when Jessica witnesses a brutal murder. Unfortunately, the murder remains an unsolved mystery when they depart the Canaries and sail to Barbados. Other mysterious events take place during their time in the Caribbean which turn out to have a surprising cause.
This
nautical murder mystery is set against the fascinating background of
living aboard and cruising on a sailboat. Throughout the book, the
reader is treated to descriptions of various Caribbean islands, their
people, and history. Different aspects of life aboard a boat are
shared in an engaging way – including provisioning, communication
on passage, clearing into different countries, the deep connections
one forms with fellow cruisers, weather forecasting, seasickness, and
watchkeeping. The author also describes Xander and Jessica's desire
to write a book on anchoring, something the author and her husband
have done in real life.
Whether you're a fellow cruiser or an armchair sailor, >>The Naked Truth<< will be a fascinating read and may inspire adventures of your own.
Whether you're a fellow cruiser or an armchair sailor, >>The Naked Truth<< will be a fascinating read and may inspire adventures of your own.
>> Find out more about Daria and her books at Amazon | Website <<
WHAT'S UP DITCH!: THE INS AND OUTS OF CRUISING THE ATLANTIC ICW | by Chris DiCroce
The author and his wife have
traveled up and down the ICW numerous times. He provides his views,
based on their experience, on a range of topics including preparing
your boat (focusing on what's essential vs. nice-to-have); holding
tanks and pumping out; navigation and weather; navigation and charts;
currents and tides; bridges; engine issues; dinghies; having a dog
onboard; anchoring; connectivity; going aground; and the importance
of being courteous to your fellow boater.
As the author states, >>What's Up Ditch!<< isn't meant to be a guidebook or a “how-to-sail” book. Instead, he provides his personal perspective on traveling on the ICW and shares the things that they've learned and the misadventures they've had in order to ease fears and help “nudge” people into exploring this waterway. I enjoyed his humorous, light-hearted approach to the subject matter, which made it feel like he was sharing stories about his experiences over a cold beer at anchor.
This is a great introduction for people who are considering cruising on the ICW. Even if you're an experienced boater and have traveled the ICW before, you're bound to pick up some new insights.
As the author states, >>What's Up Ditch!<< isn't meant to be a guidebook or a “how-to-sail” book. Instead, he provides his personal perspective on traveling on the ICW and shares the things that they've learned and the misadventures they've had in order to ease fears and help “nudge” people into exploring this waterway. I enjoyed his humorous, light-hearted approach to the subject matter, which made it feel like he was sharing stories about his experiences over a cold beer at anchor.
This is a great introduction for people who are considering cruising on the ICW. Even if you're an experienced boater and have traveled the ICW before, you're bound to pick up some new insights.
>> Find out more about Chris and his books at Amazon | Website <<
Note: I won a copy of >>What's Up Ditch<< courtesy of Saving to Sail (a site dedicated to learning how to make money online, while sailing the world) and voluntarily chose to leave an honest review.
****
 |
| Image courtesy of The Graphics Fairy |
Have you read a good book lately? One of the best ways you can thank an author is to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. One of my New Year's resolutions is to try and be better about leaving reviews, especially for indie authors.
What books have you been reading lately? Have you read any of the sailing books featured here today? Do you leave book reviews?
Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!
Great boating roundup! Sometimes it is tough to find good boating lifestyle books. Thanks to you, I have read a few Alison Pataki books and a few M.C. Beaton books lately.
ReplyDeleteGlad I could help with your reading list :-)
DeleteI love murder mysteries and that's what I read most of the time. I've not read any of these, but I think I would love your murder mystery.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ♥
Mysteries are one of my favorite genres as well.
DeleteLet's see. I just finished a post-Civil War novel by Elizabeth Seckman, which I really enjoyed, and now I'm reading a non-fiction about selling books and upping one's ratings on Amazon. It goes into keywords and algorhythms and all that jazz.
ReplyDeleteI read one of Elizabeth's books - a fun read. All of the stuff that goes into marketing books, like figuring out how Amazon works, is just so overwhelming to me.
DeleteWell, it never overwhelmed me before, because I pretty much ignored it. I figured it was time to learn what I'm (supposed to be) doing before my next book comes out. :)
DeleteGreat suggestions. My brother is a sailing instructor and I'm always trying to figure out what to give him for his birthday and now I have 3 good ideas.
ReplyDeleteHow neat that your brother teaches sailing! He might enjoy one of these books. I'll probably be doing future sailing book reviews as well.
DeleteI feel like a little bit of a failure. I'm trying to think how you could design a story around being on a boat and I'm realizing I can't put one together. Might need to find a boat to hang out on for a while. haha
ReplyDeleteI think hanging out on a boat is definitely the answer :-)
DeleteThese all sound good, but The Naked Truth especially appeals to me. I considered moving to the Canaries at one point.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reviews, Ellen!
The Naked Truth is quite interesting. It's not a "typical" murder mystery. Definitely has a twist to it.
Delete