A life-voyage afloat
During the five decades since students Jon and Babs Tucker (aged 19 years) bought the plans for the traditional ketch (New Zealand Maid) that was to become their home, their life has been punctuated with extraordinary experiences. Babs was the redhaired horse-riding tomboy who lived next door when they were still at school, and they shared a dream to raise a family aboard their own sailing boat.
During recent years Jon (as well as writing various books) has been writing articles for a variety of publications which describe some of their more unusual adventures, ranging from remote tropical encounters to Antarctic voyages. Their five sons grew up experiencing a variety of remote locations and have become sailing legends in their own right.
Jon’s writing style has been applauded around the globe for its quirky humour and blend of technical detail with emotional response.
REVIEWS:
I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that resonated with me in so many ways, which makes it hard to separate objective from personal. First impressions — amazing, fascinating, hypnotic, hilarious… and some adjectives I can’t quite bring to mind.
Molly McGinnis, Editor, California
An excellent volume from Jon Tucker, a sailor whose idea of a summer cruise has involved plenty of long-distance voyaging in the more difficult parts of the Southern Ocean and the Pacific. It comprises a set of truly splendid stories, which taken together add up to a sort of family autobiography of the Tuckers and their five sons bought up on the family ketch New Zealand Maid. Inspirational.
Sam Llewellyn, Editor -The Marine Quarterly, UK, March 2014
A really enjoyable book that I could relate to so much. Jon’s writing style is very readable and amusing, with definite appeal to sailors and non-sailors alike. The unconventional approach to bringing up children is food for thought for the ‘helicopter’ parents of today. The pictures are great!
Karin Lotte – World circumnavigator, NZ
I loved this book, I felt like I was there with them on the boat, going along for the trips, having the experience from the comfort of my home without a wet salty bum.
Rosie Bason, Author/sailor, Australia
WOW! Just loved it. It’s really a great read and I imagine it will go down really well with sailors as well as landlubbers. I love the way Jon Tucker tells a story with ease, but also adds side bar stories to add more information. It creates a good mix. I thoroughly enjoyed the read, so much that many I read many chapters twice.
Dianne Watts – reviewer/sailor, Taranaki, NZ
An immensely enjoyable read, which will be having a half-page extract and review published in the forthcoming April edition of Yachting Monthly.
Julia Jones, Book reviewer ,Yachting Monthly (UK)
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
This is not specifically an autobiography. Please view it as a smorgasbord of bite-sized offerings which reflect the essence of an unconventional life-voyage. They are a mix of savoury and sweet, ready to be tasted according to your whim. I hope these may sate the appetites of the various readers who hungrily devoured Snow Petrel and requested a back-story.
Many of these pieces have previously appeared in maritime publications – in particular The Marine Quarterly edited by fellow-author Sam Llewellyn. It is largely due to Sam’s regular prodding and quirky literary tastes that they came off the back-burner and into print.
The photographs which garnish many of these tales are largely due to the artistic eye of my life-long co-skipper Babs, without whom my life would have been far more ordinary.
CONTENTS:
1 Well-Intentioned Advice (and a dash of luck)
2.’School trip’ to the Chathams
3. Schoolwork afloat
4. Tuna Trolling under Sail
5. Protest voyage to Moruroa
6. Husbanding sleep at sea
7 Undersized shipmates
8. The windiest place in the world
9. Trouble in Antarctica – the Shokalskiy debacle
10. Deliveries
11. “Do you ever get scared?”
12 The Mince Tart Voyage
13. Seaquakes
14. Transiting the Panama Canal
15. A few islands
16. Range and trajectory
17. The Boys and their Boats
18. Just another shopping trip
This book is available in multiple formats world-wide, namely ebook, audio book, paperback (either black & white or colour), and hardback colour. For more information contact Barbara at stormbaybooks@gmail.com