VOYAGE OF A LIFETIME

AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME

Around the World in a Homemade Boat

freed our spirits,
intensified our love for Earth,
increased our knowledge fulfilling goals,
brought joy sharing our experience with friends worldwide
and inspired us to help shape the future.

A city boy meets a country girl who always says ‘yes’ to an adventure, and together they migrate to Australia, where they build a boat in a backyard that carries them and their two young sons around the world in ever-increasing circles.

These voyages of education take the children to their final years of high school. Now, zoom ahead thirty years, and they are a clan with little ones needing nourishment. So, Poppi and Nani combined their sons’ childhood journals with stories they wrote upon the waves around the world.

To Africa for a safari in the last wild kingdom.
To the Galapagos for a wander through
the intricacies of nature.
Then Rapa Nui
to witness the results of
over-population.
Sailing everywhere in between,
contemplating life and eternity,
and, of course, the marvellous creation.
Accompanied by
sea fairies whispering
their ageless secrets.

Adding historical notes and keping the scary bits real created a most amazing coming of age saga.

Inspirational nourishment for young minds – and all those who love life and Earth.

500 pages – illustrated with 150 images and maps
A$45 includes delivery worldwide (postal zones 1 – 7)



[ eBook available HERE

cheaper-packaged-sets


Excerpts & Teasers:

Sea Monster ~ Rapa Nui ~ Tuamotus ~ Machinegun Alley ~ Out the Other End ~ Big Monopoly Game


2 BOOK PACK    
Around Australia and Around the World
AUD$80
includes delivery worldwide (postal zones 1 – 7)





Comments and Reviews of our Books ~

Trevor Norton

Two’s a Crew ~ It’s a great read, very informative.
Every cruising boat should have a copy.

West Coast Yacht Charters
Strahan, Tasmania

Niki and Lauren at ZULU Waterways

TWO’S A CREW
The book is fantastic. So well written and a perfect balance between sailing details and historic notes and written with a raw honesty which is so essential for a Cruising book.
Niki and Lauren at ZULU Waterways

Bill and Juanita

We both have now read Where Wild Winds Blow.
The history of aboriginals saddens us but good to learn.
You have encouraged us to Put Nature First.
A good approach to life. Thanks

Petrea McCarthy, Ideas Locker Cruising Helmsman

Excellent yarn, Lovely ending, Really enjoyed reading it.

Two’s A Crew is a fantastic book that warrants a second and third read. Chock full of tips and hints for the not so experienced, history woven through in an interesting way, and a great story. Sailing story, love story, history, travel – what more could a reader want?

Petrea.

Liam Harris

Two's a CrewI love my book and video that I purchased from you and I’m watching and reading them the second time around 🙂
Best of luck and very much looking forward to reading about your adventures.

He raves about your books to anyone who will listen

Jeffery from South Australia wrote, Absolutely loved your books, felt like I sailed along with you and experienced every adventure with the same views about the environment.
I’ve sent both your books to my elderly father (85) who spent the majority of his life on the River Murray and was always around boats. He’s now in an aged care home. Regardless he is a tough critic but raves about your books endlessly to anyone who will listen.

Susan Schieder

You guys are amazing!
My partner and I are building a boat and found your voyage under Australia to be so inspiring. Quite clearly you told us about the importance of having routines in place, who does what, what to watch for. We purchased all three of your books and reading them has given our confidence a big boost. Thank you.

Lisa from WA

Where Wild Winds Blow has changed my life. I read your dedication from a copy in the library and immediately bought your book even though I have never sailed and may never step on a boat. The thought scares me. But through you two, I have vicariously experienced true love and known the courage Earth’s great explorers must have had. God Bless.

Gil Kaltenbach

Where Wild Winds Blow.It’s a great read!
I was surprised that I couldn’t put it down for I had already followed you on your blog.
The historical notes are always very interesting and I loved how you included stories from your past sailing adventures too.
You both have a wonderful and infectious sense of adventure. Thank you!

Dr. James Fitzpatrick

Oh my god, you two are brilliant. It is strange having read this ‘chapter’ of your life and knowing that much about such a brave and loved up couple. Thank you for sharing the stories.
Chief Investigator
Marulu – The Lililwan Project

Mark Sheen


Well done Jack and Judith….
I really find you guys inspiring.
I live to see the wild places of Earth.

Mark Sheen

Judy Cooperman in USA

“Your writing style has the perfect pace.
It creates strong images yet skips along without wasting words. Sort of London, sort of Hemingway, but all Capt. Jack.

Your love for each other peppers it perfectly. Good show, and thanks!”

Rosemary Bartle

Two's a Crew“Pearls of wisdom for motivation!
Absolutely loved your book,
A favourite on my bookshelf.”

Graham Swannell

Around the world“Great reading!
Felt I was experiencing some of the world beautiful places.
Also learnt something about sailing and decisions one has to make to be safe.”

Graham Swannell
Head of Design Aeronautical Engineers Australia

Margaret Muir, author

“I love your evocative descriptive passages.
Judith’s presence is felt throughout, sharing the same strength, courage and love of the wild as her man.”
Margaret Muir,  author of Floating Gold, Sea Dust, & Condor’s Feather

Diane

Your books are all so well written and are such a joy to read and imagine what it all must be like. My husband has just purchased a boat (inspired by the BANYANDAH!)

I just want to say that the world needs more people like you and thank you for sharing your stories. We hope to be “guided” through our adventures by you both. All the best to you and yours, Diane

Nick Sabardin in France

I’m halfway through the book about your circumnavigation of Australia and I’m loving it.
I actually just ordered the DVD to enjoy the footage.

I like your thoughts on life, Earth and mankind, and your writing style too!

Caitlin and Michael ~ “Bass Voyager”

We took your advice and crossed the Strait to King Island, Three Hummock Island and, since yesterday, pretty Stanley!
We owe you a great debt of thanks as we have had such a wonderful time exploring the Western islands of Tassie – and now we are on the Tas mainland – a dream for both of us since we were kids!

Phil Ross, Editor Cruising Helmsman

If you do not follow their blog, I suggest you subscribe.
Alongside Alan and Pat Lucas, if ever there was a couple like Lin and Larry residing in Australia then Jack and Jude would have to be it.
Phil Ross Editor

Petrea McCarthy – Freelance Boating Writer

Thanks for the copy of Around the World. I’ve been saving it for when I could read in the daytime because I suspected it would not be good to read it in bed. And so it proved. I have been reading it at night, and it is keeping me awake. I keep wanting to know what happened next, so continue turning the virtual pages long after the light should be out.
I’m only about halfway through, as I am rationing it to nights when the boat is rolling and I can’t sleep anyway.
So far? Amazing!

Petrea McCarthy – Freelance Boating Writer

HOVER to Pause


I love that it is raw, real and the reflections are from all four of you.
I love all the history of all the places that you have visited......some I have never heard of. I have learnt so much history from this book.
I love all the descriptions of the geography; they make you feel like you are there in person.
I love the passion for 'mother earth' that you all have and the protective fear that we are losing this treasure with overpopulation and pollution.
And I just love that you call Jude, my lady. That makes my heart melt.

The way you combine personal anecdote with history and local politics creates vivid word portraits that stay in the mind.  It adds depth to the experiences you describe and your interactions with the local populace.

You painted a vivid portrait of that mysterious, powerful, lost culture and its statues, then, in a masterful stroke, aligned that well-known story of a lost civilization to the perils we face today.  It brought the current situation into stark focus.     

Hi Jack and Jude,
I am enjoying getting to know you through your book.  You mention you do a lot of re-writing but the end result is impressive.  There is a musical cadence to your writing style.  Quiet passages as you cruise along, with delightful flourishes in moments of enchanting beauty, rising to a crescendo in moments of great drama, like your attempted night entry into Diego Suarez.


As Captain Haddock so eloquently put it, “Failure. You can never let it defeat you.”

  • Jack’s birthday wish to climb into this small volcano near Sierra Negra on Islabela Island
  • SY duen
    SY Duen - Sail mates Red Sea to Caribbean - Originally built as a fishing vessel Norway 1939
  • Isla de Malpelo - Isolated rock 200 miles off Colombia - climbed peak left a message in bottle
  • Isla de Malpelo - Jude stayed on board - boys rock hopped - thousands of bobbies nesting
  • Galapagos - Jason and Jerome investigate lava seam
  • Ecuador - Otavaio market purchasing Alpaca wool woven craft
  • Egypt - Temple of Hatshepsut – correspondence lessons coincided with both Egypt then Greece
  • Galapagos –Jerome and male tortoise near rim of volcano Alcedo 1130 M Isabela Island
  • Galapagos - Jerome acting out Darwin grabbing Marine Iguana by tail
  • Galapogos - Our guide Jairon and his girlfriend Beth - we spent two fabulous weeks touring islands
  • Jack’s birthday – Celebrate 42 years at Islabela Island with exquisite handmade card
  • Egyptian Red Sea fishermen – five days alongside sharing life stripping French wreck on reef

 
The three-year voyage explored locations known only to the wild creatures as we sailed to the world’s greatest attractions. Meeting along the way, a swirling mix of everyday people everywhere we landed. Statistically, we slept one in four nights at sea aboard a tiny dot of a sailboat about the size of a Winnebago. All of this before GPS satellite navigation. Being sextant sailors, we taught our sons how to navigate by the heavens, and then they navigated the rest of the way around the world. On that massive voyage of education, to take our children into the digital age, we took with us one of the first portable computers that came with a library of manuals. Our clever captain studied these and then taught the children several programming languages, producing the first digital game of Monopoly. He also wrote a navigation program with a built-in almanac to check the boys’ celestial sights.

Future Outlook ~

While in the Galápagos, just as Charles Darwin experienced a revelation, the Four J’s encountered something similar. Having witnessed man’s impact on Earth, and Nature’s limited ability to repair, our epiphany saw humanity in an alliance with Nature benefitting each other instead of chasing the narcissistic view of world domination.

Jacques Cousteau observed, “People Protect What They Love.”

Compiled from logbooks, children’s journals, letters and stories written while underway
Around the World in Ever Increasing Circles,
non-fiction paperback, 500 pages, 150 images and charts

Banyandah launched 1973, Sydney, Australia. Explored the islands and countries bordering the Coral Sea 1974-75. Second voyage through SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, return to Sydney through Bass Strait winter of 1978. Third voyage north to PNG, Philippines, South China Sea, Borneo to Japan across to Hawaii then returned through South Pacific in 1982. And finally Around the World 1984/1987. Relaunched in 2007, circumnavigated Australia twice, then back and forth across the bottom and around Tasmania too many times to count.

Comments

VOYAGE OF A LIFETIME — 2 Comments

    • Nigel, Appreciate your comment, you’re right, should have viewer controls which I have now added. HOVER to pause – and rt/lt arrows. A fabulous addition thanks to you. Cheers, J&J

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