Calling All Boat Book Worms

A good book can be a great asset onboard, either to tide you over on a rainy day, entertain guests, or relax in peace and quiet.

ADVENTURE

Clive Cussler is known for his amusing, high-stakes and predominantly marine-related action books. Atlantis Found

follows the adventures of Dirk Pitt as he strives to link mysterious shipwrecks to a seemingly random group of events and people, including a comet colliding with Earth in 7120 BCE, polished obsidian skulls, an ancient race of people and the Nazis. Through his role as a Special Projects Director at the US National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA), the book takes the reader to the depths of Antarctic waters, the rock formations of Colorado, the halls of power in Washington and more.

Interestingly, NUMA is a real-life organisation set up by Cussler to search for historic shipwrecks, yet it takes on a whole new life in these fictional works through the humour and charisma of its lead protagonist. Best for those with an armchair love of adventure.

BOOKS ABOUT AUSTRALIA

There are some wonderful books about Australia that beautifully describe our unique and alluring coastline, starting with the seminal classic children’s book by Colin Thiele, Storm Boy. It is a beautiful and sometimes sad story that follows the relationships Storm Boy has with his rescued pelican, Mr Percival, his father, and an Indigenous man, Fingerbone, with the backdrop of the ruggedness of the South Australian coastline. A great read for the young and young at heart.

If you want something more comprehensive and factual, perhaps consider King of the Australian Coast: The Work of Phillip Parker King in the Mermaid and Bathurst 1817–1822. It is a biography of Australia’s most prolific and little-known marine surveyor Phillip Parker King and although large, it's not boring. His work stretches from the Kimberley to Tasmania and gives an insight into the nautical pioneering days of the 1800s.

For those seeking an Australian history more ancient, Professor Marcia Langton’s Welcome to Country: A Travel Guide to Indigenous Australia is a guidebook with a difference. It takes you through the places, languages, art, stories and traditions of Australia’s Indigenous and Torres Strait Island people, offering a deeper level to the whole county.

DRAMA

For those who enjoy some drama as a juxtaposition to the serenity of being on the water, Ann Patchett’s State of Wonder is an exciting read. Following the story of Dr Marina Singh, an American pharmacologist sent to the Amazon to discover more about the death of her friend and colleague, she is reunited with her uncompromising teacher, Dr Swenson. The descriptions of the Amazonian jungle and waterways are vivid, the writing is lyrical, the story is intriguing — although a little slow to start — and the end is startling, implying a sequel.

Patchett has multiple awards for her writing and was listed by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

REAL LIFE

There is nothing like a story of a sailor against the elements to ignite the imagination and generate inspiration to get out on the boat more often. Two obvious stories are that of Kay Cottee and Jessica Watson. First Lady: A History Making Solo Voyage Around the World by Cottee chronicles her successful attempt as the first woman to sail singlehandedly around the world and Watson’s True Spirit recounts her attempt as the youngest person. Both are wonderful books but if you want something a bit calmer, Dolphins at Sunset: A Family Voyage Around the World by Elizabeth Thurston is a delightful book. It covers the four years Thurston and her family took to sail around the world on S/Y Drina, a 50-foot aluminium ketch. A professional writer, Thurston beautifully recreates destinations they visit and the reality of living onboard as a family with small children. They eventually return to Australia and live in Brisbane and you can still find Drina in the harbour at Manly.

REFERENCE GUIDES

A good bit of fiction onboard can be a saviour on a rainy day, yet a great reference book can be invaluable no matter the weather. Grant’s Guide to Fishes is the lifelong work of Ern Grant. Now in his 90s, the 12th edition is his last and is packed with over 1000 species of Australian marine life with lengthy descriptions, tips for fishing and pictures for identification. Where once it was centric to Queensland waters, it now covers the whole of Australia. Grant is a marine biologist by trade so he certainly knows his fish, coral and marine life. Whether you are a dedicated fisherman or a casual biologist, this comprehensive guide will be a valuable addition to your onboard library.

Happy reading and happy boating.