The Reluctant Mariner by Joanna Hackett

The Reluctant Mariner tells of an Australian couple's five-year circumnavigation of the world in a 12.2-metre long, steel-hulled ketch called Onawa. The author, Joanna Hackett, was once a self-proclaimed landlubber who had never even considered sailing off over the horizon in search of adventure but, having married a man keen to do just that, was willing to "give it a go". Her candid account, penned with dry wit and accessible style, made The Reluctant Mariner a sell-out when it first hit the shelves in 2001. This is a fascinating read for the armchair traveler and essential reading for all those about to set sail for the great unknown. If you want to know what it's like to spend five years sailing around the world with your partner in a small yacht (and still remain friends), this captivating, amusing and insightful book is for you.