- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Sheridan House (Oct 1 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1574092677
- ISBN-13: 978-1574092677
- Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 15 x 1.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 454 g
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#876,861 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2 in Books > History > Americas > Caribbean & West Indies > Saint Vincent
- #8 in Books > History > Americas > Caribbean & West Indies > Grenada
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
An intriguing autobiography about an unconventional family -- her book certainly describes a fascinating life...recount(ing) her husband's crossing of the Pacific in the late 1940s followed by their Pacific crossing in the 1950s with a young family and completing the circumnavigation in the 1960s. The story is beautifully told by Mary, now in her early eighties. (Royal Navy Sailing Association )
John and Mary Caldwell's humdrum life in California is driving them mad. With two infants and a third child on the way, they make the 36-foot ketch Tropic Seas their home and sail around the world via Mary's native Australia, navigating by dead reckoning and sextant. Imagine the courage of a pregnant woman prone to seasickness battling the seas, sharing watch duties with her husband, and taking care of children and meals. Storms don't seem to daunt her, but a whale with amorous intentions for Tropic Seas certainly does. Roger, their third son, is born in Tahiti. After completing their circumnavigation, they convert a swampy, mosquito-infested island into the superb Palm Island Resort in the Grenadines. This book will appeal to anyone who likes their adventure stories, particularly a sailor. (The Ensign )
John Caldwell's Desperate Voyage told the story of how the author, longing for his Aussie bride, Mary, in the days after World War II, set sail on an improbable journey aboard his 29-foot PAGAN that would take him from Panama to shipwreck on a reef fringing a small island near Fiji. In Mary's Voyage, Mary Caldwell tells her own story, picking up where Desperate Voyage leaves off: Mary and John find their next boat, OUTWARD BOUND, cut their ties to work in the United States, and set sail with a toddler, an infant, and a third son on the way. It's a family adventure as they make their way across the Pacific; their only deadline is a self-imposed desire to be in Tahiti for the birth of the baby. The descriptions of the children at play are often entertaining, but in one darker scene, the kids take apart John's only sextant, forcing the family to find their way to the Marquesas via dead reckoning. Their voyage takes them nearly round the world, but ends just shy of a circumnavigation when they acquire Prune Island quickly renamed Palm Island in the just-developing Grenadines. Hard work, revolutions, and invasions do little to dampen Mary's zest for adventure and the couple's quest to build an island resort. Mary's Voyage is a delightful tale and a home-spun glimpse into a Caribbean age gone by. (Cruising World )
John and Mary Caldwell's humdrum life in California is driving them mad. With two infants and a third child on the way, they make the 36-foot ketch Tropic Seas their home and sail around the world via Mary's native Australia, navigating by dead reckoning and sextant. Imagine the courage of a pregnant woman prone to seasickness battling the seas, sharing watch duties with her husband, and taking care of children and meals. Storms don't seem to daunt her, but a whale with amorous intentions for Tropic Seas certainly does. Roger, their third son, is born in Tahiti. After completing their circumnavigation, they convert a swampy, mosquito-infested island into the superb Palm Island Resort in the Grenadines. This book will appeal to anyone who likes their adventure stories, particularly a sailor. (The Ensign )
John Caldwell's Desperate Voyage told the story of how the author, longing for his Aussie bride, Mary, in the days after World War II, set sail on an improbable journey aboard his 29-foot PAGAN that would take him from Panama to shipwreck on a reef fringing a small island near Fiji. In Mary's Voyage, Mary Caldwell tells her own story, picking up where Desperate Voyage leaves off: Mary and John find their next boat, OUTWARD BOUND, cut their ties to work in the United States, and set sail with a toddler, an infant, and a third son on the way. It's a family adventure as they make their way across the Pacific; their only deadline is a self-imposed desire to be in Tahiti for the birth of the baby. The descriptions of the children at play are often entertaining, but in one darker scene, the kids take apart John's only sextant, forcing the family to find their way to the Marquesas via dead reckoning. Their voyage takes them nearly round the world, but ends just shy of a circumnavigation when they acquire Prune Island quickly renamed Palm Island in the just-developing Grenadines. Hard work, revolutions, and invasions do little to dampen Mary's zest for adventure and the couple's quest to build an island resort. Mary's Voyage is a delightful tale and a home-spun glimpse into a Caribbean age gone by. (Cruising World )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.3 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Continuation where the first book left off..., Jan 17 2009
By east coaster "(Vicki)" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Mary's Voyage (Paperback)
I always wondered what happened to John Caldwell, after I read the first book Desperate Voyage. I even searched the internet to find out the answer. Well, this book answered that question but also informed me about so much more (there are photos as well). It mainly concentrates on the voyage that Mary, John and family had planned to do together. However, towards the end of the book the reader is filled in on details pertaining to that first 'desperate voyage' as well. It's an exciting and sometimes emotional experience to read. The reader can experience the anticipation of planning such a voyage, the fears of being on the dangerous seas (including what's it like to ride out a hurricane and tsunami !), the tense (and humorous) negotiations on how to to purchase a tropical island in order to develop it, as well as the deep sense of loss and sadness at John's funeral. You truly admire what Mary went through. I think Mary and the author did an excellent job together. Loved the book and appreciate that someone made the effort to finish the story for us. Thank you!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
Sad disservice to the Caldwell legacy, Nov 14 2008
By Peter S. Young - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Mary's Voyage (Paperback)
Desperate Voyage by John Caldwell is a terrific book, and his widow Mary deserved no less. Sadly, due to her advanced age, she has entrusted her tale to "Dr." Matthew Douglas, my current choice for the most inept author on the planet. Grammar errors. Horrific sentences. Even has her on the wrong boat at one point. As a fan who has spoken with Mary and son Johnnie to convey my respects, this book is an especially sad end to a memorable saga.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A true life adventure sure to please fans of unusual feats by common people, Nov 8 2008
By Midwest Book Review - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Mary's Voyage (Paperback)
Circling around the world is a feat in itself, doing it with your entire family is an adventure. "Mary's Voyage: The Adventures of John and Mary Caldwell" tells of the Caldwell family and how they began their long journey around the globe. Starting in California, Mary pregnant, one of their own was born during the trip to join their toddler and infant son to their crew. Facing the long sailing trip and the wrath of nature, "Mary's Voyage" is a true life adventure sure to please fans of unusual feats by common people.
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