Sailing Elsewhere: an Ocean Adventure - Paperback

by Matt Johnston (Author)

This is not a "disaster at sea" story nor a survival tale. It is the record of nine and a half wonderful years spent cruising in the Pacific. We started in San Francisco with family aboard but after Cabo San Lucas it was just my wife Judy and I. We picked our way along the Pacific Coast, through the "Forgotten Middle" of Central America, and all the way to Ecuador and then across to the Galapagos, the Marquesas, and on through French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, both Samoas, Tonga, and finally north to the Marshall Islands. I include accounts of our inland trips through the Ecuadorian Highlands, the Amazon Basin, Peru, and the Galapagos Islands. I'll show you what cruising in a small yacht is all about - the glory of it all and the nitty-gritty of everyday life afloat. At times we visited some very unusual places and I will share it all with you. We were not on the tourist route. There are no hotels in Penrhyn or Niuatoputapu for instance. My hope is that you will enjoy this book whether you are an "Armchair Sailor", someone who might just sail away eventually, or someone who wants to hear about strange out-of-the-way places. Places such as the Galapagos Islands are frequently written about but I think you will find that it is a very different place when seen from the perspective of a Cruising Boat.

Author Biography

Matt was born in Alton, Ontario, Canada in 1944 and lived there until, at age 20, he took off and moved to Redondo Beach, California to find warmer weather. While living in Canada he was known as "Harry", a name that he didn't think fit. It was not his legal name so he just started using the one on his birth certificate. Four years in the American Navy soon followed during which time he became an American citizen. The navy service occurred during the Viet Nam War but his deployments were to the Caribbean and Mediterranean. The Navy, at the time, was spending its time playing chicken with Russian shipping. This was not combat, by any means, but that is what Uncle Sam assigned him to do. After being released from the navy, Matt and Judy moved to Key West, Florida to pursue a career with AT&T. After a short stay there they returned to California and he worked back and forth between AT&T and Pacific Bell for the next twenty-seven years. They have a daughter, Tracy, and a son Trevor. An early retirement opportunity was presented to him in 1996. He took it and went sailing, which is what this book is all about. Matt and Judy now live in Antioch, California. You can reach Matt by email at matt@sailingelsewhere.com