Wild Seas to Greenland: A sailing adventure with ocean racer Ross Field

A sailing adventure with ocean racer Ross Field, written by well-known New Zealand yachting journalist Rebecca Hayter.

When New Zealand ocean racing skipper Ross Field retired from professional sailing, he was already looking for his next, unusual adventure. In a dusty boatyard in France, he bought a 20-year-old aluminium yacht. She was a mess, but he knew the yacht was immensely strong. Ross named her Rosemary, refitted her for the high latitudes and set his sights on the Northwest Passage.

Yachting journalist Rebecca Hayter followed his refit in detail; DIY pundits will love these chapters. Then she signed on as crew. Sometimes in awe of her strong-willed skipper, she takes her readers along for the ride: observing Ross’s handling of the boat in the storms of the North Atlantic, sharing his war stories from famous yacht races and laughing at his jokes. The central part of the story is set in the chilling vastness of Greenland fjords: ice bergs, whales and ‘fishing boats that munch growlers for breakfast’.

Rebecca is a skilled and candid writer; she shares life on board, highs and lows of ocean cruising, and her own personal challenges. She also shares excerpts from Sheila in the Wind, written by her father Adrian Hayter, who sailed around the world single-handed in the 1950s and 60s. He set sail out of desperation with virtually no sailing knowledge, navigating by sextant, communicating ship-to-ship by Morse code. It’s a poignant juxtaposition to Rebecca’s experience, sailing with one of New Zealand’s most experienced ocean skippers, with instant navigation, communication and highly skilled in weather routing technology to avoid North Atlantic storms.

Wild Seas to Greenland is a blend of Kiwi DIY, technical sailing and life on board. It will appeal to sailors and adventurers everywhere, whether they are on the water or safely at home, but sharing the journey nonetheless.

Format: Paperback
Imprint: Small New Zealand Publisher