The Reluctant Mariner by Joanna Hackett

"the Reluctant Mariner" tells of an Australian couple’s five-year circumnavigation in a 12.2m. steel ketch, Onawa. The author, Joanna Hackett, was a self-proclaimed landlubber, and never imagined herself sailing of over the horizon in search of adventure, but having married someone who was keen to do just that, was willing to "give it a go". Her warts-and-all account, accompanied by a dry wit and an easy writing style made this book 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 take off into 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, read this entertaining, amusing and interesting book.