Tall Ships: The Sixteen Square Riggers of Australia and New Zealand

Front Cover
Exisle Publishing, 2006 - Transportation - 128 pages

This beautifully photographed book enables the reader to step back in time, to a world when tall ships were the means by which continents were discovered, trade routes were opened up and new worlds were colonised. Today, the sixteen square-rigged tall ships that make their home in Australian and New Zealand waters have vastly different backgrounds and are used for a wide variety of purposes. From replica ships like the Bounty and the Endeavour to modern purpose-built sail training vessels like the Spirit of New Zealand, each ship inspires generations of sailors with her unmatched combination of grace and power. Some, like the James Craig (completed in 1874) and the Alma Doepel (built in 1903) stand as testimony to the craftsmanship and durability of old shipbuilding methods. They are living history, offering an insight into a way of life that would otherwise be lost forever. It is intended that, through a combination of lavish photography and insightful text, this book will bring to each tall ship the recognition she so richly deserves.

About the author (2006)

John L. Coombes is a freelance photographer based just outside Sydney. An exhibition of his work entitled 'Above and Beyond Wine Country' and showcasing the beautiful Hunter wine region was held in Wollombi in 2004. Tall Ships: The Sixteen Square Riggers of Australia and New Zealand has been a labour of love for John, allowing him to combine his passion for sailing with his photographic career.

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