No comments about The Pacific Islands: Environment & Society.

No comments about Australia Motorcycle Atlas.

No comments about New Zealand.

1 comments about Voyages of Discovery: Captain Cook and the Exploration of the Pacific.

1. Lynne Withey succeeds in providing a balanced and well-researched account of the famous explorations of Captain James Cook in the South Pacific. She discusses the impact of Cook's journeys on both the 18th century Europeans and the native peoples of the South Pacific. Although it has been popular to cast the "Age of Discovery" as a violent and invasive period for indigenous people, Withey shows that Cook generally had the best intentions when dealing with the inhabitants of these islands, and that most unfortunate incidents were the result of misunderstandings. Further, Cook showed an uncommon concern and compassion for all the people he came in contact with. Withey's book provides the reader with numerous insights into the motivations which spurred on this age of exploration, both political, in the case of the English government, and personal, in Cook's case. Her fascinating account of the complex events surrounding Cook's death in Hawaii, and the Hawaiian belief system that contributed to this unfortunate event, clearly show how two cultures can come unwittingly into conflict when they first meet. Overall, this book is a clearly written, comprehensive, and highly informative treatment of this fascinating period of our history.

2 comments about Cruising Guide to Tahiti and the French Society Islands.

1. If you are chartering a sailboat around French Polynesia you should get this book or the Charlies charts book to plan your itinerary. Bring it along and use it too. It helps you navigate, saves you time by pointing out good anchorages, and gives you perspective as to where you are when you are sailing around. If your not sailing, get one of the travel books. Find out which ones by reading my trip report at DiveAtlas.com.



2. There obviously isn't a large market for books of this kind, which explains why this 1st edition has never been revised and nothing comparable has appeared from other publishers. And Marcia Davock really did create a classic with lots of excellent maps, lively photos, and delightful texts, plus amazingly detailed and useful information on how to stear a sailboat right around Tahiti and Moorea. Back in 1985 when Marcia's book came out, the Leeward Islands (Huahine, Raiatea, Taha'a, Bora Bora, Maupiti, etc) still hadn't developed into the popular charter cruising zones they are today. Thus the Leewards get only 86 pages in the book while the Windwards (Tahiti and Moorea) get 115. If Marcia were writing now, that ratio would certainly be reversed and then some. The Marquesas and Tuamotu islands receive no coverage at all. Nevertheless, as the author of the South Pacific Handbook I strongly recommend this guide to everyone planning a passage under sail through French Polynesia. It will provide stimulating and informative reading matter on the long journey south from Hawaii and lead you into some amazing places later on.

No comments about Wilson's Promontory: A Field Guide.

No comments about Let's Go Australia 10th Edition (Let's Go Australia).

No comments about Island of Angels.

No comments about Samoa Travel Map by Hema (Pacific Countries).

1 comments about Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling: Papua New Guinea (Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling Guides).

1. This book is an excellent and still pretty up-to-date book on PNG's many and varied dive sites. Good way to plan a dive trip, by seeing which site descriptions most appeal to you. PNG's dive sites are very variable; fabulous visibility one day can be down to murky on the next. Little explored country in terms of diving, new sites are being identified all the time. Hopefully they'll update the book in a few years to include the many sites not known at the time it was first published. All in all, a very helpful and thorough book.