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The Pacific Crossing GuideEdited by Michael PocockLatitudes & Attitudes, May/June 1998: “This is a very well put together book that will help the cruiser planning on a Pacific Crossing. Lots of info on when, where, and why certain stops are suggested. Good weather info can be found, as well as tips on celestial navigation and a lot of great color photos of the areas that will be encountered under way.” Excerpted from 48° North, May 1998: “If plans are taking shape that include the Marquesas, or if the Vic-Maui or Pacific Cup races mean a crossing to or from Hawaii this year, then the release of the RCC Pilotage Foundation's The Pacific Crossing Guide will be a welcome piece of news in the lives of passage planners. Coming in the wake of the highly successful Atlantic Crossing Guide, the Pacific edition brings us an outstanding new reference to cruising our favorite ocean, along with a wealth of new and current information on the Coconut Milk Run, perhaps the world's most fabled cruising grounds. ”The book is built in three major sections covering preparation, route planning, and ports along the way. Part 1 - ‘Preparations’ deals with geography, weather patterns, cultures, and cruising techniques. Part 2 - ‘Passages’ gives us a very thorough treatment of route planning options for both east-to-west crossings and for the beat back to French Polynesia and Hawaii, with routes on to Panama, California, and the northwest. Part 3 - ‘Port Information’ provides basics on 43 ports, starting in Kodiak, Alaska, and running down the coast to Panama, across the South Pacific, and looping back to end in Hilo, Hawaii… “One final highlight that offers a rare glimpse of the seductive powers of this region is the outstanding foreword to the volume written by Clive King. Here is a narrative gem that needs to be read in its entirety to be fully appreciated, but that is worth giving even a few lines here as a brief excerpt. Of voyaging to Pacific islands King tells us: “ ‘Prepare yourself; the greatest passage you will make is an inward one, to be with yourself and your close – your very close – companions on long passages, inevitably testing, frequently trying, sometimes downright frightening. But always with a growing sense of self-worth, self-reliance, or achievement and fulfillment – and having a damn good time into the bargain. You will never leave the islands of the Pacific, wherever you may be. So go, enjoy, and don't forget to write.’” Excerpted from Ocean Navigator, March/April 1998: “For many a voyaging sailor, the vast Pacific, with its thousands of islands and varied cultural experiences, is the ultimate cruising ground. However, Pacific voyaging can raise some intimidating questions: Where do you start? Where do you go? And how do you get there? Thankfully, noble characters like Michael Pocock keep scrupulous notes so the rest of us can buy the book and voyage with fewer headaches.”
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