Rahui

In 1967 the author, along with a friend purchased Clarinda a 29 foot gaff cutter, and set off from Gibraltar for new Zealand. With a low expectation of succeeding on this ambitious undertaking, they planned a route with plenty of stops.
They stopped in many places along the Caribbean island chain, including illegally in Cuba where they were detained, before passing through the Panama Canal and into the Pacific, where they were waylaid by many stops at the many welcoming Pacific Islands. The Polynesian women were as welcoming as the villages, and they dwelt for weeks or months at a time, but eventually moved closer to their destination.
Arrival in New Zealand was not the end of the story however, and having married a girl from the Cook Islands (although he hasn't met here when he visited) the author set off on a honeymoon cruise to Australia, via Raoul (in NZs Kermadec Islands), Fiji and the Solomon Islands.

This is a short but entertaining book. While it covers the sailing in some detail and with some technical descriptions, they are not repetitive and can be skipped over and the gist of the situation still understood by non-sailors. The author is honest in sharing his thoughts, motives and decision making, and is fair in his explanations of those who travel with him - although he admits to changing some of the names to protect their identities, so we can only assume his side of the story is accurate!

3.5 stars, rounded up.