Off the Shelf – Book Recommendations for Ocean and Adventure Lovers

Water & Light – Ray Collins

Australian photographer Ray Collins captures the ocean in all its moods. Originally from Wollongong, Collins’s mesmerising photographs reveal the power, movement and beauty of the sea.

Into the Planet – My Life as a Cave Diver by Jill Heinrith

More people have been to the moon than to the places that Jill Heinerth has explored deep inside our watery planet, says filmmaker James Cameron.

An underwater explorer and pioneer, Jill Heinerth takes readers beneath the surface and into some of the world’s most challenging underwater environments. She tells the story of her journey into the sport and how early experiences shaped her ability to manage fear and problem solve deep underwater. Her memoir offers an incredible glimpse into a world few humans will ever experience.

Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana Jr.

First published in the 19th century, Two Years Before the Mast chronicles Richard Henry Dana Jr.’s journey as a young sailor aboard a merchant vessel travelling around Cape Horn and along the California coast. A vivid account of life at sea, it remains a compelling portrait of hardship, adventure and the realities of traditional sailing.

Barbarian Days – A Surfing Life by William Finnegan

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Barbarian Days is William Finnegan’s deeply personal memoir of a life spent chasing waves around the world. Moving from childhood surf trips to remote breaks and long journeys, Finnegan explores surfing as an adventure and obsession beyond a sport, and how surfing shaped the way he sees the world.

Pacific – the Ocean of the Future by Simon Winchester

Right on our doorstep, the vast Pacific Ocean looms, with its danger, beauty and possibilities. Arthur Simon Winchester travels the circumference of this gigantic body of water for his latest book, exploring the home of tsunamis and earthquakes but also its history, paradisical beauty and rich cultures.