What We're Reading: South Sea Vagabonds by J.W. Wray

“All you need is a boat.” Famous words and the first steps for the adventure of an ocean voyage. Fired from his job during the Great Depression, a twenty one year old James Wray gets the itch to go to sea. Living with his parents in Remuera with no money and not the conscience to steal a boat he decides to build his own. Borrowing a friends yacht he searches the surrounding islands of the Hauraki Gulf for Kauri logs. Making many friends along the way and beyond all odds he builds a boat in his Remuera back yard with his own two hands. Then with an old sextant and no sailing experience he sets of for the Pacific Islands. A true adventure story and a must read masterpiece from the New Zealand literary canon. We highly recommend it.