Just Cruising / Still Cruising / Comfortable Cruising / Cruising for Cowards
Read Award-winning, best-selling books by Liza Copeland about sailing and travelling the world covering 124,000 n.miles to 114 countries
For all sailors, powerboaters, travellers and dreamers
JUST CRUISING – EUROPE TO AUSTRALIA
A Family Travels the World
By Liza Copeland
Just Cruising – Europe to Australia includes the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Galapagos and the South Pacific as a family travels the World
ISBN 978-09697690-0-2
ebook 2021
Buy Now: Canada UK US
Award-winning. best-selling book Just Cruising – Europe to Australia begins the Copeland family’s six-year circumnavigation around the world in their 38’ Beneteau Bagheera, covering 50,000 n. miles and 82 countries and colonies. It includes detailed boating and travelling information throughout the voyage, a how-to section and glossary.
Just Cruising is about the first half of the trip of what became a circumnavigation. Of preparations before leaving England, exploring modern and ancient cultures in the Mediterranean, crossing the Atlantic in a race with two hundred others, and of vibrant Caribbean Islands, Venezuela and Panama. It tells about personal experiences with the wildlife of Galapagos, trips to remote archipelagos in the South Pacific, and of being a very small Canadian ‘Tall Ship’ in the Australian Bicentennial celebrations. As well as visiting with unique cultures, tasting their foods, dancing to their music and being stunned by the beauty of their lands, they learn about the down-to-earth realities of the lifestyle. They share the early decisions, planning the route, leaving the security of home, the organisation of the boat, the joys and problems of travelling with a young family, and the odd disaster!
Just Cruising is book for singles, couples and families and realistically portrays the joys, and occasional woes, of the cruising lifestyle. With every chapter a new country, it highlights the travel opportunities worldwide that the cruising lifestyle offers. It’s vivid descriptions, along with the close camaraderie between boaters, is intoxicating and guaranteed to lure even the most reticent on the water!
Reviews
‘Inspirational’ – Travel Editor, the Globe and Mail
‘Stands testament to the cruising spirit’s immortality. Straightforward approach…numerous helpful details and lively anecdotes’ – Cruising World
‘As one who has travelled widely, I find its descriptions of different cultures, scenery, nature and family fascinating. It opens new worlds of adventure and knowledge as you travel with a family who enjoys life to the full, its acecdotes range from hilarity to suspense – they are always entertaining and most informative. The author writes with clarity and flair, and is persuasive. So much so that the reader is tempted to abandon all and take off – as the Copelands did. Whether you sail or not, they show that you can make your dreams come true.’ Lewis Perinbaum, Former Vice President of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), a founder and Executive Director of Canadian University Service Overseas (CUSO)
‘Vastly entertaining …the perfect gift for your favourite would-be wanderlust.’
The Vancouver Courier
‘Even the most conventional families are sometimes apt to dream a little. Adventures on the Discovery Channel may ignite a quiet flame…but a Caribbean holiday is generally as far as they will get. Understandably, few families have the guts or the wonderful spirit of the Copelands. On their circumnavigation they dropped anchor in unheard of places where a yacht was as strange as the space shuttle. As a result the children have memories that will help them cruise through life with a following wind and sunlight on their shoulders.’
Jol Byerley, Yacht Captain, author, radio personality and raconteur, Nelson’s Dockyard, Antigua.
STILL CRUISING – AUSTRALIA to ASIA, AFRICA AND AMERICA
A Family Travels the World
By Liza Copeland
Still Cruising leaves Australia for Asia, the Indian Ocean, around South Africa, transits the South Atlantic with visits to the North coast of South America before cruising in the Caribbean and US seaboard.
ISBN 978-09697690-1-9
ebook 2021
Still Cruising gives an inspirational, informative and cultural account of the second half of the Copeland family’s six-year offshore travels around the world in their Beneteau Bagheera. On this ‘off the beaten track’ route they sail from Australia to explore SE Asia and India, six African nations, and the Eastern Caribbean.
After leaving Australia on the Darwin to Ambon race the Copelands explore remote islands in Indonesia, are awed by Komodo dragons and artistic Bali. Singapore was a culture shock, but a good place for spares and repairs before heading north up the infamous Malacca Strait to Thailand. When most yachts left after New year to quickly transit the Indian Ocean for some favourable winds up the Red Sea, the Copelands lingered to travel in northern Thailand, then spent over a year in the Indian Ocean exploring the Andaman Islands, Sri Lanka, touring India and experiencing magnificent diving in the Maldives. A cyclone followed them to the Seychelles, with a visit to Aldabra to see the Indian Ocean giant tortoises a highlight. A lower rudder bearing was replaced in welcoming Kiliki, Kenya, then to Tanzania, Comores, Mayote and Madagascar with its exotic lemurs. The market in Maputo, Mosambique seemed unusually abundant until they arrived in South Africa. Repairs from a lightning strike were efficiently completed in Richards Bay, with visits to local wildlife parks and Kruger. After weather watching with other yachts in Durban, they successfully rounded the Cape of Good Hope, then enjoyed spectacular Capetown, remote St Helena and Brazil before completing their circumnavigation in Antigua, in the Caribbean, where they first met.
Still Cruising – A Family Travels the World offers a relaxing and rewarding way of cruising and travelling to remote countries in the Indian Ocean and Africa, South America and Caribbean, as only achieved by boat. The unique, spontaneous experiences with local cultures not easily achieved as a regular tourist and the camaraderie between the small group of boaters was phenomenal.
Reviews
Beyond the considerable accomplishment of taking off to parts unknown. this remarkable family does it with a refreshing spirit of calm elan. Author Copeland reports with a clever mix of description and dialogue that gets the reader to know her crew/family and then introduces far away places through their eyes and reactions. Gary Hoyt, Author and Award-winning yacht designer
‘Liza Copeland and her family have lived my dream. The author’s delightful descriptions of the their six year sailing odyssey through 82 countries takes the reader to many places only a boat would reach. Because the Copelands were determined to travel inland wherever they could, the book is equally fascinating as a travel adventure. But be warned! This is the stuff that stirs others to act out their own dreams.’
Kerry McPhedran, award-winning travel writer and editor
‘Very realistic and entertaining portrayal of the practical information that one needs for Blue water voyaging. The rewards and delights experienced by the Copelands will encourage and educate any family considering extended cruising. Go now!’
Thomas B. Service, circumnavigator and USN Salvage Ship Commander
‘As world-wide marine photographers we’ve met innumerable sailors but few have such interesting tales to tell as the Copelands. Excellent reading for cheering up those gloomy winter evenings.’
Ken Beken, Beken of Cows (1888) England
COMFORTABLE CRUISING – AROUND NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA
By Liza Copeland
Comfortable Cruising around North and Central America from Vancouver, Canada, through the Panama Canal, cruising and travelling in Central America and north along the US waterway to Maine and Nova Scotia
ISBN 978-0-969769-1-0
ebook 2021.
Buy book/ebook Now: Canada UK US
In Comfortable Cruising the Copelands take a 15-month sabbatical in their 38′ sailing vessel Bagheera to cruise to eleven countries around North and Central America, and again their travels give a unique insight into the varied cultures, history, sights, wildlife, diving and cruising opportunities the diverse regions offers. Appendices provide detailed information on route-planning and weather, travel and cruising tips and a glossary. A further chapter details modifications, changes and equipment added to the Copelands’ boat and why.
Taylored to family agendas, this voyage provided a flexible, culturally appealing voyage within easy reach of the Copeland’s home in Vancouver, Canada. With no oceans crossed trips could be flexible, were mostly daysails and offered many opportunities to travel inland. After exploring their home waters of dramatic B.C., they headed down the U.S. coast, before entering lively Central America, visiting the Pacific coasts of Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama. Again they enjoyed the Panama Canal transit, this time transiting from West to East, which brought them for the first time to the Western Caribbean. A visit to the sandy islands of the San Blas islands with their vibrant Kuna Indians was irresistible, before heading north to the the Bay islands of Hondurus, the jungle gorge Rio Dulce and inland to Guatemala’s old cities, Mayan ruins and colourful markets. The barrier reef with its atolls in Belize gave outstanding diving. The U.S. eastern seaboard, with its many historical sights and museums along the waterway, were informative and the seafood varied and delicious. After gorging on lobster in Maine, then being surrounded by whales in the Bay of Fundy they arrived back in Canada in pretty Nova Scotia.
Comfortable Cruising realistically portrays a voyage that has generally undemanding cruising with frequent facilities and flights for leaving the boat for returning home. Its history and cultures are diverse, its inland travel rewarding and inexpensive, and supplies are readily available. In addition, Comfortable Cruising also gives weather and cruising tips to help ease the way for relaxed, enjoyable boating that could possibly take several years.
Reviews
Liza gives armchair sailors an opportunity to savor the delights of an extended cruise in North and Central America, and real boaters a mass of useful and intriguing information in a most enjoyable package.
Nigel Calder – best-selling author including Boat Owner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual and Nigel Calder’s Cruising Handbook
Liza Copeland’s cruising tale Comfortable Cruising is one of the best sailing books to come our way in many a year. Veteran cruisers, Andy and Liza set off to sail around North America from their home in Vancouver, BC to the Canadian Maritimes via the Panama Canal. Along the way they discover many great cruising areas and meet wonderful people. A cruising adventure close to home, this book not only shows us all how much fun this lifestyle can be, it also provides valuable resources for cruising the area successfully.
George Day – Editor & Publisher Blue Water Sailing Magazine
Liza Copeland has done it again! Comfortable Cruising is a gift of indispensable information and inspiration, a sharing of her passion and remarkable capabilities as a cruiser. By combining a delightful narrative along with up-to-date, practical route-planning, weather, travel and cruising appendices, Liza makes casting off the dock lines irresistible.
Carol Hasse – Cruiser, instructor & owner of Hasse and Company Port Townsend Sails, since 1978.
The voice of experience from Liza’s extensive cruising provides excellent planning material and information in the concise appendices. Historical descriptive passages add interest to the areas covered that can be enjoyed in both power and sailing craft.
Margo Wood – Publisher and co-author of Charlie’s Charts
Cruising for Cowards new third edition 2020 book/ebook
Read more
2020! CRUISING FOR COWARDS
A practical, all-inclusive, how-to text for Coastal and Offshore Sailors
By Liza and Andy Copeland
ISBN 978-0-9697690-6-4