In May 1994, around thirty yachts set sail from New Zealand en route to Tonga. At the beginning of the cruise, the weather was fair, and reports coming in were that fair weather would be had for the next several days. Unfortunately, in early June, bad weather reports began coming in. Nothing could be done to avoid the approaching storm, which was fast and rapidly expanding. The storm ultimately kicked up to be a Force 12 storm, which is defined as Hurricane Force conditions with a speed ranging from 72 to 83 miles per hour. These conditions cause what is akin to white out conditions, as the sea becomes white from churning, and the air is filled with foam and spray. These types of conditions can cause massive damage to seacraft, including capsizing or outright sinking. This book relates the experiences of those who were stuck in the storm, including what happened to their yachts and their friends.

I have been trying to get all of my unread things read this year, and I apparently went on a ship-related book buying spree. I picked this up a while back, and have just finally got around to reading it. I love the ocean, and my family is planning to take a family cruise next year... and reading books like this have firmly reinforced my desire to remain on land. Despite the absolute panic I would be in, imagine the seasickness one must get when being pitched around like this in the water. No, thank you. I will enjoy the ocean from the shore. The author of this book narrowly missed being out at sea during this exact storm event, which is both alarming and fortunate. The author is an avid yachtsman and has been in and around the ocean all of his life, so his knowledge of boats and sea issues is obvious. I enjoyed the way that the author was able to tell this story in a way that made you feel like you knew the people in the book. It was a really decent read, despite the harrowing tale. Also, if you are interested in weather, this particular storm is often referenced as The Queen's Birthday storm, as part of the 1994-1995 Pacific Cyclone Season.