Full of humour and emotion, Family Aweigh sees a town family, including three teenagers, flee London in 1976 (no GPS, smartphone, or Internet) to be thrust into an exciting new universe as they embark on a two-year voyage cruising the countries and countless islands of the Mediterranean aboard their beloved motor-yacht Jernica. It's a book for you if you love travelling or sailing whether under sail or by motor.
Join them coping with a priceless cast of characters, including cowboy helpers, baffling bureaucrats, pig-headed port officials, and nut cases galore.
Join their many adventures, from precarious donkey rides, to hidden hilltop villages, to swapping contraband for lobsters in Turkey.
From their first hair-raising attempts at boat-handling, see them develop into a skilled crew, battling dangerous seas or discovering concealed, idyllic anchorages. Watch each acquire specialist skills, performed often upside-down, for the daily slog maintaining a boat at sea; mum, varnisher-in-chief, also keeps the home going. Learn why grizzled Greek mariners in Piraeus line up for the help of 'the Mikro'-Jernica's fourteen-year-old engineer. Balancing schoolwork with travelling to remote ports and managing dangerous situations, the family recall their adventures with nostalgia and humour.
And for those kind readers who have written to say how much they enjoyed the book but what happened in the remainder of our voyage - and how did the kids get on after their schooling at sea? There is now an Epilogue which, through a website will also enable you to see photographs of the crew, and episodes from the book to hopefully extend your enjoyment. And may I add it would be really great for us to get to know you, if you feel you'd like to post a review (it doesn't have to be long) on our Amazon Family Aweigh page. So, welcome aboard as you join us on our journey. Michael Holt
About the Author: After earning a degree in economics from London University, Michael Holt became a writer for national newspapers and magazines in the UK and an entrepreneur in the field of computer technology.
His lasting legacy, however, will be his children-who grew to adulthood in nearly three years spent travelling the Mediterranean in their boat Jernica-and who've passed on that same spirit of adventure to their own children.
