Family memoir
Crossings in Realitas
Crossings in Realitas is the third book from Jan Mitchell. This second volume of memoir tells of her family's travels by yacht over fifteen years. Within months of returning to Sydney after their 1970s circumnavigation, cruising sailors Jan and Ian Mitchell (Two in a Top Hat) were the parents of a second child. Their dream was to buy a larger boat and take their family on a second world cruise, but they soon realised this wasn't financially possible. Then they faced the question: How could they ease the stresses of city living, paid work and child rearing?
Jan reveals the highs and lows of their struggles, through illness and financial hardship, to retain ownership of Realitas, their 32' yacht and take their family ocean cruising.
"Crossings in Realitas is an interesting read about a series of well-conducted voyages that were made with little fuss. It is also a good a reminder of what can be done in a modest boat without many of the trinkets that are now often regarded as essential. If that sort of read appeals, I commend it to you. " John Pennefather (sailor).
"Crossings in Realitas is the 16 year tale of family cruising. It is, like the Mitchell’s boats, a no-nonsense and honest look at life.
Four years cruising around the world during the 1970s and the addition of two young sons, took more energy - emotional and physical than either had expected. Buying a house in Sydney, finding jobs and bringing up a small family took its toll on both parents, but they never lost sight of their ultimate goal, buying the next cruising boat.
A visit to the builder of Phantom Yachts in 1984 allowed Ian and Jan to satisfy themselves that this was no fly-by-night operation.
The Phantom 32 is a well-built cruising yacht with a deservedly good reputation. With a safe cruising yacht, their first long trip was to Tasmania and then the Bass Strait islands. Each year, there were new destinations and it was not too long before the Tasman beckoned with that long ago attempted trip to Lord Howe finally being realised. Meeting up with friends from their Cruising Club provided an additional highlight of that trip. Many other cruises followed, including two more visits to Lord Howe Island, the latter being extended to the mid-ocean reefs on the Lord Howe Ridge.
This book has shown how ordinary people, despite major financial and health setbacks, can enjoy the freedom of life at sea. Now with another boat they are still enjoying the cruising life, but that is the topic of Jan Mitchell’s next book, Hear the Ocean Sing." Review by John Tylor.
Crossings in Realitas was published in mid 2015 and re-published in 2019 with Ingram Spark. It is now available on demand from their office in Melbourne or can be ordered from any good book store.
Price from Jan, $25 plus $5 P&P.
Jan reveals the highs and lows of their struggles, through illness and financial hardship, to retain ownership of Realitas, their 32' yacht and take their family ocean cruising.
"Crossings in Realitas is an interesting read about a series of well-conducted voyages that were made with little fuss. It is also a good a reminder of what can be done in a modest boat without many of the trinkets that are now often regarded as essential. If that sort of read appeals, I commend it to you. " John Pennefather (sailor).
"Crossings in Realitas is the 16 year tale of family cruising. It is, like the Mitchell’s boats, a no-nonsense and honest look at life.
Four years cruising around the world during the 1970s and the addition of two young sons, took more energy - emotional and physical than either had expected. Buying a house in Sydney, finding jobs and bringing up a small family took its toll on both parents, but they never lost sight of their ultimate goal, buying the next cruising boat.
A visit to the builder of Phantom Yachts in 1984 allowed Ian and Jan to satisfy themselves that this was no fly-by-night operation.
The Phantom 32 is a well-built cruising yacht with a deservedly good reputation. With a safe cruising yacht, their first long trip was to Tasmania and then the Bass Strait islands. Each year, there were new destinations and it was not too long before the Tasman beckoned with that long ago attempted trip to Lord Howe finally being realised. Meeting up with friends from their Cruising Club provided an additional highlight of that trip. Many other cruises followed, including two more visits to Lord Howe Island, the latter being extended to the mid-ocean reefs on the Lord Howe Ridge.
This book has shown how ordinary people, despite major financial and health setbacks, can enjoy the freedom of life at sea. Now with another boat they are still enjoying the cruising life, but that is the topic of Jan Mitchell’s next book, Hear the Ocean Sing." Review by John Tylor.
Crossings in Realitas was published in mid 2015 and re-published in 2019 with Ingram Spark. It is now available on demand from their office in Melbourne or can be ordered from any good book store.
Price from Jan, $25 plus $5 P&P.
