Penguin Books Australia

As a teenager, Leanne Shapton trained for the Olympic swimming trials; now an artist, she is still drawn inexorably to swimming, in pools and on beaches across the world. What do you with an all-absorbing activity once it's past its relevance, and yet you can't quite give it up? Is it possible to find a new purpose for its rigors and focus?

Take the plunge and have fun!

The water's calling you.  You can almost feel your arms slicing through the water, your legs kicking in rhythm, and your breaths times to your strokes as your body propels forward.  Learning to swim-or to swim better-is high on your must-do list, and you've decided now's the time.

Take to the helm with the ultimate guide to sailing

Whether you are a novice or an experienced skipper, The Complete Sailing Manual is the practical step-by-step guide that every sailor needs on board.

How often have you watched a sport on TV and thought you'd like to try it, only to be put off by a boring instruction manual? The Go series is designed just for you. It's a book and DVD package aimed at anyone with the inclination to play, from the 25+ generation with the disposable income to try new things, to the over-40s who are catching up on a youth spent working too hard. We all learn better...

Whether you are a novice or an experienced skipper, take to the helm with this practical, step-by-step manual. From tacking and mooring to nautical etiquette – the guide covers every aspect of sailing, and includes advice and information on all types of craft, from dinghies to large cruisers. Also features all the latest developments, from handling high-performance dinghies to using state-of-the-art...

The Handbook of Sailing is unrivalled in its scope, its attention to detail and its clarity of presentation. It is the one volume that deserves a place on every sailor's bookshelf. Lavishly illustrated with colour and black and white photographs, drawings and diagrams and fully revised with the latest developments and practices, this book provides a full-scale instructional course in all the essentials:...

Surfing is an obsession, and many a surfer has thrown away life-as-he-once-knew-it for a single wave.

In The Pilgrimage some of the world's top surf writers pay tribute to 50 of the world's best waves – the breaks which have become so much part of surfing folklore that they've developed a life force of their own.

This book is sure to become a classic. The text creates a great sense of place...

Introduction

It has given me great pleasure to be able to introduce people of all ages to the joy and excitement of sailing. I have been teaching since 1968, first using my father's sloop Coruba in Auckland, and then later on the beautiful waters of Vancouver Harbour, Canada, aboard the former America's Cup challenger Dame Pattie.