Larry Pardey Memorial Observatory

The sailors among you will recognize the name Larry Pardey. He and his wife Lin spent decades sailing all over the world, in wooden sailboats that they built — boats without engines. To fund their cruising, they wrote about every aspect of cruising, and of their lives and the lives of the people they met. Their impact was profound, encouraging thousands of people to follow in their footsteps, to varying degrees. And they entertained and educated thousands more who never left shore, because they spoke so beautifully and honestly of the nature of adventure, of exploration, of play, in ways that everyone can relate to.

Their first, and probably most influential book was Cruising in Seraffyn. Now, over 40 years after it was first published, this marvelous book is being offered in a special Tribute Edition, with all proceeds going to the Larry Pardey Memorial Observatory, on Kawau Island, New Zealand. This is something Larry started, equipping it with 4 telescopes and 15 sets of binoculars, so that schoolchildren could come and get an unimpeded look at the night skies.

Larry’s once-vigorous mind has slipped away, but his legacy is vast. Now you can be a part of it, by helping to fund a place that inspires awe and wonder in the minds of thousands of children. And you get a great read in the bargain. To get your copy, visit Pardey Tribute Edition.