Of land and sea

is a saga of strandings, sinkings and collisions that have occurred along our beautiful but treacherous coastline. Maritime history expert Gavin McLean died before finishing this definitive history, but it was completed by his colleague and friend Kynan Gentry. Generously illustrated with historical explores the background to more than 2000 ships and fishing vessels that have entered into the catalogue of marine disasters. It’s a potent tale spiced with courage and tragedy, incompetency and hubris. The Victorians were especially fascinated by shipwrecks and New Zealand gave them a rich trove of disasters to digest. From the catastrophic loss of HMS Orpheus on the Manukau Bar in 1863 to the still-tantalising mystery of General Grant’s gold, McLean and Gentry continue the story well into the 21st century. It’s a fascinating tale well worth charting.