CARIBBEAN CRUISING

Allen, Ron

Spending Nothing and Living High in the Bahamas [Caribbean Adventure, Self-Sufficiency, Island Survival]

Second Edition. A firsthand narrative of extended cruising and survival in the southern Bahamas, centered on a minimalist, near-cashless existence. SIGNED with an inscription by the author.

Allen recounts a nine-month voyage aboard a 1932 Alden ketch, living off the sea with virtually no money, navigating remote anchorages, storms, and mechanical setbacks while documenting the people, language, and culture encountered along the way.

The work blends travel narrative, practical survival ethos, and vernacular observation, with sections such as Bahamian style definitions and episodic chapters on wrecks, treasure hunting, and life in isolation. Illustrated throughout with photographs and a simple chart map of the cruising grounds, reinforcing its documentary and experiential character.

Physical Description: 8.5 inches tall; 72 pages. Stapled wraps in aqua printed covers. Photo-illustrated throughout; includes map diagram and author portrait.

Condition: Bindings are tight and square. Text is clean. No flaws or blemishes; minimal shelf handling. Presents as fine.

Historical Significance —
Represents late 20th-century cruising culture in the Bahamas, documenting a lifestyle centered on self-reliance, low-cost navigation, and informal maritime networks. Such firsthand accounts preserve a disappearing mode of travel prior to widespread digital navigation and modern marina infrastructure, offering insight into both the physical environment and the social fabric of out-island life.

Item #19833

Price: $19.95