About the tracks: Sandy Bay Shore I lived in Hobart, Tasmania, between 1970 and 1976. The Tasmanian Wooden Boat Festival is one of Hobart's many charms that draw me back to this magical city. While researching accommodation options around Battery Point and Sandy Bay, I fell in love with Old Hobart Town and was inspired to write, Sandy Bay Shore, a whaler's tale set in the mid 19th century. Koolama While reading The Koolama Incident, written by Bill Loane, I was inspired to put pen to paper and write this story in song. The Motor Vessel Koolama was a Western Australian state ship that plied its trade between Fremantle and Darwin. During World War II she was attacked by Japanese aircraft in the remote Kimberley region of north Western Australia. Amazingly the passengers and crew survived, most walking several days through un-mapped bush, in searing heat, to a local Aboriginal mission. The ship limped into Wyndham, where after being attacked again, finally sunk. Nothing Inspired by the loss of the yacht Finistere and my friends, her skipper, Rob Thomas and crewman, Paul Owens, in the Bunbury and Return Ocean Race in February 2018. Adventuring with Shackleton This time my inspiration came from my long time hero, Sir Earnest Shackleton, and his adventures on the Antarctic Ice pack and southern seas. In 1914 Shackleton and 27 crew sailed from England on the Endurance. They were attempting to be the first to cross Antarctica on foot. The Endurance became trapped in the ice flow and eventually sunk. After tracking over the ice pack, managing to row to Elephant Island, crossing the southern ocean in a lifeboat and traversing the previously uncrossed mountains of South Georgia, Shackleton finally returned to rescue all of his men. The Ghost of Wild Oats XI The 2017 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race saw Wild Oats XI stripped of her record breaking line honours victory because of an infringement, with Comanche, shortly after race start. To me it seemed important for folks to know how the yacht, Wild Oats XI, felt about the race result. Sailing to the Moon It was easy to write a song about Rolly Tasker, Australian ocean yacht racer, boat builder and sail maker, after reading Roland Perry's inspirational biography on Rolly, titled, Sailing to the Moon. The Spell of Acrospire IV Sailing is one of my favourite pastimes and it was a pleasure and a privilege to write this song about one of Australia's historic sailing vessels. Built in 1929 and lovingly restored by her current owner, I always enjoy a sail aboard Acrospire IV. Wings to Fly Inspired by the Solo 1 Project, where Jamie Dunross, Sydney Paralympic Gold Medallist, planned to attempt a solo world circumnavigation aboard his Sparkman & Stephens 34 foot sloop, Spirit of Rockingham. In 2010 Jamie became the first person with quadriplegia to circumnavigate Australia. When Jamie came home he retired from long ocean passages and now works with Sailability, providing sailing opportunities for people with a disability. Seaflight My song, Seaflight, which I wrote in 1996 while David was on his record breaking sea journey, holds a special place in my heart as it was the song that started to open doors for me as a folk singer. Seaflight is a tribute to lone sailor David Dicks, who in 1996 became the youngest person to sail solo non-stop around the world.