Ten Degrees of Reckoning

The True Story of a Family's Will to Survive
By Hester Rumberg

A gripping story of a family who embarks on a journey to live at sea. This young couple and their two small kids equip themselves over the course of years in equipment, knowledge, safety tools, and experience in preparation for an experience of a life time: to sail around the world.

The love within the family is palpable. Their courage to set out into the unknown loaded down with the supplies they need, the extensive planning of true seafaring people and the confidence (and I would argue wisdom) to take their children with them on this awesome adventure is inspiring. Their hijinx on the sea, in little towns, in untampered villages in far off regions of the world are incredible - the best schooling children could hope for.

If you enjoy any kind of water sports the maritime knowledge in this book is fascinating. For someone who is a land lubber, I learned a great deal of respect for the seafarer. Of coarse I have always loved the true, gripping tales of pirates on the open seas and in many ways the adventure of this story is much like those.

Unfortunately, it is a survivor story. It is never good to give away the key elements of a story like this because it is the mystery that grips you, the reality that shakes you to your bones.

This book is a great read and a harrowing story.

Judy Sleavin - the memories live on with us.

Book 25