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David Lewis will forever epitomise the brave and adventurous spirit of mankind.
He was born in England in 1917 and was brought up in NZ and Raratonga where his unconventional father sent him to a Polynesian school. By profession he was a doctor and by conviction a communist. He was, above all, a committed sailor who
- came third in a single-handed trans-Atlantic race
- learned Micronesian and Inuit traditional navigational skills
- circumnavigated the world
- set up the Oceanic Research Foundation, with help from Dick Smith
- wrote four books about his exploits, including the bestseller "Ice Bird"
- was awarded the Distinguished Companion of the N.Z. Order of Merit for his many achievements
- was involved five times when expeditionary vessels were wrecked.
He kept sailing, with the help of friends, until the age of 85 by which time he had lost his sight. He left behind three wives and four adult children. |