A love of the sea has been a part of my life since my earliest days growing up in Holland, and an appreciation of the maritime tradi-tion was in my lineage long before I was born. My family has blood thick with sea salt, as both of my grandfathers were men of the sea. One was a lighthouse keeper on a small island off the south coast of Holland, and the other spent every minute of his leisure time sailing, fishing, and rowing the country's inland canals.

World-class maritime photographer Onne van der Wal"s original body of work is cov-eted by boat lovers worldwide. Wind and Water features a variety of photographs that will captivate the casual boating enthusiast as well as the experienced Grand Prix racer.

Wind and Water includes up close and personal shots of intense yacht racing all over the world, from the America"s Cup to the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, as well as dramatic photographs of sailboats cruising in exotic destinations such as the Southern Ocean, the South Pacific, and the Arctic.

Whether he climbs atop a seventy-five-foot mast for a bird"s-eye view of a sloop cutting through crystal-blue waters or crouches on the deck during a race for a brisk actionshot, van der Wal delivers brilliant photographsthat capture the exhilaration that can onlycome from a ride on the water.

PART I

The Maritime Tradition

PART II

Racing

GRAND PRIX RACING

THE CLASSICS

SMALL BOATS

RACING FAR AND NEAR

PART III

Cruising and Destinations

SAILING IN THE TROPICS

EXPLORING HIGH LATITUDES

CRUISING NEW ENGLAND

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS