A SEAFARER who so far is the only man to repeat Captain James Cook's voyage to the southern oceans, has now written a book about his incredible experience.

Gordon Cook from Moreton Valence has no links to the British explorer but had a huge admiration of his navigation across unchartered seas in the 18th century.

"It seemed so sad that no one had honoured the journey of the greatest seaman in the world," said Gordon, 73, a former maths and physics teacher.

With a bit of persuasion his wife Mary agreed to join Gordon with their two young children Sue, then six, and Jon, then 5, on a schooner to the Southern Oceans, 200 years after Captain Cook began his voyage in 1776.

After building a 70ft schooner, a two-mast sailing boat, Wavewalker, the Cook family left Plymouth in 1976 for Madeira, the Canary Islands and then 6,000 miles to Rio de Janeiro.

The family followed Captain Cook's route across the South Atlantic, calling at the remote island of Tristan de Cuna, before arriving in Cape Town a year later.

Wavewalker then sailed 3,000 miles towards Australia in the worst weather for years until the boat was badly damaged by a 60ft wave but Gorden managed to navigate to safety onto Isle Amsterdam.

"It was a terrifying experience and if we hadnÕt made it to the island we would have sunk," said Gordon, now a grandfather of six.

During the storm he was thrown overboard and was saved only by his lifeline.

The crew below deck escaped with minor injuries apart from Sue who suffered a fractured skull.

Gordon was awarded the prestigious Lady Swathling trophy by the Shipwrecked Mariner's Society for that year's 'most outstanding act of seamanship and navigation that saved the lives of everyone on board.'

After Wavewalker was repaired in Australia, the planned three-year journey turned into a 16-year voyage.

Gordon and Mary, 70, a former teacher, taught their children on the boat and when they returned to England Sue went on to study marine biology at the University of Oxford while Jon studied engineering at the University of Bristol.

"For a kid growing up on a boat it's a wonderful education because you meet travellers from all over the world and pick up different languages," said Gordon, who described how his children forged bonds with others in the sailing community.

Back on dry ground, Gordon admits he missed the sea, being able to breakfast on flying fish and watch whales and dolphins swimming beside the boat, but he has enjoyed satisfying his grandchildrenÕs curiosity about his adventures by providing them with a copy of the book.

The book is available from November 1 from Troubador Publishing.

Call 0116 279 2299 or visit www.troubador.co.uk.

ISBN: 978 184 876 664 8 Price £18.50