This book reflects knowledge obtained by the author working as apprentice, and then as a qualified officer on steamships, motor ships (Diesel), and sail training ships, sailing fishing boat etc. These ships included: from a large passenger ship on the New Zealand to Australian run. Also in the Tasman Sea were freighters handling general cargo, and bulk wheat, sugar, gypsum, steel, etc. Other passenger/cargo vessels ran as far as India. Also Don called at Pacific Islands, sometimes en route to the North American west coast. Including on the sailing ship "Bounty" to Los Angeles in 1984. By making the 500+ page book alphabetical, it should be easy to find a particular nautical word and its meaning, plus exploring references to other words associated with the subject (often shown in CAPITALS following the particular individual description), in other parts of the book. The author has worked as a journalist in public & private radio in New Zealand, and edited and published the book himself, a project taking several years of writing.