NEED TO KNOW

Sophie Elmhirst discovered the story of Maurice and Maralyn Bailey’s shipwreck and wrote an award-winning new book about their relationship that goes beyond the narrative

The author was fascinated by how the couple's marriage enabled Maralyn to live an unconventional life that defied the typical expectations for women at the time

Elmhirst was also struck by the couple's resilience on the open seas and ability to sustain their relationship after, as Maurice said, “She saved me"

It took only 40 minutes from the time a whale cracked a hole in their 31-foot yacht until Maurice and Maralyn Bailey watched the vessel sink in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The yacht was their passage to a new life in New Zealand and their only home.

In the aftermath, the couple floated alone,

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