On November 1, 1953 Priscilla Hiers Buy embarked on the 18-month adventure of a life time as the youngest ever female crew member aboard Captain Irving Johnson's 96 foot Brigantine Yankee. Eighteen Months with Eighteen Men (and four women) recounts Priscilla's 40,000 mile journey around the world in a time much different then today. Setting sail from Gloucester, Massachusetts her voyage takes her to remote ports of call such as the Galapagos, Pitcairn, Tahiti, Samoa, Solomon Islands, New Hebrides, New Guinea, North Borneo, Siam, Bali, Singapore, Hong Kong, East and South Africa. Much of this tale is taken directly from her logbook and letters Pricilla wrote as a 20 year old young woman experiencing first hand the many cultures and customs of the world she encountered. Along the way she becomes the ship's barber; swims, unknowingly with hammerhead sharks, participates in a whale hunt, witnesses and photographs vine jumping customs seen by few, mingles with people who still practice cannibalism and seals bonds with people who would become lifetime friends. When her journey is over, Priscilla returned to the states to lecture and tour with her slides and tales of the Yankee's escapades. Still, the travel bugs bite her hard and she is off again and again traveling thousands of miles in Europe and another trip around the world spending most of the time in India. Priscilla "retired" from single travel marrying her husband of 48 years John Buy. The two raised three daughters and continued to travel extensively.
