Over the last 50 years, sea kayakers, climbers and alpine trampers have been attempting audacious journeys across NZ that last many months. Most of these adventurers have written books on their travels. In Epic, these tales have been condensed and retold, ready for a new generation to be inspired by these very Kiwi adventures to, as Salisbury puts it in his introduction, kick their shoes off and “feel the earth beneath our bare feet. The beach and bush beckon …”
Featured adventurers range from Graeme Dingle and Jill Tremain attempting the first traverse of the Southern Alps, to the author’s own tramp across the North Island in 1995, as told in the book’s final chapter. This book is not intended to be an exhaustive history, but a selective anthology of endurance epics that span a variety of disciplines — from tramping and mountaineering to kayaking or cycling — and that trace a variety of interesting routes around the country.
In words, maps and photographs, each of the 12 chapters highlights the resilience of the human spirit when attempting feats of endurance. Both men and women are featured, while their incredible adventures are spread out from Cape to Bluff, encompassing both the North, South and Stewart islands.
Ray Salisbury began a lifelong passion for photography and tramping in the early 1970s. He was introduced to camping, hiking and kayaking by the Boys’ Brigade. In 1977 he walked the Heaphy Track in Northwest Nelson with his father. Later, he qualified with a degree in graphic design and photography at AUT in Auckland.
During the 1990s Ray began leading trips into the backcountry, accompanied by his friends. These private adventures culminated in a solo 80-day traverse of the North Island mountain ranges, starting at East Cape and ending at Cape Egmont. This epic formed the narrative of his first book, Cape to Cape, self-published in 1997.
Prior to entering teacher’s college in 2000, Ray was assistant editor of Wilderness magazine for a year. Since then, he has been a regular contributor. When Ray and his wife moved to Nelson, he joined the Nelson Tramping Club, becoming editor of the club journal for a decade.
In 2020, Ray’s second book was published by Potton and Burton. Titled Tableland – the history behind Mt Arthur, the book is a social history of the eastern part of Kahurangi National Park. In 2022 he self-published a picture book on Nelson with a concise historical overview woven through the pages.
Ray currently works as a photographer, videographer and writer as well as teaching photography.
