David Lewis was born in New Zealand in 1919. During his childhood on Raratonga he became fascinated with the ancient Polynesian voyaging tales. In 1960 he sailked for the first trans-atlantic race and was placed third. Then, in 1964, he and his family set sail around the world. The three-year voyage is described in his books DAUGHTERS OF THE WIND and CHILDREN OF THE THREE OCEANS. In the late sixties he spent nine months sailing with the traditional star-path navigators of the Pacific Islands and in 1976 joined the crew of the double canoe Hokule'a for the 2,500-mile voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti during which no Western navigational aids were used.

Dr. Lewis has also made three expeditions to the Antartic. The first two, which he made alone, are described in his book ICE BIRD. The story of his most recent expeditionis contained in VOYAGE TO THE ICE: The Antartic Expedition of Solo.
The University Press of Hawaii, Honolulu.