Editor: Sometimes this writer is glad that he’s saved old tear sheets from stories he published over the years. Looking back also affords him the opportunity to revisit his life’s learning curve. From January 1999 48 North magazine. Water Nazis! I don’t ever want to hear anyone say that of the Coast Guard again! I…
Category: Jim’s blog
Juan de Fuca’s Strait
Most of us who grew up in the Pacific Northwest have no Idea who the Straits of Juan de Fuca was named after. Most of us, who lived and sailed around that body of water, just called it “the straits”. But then again when those of my siblings or me sitting in the back seat…
Beautiful River of Moncacht-Ape’
(Man who Kills Difficulties or Fatigues) They say that the progression of a sailor is from sailboat, to powerboat, to motorhome, to nursing home and finally to funeral home. Alas, Becky and I have phased from sailboat straight to a motor home (class B, as in van conversion), mainly after cruising our Pacific Northwest waters…
The Spruce Production Division
In 1914 Europe exploded into what was called the “War to end all wars”, which the USA had tried to stay out of. The war saw the introduction of many new weapons such as the use of ‘Aeroplanes’, which required using light flexible wood for the frames. The best wood to use was from Spruce…
Lorine (Mom) Pursley Farrell
By Jim Farrell On May 3, 2022, she would have been100 years-old, an age she wanted to achieve, but she died three and a half years ago. This lady was raised in the logging camps of the Olympic Peninsula, on the “west end”, where the only way to even reach Port Angeles, WA was by…



