J. Holger Christensen loved the sea, plain and simple. He learned about life at sea at an early age from the best of teachers-his father, Neils Julius Christensen, who was himself the son of a seafaring man. Neils had sailed from Denmark at the age of thirteen, rising from cook to sailor. His journeys aboard the last of the world's full-rigged sailing ships took him all over the world. In 1893 at the age of nineteen, Neils knew he had "come home" when he arrived at Bainbridge Island, Washington. His next years were devoted to sailing in the Pacific coast lumber trade and gold mining in Alaska, earning enough money to buy land and build a home on the island, start a family, and build a workboat to sail Puget Sound. Holger, the second of Neils' six children, inherited a lifetime love of the sea. From the early days of crewing on his father's workboats, rising from sailor to master of old cargo ships and finally World War II Liberty Ships, Holger sailed the world. In his story of hard work, a love of ships, and especially the waters of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, we see his passion for the sea. In fascinating detail, we follow his rise to ship's captain on perilous trips as he takes responsibility for ship and crew, sailing the incredibly dangerous wasters of the Northern Pacific and the infamous Bering Sea. Vaughn Sherman was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. He has enjoyed several careers. After working as a fisheries biologist in Alaska and Washington state, he was recruited by the CIA and served for more than twenty years, mostly abroad. After taking early retirement, Vaughn became involved in numerous community activities, mostly involving the governance of non-profit agencies and community colleges. He and his wife, Jan, now enjoy a northwest lifestyle with their large extended family.