I retired from the Student Health Service at the University of British Columbia in 1989 at the age of 60 years because of a significant family history of heart disease. I had authored or co-authored 26 scientific papers during my 18 years at the university. I experienced difficulty making the transition from writing scientific papers to writing a novel that explores emotion rather than data. I started single handing my sailing vessel, Tremethick II, in 1985 and progressively moved further north each year. In 1992 I visited Port McNeill for the first time and asked at their library if there more...
