Stories, anecdotes, impressions and logs of my sailing experiences from first learning in the Royal Navy in 1960 to the present day. Sometimes serious but very often humorous.

Blistering heat from a water reflected sun, constant bouncing of the ocean's seas, inexperienced to expert in one fell swoop, a man leaves port for his dream voyage only to find the realities of his nightmare. This is not a book of romantic idealism. It is a factual account of the raw material that makes or breaks the man. Don't miss the compelling read that Birney Jarvis thrusts upon us. Follow his life in the surreal, fiction-like journey that he experienced many years ago. Life takes the measure of a man. Either he is up for the journey; or he falls short of Life's expectations. See if Birney fits into this picture.

A fellow approaches you and says, "I know where there is a sunken pirate treasure ship right here off the coast. Would you be interested in helping me for a fifty percent partnership?" He claims he heard a voice of a spirit asking for help and promises of great treasures. You dive on the site and find a large lump of corroded Spanish pieces of eight, worth many thousands. Dragging it up on deck you encounter a manifestation of a pirate spirit who spelled it out, no help, no treasure then he disappears along with the lump of ancient silver coins. Three individuals pool their funds to search a suspected underwater ancient treasure site and find more than they bargained for with a pirate's spirit demanding assistance in crossing over into a repentance afterlife. In assisting the spirits they find favor with other successful salvors and their allies, the US Navy who help keep them out of danger from modern day pirates and drug runners

Jeff Markell is an expert on maritime weather.