Author’s Note

I have been on many ships that ply the tourist trade in Alaska. None of them are the Westward. There is no such ship and she has carried no such characters. This book is a product of my imagination. There are, however, some real people who haunt my writing career and I must extend my thanks to: Nita Couchman, Marylin Newman and Lisa Busch for their fine attention and blunt advice; Rob Allen and Kodi, the hand­some and well behaved husky, for their service to the Island Institute and the cultural life of Alaska; my shipmates Jan and Finn; and Patrick Lane for “Just Living.”

Finally to Paul Monette, writer and AIDS activist, who, in 1994, read one of my books while cruising Alaska and sent me a short encouraging note. It was a small act made pow­erful by the courage of Monette’s work: I offer my thanks to his memory.