Wind Shift at Peaked Hills

The Selective Service was offering Leonard Hill two opportunities. He could sit in a Marine Corps watchtower and observe his mirror across the fence line at Guantanamo, Cuba, or he could sit in a U.S. Army watch tower and observe the largest minefield in the world on the 38th parallel in Korea. He chose a third option. He chose to sit in a Coast Guard watchtower overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, a decision he would soon regret; a decision that would take him four years to overcome.

Hill's "on the job" recovery program takes place on Captain Tommy Martin's 70-foot longliner Tecumseh with its crew of three. We use the term crew loosely because harpooner Sam Santos was not above a little extracurricular hunter/gathering when the opportunity presented itself. This activity does not interrupt pursuit of fishing operations until Sam goes missing and the Tecumseh needs to ask the U.S. Coast Guard for assistance.

Wind Shift will take you from the masthead of the fishing vessel Tecumseh to the slaughter house, from the harpoon pulpit to the propeller shaft stuffing box. This tale of salty endeavor will leave you feeling you could comfortably walk aboard a fishing vessel and be at home. The illustrations will temper any such enthusiasm.