Shipwrecks of the Pacific Coast

by James Gibbs and Jim Gibbs

Book Overview

This is the first complete account of all known shipwrecks off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California. The book includes a thirty-five page appendix of quick and total reference to every... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0832303917
• Release Date: June 1962
• Publisher: Binford & Mort Pub
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 1.0" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

I particularly liked the Dedication.

I had been given one of those awkward projects by a magazine Editor in which I was to find a good shipwreck off the west coast of the USA. I made a few enquiries by e-mail and searched the net - all to no avail. I was even beginning to think there might be no shipwrecks off America's western seaboard until, per chance, I came across this excellent book. Clearly and simply divided into three chapters headed; Shipwrecks of the Washington Coast, Oregon Coast and California Coast, we begin with a simple chart of the relevant coastlines showing an approximate position of each wrecking identified by the vessel's name and year in which it occurred. Within the text, the author works his way from north to south as he describes one wreck after another and every 30 pages or so we are treated to a small selection of historic photographs. At a quick glance, these reveal the scope of the wrecks to be both ancient and modern from sailing ships to side-wheelers, from bulk carriers to passenger liners and quite an assortment of US naval vessels. I would have thought a copy of this book would be an essential addition to the bookshelf of any historian or scuba diver with an interest in American shipwrecks. NM

An essential addition to any maritime library

There was a time in history when men could escape from lives as farm or mill laborers by going to sea to seek their fortunes. Some were fortunate and became owners of their own ships. Others were crippled or lost as the sea exacted its toll from those traveling its domains. This book provides a detailed account of shipwrecks on the Washington, Oregon, and California coasts between 1550 and early 1962 (I am looking at a second edition). Photos are included for some of the more recent shipwrecks. It covers wrecks caused by weather, poor navigation, collisions, or other misadventures. While copies may be hard to find, it is well worth searching for as it provides an essential reference for those people seeking information on nautical commerce along the U.S. Pacific coast. It gives a good overview of the hazards of going to sea.

A must have for Northwest Maritime enthusiasts

Jim Gibbs is simply the guru of Northwest maritime history. This book ranges up and down the west coast with fascinating tales of shipping mishaps and contains plenty of photographs. If shipwrecks interest you, ANYTHING by "Shipwreck" Jim is for you!