"The past actually happened but history is only what someone wrote down." A. Whitney Brown.

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San Juan Archipelago, Washington State, United States
A society formed in 2009 for the purpose of collecting, preserving, celebrating, and disseminating the maritime history of the San Juan Islands and northern Puget Sound area. Check this log for tales from out-of-print publications as well as from members and friends. There are circa 750, often long entries, on a broad range of maritime topics; there are search aids at the bottom of the log. Please ask for permission to use any photo posted on this site. Thank you.

14 February 2016

❖ Fleet Captain Oliver Van Nieuwenhuise ❖

Drawing of the well known
Capt. Oliver Van Nieuwenhuise
a.k.a. "Ole Wooden Shoes."
Fleet Captain for Black Ball Ferries.
Sketch dated, 1945.

Quotes submitted to The Piling Busters Yearbook, 1951:

Running along in the fog, blowing the whistle at least every minute, more upon approaching a landing––a lady passenger said, "what are you blowing so much for, Captain?" He replied, "It is foggy and I'm trying to locate the landing." "But look up, one can see the clouds and the sky." The captain replied, " you are right but we are not going that way unless the boiler blows up."
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A lady stepped up to the ticket-window and laid down a 10-cent piece and in a Southern accent accent asked for a ticket.
Ticket seller: "where to, please?"
Lady: "on the ferry."
Ticket seller: "what place are you going to?"
Lady: "San Juan Islands."
Ticket seller: "which island––and besides we have no 10-cent tickets."
Lady: "well, hell, that's all we pay to cross the Mississippi!"





3 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Lucky thing! Feel free to send any story about him and thanks for reading the Log and being in touch.

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    2. Giovanna Van N ZornesAugust 24, 2022 at 2:06 PM

      My great grandfather 💗

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