True Bearing is the only book from author David Fairbank White. It is out of print, but available used.

Appropriately I picked this books up for one thin quarter at Spies Library near the Menominee Marina.

I say appropriately because this library has a water view and is adjacent to the marina where I spent my formative sailing years leading to my current career in the sailing biz. And as I’ve penned/typed rowing reporter I’ve tried to keep a broader field of view beyond just sailing to include commercial shipping and more general waterfront news.

True Bearing covers the struggles of the last ’ship news’ reporter of the New York Glove (aka the NY Times) along the New York waterfront. In the end the reporter cracks a big story about a tanker that leaked oil. The story goes to a magazine as there are no ’ship news’ reporters needed by the Globe.

Of course, more recently, there has been the Shipping News. This books also turned movie featured Quoyle as a ’ship news’ reporter.

While there may not be any ’ship news’ reporters on newspaper staffs, the Internet does provide. A prime example of on line ship news is the Boat Nerd site.

This book is an interesting read and serves as a fun way to take a look at how communications have changed while the pull of the watery world stays the same.

The Earl W. Ogelbay enters the Soo Locks

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