Marianne Scott of the Netherlands rediscovered her seafaring roots when she and her husband sailed to Bora-Bora and back. Based in Victoria, she has interviewed 31 West Coasters for Naturally Salty (TouchWood Editions, $18.95). Among her subjects such as the Potts Lagoon hermit Bob Stewart, shipwreck hunter James Delgado; orca specialist Paul Spong and Fishing with John author Edith Iglauer, last but not least there's 75-year-old Charlie White. This edited synopsis of the life of Charlie White is drawn from Marianne Scott's profile. White has started more than 30 businesses including Victoria's Undersea Gardens, operated his publishing company, co-founded CHEK-TV, invented newfangled gizmos and fished with clients such as Kevin Costner and Bob Hope-when he wasn't busy catching readers. Back in 1969, when Charlie White was an ex-fishing guide, a local newspaper editor asked him to jot down an article on how to catch crabs. "I decided it could be a little book and I dictated it in a couple hours."; A local printer said he'd be lucky to sell 500. Since then Charlie White has been more than lucky. He's been damned smart. Reputedly his How to Catch Crabs has sold 100,000 copies. Instead of selling for a buck, as it did originally, it sells for $8.95. White's second book, How to Catch Salmon: Basic Techniques, encouraged him to release more how-to fishing titles such as How to Catch Trout, How to Catch Shellfish, Quick Tips for Catching Halibut, etc. For a guy who gets seasick on rough water, it's been a strange route to becoming a fishing guru. 1-894898-03-6

[BCBW 2003]