This book is the third of three books written by Cormack family members documenting their experiences growing up in Coldingham Shore (St. Abbs). These three 5x7 full-color paperback books range in length from about 50 - 100 pages. All three of these stories can also be purchased together in a single 184-page, 6x9 full-color paperback book titled, "The Cormacks of Coldingham Shore".

Born in 1893, Peter Johnston Cormack grew up as a bare foot lad on the picturesque shores of St. Abbs, Scotland. The son of a prominent local fishing family, Peter was schooled in the art of fishing and navigation, and most importantly, the skill of self-reliance, becoming I suppose by necessity at that time, a sort of ‘Jack-of-all-trades’.

When Peter was only 12 years-old his father, Robert Cormack, died. Peter was then taken under the wing of his Uncle and namesake, Peter J. Cormack. Peter’s uncle invited my grandfather to work with him on his fishing boat, the “Fast Castle”. My grandfather’s Uncle must have been a very successful fisherman as well, judging on the beautiful stone house he built in St. Abbs called the “Sea Villa”. The home is now owned by the Gibson family and has been renamed “Maw Carr” after a reef (carr) located in front of the house.

The letters written by my grandfather contained within this book were written towards the end of his life between the years of 1959 - 1964. I am happy to say, that he was able to make a return visit to his birthplace in 1961, more that 50 years after immigrating to Canada with his family. My grandfather passed away in 1967 at the age of 73 in San Clemente, California. After raising a family in the mountain community of Crestline, he eventually relocated with my family to the little beach town of San Clemente, California in 1962. I know the smell of salt air, and the local coves, natural harbors, and rocky inlets along the coast of Southern California must have helped draw him here, where it felt like home (Duncan)