Words on water : a ferryman's journal, Washington Island, WI : 2007

316 Pages·2008·48.78 MB·English

by  Richard Purinton

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WORDS ON WATER
A Ferryinan's Joun1al
Washington Island, \VI
2007
by
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About the Author
Richard Purinton was born in Sturgeon Bay September 22, 194 7. Ile
graduated from Sturgeon Bay High School in l 965, and UW-Madison in 1970
with a BA in journalism. lie served four years in the U.S. Navy as quartermas
ter and married Mary Jo Richter in 1972. They raised three children in their
island home. Richard has worked for Washington Island Ferry Line since
1974, first as deckhand, then ferry captain, general mana/;1cr, and most re
cently as comp1111y president.
Richard has written for several m~1rine periodicals (11'01·/i Bont, Foghoni),
contiibuted a chapter in the Land Trust book The Natiire of Door. and edited
and published the 1990 pllotographic essay o~er and Bach: 1\ Picture Hiscory
of Transporcaiion co \Vashingwn Island, which received a Wisconsin State
Hiscorical Society Award of Merit. In March 2007 he began blog postings at
www.ferrycabinncws.blogspot.com, News and Opinion from \V~1shington Is
land, the Surrounding Islands and the !~land Community - Prom a Ferry
Operator's Point of View.
Acknowledgements
Thanks co Norben Blei for his challenge to begin a daily journal from a ferry
operator's perspective, and for l1is continuing encouragement.
Selected entries from W01-ds On Water appeared in a chapter of Other
\loices published in May 2007 by Cross + Roads Press, edited by Norbert Blei.
The tribute to J.J. Ehlcnicldt appeared in the Island Observer.
Publisher/Eclitor N. 13lci
Layout Editor: Jan Mielke
Cover and text page photos: Richard Purinton
Map: H. F. Purinton
Map drawings: Charles Peterson
Copyright: © 2009 CROSS+ROJ\DS PRESS
ISBN: 978-1-889460-22-2
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
Scconcl Printing
Printed in Canada.
+
CROSS ROADS PRESS
&nr armmty fhitintUI
P.O. Box33
Ellison Bay, WI 5421 O
www.norbertblei.com
www.bleidoorcountytimes.com
to
Mary Jo
4 Worcls on Water