When you’re out on the salt, the work is rough and the storms have no mercy. Yet the sun never fails to reemerge from behind the clouds, and if you look hard, a chuckle can be found. Through this remarkable collection of stories-built from over 40 years working on the water-Lon captures the thrill of the action, the pain of the struggle, and the power of a good laugh. Because whether working as mate, quartermaster or captain, humor was always close by when Lon was on deck.
Salty takes you into this world filled with terror and triumph, and delivers a taste of an unfathomable life, working at sea.
Praise for Salty
These are the stories Lonnie would tell on dark nights in the wheelhouse that would keep us in stitches. Prepare to be highly entertained!
- Captain Eric Treece ( E.T. ) S.S. Wilfred Sykes (Present) S.S. Edward L. Ryerson (2006-2009)
…The stories of this man’s long and fascinating maritime career found within these pages will entertain the h*** out of you. I encourage you to cast off and begin the pleasurable journey to where this book will take you. Congratulations, Lon, your ‘running lights are burning bright.’ Happy reading to everyone.
- Peter K. Jongewaard Able Seaman, S.S. Sewell Avery US Steel Great Lakes Fleet, 1975
Chapter after chapter, I found myself hanging on every word. Batten down the hatches and settle in for a wild, highly entertaining ride!
- Roger LeLievre Author/Editor of Know Your Ships: Guide to Boats & Boatwatching on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway
Working with Lon has always been an adventure. The weirdest situations arise and strangest people always seem to appear in his everyday life. If these tales don’t surprise and entertain you then you might want to reflect a little because you may have been one of his encounters.
- Captain Garth J. Law ( Sharkey ) Arnold Mackinac Island Ferry Line
I have known Lonnie Calloway for over 15 years and sailed on a number of vessels with him. Lonnie is a straight shooter and someone of strong moral fiber, he is a great shipmate and an all-around good guy with an awesome sense of humor. He has done many things in his merchant marine career, some of which he will share with you in the following pages. I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I do. Semper Paratus and God Speed, Lonnie.
- Joe Parsons II Chief Engineer, Steam, Motor and Gas Turbine, Unlimited Horsepower United States Merchant Marine
As a former Coastie, I served with Lon aboard the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Woodrush (WLB-407) in Sitka, Alaska. We worked hard and partied harder. It was a blast! This is an epic read. I could smell the salt air, and feel the spray and the deck rolling under my feet!
- William Zimmerman FDNY-Fire Dept. of New York 32-Year Veteran: Engine 222 ( Triple Deuce )
For over 40 years, it’s been my pleasure to have called Captain Calloway my watch partner, shipmate, and once, my best man. Traditionally, sea stories begin one of two ways: ‘It was a dark and stormy night, ’ or ‘Now this is no s***.’ Since I was with Lon on many of his adventures and can vouch for the accuracy of the insanities, the second beginning would be appropriate. Enjoy the book!
- Rick ( Ricardo ) Gay Able Seaman (AB) Unlimited U.S. Merchant Marine
For those of you in search of the true tales of a modern-day Ernest Hemingway, the sea stories in this book will not disappoint! Captain Lonnie delivers true shipboard experiences of his life on the seas told in an uninhibited and humorous manor. This book chronicles tales of a fading era through the lives of ‘true men of the sea’.
- Captain William R. LaParl Unlimited Master/First Class Pilot-Great Lakes
