Joseph Blackwell, a lad without prospects, befriends a mysterious sea captain and secures a berth on his ship. The year is 1787, and two American ships laden with supplies set sail from Boston Harbor. Their venture: to round Cape Horn and sail to the Northwest coast of America, to trade with the Indians for sea otter pelts. Once their cargo is secured, they will sail to China via the Sandwich Islands and trade the valuable skins for tea, before returning to Boston via the Cape of Good Hope. During their stormy passage, the two ships lose contact with each other. As a result, the sloop Lady Washington, commanded by Captain Robert Gray, must proceed on her own. Reaching the uncharted Northwest coast, they discover native villages on a large, pristine bay which Gray names after the Indians: Tillamook. Barter, initially friendly, gives way to a surprise attack. During the battle, Joe Blackwell and an African cabin boy become separated from the ship, and must hide from the marauding natives. With musket and cannon, Gray holds off the attackers while setting sail. From the rocks above, the two young men watch in frightened disbelief as the sloop vanishes into a foggy sea. The two young men are now marooned, in a remote and primitive land. Their struggle, playing out against endless forests, rugged mountains and bountiful waters, is an epic tale of clashing cultures, fate, trust, love and conflict. The lads approach their futures quite differently, one pining for home and family, while the other aspires to Indian leadership. Tillamook Passage is a thrilling testament to the iron will, brave hearts and sharp wits of the gritty explorers who came before us. Two worlds… one destiny. "Tillamook Passage - A story about the maritime trade of sea otter pelts and the Northwest coastal Indians in the late 1700s is not a subject often tackled by authors. That aside, Ratty's array of vividly drawn characters, ranging from young sailors to marauding Indians, populate this landscape with an authenticity that transcends the book beyond mere historical fiction. This is an adventure story that delves into some of life's most urgent subjects: fate, clashing cultures, and love." Eric Hoffer Award Judge - New York "Tillamook Passage" is not only a book of nonstop adventure; it is a book with significant relevance to anyone who is interest in Northwest history and coastal Indian culture. Daily Astorian Newspaper