I’ve always had a fascination with the Pacific and the nations that border it, so it was natural for me to be more than inquisitive about the story of the Hawaii Clipper and how it was lost under mysterious circumstances. After reading Charlie Hill’s book, Fix on the Rising Sun and Ronald Jackson’s China Clipper, I became enthralled with this historical event that I knew very little about.  It seemed like a romantic notion to hunt for such a long-lost relic, so call me a romantic then.  The hunt was on.

In my younger days, I was a US Navy combat cameraman trained with photographic and video cameras.  I loved the time machine that a camera is because it freezes everything, even things you miss the first time, and saves it forever. I had been given the opportunity to photograph heroes in action, celebrities, historical events and shipmates doing their amazing jobs.  I later obtained a BA in Journalism and received a commission as an officer is the US Navy Reserve.  With additional skills, training and experience, my scope of the world and my place in it was greatly expanded. Equipped with confidence, there was little I felt I could not accomplish if given the proper effort and attitude… a trait that would come in handy later.  I went back to school and perused a Masters of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence which enhanced the skills of understanding other cultures and their significance in the world we live in.  During that time I expanded my self into areas such as a US Navy Technical Advisor for EA Games in Los Angeles, a contributing writer for various technical and intelligence journals and an aviation encyclopedia.  Eventually, I created a video production company to service the large Hollywood motion picture studios and become a video producer, writer and director with a few IMDB credits.  Not too shabby for a career I think is only half begun.

In 2010, I embarked on yet another new direction– Book Author.  With a GPS, an iPhone, a VholdR Camera and a few other elements, I began a journey that I initially started back in 2000; to understand the circumstances that erased the Hawaii Clipper from its bright future.  “Hunt for the Lost Clipper” may sound a bit familiar or maybe even glamorous, but I guess in a way, it’s something that I feel it deserves when it was robbed of a future that was indeed glorious.

Thus, I decided to dabble, then dig, then actively pursue any and all explanations of it’s disappearance.  What you see here is a collection of my ongoing process of discovery.  Having stood on the very spots that are thought to be the final resting places of the passengers and crew of the Hawaii Clipper, I knew I was on to something.  This quest has become a life-altering event because I have gotten to meet intriguing new people, visit locations I had only read about in books and answered questions I had long given up on.  This journey has never been a solitary one, and I thank the numerous people who have graced me with their kindness, to help complete an effort none of us thought would take nearly twenty-five years to complete.

hunt@lostclipper.com