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About Penn
Dinner at the Plantation Hotel in Kaui, Hawaii
I was born in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island in Washington State. Today, Friday Harbor is a thriving tourist Mecca. In those days, it was a sleepy little outpost on an isolated island tucked against the Canadian Border.
My father is of Scottish descent, my mother is Mexican. I grew up with a foot in both worlds. We moved to Southern California when I was three. There I spent most of my time with Mama's side of the family. But we lived in an Anglo neighborhood and I went to an Anglo school, so I got a lot of racially prejudiced teasing. I was called "wet back," "beaner," or "dirty Mexican" on almost a daily basis.
We moved to Oregon when I was nine. The Oregonians had never seen a Mexican. Most of them didn't even know what a Mexican was, so I was just one of the crowd. I never experienced racial prejudice again. This was also about the time I hit a growth spurt and I was bigger and stronger than most anyone in the school.
I wonder if that had anything to do with it?
My father is of Scottish descent, my mother is Mexican. I grew up with a foot in both worlds. We moved to Southern California when I was three. There I spent most of my time with Mama's side of the family. But we lived in an Anglo neighborhood and I went to an Anglo school, so I got a lot of racially prejudiced teasing. I was called "wet back," "beaner," or "dirty Mexican" on almost a daily basis.
We moved to Oregon when I was nine. The Oregonians had never seen a Mexican. Most of them didn't even know what a Mexican was, so I was just one of the crowd. I never experienced racial prejudice again. This was also about the time I hit a growth spurt and I was bigger and stronger than most anyone in the school.
I wonder if that had anything to do with it?
Relaxing in the Johnstone Passage, BC Canada
My first love was the sea. I was born with salt water in my veins. I first went to sea at age eight with Papa, a commercial tuna fisherman. My adventures fishing with Papa are chronicled in Blue Water & Me, Tall Tales of Adventures With My Father.
I started sailing when I was in high school. I've owned various kinds of sailboats ever since. I sailed the waters of Puget Sound and Western Canada for over thirty years.
My parents owned Mexican restaurants while I was growing up. I started working in the kitchen when I was thirteen. I have made a life-time study of Mexican food and consider myself an expert on the subject.
I was also a software engineer and computer security expert. This experience led me to create Ted Higuera, Latino computer security analyst. The first Ted Higuera novel was The Inside Passage. The fifth book in the series, The Cartel Strikes Back, is now available on Amazon.
I started sailing when I was in high school. I've owned various kinds of sailboats ever since. I sailed the waters of Puget Sound and Western Canada for over thirty years.
My parents owned Mexican restaurants while I was growing up. I started working in the kitchen when I was thirteen. I have made a life-time study of Mexican food and consider myself an expert on the subject.
I was also a software engineer and computer security expert. This experience led me to create Ted Higuera, Latino computer security analyst. The first Ted Higuera novel was The Inside Passage. The fifth book in the series, The Cartel Strikes Back, is now available on Amazon.
On the Imperial Woman with Connie, circa 1980
In the spring of 2010 I lost the love of my life to ovarian cancer. Connie was not only my wife and the mother of my children, she was my rudder and moral compass. Losing Connie taught me that you can't live for tomorrow. You must live your dreams today, you never know if tomorrow will come.
To this end, I bought a 56-foot sailboat and restored it for blue-water cruising and chartering. I set sail for the warm blue waters of Baja in September of 2012. Visit my blog to read about my adventures sailing in Mexico.
In the spring of 2016, we headed to Panama and lived in a beach house on a jungle island for four months.
I've been asked to describe myself in a few words. I explain that "If Chevy Chase had played Indiana Jones, it would be me." I have a thirst for adventure, but nothing ever seems to go exactly as planned.
These days I live on my boat, the Victory, in San Diego. But who knows where our next adventure will take us.
Best Wishes Penn
To this end, I bought a 56-foot sailboat and restored it for blue-water cruising and chartering. I set sail for the warm blue waters of Baja in September of 2012. Visit my blog to read about my adventures sailing in Mexico.
In the spring of 2016, we headed to Panama and lived in a beach house on a jungle island for four months.
I've been asked to describe myself in a few words. I explain that "If Chevy Chase had played Indiana Jones, it would be me." I have a thirst for adventure, but nothing ever seems to go exactly as planned.
These days I live on my boat, the Victory, in San Diego. But who knows where our next adventure will take us.
Best Wishes Penn