John T. Walbran was born in Yorkshire in 1848. After attending grammar school, he went to the famous training ship Conway. Thereafter as a ship's officer he sailed the seas of the world until 1888, when he entered the coastal service of the Canadian Pacific Navigation Company. In 1891 Walbran took command of the Canadian Government Steamship Quadra. For the next twelve years he and his sturdy, handsome little ship sailed up and down the BC coast. Afterwards, he left the Quadra to pursue the writing of this book. He died in 1909.