Fred McLaren Book Signing



Fred McLaren held his inaugural book signing for his new book, Unknown Waters: A First-Hand Account of the Historic Under-Ice Survey of the Siberian Continental Shelf by USS Queenfish (SSN-651) in Fred's hometown, Coronado, at Bay Books on 28 February  2008.  Fred was CO of Queenfish during this adventure. Fred talked about his book and his more recent experiences diving on the hulks of RMS  Titanic ,and DKM Bismark and on hydrothermal vents associated with rifts of sea floor spreading.  Classmates in attendance included Bill Anders, Ned Floyd, Scot McCauley and Tom Shine.  The submarine and Arctic communities were well represented as well as Fred's family and friends.

Ned Floyd



Fred expounding; quiz later




Tom Shine, Fred McLaren, Bill Anders, Ned Floyd
  

FYI -- Fred's book signing is the second one by a classmate at Bay Books.  In 2005, Scot McCauley had a book signing there for his action thriller, Revenge in Exile. 

Ned Floyd
Thursday, February 28
"UNKNOWN WATERS" by Alfred S. McLaren
Captain, USN(Ret.) Ph.D.
 
Captain McLaren is a lecturer, writer, and research scientist.  He is also a former sub-marine commander and prominent Arctic expert, senior pilot of the SAS Aviator submersible, recipient of several medals, and many more accomplishments.  But his book tells the story of the brave men of the u\nuclear attack submarine USS Queenfish who made the first survey of the important and remote region of the Arctic Ocean in 1970.  A fascinating true event.  That the author also participated as a diver in the "First Manned Dives to the German battleship Bismarck" in 2001 and many other famous dives  is just one part of this extraordinary life.  This will be his first book signing and it will take place here in his homestate/hometown.   Do come and listen to this fascinating lifestory.                       

Gary E. Weir, author of Rising Tide: The Untold Story of the Russian Submarines That Fought the Cold War and former Historian, U.S. Navy:

    “This memoir is very engaging…. It provides a first-person view of submarine under-ice operations that appears in very few other works.”

Vice Admiral George P. Steele, USN (Ret.) Commanding Officer of USS Seadragon (SSN-584) during a 1960 first voyage from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the North Pole and first-ever survey of the Northwest Passage:

    “As a veteran under Arctic ice explorer, with Fred McLaren as a shipmate, I found this well written book spellbinding. From the intensive, essential preparation of all hands and the ship, the story builds to a high pitch of excitement and grave danger. Captain McLaren and his brave ship’s company encounter crisis after crisis and win through, recording invaluable new hydrographic information about the continental shelf north of the then Soviet Union.”

Dr. Don Walsh, pilot of Trieste who, with Jacques Piccard in 1960, reached the deepest part of the world ocean in the Marianas Trench.

    “Dr. Fred McLaren, former submarine commander and prominent Arctic expert, combines a rigorous operational background with extensive academic training to tell us about the early pioneering days in the Arctic Ocean when the Cold War made certain far north research difficult. A four-year President of The Explorers Club, he has achieved an international reputation in Arctic research. It is indeed rare to find a first hand accounting of this work written by a ‘dreamer’ and ‘doer.’ Highly recommended reading about a little-known chapter of US explorations of the far north.”