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I moved to the Seattle area in 1994 from Newport Beach, California. I met my wonderful wife, Susan, and we were married in 2001. She has lived on Mercer Island waterfront for thirty five years which is where we reside. I previously enjoyed cruising Newport Bay and a major delight was seeing the mansions that graced the shores. I remember often seeing John Wayne and other celebrities on their docks waving to the boating passersby. I have transferred my cruising enthusiasm to Lake Washington which I enjoy even more because of the beauty of the lake’s immense natural setting, features and wonderful large estates. In 1998 I remember seeing Bill Gates with his new child in his arms standing on his dock and he friendlily waved to us as we cruised by. Unfortunately, since 9/11 cruisers rarely see celebrity waterfront residents. We still enjoy seeing their homes and estates. During our cruises there are always discussions about the homes and who lives there. A lot of my friends are knowledgeable but their information is limited and sometimes based upon secondary sources. My friends and relatives would often say, “There should be a guide book about these homes physical statistics and history plus information regarding the present and past residents and owners.” I was challenged, since I am a writer and photographer, to research the public information and produce such a book. I accepted this challenge. As I delved into the project I found many intriguing stories. The reviewers of the first drafts commented, “Your statistics, current information, history and stories of the homes, their residents and the surrounding areas is fascinating reading for almost anyone – not just the lake’s boaters and cruisers. And your photographs bring all your written words to life.” I have expanded my initial scope to offer books in a style that has never been used and will be interesting to a wide audience.
David Dykstra |
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