Captain's Gold an UnderSea Adventure by Adam Lindale
Release date: Friday, September 25, 2026
A Lost Captain, a Hidden Fortune and a Family Scuba Adventure: Adam Lindale's Captain's Gold an UnderSea Adventure Novel
Best Publishing Company releases the first in the UnderSea Adventure novel series, a Great Lakes treasure hunt inspired by a real lighthouse keeper, a real island, scouts, and SCUBA diving.
NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla. (September 25, 2026) — Best Publishing Company today announced the release of Captain's Gold: An UnderSea Adventure Novel, the debut novel from Michigan author, PADI scuba instructor and engineer Adam Lindale. Part historical mystery and part scuba-diving adventure, the book sends three young friends on a spring-break hunt for a fortune lost on South Manitau Island on Lake Michigan more than a century ago. Captain's Gold is available now in paperback and ebook from Best Publishing Company at www.bestpub.com.
UNDERSEA ADVENTURE: The story opens on September 27, 1911, when a violent storm drives the steamer Three Brothers toward the shelter of South Manitou Island, where lighthouse keeper James Burdick rushes into the night to help. By morning the ship has vanished beneath Lake Michigan, and the captain, who entrusted Burdick with a secret and a bag of gold, has vanished too.
A century later, fifteen-year-old Jake Shaw is dreading a spring-break homework assignment to report on something about the state of Michigan. Then his parents surprise him with a motor home, a new book called SCUBA Diving: Youth Edition, and a plan: Jake, his younger brother Lucas and his best friend Mackenzie will learn to dive, then use their new skills to gather material for their project. From pool training at Silver Lake to open-water dives in Lake Michigan, and from Petoskey stone hunting to the lighthouse island itself, their school report turns into a search for the lost gold of the Three Brothers.
Lindale weaves real Michigan history, geography and scuba education into the adventure. Readers of all ages pick up dive basics and Michigan lore along the way, whether or not they have ever put on a mask and fins.
The story is rooted in Lindale's own family history. James Burdick, the lighthouse keeper in the opening chapter, was a real keeper on South Manitou Island and the author's great-grandfather. "No life is complete without a little adventure," Lindale writes in the book's dedication to his sons, Jake and Lucas. "I have had the privilege of living some fantastic adventures, but the greatest adventure, and gift, is raising a child."
There is a Scouting America emphasis
EDITOR'S NOTE:
When Adam Lindale first brought Captain's Gold to Best Publishing Company, we knew right away we wanted to be part of this adventure. Adam is a gifted storyteller with a clear mission: to create positive, family-friendly adventure books that celebrate the outdoors and time spent together, and that inspire young readers to take an interest in SCUBA diving and Scouting America values.
The story blends real people, places, and events close to Adam's heart with a fictional adventure built around a real island, a real lighthouse keeper, and a real shipwreck. The result is a tale that feels both authentic and full of wonder. The picture on the book cover and the picture of Adam in the About the Author below are of the real lighthouse found on South Manitou Island on Lake Michigan.
Editing this book became a true family project in the Peterson home. Our son, Isaiah, read it for content and gave valuable feedback from a young reader's point of view. My husband, Deron, a 5th grade teacher, took on editing and layout and added in his guidance from the perspective of an experienced literature teacher. He invited one of his students, Yojans Maldonado, to create the sketches you'll find throughout the book. Yojans found his own place in adding to this first book in the UnderSea Adventure Series.
And the adventure is just beginning! Our team is already editing the second book, Roman Silver, set for release in early 2027, while Adam is hard at work writing the third.
Share the adventure this year. Buy Captain's Gold in bulk and give the gift of reading and exploration to families, classrooms, and troops near you.
| Quantity | Price per book |
|---|---|
| 5–12 books | $10.40 |
| 13–24 books | $9.10 |
| 25+ books | $7.79 |
REVIEWS:
#1 Amazon New Release #1 New Release
in Teen & Young Adult Exploration & Discovery Historical Fiction
“What a fun read! I especially enjoyed the realism of the SCUBA diving and the inclusion of Scouting as a theme. I hope this story inspires more youth to try both!”
Jeffrey Bozanic, PhD
NAUI & TDI Scuba Instructor
and Distinguished Eagle Scout
"Adam has crafted more than just an adventure novel" and "has written a heartfelt tribute to imagination, courage, and the timeless power of storytelling."
Ross Neil
PADI Professional 20 years
Platinum Course Director & 300 Level Elite Instructor
READING LEVEL:
Genre: Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction / Mysteries & Detective Stories, and Juvenile Fiction / Sports & Recreation / Water Sports / Reading Audience: 10-18 yrs. old.
BOOK DETAILS:
Title: Captain's Gold: An UnderSea Adventure Novel
Author: Adam Lindale, Michigan
Publisher: Best Publishing Company
Release Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
ISBN: 978-0-941332-48-4 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-0-941332-53-8 (ebook)
Pages: 230
Size: 5”x8”
MSRP: $12.99
About the author
Born and raised in West Michigan, Adam Lindale is an author, avid scuba diver, PADI instructor, engineer and father of two Eagle Scouts. He comes from a long line of storytellers, including his great-grandfather, lighthouse keeper James Burdick. Lindale began writing as a way to share his adventures with his sons, and what was planned as ten short chapters grew into six years of part-time writing and a full novel.
He lives in Michigan with his wife, Michelle, their sons Jake and Lucas, and their black German Shepherd, Diesel, and he continues to dive and explore the sites around South Manitou Island. His next UnderSea Adventure novel, Roman Silver, draws on the family's years living abroad in Austria. Learn more at www.diveusascuba.com.
About Best Publishing Company
Best Publishing Company
631 US Highway 1, Suite 307, North Palm Beach, Florida 33408.
Founded in 1966, Best Publishing Company is the largest and most respected publisher of educational books on diving, wound care and hyperbaric medicine. Its mission is to publish current, innovative books that promote diving safety and education around the world, reaching sport divers, dive shops, libraries, bookstores, museums, aquariums and dive organizations. With Captain's Gold, Best Publishing brings that commitment to adventure storytelling for children and youth, introducing young readers to the underwater world with safety and curiosity at the center. Visit www.bestpub.com.
BEST PUBLISHING COMPANY
631 US Highway 1, Suite 307,
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
Phone: 561.776.6066
www.bestpub.com