The book is an incredibly detailed account of all intersecting aspects of the storm and does not spare the blows up to the verdict on the unavoidable outcome of this tragedy. Having been exposed to severe storm conditions off Scotland with winds force 11 and thirty foot …more waves I am prepared to fully accept the definitions expressed of severe conditions in the book.

The boat I was with, a bit larger than the Andrea Gail, and the skipper has been out in hurricane force 12 and I was greatly relieved when I was on the bridge and he said I had nothing to worry about. There was little left from the book to expand details of the courage of these men in trying to carry out formidable fishing operations in such extreme conditions. I could imagine the windows being blown out and the seemingly futile attempts to cover with wooden boards as the wind could easily carry man and board overboard in a single gust.

Such is the realism of the account that I felt myself experiencing many of the conditions as I read along and remembered my fishermen's training experience while diving into the water and climbing into the inflatable life having had to set it the right way up before use. The stories of life around the Crows Nest were broadly commensurate with my experience in port with outlandish crew behaviour which took me to the local police station on one occasion because a mate kicked in a car whilst unaware of the men in the police car behind waiting for trouble. I think alcohol had a great deal to do with our scrapes, but I loved being there with my mates. I cannot get over the joy of going out to sea, as detailed in the book, but with a distinct feeling you might not be coming back. All the explanations of the comings and goings of crew members ashore ring true to me and the mother one of my mates told me she was happier when her son was fishing with his father at sea than when he came home to cause problems.

The book relates to a lifestyle virtually unknown to the average town dweller. It is a totally enveloping world of almost unlimited excitement and danger on a truly grand scale. You have to be the right person to find it exactly the way you want to live. (less)