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The Perfect Storm A Book Review By Matthew Corcoran The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger "She's Comin' on Boys!" One of the great thrills of sailing a beach cat comes when you are forced to confront weather which pushes your sailing abilities to their limits. Every Hobie sailor knows when the weather conditions have reached the level where all his skills and strength are required to make the boat perform as he wants. Most of us have experienced, to some degree or another, more severe conditions -- where the crews' efforts are directed merely at keeping the boat upright, making headway, or getting home. Although the severity of the conditions which any particular sailor might be skilled enough (or dumb enough) to subject herself to vary, the rush which comes from testing the limits of our skills and our boats against the weather is part of why these little boats are so addictive. That rush of heavy weather sailing, comes in part from the knowledge that "that big gust might just keep getting bigger" or that "those swells might keep squaring off more and more". Being on the water and facing the force of the weather, the strength of which is entirely beyond your control, is the essence of the rush of sailing in heavy weather. Every Hobie sailor who is fascinated by the power of the winds and sea which we ride will get a get a kick out The Perfect Storm, Sebastian Junger's account of the Halloween Gale of 1991. The Halloween Gale, for those of you who did not loose large chunks of your favorite east coast beach to its ravaging, was the "hundred year storm" which arose from the mating of Hurricane Grace and a Canadian cold front of the coast of New England in October 1991. In The Perfect Storm, Junger, a journalist by trade, tracks this storm and the conditions which produced 100 foot waves through a variety of sources. Weather buoys readings, ships logs, and amazing first hand accounts from rescue personnel, all provide images of the storm. However, the center of the storm was seen by only one vessel -- the Andrea Gail -- a 70 foot commercial swordfisher. The Andrea Gail and her crew, along with reports from other members of the U.S. swordfishing fleet provide the backbone for Junger to describe the storm. Through a hodge podge of memorable anecdotes based on historical references, personal accounts and technical descriptions made surprisingly accessible, Junger creates a vivid and even a dramatic image of the storm and the experience of the men and women caught at sea. Two caveats. First, Junger is a journalist. For most of the book, particularly where he must relate intensely factual material in a captivating manner, these skills serve him well. However, I spent as much time trying to get through the first thirty pages, dealing with the pre-voyage activities of the crew of the Andrea Gail, as I did reading the remaining 200 pages. Second, vivid descriptions of drownings and sinking boats may chill the enthusiasm of some crew. As a result, you might want to think twice before passing on this book to any faint hearted crew you depend on during heavy weather. These minor issues notwithstanding, I have no doubt this drama will capture the Hobie sailor and provide fodder for the imagination to carry you (at least part way) through the long winter -- 'cause she's comin' on boys! Matthew Corcoran SZED92A@prodigy.com The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger - Norton Books (1997), 227 pp. Hardback Cover Price, $23.95 U.S. - Available through Amazon Books Click here for online purchase. Back to Features |