The Perfect Storm

I was very impressed by this story because this story is based on reality. This story began from description of people who lived in a small fishing town, Gloucester, Massachusetts. In this town, most of fisherman had gone on the fishing trip to make amount of money. Few men liked to go fishing because the work was very hard and one fishing trip was very long. When they left port once, they had to stay on the ship about a month. The author wrote these people with dark scene description, so it showed us that it would happen unfortunate result.

I often go fishing in the sea by boarding a fishing boat. It is very interesting and exciting hobby for me. However I've worried a little since I read this book. No man expect the change of the weather and sea condition. Even experienced fisherman couldn't except it in this book.

Should I stop to go fishing? Maybe I can't stop it. I think that I would continue this hobby ever. I should learn to swim well first.

Chapter 7

Q1 The author guesses that the storm might have destroyed the Andrea Gail's radio antennas and its radar. He says that if this happened, sailing the boat would have been like sailing in the nineteenth century. Explain what he means.

A1 This means that we have to sail without modern tools and we might loose our way in the sea.

Q2 Why is it strange that no signal was ever received from the Andrea Gail's EPIRB?

A2 Because If the antennas had been lost in the storm, Billy must switch on the EPIRB.

Hideki

The Perfect Storm

The Perfect Storm
Sebastian Junger

This nobel is based on a true story of a swordfishing boat sank in the storm "Hurricane Grace". Hurricane Grace was so strong and terrible. Unfortunately another storm moved toward Hurricane Grace, and they hit on the sea.

They became more terrible than anyone can imagine. That was a perfect storm. A swordfishing boat named Andrea Gail was hit by this perfect storm and sank.
This nobel describes people around Andrea Gail, crews and their family, friends, etc.
I thought this is an adventure story at first, but it was wrong.
This is a story of phantom on the sea! I was scared because I go fishing on the lake so many times!
Are there some phantom in the lake, too???

Points for understanding

2-1 Swordfisherman put "lightsticks" on the "gangions" which are attached to their mainline. What are lightsticks and why are they used?
Lightsticks are clear plastic tubes which give out light. As swordfishing eat at night, fisherman use lightstick. Swordfishes come near to it with curiosity and eat fish bait beside it.

2-2 On September 20th, when the story bigins, Billy Tyne has had a lot of problems. Who is Billy Tyne and what problems has he had?
Billy Tyne is a captain of the Andrea Gail. He has had a trouble of vacancy in crew. He asked some people to go with him, but some refused.

The Perfect Storm

This story is based on the true story which certain US ships caught in terrible storm. The first half of the story is a drama of the crew of swordfishing boat "Andrea Gail ". As for this story, it is drawn immediately before Andrea Gale's being rolled in a terrible storm. Next, the story continues to which other swordfish fishing boats and yachts are rescued in the storm. Do you think how the Andrea Gail became?

I felt short on fun. What does Andrea Gail that was the center of the story happen in the storm? What happened to the crews? These are the completely mysteries. Therefore, it is up to reader's imagination. As for this work, the mystery has been filled with. The difference of the common mystery story is there is no answer. Had Andrea Gail originated EPIRB signal before it sank? Why did not it originate if EPIRB was not originated? My reading comprehension might be insufficiency. Please comment if you have read this book.

Best wishes,

Masao Nishimura

The Perfect Storm

This book was very interesting for me. This story is nonfiction and some people such as the crew members on the Andrea Gail, on a boat named Satori, and a lot of rescuers really fiercely fought against the perfect storm.
The most exciting scene was chapter 8 and 9. I’ve finished reading these chapters quickly. All members except Ray on the boat named Satori did their best to survive, but the violent storm discouraged against their efforts. For example, first, the rescuers tried to rescue the crew members by dropping a raft into the water, but due to the big waves, they couldn’t because the boat made a big hole in the raft. Then they changed their plan. I don’t want to disturb someone’s interesting for reading this book, I’ll stop to explain the continuation.
Before reading this book, I didn’t know the meaning of the title “The Perfect Storm”. The perfect storm means that three powerful weather systems hit each other like a huge bomb exploding out at sea. In other words, the perfect storm means a very very awful dangerous strom. The perfect storm consists of three powerfull weather systems which are a front of cold air moving south from Canada, the line of clear dry air moving east from the Great Lakes and Harricane Grace moving north up the US coast. From this, I wonder we can use the word “perfect” for something. For example, can we say “The perfect food”? Maybe this has not only bad smell, dirty looking, but also awful taste, further more, dangerous to health....... :-)

Masao Kuroda