I've fished commercially since '97. For most of that time I was either Engineer or Mate. Spent a lot of time on boats right similar to the Andrea Gail, including some time on the Hanna Boden when she was in the lobster/Jonah crab fleet. If I were to make a guess as to what did the Andrea Gail in, I'd be likely so suspect her fuel, not the barrels, but her tanks, specifically her fuel vents which were on deck. Typical fuel vents on boats like that have a u shaped pipe coming up from the deck usually right up under the gunwales as far outboard as practical. On the open end of the pipe there is a bell fitting which functions as a check valve, a form of float valve really, that if the fitting gets submerged the ball floats up in the housing and mates with a ring in the top of the bell, which seals most to all of the seawater from getting in and contaminating the fuel. Now I'm not sure which tanks they were drawing from at the time (no-one is) but I would bet significant money it would have been her saddle tanks as they were fairly close to her LCG and LCB while in a loaded state, with her lazarette tanks likely having been used earlier in the trip and topped off with the fuel from the barrels to avoid getting her too far out of trim at any time. Now back to those vents, a goodly few of the boats I've been on have had issues with their vents, fills or some times both; they are all just pipes welded to the deck which also forms the top of the fuel tank, and it is precisely that weld which caused four out of the seven fuel contamination issues I've had to deal with. There is often dissimilar metals between the pipe and the deck and whatever rod was used to weld it in place, its a hotspot for corrosive problems, and is pretty good for letting seawater into the fuel, and diesels do not like trying to burn seawater. Now if the aluminum ball in the bell housing for the tank vent is also shot; and I've only ever encountered a few what weren't you can get a surprising amount of seawater into your tanks. Ideally you would re-weld the fill pipe and slop some paint on it, and you also typically know what tank is know for leaking the worst and which one leaks the least, when you are expecting foul weather the in the next day or so, you align the fuel system so that the main is drawing from the best tank and you also probably go and change the filters on the racors and while you're down there also drain the bowls all around for the racors on the main and any generators you have aboard to make sure that there is as little chance of water getting to the engines and stalling them out as possible. Now for my theory, there is lots of stuff that is lashed all over the deck of a working boat like that and some of it is quite heavy. It wouldn't take much of a knock to snap off a vent or a fill that was already not in the best of shape, and with no record of her vents being repaired for her midships tanks in the previous 5 or so years there is very little reason to assume they were in good shape and a fair bit to recommend that they were in fact at least partially corroded at or around their junction with the deck plates. It is also very likely that something lashed to the deck or gunwales would come totally or partially adrift in the weather they were steaming through. Letting fairly small but continuous amounts of water into the tank, until it got to the point that the fuel/water separators and racor bowls could no longer keep the fuel to the engine clean enough for it to continue running. This would naturally cause it to stall out and necessitate the realignment of the fuel system to draw on a different tank and to have the fuel lines downstream of the racors or at the very very barest minimum downstream of the engine mounted fuel pump to need to be purged. Not an evolution they would have had time for. Now the best they could hope for is to have enough steerage way left to lay the boat onto the port tack and have heave to after a fashion, with the raised "wave wall" what you call her raised bulkhead on the port side offering some shelter to the deck. It's her most stable option at that point however it does mean that she will have been drifting beam to the seas, which you don't have to be to nautically inclined to figure is probably not ideal, but without power it would be the best option. Unfortunately before there was any chance of regaining powered, it is entirely probable that she took a coamer that knocked her down and she down flooded from there, likely going down in less than 3 minutes from that point. Main points of water ingress likely being through the fish hold hatch and through the wheel house door, as I am fairly certain at that point in time she was fitted with a partition door there instead of a true water tight door. But that's just my take on it. Two boats I've been on that had particularly bad fuel problems were the old Genesis and the old William Bowe. Genesis had the issue that her tanks were just flat out dirty as the day is long from years of bad ownership. you had to change the racors on an almost daily basis in good weather to keep the engine and generator going. On the Bowe it was a pure crap show, there was not only dirt and gunk in the tanks but algae and seawater a well, with known deck leaks on all 4 of her fuel tanks that would let water in. The Bowe also had a lot of other problems as well, not the least of which was centered around her generators. The #1 produced somewhat questionable voltage and the frequency was a bit wonky varying between 58 and 62 hz for not particular reason, which on its own not great, but the kicker was that the #2 gen would randomly kick off line. There being no mechanical backup for the steering pumps, and they not starting back up on their own after a loss of electrical power meant that they would have to be manually reset. I'd like to say that such issues are unique to those vessels but that would be a lie. As the fleet ages such problems only become more and more common, don't forget that most of the US boats that were around when the Andrea Gail was built are still fishing. It's a problem that needs to be addressed however I'll not be the one holding my breath for it to happen.
My gf and I lived right on the seawall in Marshfield, Mass. Sliding glass door opened onto deck which butted up against the seawall, I'd dive right off the seawall at high tide, open ocean all the way to England, that afternoon I thought we'd be fine, the ocean was the highest I'd ever seen it and hightide was still 4 hours away, the waves started crashing onto the house, green seawater running down the windows, it was awesome but then a wave brought a boulder through the glass doors, time to go but streets flooded on both sides, I backed the car as far as I could across the street and we had front row seats to the house being swallowed and washed out to sea, next morning I'm standing in the open foundation, only thing left, every spoon, picture air conditioners, heating system, fridge, not one splinter of wood. The perfect storm perfectly swept everything we owned out to sea. Love you Carol wherever you are. Marshfield, Mass 1991.
I feel for your loss, but why anyone would choose to build a house right in the seawall, directly in the path of ocean waves, is totally foolish. It's only asking for your house to be destroyed by big waves in a strong storm like this one in 1991.
@@Dudley-x2cyes and if you want FACTS (or the admission that there are few facts) then read the official reports. Certainly don't rely on this highly speculative YT video.
There is an equally fascinating book "Hungry Ocean" from Linda Greenlaw, the captain of Andrea Gail's sister ship Hannah Boden at the time of the storm
True. The book was way much better than the movie. To be honest, I got way, way annoyed at the whiny actress's portrayal of Cap. Linda Greenlaw.@@Dudley-x2c
@@Pack.LeaderIt was, but the Air Guard helo wasn’t involved with the sailboat rescue like the movie has you believe. It was much further north trying to rescue a Japanese fishing vessel. It was a US Coast Guard H-60 out of Elizabeth City NC that rescued the three sailboat crew.
fun fact: I lived in Gloucester during 99-00. When they were filming The perfect Storm. The Crow's nest pictured at 9:43 is not the real bar. That was a set built for the movie; at the end of the pier.
I stayed at the Crow’s Nest in 2004, we dropped our key off shortly before 9am on a Saturday morning. Draft beer was already flowing as patrons were reading the news paper.
I feel like I'd be that guy. I can't stomach the idea of the hunting/ fishing trades for myself personally. But then again, I don't like killing spiders so long as their outside and not crawling on me... so killing a swordfish on an industrial level would be too much for me. I probably am lucky I live in this time period...
I was on a 210 ft supply boat coming back from iceland when that storm came together. It was the worst storm I have ever been in. We had 42 containers on our back deck and it was the scarriest 24 hours of my life working offshore. We heard maydays from several vessels but in 80-90 ft seas there was nothing we could do even if we were closer to them.
Must be a truly haunting experience hearing multiple mayday calls like that, especially without any meaningful way to respond and the possibility of joining them.
The scariest part was when the sun went down the waves seemed to get bigger with each passing hour. We wore our survival suits 24 hours until the storm was over.
Can't blame you or your captain or crew for that one. There's only so much you can do when it comes to combating nature, and "combating" may be the wrong word. You don't combat Mother Nature so much as you simply work with her when it's to your advantage, and stay out of her way when it is not. No sense in putting your ship and crew in dire situations when that's all it is youd be doing. I totally understand not being able to help. That mustve been so difficult. Not only worrying about your own safety but hearing your fellow humans cry out over the radio, entirely unable to provide the help they so desperately needed, knowing you yourselves were in great peril as things were. Gosh. I cant imagine the horrors you must've felt.
That’s just insane. The worst seas I was ever in was 50-60ft seas off of Cape Hatteras in the fall of ‘02 on the return of my first deployment with the USCG aboard the USCGC Tahoma, a 270’ cutter. It was absolutely terrifying.
Another theory,based on a similar long liners sinking,is that the Andrea Gail stuffed her bow several times with such force that the hull compressed and her sides split.Kinda like stepping on a beer can that’s standing up .As the beer can compresses the sides split open.She was a steel hull and all that energy pushing on the bow has no place to go and she can’t displace all that energy by flexing.That energy has to go somewhere so it may have forced its way out the sides by splitting the sides of the hull.Ive been fishing commercially for Tuna for 38 seasons and have been caught it some extremely nautical conditions,where I could feel the entire boat flexing and torquing under the strain and they were fiberglass hulls that flexed.
Definitely my favourite maritime channel. I bet that guy that looked into the swordfish's eye, and gave the game away will remember that sword fish for the rest of his life.
The book about this event was very well written. It was more about an authors experience going to a small fishing town and trying to win over locals to open up to him and let him into their world. He also made half the the book about the coast gaurd aspect of this storm. There was a helicopter which was also lost. It was a really really good read and not too long of a book.
Recreation fishing when sailing, (the white flag brigade) we have a spray bottle with vodka in it. Good doss of that on the gills and they say thankyou.
@seanworkman431, What does vodka do to the fish when you spray it on its gills? I’m not getting the meaning of “it will thank you” and now I’m pretty curious. Thanks
@@TheaSvendsen they get drunk immediatley and stop fighting, you don't want something the size of your thigh flapping about. Also it is a more humane way to turn them into food.
Took my Motorcycle to Nova Scotia on the Scotia Prince, a 470-foot-long ferry that would take passengers, vehicles and cargo from Portland Maine to Yarmouth Nova Scotia. Kind of like a mini cruise ship with food, gambling and cabins. Made the trip around 5 or 6 times in my life but during one of the first few we went through a pretty bad Nor'easter . Every so often you could hear the explosion of the Bow crashing into a huge wave and then view out the cabin window would be obscured by water and then clear. Scared the hell out of me. Can't imagine being in something like that storm in a little vessel like the Andrea Gale. RIP Boys
I sailed commercials ships in the Pacific and still remember large commercial ships sinking. One was last several years ago on it's way to PR. It just hit a bad storm and wham...broke up. A large UK ship sank on it's way to japan about 30 years ago. Both ships were large and still a storm took them out. A old hand told me when I first started sailing "if you get careless out here, danger will find you". I still use that advice in my everyday life.
In October 1980, 34 men disappeared in the North Atlantic on the Poet. NOBODY ever talks about the loss of the Poet. In fact, it was barely even mentioned at the time when it occurred. That was 44 years ago and, to this day, NOBODY knows what happened top the Poet or her crew.
I'm on the West Coast. Fuel tanks above the waterline are shunned; and I've never seen fuel drums loaded on the bow. It sounds like they needed a bigger boat to long line that area.
@@wallacejeffery5786 if your running inside waters you can get away with a lot. These guys were equivalently out past Kodiak, well outside their boats operating envelope. As for icing the load, it seems to me that they were cutting the delivery date close.
I grew up in New Jersey, right on the water. I remember that storm, and, how bad the flooding from the surge was. Half my town was uner 4 feet of water.
Across the Bay from you. Lewes. Lived there (a kid) during the '62 Storm. "The Great Storm" really was a great storm. I was 7 years old and lived on 2nd Street and the water level came up to our backyard.@@TheRealBelisariusCawl
They didnt steam into a hurricane- did you watch the video? They steamed into a storm fuelled by a low that turned into a '100 year storm'... Try harder before taking the p1ss my bru, have some respect.
@@SchmozzleGTO An overloaded fishing vessel shouldnt steam into either, what are you talking about exactly? Sounds like you have some personal issues to work out and you are just here venting. Why dont YOU show some respect and go rake your zen garden instead of snapping at people for no good reason?
God bless all the fishermen who risk their lives on the sea. RIP to the crew of the Andrea Gail & all others who have lost their lives at sea. Fair winds & following seas shipmates. 🙏♥️🙏♥️🙏♥️ 🫡 🇺🇸
i spent that storm deckhanding a 40 ft launch boat in NY harbor. even as protected as the harbor was, it was HORRIBLE. 15 ft chop on the leeward side of tankers, 50 plus mph steady wind, gusts that wanted to blow you right off the deck. 12 hours of that had me beaten down. the idea of facing that unprotected in the open ocean of the north atlantic in a 66 ft boat is the stuff of nightmares
This is an interesting idea, the fuel and water leading to the loss, but the ship was sunk after an extended voyage, where a lot of that extra fuel and water would have been used. The crew knew they were sailing into bad weather and probably would have transferred fuel to the main tanks to lower the center of gravity and reduce free surface effect from partially filled tanks. They might have even dumped the extra fresh water to increase freeboard and increase stability. This was a crew of experienced sailors.
The fuel in those drums was likely long gone by the time of the storm. What sank boat was not free surface, but as the USCG so elegantly describes it, "free communication" better characterized as more water entering the hull than the bilge pumps, aka "dewatering devices" can handle. That the free communication was likely the result of a loss of stability is immaterial. The end result was loss of sufficient buoyancy to stay afloat, better known as sinking.
@@frankmiller95 How would water enter a watertight hull on a boat going into the weather? A 75-foot swordboat would easily weather 30-foot seas (the AG was slammed during fishing on the Banks by a 30-footer that broadsided her and put her on her side and yet with only 20,000lbs of fish in the hold she recovered with no damage). Barring some catastrophic engine failure (unlikely) she was almost certainly pitch-poled like we see in the film.
@@pc_buildyb0i935 "Watertight" is a relative term. Any vessel without positive stability will only retain its watertight integrity for a very short time, as in seconds, minutes at most, after it has capsized. On the other hand, a "modern" monohull sailboat will generally recover to an upright condition after a knockdown, or even a 360. lf its hull retains sufficient watertight integrity for bilge pumps and other dewatering devices to stay ahead of the inevitable leaks, it will stay will afloat. Since a vessel without positive stability will not recover after exceeding its GM, it will sink, sooner rather than later.
A UK sailor Roger Taylor sailed his 21-23’ sailboats refitted like tanks and truly unsinkable 2008-2016 on several voyages in the North Atlantic/Iceland/Greenland/Labrador sea encountering up to 15M seas . He carried only a handheld VHF /GPS and NO engine .and NO EPIRB. He wrote 3 books documenting these voyages look up MingMing fascinating reading! A unassuming humble guy that is a nautical God. I write this to emphasize small sailboats with skilled crew can and have survived very large storms.
I was to report for duty (helicopter maintenance school) at Ft. Eustice, Virginia on Oct 30, '91. I drove from Vestavia Hills, Alabama on the 29th. When I reached South Carolina, the rain started. The rain was very heavy through North Carolina, there was no moon. There were several wrecks on the interstate and the traffic was very congested at times. It was one of the most nerve-wracking trips I have ever made. I think it was almost a15 hour-long drive, and it was normally about 10-12-hour drive. I didn't know about the deadly nature of the storm until I read the book, The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger.
I lived right in the ocean in 1991 with my gf, when you opened the sliding glass door to the deck, the deck butted right up against the seawall, when the waves started crashing up on the deck it was beautiful, high tide was still hours away, then the waves started crashing up over the roof, dark green ocean water running down the windows, it was awesome, my gf kept saying we gotta go but I loved it, then a wave brought a boulder and smashed through the sliding glass door, by the time we left both sides street were flooded, i backed the car across the street, we had front row seats to waves ripping the house apart, washing it out to sea, in the morning the only thing left was the foundation and us in the car. 1991 Marshfield, Mass. The perfect storm.
Let me guess, our tax dollars built you a new home? Our gubmint is such a wreck. It would be nice if homes were restricted to about a quarter mile inland so us people in the rest of the country dont have to keep building new homes every few years. Idiocy.
@@nunyabizness9216I don’t know wtf you’re on about. Insurance would cover rebuilding costs of a home, not tax dollars. Always some dumbass on youtube talking out of their ass. 😂
And the thought never crossed your mind the whole time you were watching the pretty waves destroy everything you have to maybe get some of it and put it in the car. Oh wait, you’re living on seafront and have a fat bank account. You do not need to worry about it.
this is one of my absolute favorite movies. perfect cast, perfect soundtrack, the perfect storm. And for a year 2000 movie it has friggin great cgi. This is my Titanic. Not gonna lie, when the Andrea Gail sinks at the end and Marky Mark is there alone in the ocean, in the storm, i always tear up a bit lol
Fellow fisherman. My fathers boat, the Carla Ann (family boat) nearly sank for the same reason. Fuel Drums loaded on board. Full of fuel for an extended trip. The extra weight proved seriously dangerous. My father said he would never do it again.
@@bradblackwell5526 Yes, my father said, by the hour they transferred fuel to get the weight down. Water lapping at the gunwales. Sea state changed & was on a good patch. What do you do ?
I saw the movie in the theater when it came out and I wasn't expecting much but I was very pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed the movie, the story and the acting. I actually shed a few tears towards the end and that's not something I do often without good reason.
Having seen more than l care to of bad weather at sea, especially on big sailboats, which are generally better able to handle extreme conditions than western rigged long liners, like the "Andrea Gale," the end of this film reawakened PTSD from earlier experiences. No thanks.
It’s said a buoy off Nova Scotia measured a wave of 100 feet (30.48M) during that storm. Hard to believe they fought that beast as long as they did. God rest the good men of the Andrea Gail.
My mum was in the fish shop one day when a man came in and started moaning about prices. "What, am I putting your kid through college?" The shop owner said, " Yes you are!' Cheapskate left disgruntled and the shop owner said to my mum "He has no clue about what it takes to get this stuff to market. It's not like beef and chicken, lives are put at risk, of course it's expensive."
I've been waiting forever for someone to do a good telling of this particular story. And it's YOU of all people, love it! Finally man, thank you! Love your videos brother.
There was an incredible documentary about this I saw in the mid 90s. Really chilling. It had interviews with a woman on another boat who was there t monitor what the Japanese were catching. I can recall her saying the last communication she had with the Andre Gail was the captain saying I've rhe radio ' she's coming on, and she's coming on strong" about the storm. Iirc it was a weather presenter who first called it the perfect storm.
That story about the fish looking up at Koskogot to me. I don’t like killing anything. I rescue spiders out of my house. It’s probably a girl thing lol
No, it's not a girl thing. I've been a fireman for a long time at 1st it dosnt get to you, but over time, too much death near you gets to you. It would be nice to never see pain or death again in my life...
@@chrisguzzy3732I saw a doco and there was a guy who worked on death row for like 30 years. He would guard the prisoners in the days before they were executed. He was pro death penalty his whole life. But one day he had a nervous breakdown and couldn't go back to work. Now he is against capital punishment. It took a toll on him.
I remember that storm. There were 30' to 35 ' breakers throwing boulders the size of small cars over the sea wall. Boats were blown hundreds of yards in land. The lobster traps were all over the beaches and the fishing fleets took a pounding.
I still remember watching it on the news when the Andrea Gail went missing, the fleet pulled together looked for survivors for a couple of weeks, even the Coast Guard looked for well over a week until they found items from her. It was also the quietest movie theater I ever sat in when the movie cam out.
I thought I knew everything there was to know about the sinking of the Andrea Gail but you have some excellent nuggets included that I was unaware of. Thanks
Your presentation and story telling here is fantastic. Ignore the idiots in the comments who think they know better but clearly have done no research or have any knowledge on what they speak. Excellent work as usual.
I wonder if it really makes a difference if you just made a non bait more sober title like the sinking of xyz, some of the clickbait titles dont even have the name of the ship and I also wonder whether they are actually detrimental for example for non subscriber specifically searching for an incident by name... @@waterlinestories
The things some people have to perform and endure just so we can buy our groceries conveniently is truly incredible. The next time you buy a slab of swordfish, say a prayer for the men who have perished trying to get that piece of fish to you.
"The sea's getting colder." That is one hell of an understatement. It will drop to just a few degrees over freezing (from somewhere in the 60s F during summer). In the area off Cape Cod at least. (which isn't too far from the area discussed here) My father lives on Cape Cod year round. One year I went and jumped into Nantucket sound in Jan. or Feb. Lets just say I'll never do that again. Holy hell that was cold. I have never felt anything like that before in my life.
I remember seeing this boat at A1 marina in panama city Fl in the late 80's getting that modification. I was on another longliner that fushe the gukf of mexico and we were tied uo beside her.
I was crewing on a yacht delivery from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean when this happened. Hurricane Grace was forming to the North of us and a tropical storm to the South. Luckily we navigated between the two and made landfall safely. Whilst at sea we could hear fishing vessels over the radio to the North who were caught in the tempest. Years later when the book and movie The Perfect Storm were released I found out about what had happened to the Andrea Gail. I still think about those brave men who lost their lives that day and all the countless others who have sacrificed themselves working at sea. I have also crewed on fishing boats and so have an even deeper respect for these guys. RIP all the brave men and women who died so we could have a fish supper.
You'll notice in the photos that the Andrea Gale had a stern ramp. Having one indicates she was originally built with the capability of being rigged as a stern trawler. Thus rigged she would have had net reels, nets, gallows frames, winches and more lifting righing aloft. All of this equipment would weigh significantly more than longline gear for swordfish and would have been accounted for by her designer. The barrel theory is doubtful as that wayer and fuel would hae been consumed by the time of the storm. I worked on trawlers in the North Atlantic and Bering Sea for forty five years with 30 as captain and while i can imagine how the Andrea Gale sank the fact is no one knows.
The Andrea Gail did not have a stern ramp. The FV Lady Grace, which was used to portray the AG in the movie, does. The AG, originally "Miss Penny" was designed and purpose-built as a longliner. She most likely was pitch-poled by the 100-foot seas in the area, if she didn't sink earlier in the storm.
Or if one of the outriggers dipped too deep and been in such a way that the chains and lines from it reached the wheel resulting in a loss of power resulting in being dead in the water drifting in a side sea that flipped it or swamped it.
i was on the water that night passing threw the area were the Andera was .that night the storm came threw and just grew and grew ,the captain never turn in ,and i the second engineer made none stop rounds , the captain and i talked some ,he told me then that he knew some boats were in trouble , our ship was 297 feet with 3000 horse power and plow threw the sea ,the waves where 50 to 70 feet and even bigger ones .
More likely. The violent rocking of the boat caused the fuel to splash around in the fuel tanks. The engines sucked some air and stalled. With no propulsion, they ended up sideways and got hit broadside from a large wave and capsized
I'd more suspect that seawater contamination would be more likely since the fuel pickups are at the bottom of the tank, but either way the results would be the same. Engine dies, boat goes broadside, gets knocked down and down floods, sinks right quickly especially if the fish hold hatch lets go...
I WAS ABOUT 18 OR 19 WORKING OUT OF A SHRIMP BOAT WITH MY HIGH SCHOOL BUDDIE WHEN WE LEFT PORT AT DELCAMBE, LOUISIANA, . WE WORKED ON TWO DIFFERENT BOATS, WITH 2 DIFFERENT CAPTIANS, ONE WAS AN OLD WOODEN HULL JUST LIKE THE ONE YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE FORREST GUMP MOVIE.. ONE OF THE CAPTIANS LOOKED LIKE A PIRATE... ONE OF OUR BOATS STARTED TO SINK, THEN FINALLY THE BILGE PUMP STARTED TO WORK .....JUST IN TIME..... WE MADE IT TO PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS JUST BEFORE SOME 20 FOOT WAVES ALMOST SANK OUR ASS'S,, YOU HAVE NEVER LIVED LIFE ............UNITL YOU ARE ABOUT TO DIE..........I KNOW THE FEAR THAT THESE MEN HAD...I HOPE THAT THEY HAD A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.BEFORE THEY MEET HIM......RIP............ JIM HAMMERS FT. LAUDERDALE FLORIDA
My dad works for the air force in long Island NY. He and his paratroopers tried to help in the rescue. Unfortunately there was nothing anyone could've done😢. Ty 106th air force in w.h.b. , N.Y
@@waterlinestories I'm well, hope you are too?! I've been listening to your older vidoes with my eyes closed drinking in your awesome accent. Thank you 😉😉
If they were at the end of the trip you generally always burn your tanks down and then would transfer all the fuel from the drums down into the hull as soon as you can. No captain with any experience would leave all that weight on the bow longer than they had to, especially knowing there is weather coming
Most of the Andrea Gail's plastic drums that were recovered were empty, so this tracks. Tyne was an experienced mariner and would know better than to leave any weight high up.
It was a clickbait title- he said at the end that nobody knows, so why use a title like that? I agree with you,though- whatever vehicle it is, extra fuel (or water) should always be properly stowed/stored as soon as there’s room.
I was at Newport Rhode Island at the time. The event took place soon after we took a direct hit from Hurricane Bob, August 1991. I have been out at sea on a US Navy ship many times in all kinds of weather, including hurricanes. Up until about 1991, nobody really believed in rogue waves. I experienced two. One on my first ship back in 1986 and again on my second ship around 1988. It was very sudden, and I was at the helm. We got hit broadside, and I knew what was happening and what was GOING to happen next. I steered the ships in a way to prevent them from capsizing. In 2004, I retired from the US Navy with just over 20 years served.
@@giggiddy I was serving at a shore command, so I was not out at sea then (1991). I did, however get to experience rogue waves twice. Once on my 1st ship (1986) and once again, years later, on my 2nd ship, (1988) both as the helmsman. Long story short, I managed to keep both ships from doing "The Poseidon Adventure" in real-life. Both waves were large enough to be able to capsize my ship, had I not taken action. In the times before each wave, we were rolling up to 30 degrees to port & starboard fairly regularly.
My sub was stuck on the surface waiting for permission to go to Nova Scotia and a Nor Easter popped up out of nowhere. I was stationed as Look Out and the waves were pounding me and the Officer of the Deck. We got beat up for 3 hours before the XO called it and brought us down. I had never seen waves so big as in the North Atlantic. They would tower over us and each time a big wave hit it would go completely black. I had bruises on my entire back like someone kept hitting me with a sledge hammer.
I've heard that the waves in the roaring 40s circling Antarctica are ridiculous and relentless all year round, thanks to the Coriolis Effect and not having any landmass to slow it down. 10m waves are regular for that latitude apparently.
Very happy to see that you did this because the movie was so vapid. The story about the cook is beautiful and tragically poetic. Is he a writer? Who would hear that powerful small piece but for this video?
23:55 You yourself said the storm didnt form right on top of them. They chose to go through it due to failed ice machines and didnt want their catch to spoil in the time it would take to wait it out or go around it. It was a choice that was made. I wouldve made the same choice but its still a choice.
They got it wrong. The storm DID form on top of them. First off, the ice machine didn't outright fail, it was just not producing enough ice. Second, the first forecast (which ALL boats in the fishing fleet received on the evening of Oct 27th) vastly undersold the weather - it only called for 10-15ft seas and 20-25 knot winds. You wouldn't fish in weather like that, but for driving home it wouldn't even be a concern to a boat as big as the Andrea Gail. By the time an updated forecast came out at dawn the next day, it was too late for all the vessels in the area (most of the fishing fleet including Andrea Gail, along with a foreign longliner Eishin Maru 78, and two containerships Holland and Zara), who would be caught by the storm in under 12 hours. Boats can't escape hurricane-speed winds. It wasn't a conscious choice that sank the Andrea Gail, it was the inability to see into the future.
I have always hoped a good maritime channel would cover the Andrea Gail. I have read about it but not seen anyone cover it yet on yt. Great job as always.
The movie is fantastic but I highly recommend reading the book. It goes into so much detail about all the conditions of fishing and storms. The author does a great job at explaining all the possibilities that couldve happened to the crew
In a room full of blind men who can truely see? They payed the price for a butt load of fish and cash. Because thats what you do. It payes the bills. No fish- No money. Maintnance and weather be damned. Its sad and tragic. My heart to the families and friends of the men and women who fish the big water.
I was an actor in the movie 8 Seconds the life and death story of Lane Frost a young Champion Rodeo Bull Rider that died in the arena after the bull he just rode turned around and gored him. Luke Perry, Steven Baldwin, Cynthia Gery and many other good actors were in this 1994 hit. The director had made Rocky movies, Karate Kid and many other block busters. I was from Texas and knew of Bull riding and Rodeos so I was hired to be a Rodeo Clown, bar fighter, EMT and just being one of the bull riders too. The way the studio portrayed the family dynamic was terrible. They made his father look like a cold hearted azz that didn't love or care about his son. Which was the complete opposite of the truth. Hollywood got the basics wrong and made the family seem like they didn't love each other when they did completely. Just because they say "based" on a true story. Very little of the story is actually true. This goes for all movies that were based on a real person or event. It's heartbreaking to see how Hollywood can just make things up to make the movie seem more than it really was. Lane had a great story to tell without lying about so many things in his life. Sorry this is so ling. 30 years and several movies later it still stings.
Are we just going to ignore that John C Riley survived so that he could spend time with his stepbrother and document their time together? Boats & hoes ⛵️
That storm was brutal. I drove to Gloucester 20 minutes away just to take pictures. The waves were up to 30 feet high washing away cliff side roads. I can only imaging the hell those guys went through in their final moments while out at sea. I hope the Gloucester fishing fleet learned from that loss to stay clear of the Atlantic storms at all cost. Every time I drive to Gloucester I think of the Andrea Gail like it happened yesterday. I am sure the loss for all those families still hurt, still pray for answers to what actually happened. I pray they do get closure some day. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
It’s one of the last true bar rooms in town. Gloucester used to have a bar on every corner. Now there are less than 5 and that may be exaggerating a bit. I think there are 3 left.
@@waterlinestories you are most welcome. I really appreciate the high quality of the research and the skill of how it is presented. I also think it is marvellous how you present all the measurement conversions from miles to kilometres and so on. It means that for some of us, we don’t have to multitask and try to make the calculations on our own! I always get excited about new episodes and I always really enjoy the high quality presentation. Keep up the excellent work, 👏🏻 🥇☝🏻
Hi there, as a mass native and a waterman myself this story is not correct. All there top side fuel and water would have been most likely depleted. Also their engines weren’t 325hp. It was a Cat 3408, minimum 365hp but guys will routinely turn up injection pumps. Appreciate the retelling but you got holes in your take on things.
@@johneden7975 agree 💯! I'm a West Coast guy sport fisherman all my life....As big as the Pacific is it never shows it's temper as often as the Atlantic....I'm a spoiled warm weather guy! 120 miles out is the farthest I've ever been...seen a 17 foot Great Hammerhead Shark 5 feet off the starboard rail chomping on a 150 lb tuna in its mouth! It was surreal...one of its hammers came out of the water and it's eye 👁️ looked right at me....I almost could of slapped it! It was bitchin looking its 👁️ was as big as a tennis ball! ✌️.... always respect the water!
It's pretty funny that after the monstrous sea state he accurately describes, they look for, and cite another possible cause, that couldn't possibly have contributed, given the distance they traveled! Add storm could have taken down the tanker!
I was a senior in high school growing up in Gloucester, Ma and was good friends with Bobby Shatford’s younger brother Brian. We were together for that whole Halloween weekend. I was sleeping at his house. I remember the USCG knocking on Ethel Shatford’s door to tell them he son was missing. We all went to the crows nest to get what ever info we could. It was a sad time in Gloucester with all the destruction and the loss of another crew missing and presumed lost out of Gloucester.
The A./G. At the time, was considered on the smaller side of boat's fishing sword in the areas they were. However, At those times and on The Grand banks, everything in this video was common practice. Pushing weather, boats & Men to their limits just was an accepted way of life. It was a really nice boat w/great crew on board from everything I have heard. Long lining for sword must have been pretty cool in those days. I remember the day of the storm. Knowing how it was on land I can NOT imagine just how vicious it was off shore. Measured waves in a few places were 90 ft.+
For someone like me being a construction worker all my life, adding room additions on to homes , building decks and kitchen and bath remodeling, and making a good living, it is hard to imagine taking on a career such as this. But having a chance to spend 10 days at sea on a fishing boat with a family member, I quickly realized what it was all about. You quickly fall in love with the sea and mother nature. The calm, the peace, the quiet and above all the sites and the marine wildlife you chance to see. I have to admit, the first 2 or 3 days were pretty scary looking across the sea and seeing nothing but water in every direction clear to the horizon, and knowing there could be up to a mile of deep water under you. All the beauty and freedom quickly over rides the fear and it's forgotten. Especially when you run into a school of fish quickly filling the nets. That's when the action and fast hard work begins. By the 7th day, I didn't think about going home and wanted to go further out to sea. May the Lord always bless these brave and hard working men who lost their lives on this sail. I do understand the love and compassion for this line of work now...
For me, I think the fear was all the water and the dangers of sinking and drowning. But I realized there was much more danger getting on the freeway every morning driving to work with all the idiot drivers driving up to 80 mph weaving in and out of speeding traffic to get to work on time...LOL
We had seawater get into one of our tanks not far from off Hinchinbrook in Queensland that left both main engines and the generator dead. It was coming on dark with heavy seas so we had to switch tanks then drain all the fuel lines, filters and assorted fittings, all the while testing the diesel and dropping heaps into the bilges. Being side on to the swell had everybody getting seasick, this being aided by the 46 degree engine room temperature and the diesel in the bilges. Anyway whilst sweating and spewing profusely we managed to bleed one main engine to not only turn us into the swell but prevent us from dropping an anchor in an effort to not go into the cliffs that we were steadily approaching. We kept at it down below and bled the port engine then the generators. It was the harshest conditions I’ve ever worked in by far and as we had our children on this trip there was always that background pressure spurring us on to get the job done.
Actually, the Andrea Gail DID have a GPS, in combination with a LORAN unit. It wasn't a fancy, 2D animated GPS, but a unit that spat out numerical readings regarding latitude and longitude as well as heading. The AutoPilot also had its own internal GPS.
You need to get out more. I've eaten it, bought it in the store and seen it on the menu in restaurants. I used to buy my dog a piece of fish every friday, cook it and give it to her. She liked the swordfish.
Wow - another absolutely fascinating WaterlineStories video - it reminds me of when my folks and I went on a Whale-Watching Boat Trip off the coast of Boston,MA (fortunately the seas were still and the weather was perfect) but the North Atlantic can change on a dime. Thank you again for bringing us these world-class productions my friend. Subscribing to your channel is one of the best things I've done this year.
Having a 375 hp engine for a 72 ft 92 ton vessel seems woefully under powered. I can't imagine going so far from shore on one small engine. Trying to face down 35 ft seas with that is suicide.
You have to remember that it’s a marine diesel. Horsepower is not its main power measurement, but its torque. It might’ve had upwards of 2000 ft lbs of torque. On top of that, there is really no point in having more power than needed, since it often causes more strain when you try to push a full displacement hull faster and harder than is designed.
@@Windsor_351 I'm aware of hull speed limits for displacement hulls, but good point. Still, with all your power curve in torque that doesn't leave you much speed-wise. I looked up that she only had a top speed of 10 knots. You're not outrunning any storms with that.
I've fished commercially since '97. For most of that time I was either Engineer or Mate. Spent a lot of time on boats right similar to the Andrea Gail, including some time on the Hanna Boden when she was in the lobster/Jonah crab fleet.
If I were to make a guess as to what did the Andrea Gail in, I'd be likely so suspect her fuel, not the barrels, but her tanks, specifically her fuel vents which were on deck.
Typical fuel vents on boats like that have a u shaped pipe coming up from the deck usually right up under the gunwales as far outboard as practical. On the open end of the pipe there is a bell fitting which functions as a check valve, a form of float valve really, that if the fitting gets submerged the ball floats up in the housing and mates with a ring in the top of the bell, which seals most to all of the seawater from getting in and contaminating the fuel. Now I'm not sure which tanks they were drawing from at the time (no-one is) but I would bet significant money it would have been her saddle tanks as they were fairly close to her LCG and LCB while in a loaded state, with her lazarette tanks likely having been used earlier in the trip and topped off with the fuel from the barrels to avoid getting her too far out of trim at any time.
Now back to those vents, a goodly few of the boats I've been on have had issues with their vents, fills or some times both; they are all just pipes welded to the deck which also forms the top of the fuel tank, and it is precisely that weld which caused four out of the seven fuel contamination issues I've had to deal with. There is often dissimilar metals between the pipe and the deck and whatever rod was used to weld it in place, its a hotspot for corrosive problems, and is pretty good for letting seawater into the fuel, and diesels do not like trying to burn seawater. Now if the aluminum ball in the bell housing for the tank vent is also shot; and I've only ever encountered a few what weren't you can get a surprising amount of seawater into your tanks.
Ideally you would re-weld the fill pipe and slop some paint on it, and you also typically know what tank is know for leaking the worst and which one leaks the least, when you are expecting foul weather the in the next day or so, you align the fuel system so that the main is drawing from the best tank and you also probably go and change the filters on the racors and while you're down there also drain the bowls all around for the racors on the main and any generators you have aboard to make sure that there is as little chance of water getting to the engines and stalling them out as possible.
Now for my theory, there is lots of stuff that is lashed all over the deck of a working boat like that and some of it is quite heavy. It wouldn't take much of a knock to snap off a vent or a fill that was already not in the best of shape, and with no record of her vents being repaired for her midships tanks in the previous 5 or so years there is very little reason to assume they were in good shape and a fair bit to recommend that they were in fact at least partially corroded at or around their junction with the deck plates. It is also very likely that something lashed to the deck or gunwales would come totally or partially adrift in the weather they were steaming through. Letting fairly small but continuous amounts of water into the tank, until it got to the point that the fuel/water separators and racor bowls could no longer keep the fuel to the engine clean enough for it to continue running. This would naturally cause it to stall out and necessitate the realignment of the fuel system to draw on a different tank and to have the fuel lines downstream of the racors or at the very very barest minimum downstream of the engine mounted fuel pump to need to be purged. Not an evolution they would have had time for.
Now the best they could hope for is to have enough steerage way left to lay the boat onto the port tack and have heave to after a fashion, with the raised "wave wall" what you call her raised bulkhead on the port side offering some shelter to the deck. It's her most stable option at that point however it does mean that she will have been drifting beam to the seas, which you don't have to be to nautically inclined to figure is probably not ideal, but without power it would be the best option. Unfortunately before there was any chance of regaining powered, it is entirely probable that she took a coamer that knocked her down and she down flooded from there, likely going down in less than 3 minutes from that point. Main points of water ingress likely being through the fish hold hatch and through the wheel house door, as I am fairly certain at that point in time she was fitted with a partition door there instead of a true water tight door.
But that's just my take on it.
Two boats I've been on that had particularly bad fuel problems were the old Genesis and the old William Bowe. Genesis had the issue that her tanks were just flat out dirty as the day is long from years of bad ownership. you had to change the racors on an almost daily basis in good weather to keep the engine and generator going. On the Bowe it was a pure crap show, there was not only dirt and gunk in the tanks but algae and seawater a well, with known deck leaks on all 4 of her fuel tanks that would let water in. The Bowe also had a lot of other problems as well, not the least of which was centered around her generators. The #1 produced somewhat questionable voltage and the frequency was a bit wonky varying between 58 and 62 hz for not particular reason, which on its own not great, but the kicker was that the #2 gen would randomly kick off line. There being no mechanical backup for the steering pumps, and they not starting back up on their own after a loss of electrical power meant that they would have to be manually reset.
I'd like to say that such issues are unique to those vessels but that would be a lie. As the fleet ages such problems only become more and more common, don't forget that most of the US boats that were around when the Andrea Gail was built are still fishing. It's a problem that needs to be addressed however I'll not be the one holding my breath for it to happen.
holy crap dude TLDR!
Amazing detail👍🏻
@@jochenheiden I read the whole thing easily
@@jochenheidenreading is good for you mate!
@@thindigital meh. Overrated.
The side about the former cook’s reasons for leaving was fascinating. Great story-telling instincts to have included that!
My gf and I lived right on the seawall in Marshfield, Mass. Sliding glass door opened onto deck which butted up against the seawall, I'd dive right off the seawall at high tide, open ocean all the way to England, that afternoon I thought we'd be fine, the ocean was the highest I'd ever seen it and hightide was still 4 hours away, the waves started crashing onto the house, green seawater running down the windows, it was awesome but then a wave brought a boulder through the glass doors, time to go but streets flooded on both sides, I backed the car as far as I could across the street and we had front row seats to the house being swallowed and washed out to sea, next morning I'm standing in the open foundation, only thing left, every spoon, picture air conditioners, heating system, fridge, not one splinter of wood. The perfect storm perfectly swept everything we owned out to sea. Love you Carol wherever you are. Marshfield, Mass 1991.
I feel for your loss, but why anyone would choose to build a house right in the seawall, directly in the path of ocean waves, is totally foolish. It's only asking for your house to be destroyed by big waves in a strong storm like this one in 1991.
No
Was Carol swept away, too?
@@demon13doc😂
The Flemish Cap? Went there once... in '62. Lots of fish...and lots of weather...
Classic
I saw him say it to
Good to know
“Your full of shit”
“True, I am”😂❤
Great story of full of shit fisherman…seen so many😅
They set the maaaarket
OMG the guy who quit due to a spiritual experience, I had a moment not the same but life changing like that.
They killed animals that have family to feed too, that’s why he had this spiritual experience ❤️
White collar Irish man here. I've nothing, and I mean NOTHING but awe and respect for fishermen. Tough, tough guys
White collar Irish woman here. Totally agree.
Dang man you’ve added so much back story to Billy Tyne that we never got from “The Perfect Storm”
If you want detail, read the book!
Sebastian Junger. You'll be glad you did, it's fascinating 👍
@@Dudley-x2cyes and if you want FACTS (or the admission that there are few facts) then read the official reports. Certainly don't rely on this highly speculative YT video.
There is an equally fascinating book "Hungry Ocean" from Linda Greenlaw, the captain of Andrea Gail's sister ship Hannah Boden at the time of the storm
True. The book was way much better than the movie. To be honest, I got way, way annoyed at the whiny actress's portrayal of Cap. Linda Greenlaw.@@Dudley-x2c
Exactly what I was thinking. Makes me want to watch that movie again. Loved it even if it’s sad.
The perfect storm I love that movie
The scene where John C. Reilly’s character says, “This is gonna be hahd on my boy,” just wrecked me. So incredibly sad.
Major respect to the folk who work on ships like this one. Such hard, dangerous work - they definitely earn what they make
Para rescue sergeant Rick Smith from the 106 rescue wing out of Gabreski airport Suffolk county Long Island also died during the mission ... RIP.
So that was true, the part in the movie where the helicopter with the rescuers went down at sea?
coast guard isnt para rescue. thats airforce para rescue. the coast guard uses rescue swimmers. semantics but differences
@@Pack.LeaderIt was, but the Air Guard helo wasn’t involved with the sailboat rescue like the movie has you believe. It was much further north trying to rescue a Japanese fishing vessel. It was a US Coast Guard H-60 out of Elizabeth City NC that rescued the three sailboat crew.
@@silntstl Thank you.
fun fact: I lived in Gloucester during 99-00. When they were filming The perfect Storm. The Crow's nest pictured at 9:43 is not the real bar. That was a set built for the movie; at the end of the pier.
Ssssh, don't give away the secret location
I got absolutely shitfaced there one night back in '96, good times.
I stayed at the Crow’s Nest in 2004, we dropped our key off shortly before 9am on a Saturday morning. Draft beer was already flowing as patrons were reading the news paper.
I wonder why they did that. That bums me out, actually.
Did Clooney bang all the locals?
This is gonna be hard on my little boy! John C Reilly
The Perfect Storm
💔😭
Wasn't he reincarnated as a Nascar driver?
@@frankmiller95Shake n bake! 😂😂
@@frankmiller95 And someone's stepbrother
@@blackbeansmatter1280. 😂Reillys character sang “This is how you do it” just before his top bunkbed collapses on Will Farrell😂😂.
Compassion and empathy saved one crewman.
kudos.
I feel like I'd be that guy. I can't stomach the idea of the hunting/ fishing trades for myself personally. But then again, I don't like killing spiders so long as their outside and not crawling on me... so killing a swordfish on an industrial level would be too much for me. I probably am lucky I live in this time period...
Felt bad for that old swordfish.
Oh magic rainbow swordfish, pass your double rainbow energy into my so's I can hit some blackjacks tonight at the casino.
I agree completely.
I was on a 210 ft supply boat coming back from iceland when that storm came together. It was the worst storm I have ever been in. We had 42 containers on our back deck and it was the scarriest 24 hours of my life working offshore. We heard maydays from several vessels but in 80-90 ft seas there was nothing we could do even if we were closer to them.
Must be a truly haunting experience hearing multiple mayday calls like that, especially without any meaningful way to respond and the possibility of joining them.
The scariest part was when the sun went down the waves seemed to get bigger with each passing hour. We wore our survival suits 24 hours until the storm was over.
You're a lot braver than me. I could never work on the sea.
Can't blame you or your captain or crew for that one. There's only so much you can do when it comes to combating nature, and "combating" may be the wrong word. You don't combat Mother Nature so much as you simply work with her when it's to your advantage, and stay out of her way when it is not. No sense in putting your ship and crew in dire situations when that's all it is youd be doing. I totally understand not being able to help. That mustve been so difficult. Not only worrying about your own safety but hearing your fellow humans cry out over the radio, entirely unable to provide the help they so desperately needed, knowing you yourselves were in great peril as things were. Gosh. I cant imagine the horrors you must've felt.
That’s just insane.
The worst seas I was ever in was 50-60ft seas off of Cape Hatteras in the fall of ‘02 on the return of my first deployment with the USCG aboard the USCGC Tahoma, a 270’ cutter.
It was absolutely terrifying.
Another theory,based on a similar long liners sinking,is that the Andrea Gail stuffed her bow several times with such force that the hull compressed and her sides split.Kinda like stepping on a beer can that’s standing up .As the beer can compresses the sides split open.She was a steel hull and all that energy pushing on the bow has no place to go and she can’t displace all that energy by flexing.That energy has to go somewhere so it may have forced its way out the sides by splitting the sides of the hull.Ive been fishing commercially for Tuna for 38 seasons and have been caught it some extremely nautical conditions,where I could feel the entire boat flexing and torquing under the strain and they were fiberglass hulls that flexed.
You explained that very well, thanks!
Nonsense
@@scary_scat3924 The hulls have frames for that precise reason ; the beer cans haven't.
@@christianfournier6862 i was using a beer can to simply illustrate a point,a beer can obviously doesn’t have bulkheads,decking,framing or stringers
@@christianfournier6862 plus my entire statement was based off a documented theory
Definitely my favourite maritime channel.
I bet that guy that looked into the swordfish's eye, and gave the game away will remember that sword fish for the rest of his life.
The book about this event was very well written. It was more about an authors experience going to a small fishing town and trying to win over locals to open up to him and let him into their world. He also made half the the book about the coast gaurd aspect of this storm. There was a helicopter which was also lost. It was a really really good read and not too long of a book.
I reread every Xmas holidays - which is our summer - camped at the beach.
@@LadyOaksNZ😢😊7
Kosko's remarks about the dying swordfish kinda got to me, I won't lie.
The dude had a sixth sense.
Recreation fishing when sailing, (the white flag brigade) we have a spray bottle with vodka in it. Good doss of that on the gills and they say thankyou.
@seanworkman431, What does vodka do to the fish when you spray it on its gills? I’m not getting the meaning of “it will thank you” and now I’m pretty curious. Thanks
@@TheaSvendsen they get drunk immediatley and stop fighting, you don't want something the size of your thigh flapping about. Also it is a more humane way to turn them into food.
a moment of clarity
Nothing but respect for hard working men and women on these vessels.
Took my Motorcycle to Nova Scotia on the Scotia Prince, a 470-foot-long ferry that would take passengers, vehicles and cargo from Portland Maine to Yarmouth Nova Scotia. Kind of like a mini cruise ship with food, gambling and cabins.
Made the trip around 5 or 6 times in my life but during one of the first few we went through a pretty bad Nor'easter . Every so often you could hear the explosion of the Bow crashing into a huge wave and then view out the cabin window would be obscured by water and then clear. Scared the hell out of me. Can't imagine being in something like that storm in a little vessel like the Andrea Gale. RIP Boys
I sailed commercials ships in the Pacific and still remember large commercial ships sinking. One was last several years ago on it's way to PR. It just hit a bad storm and wham...broke up. A large UK ship sank on it's way to japan about 30 years ago. Both ships were large and still a storm took them out. A old hand told me when I first started sailing "if you get careless out here, danger will find you". I still use that advice in my everyday life.
Several factors caused the El Farro to sink on its iĺl fated journey to PR. The skippers absurd decisions being the main factor.
You did an EXCELLENT job describing this story Paul. Love hearing you tell these exciting/terrible ocean incidents step-by-step.
Thanks 👍🏻
Yes, he can take a story like this, that we're familiar with, and bring so much to it, always fascinating. 🌹⚓
In October 1980, 34 men disappeared in the North Atlantic on the Poet. NOBODY ever talks about the loss of the Poet. In fact, it was barely even mentioned at the time when it occurred. That was 44 years ago and, to this day, NOBODY knows what happened top the Poet or her crew.
The only reason anyone remembers the Edmund Fitzgerald is because of that song.
I'm on the West Coast. Fuel tanks above the waterline are shunned; and I've never seen fuel drums loaded on the bow. It sounds like they needed a bigger boat to long line that area.
I have loaded fuel on board a 31 Bertram, but transferred it quickly to main fuel tanks
@@wallacejeffery5786 if your running inside waters you can get away with a lot. These guys were equivalently out past Kodiak, well outside their boats operating envelope. As for icing the load, it seems to me that they were cutting the delivery date close.
I grew up in New Jersey, right on the water. I remember that storm, and, how bad the flooding from the surge was. Half my town was uner 4 feet of water.
What part of NJ? I’m from SJ myself.
Im tjinking Thats a good thing for New Jersey.
Point Plessant Beach,N.J. here.We had epic flooding from this system.
@@kennethkobylakiewicz3157He said SJ not east Philadelphia 😂😂.
Cape May now in the chat 👍
Across the Bay from you. Lewes. Lived there (a kid) during the '62 Storm. "The Great Storm" really was a great storm. I was 7 years old and lived on 2nd Street and the water level came up to our backyard.@@TheRealBelisariusCawl
"Dont steam through a hurricane, you wont get paid if you are dead"
Me.
History is full of moronically arrogant captains that have ignored reality and ended their ships and crews.
"And if you have to, do it in a submarine"
- Not me, but I was standing close by, when that other guy said it.
Very pithy.
They didnt steam into a hurricane- did you watch the video? They steamed into a storm fuelled by a low that turned into a '100 year storm'... Try harder before taking the p1ss my bru, have some respect.
@@SchmozzleGTO An overloaded fishing vessel shouldnt steam into either, what are you talking about exactly? Sounds like you have some personal issues to work out and you are just here venting. Why dont YOU show some respect and go rake your zen garden instead of snapping at people for no good reason?
God bless all the fishermen who risk their lives on the sea. RIP to the crew of the Andrea Gail & all others who have lost their lives at sea. Fair winds & following seas shipmates. 🙏♥️🙏♥️🙏♥️ 🫡 🇺🇸
It's the greed! Money! No money, no fishing.
@@jaylongton it's their jobs, which undoubtedly they love. If you've never been a sailor, you wouldn't understand.
@@billotto602 Just because it's called a job doesn't make it right. Look at the Bible when you get time.
i spent that storm deckhanding a 40 ft launch boat in NY harbor. even as protected as the harbor was, it was HORRIBLE. 15 ft chop on the leeward side of tankers, 50 plus mph steady wind, gusts that wanted to blow you right off the deck. 12 hours of that had me beaten down. the idea of facing that unprotected in the open ocean of the north atlantic in a 66 ft boat is the stuff of nightmares
Thank you so much for sharing what it was like for you. Storms are always amazing to behold but terrifying if caught with your pants down.
Your not wrong, tough SOBs
This is an interesting idea, the fuel and water leading to the loss, but the ship was sunk after an extended voyage, where a lot of that extra fuel and water would have been used.
The crew knew they were sailing into bad weather and probably would have transferred fuel to the main tanks to lower the center of gravity and reduce free surface effect from partially filled tanks. They might have even dumped the extra fresh water to increase freeboard and increase stability.
This was a crew of experienced sailors.
The only fuel drums recovered were empty, as per the Coast Guard report. It seems the crew did exactly this.
The fuel in those drums was likely long gone by the time of the storm. What sank boat was not free surface, but as the USCG so elegantly describes it, "free communication" better characterized as more water entering the hull than the bilge pumps, aka "dewatering devices" can handle. That the free communication was likely the result of a loss of stability is immaterial. The end result was loss of sufficient buoyancy to stay afloat, better known as sinking.
@@frankmiller95 How would water enter a watertight hull on a boat going into the weather? A 75-foot swordboat would easily weather 30-foot seas (the AG was slammed during fishing on the Banks by a 30-footer that broadsided her and put her on her side and yet with only 20,000lbs of fish in the hold she recovered with no damage).
Barring some catastrophic engine failure (unlikely) she was almost certainly pitch-poled like we see in the film.
@@pc_buildyb0i935 "Watertight" is a relative term. Any vessel without positive stability will only retain its watertight integrity for a very short time, as in seconds, minutes at most, after it has capsized. On the other hand, a "modern" monohull sailboat will generally recover to an upright condition after a knockdown, or even a 360. lf its hull retains sufficient watertight integrity for bilge pumps and other dewatering devices to stay ahead of the inevitable leaks, it will stay will afloat. Since a vessel without positive stability will not recover after exceeding its GM, it will sink, sooner rather than later.
A UK sailor Roger Taylor sailed his 21-23’ sailboats refitted like tanks and truly unsinkable 2008-2016 on several voyages in the North Atlantic/Iceland/Greenland/Labrador sea encountering up to 15M seas . He carried only a handheld VHF /GPS and NO engine .and NO EPIRB. He wrote 3 books documenting these voyages look up MingMing fascinating reading! A unassuming humble guy that is a nautical God.
I write this to emphasize small sailboats with skilled crew can and have survived very large storms.
I was to report for duty (helicopter maintenance school) at Ft. Eustice, Virginia on Oct 30, '91. I drove from Vestavia Hills, Alabama on the 29th. When I reached South Carolina, the rain started. The rain was very heavy through North Carolina, there was no moon. There were several wrecks on the interstate and the traffic was very congested at times. It was one of the most nerve-wracking trips I have ever made. I think it was almost a15 hour-long drive, and it was normally about 10-12-hour drive.
I didn't know about the deadly nature of the storm until I read the book, The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger.
This is the best documentary I have seen on this , the most famous commercial fishing vessel in modern times !
😀👌🏻
I lived right in the ocean in 1991 with my gf, when you opened the sliding glass door to the deck, the deck butted right up against the seawall, when the waves started crashing up on the deck it was beautiful, high tide was still hours away, then the waves started crashing up over the roof, dark green ocean water running down the windows, it was awesome, my gf kept saying we gotta go but I loved it, then a wave brought a boulder and smashed through the sliding glass door, by the time we left both sides street were flooded, i backed the car across the street, we had front row seats to waves ripping the house apart, washing it out to sea, in the morning the only thing left was the foundation and us in the car. 1991 Marshfield, Mass. The perfect storm.
Let me guess, our tax dollars built you a new home?
Our gubmint is such a wreck.
It would be nice if homes were restricted to about a quarter mile inland so us people in the rest of the country dont have to keep building new homes every few years. Idiocy.
@@nunyabizness9216 Maybe they were insured?
@@nunyabizness9216I don’t know wtf you’re on about. Insurance would cover rebuilding costs of a home, not tax dollars. Always some dumbass on youtube talking out of their ass. 😂
And the thought never crossed your mind the whole time you were watching the pretty waves destroy everything you have to maybe get some of it and put it in the car. Oh wait, you’re living on seafront and have a fat bank account. You do not need to worry about it.
Just in case you were wondering, people are still cranky on the internets. Thanks for sharing your story!
I’m good friends with Linda Greenlaw. She is an amazing woman.
Well I'm friends with Madonna so I win.
@@angelwalker979 you can have Madonna, she is too trashy for me.
@@angelwalker979 "Lady Madonna"? Or "Jesus's Mom"? IDN
She's a good writer. She hooked me with The Hungry Ocean (pun intended).
@@angelachouinard4581 yes she is a great writer.
this is one of my absolute favorite movies. perfect cast, perfect soundtrack, the perfect storm. And for a year 2000 movie it has friggin great cgi.
This is my Titanic. Not gonna lie, when the Andrea Gail sinks at the end and Marky Mark is there alone in the ocean, in the storm, i always tear up a bit lol
I believe that swordfish did indeed communicate with him and love little gems of the supernatural in real life. Divine intervention.
Another excellent story well documented and clearly told.
Congratulations!
👍🏻
Fellow fisherman. My fathers boat, the Carla Ann (family boat) nearly sank for the same reason. Fuel Drums loaded on board. Full of fuel for an extended trip. The extra weight proved seriously dangerous. My father said he would never do it again.
The Andrea Gail was on the way home the barrels had already been pumped into the fuel tanks so they were empty
I fished with Billy and every day after hauling gear if we could pump fuel to empty a barrel that's what we did until they were empty.
@@bradblackwell5526 Yes, my father said, by the hour they transferred fuel to get the weight down. Water lapping at the gunwales. Sea state changed & was on a good patch. What do you do ?
I saw the movie in the theater when it came out and I wasn't expecting much but I was very pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed the movie, the story and the acting. I actually shed a few tears towards the end and that's not something I do often without good reason.
Having seen more than l care to of bad weather at sea, especially on big sailboats, which are generally better able to handle extreme conditions than western rigged long liners, like the "Andrea Gale," the end of this film reawakened PTSD from earlier experiences. No thanks.
It was an epic blend of real and special effects that’s for sure. Still an excellent film to watch to this day. Cry every time.
The book was so much better.
It’s said a buoy off Nova Scotia measured a wave of 100 feet (30.48M) during that storm.
Hard to believe they fought that beast as long as they did.
God rest the good men of the Andrea Gail.
Usually it’s hubris, poor planning, or lack of regard for safety that causes these kinds of accidents. This is just plain awful luck. RIP.
This couldn't have been mitigated, the boat was going to sinking, but the emergency equipment not being used raises questions.
A bit of hubris and poor planning. Running with the EPIRB off demonstrates both.
@@OCinneideThey were probably doing ok, and got hit by a rouge wave.
This is what happens when judgment is blinded by obsessive passion and greed.
I have no sympathy for them.
Thank you for the info. You are always so respectful of the lives lost, I truly appreciate that
Many members of my grandfathers family are listed on that memorial. Fishing was and still can be so dangerous. It’s a hard life for sure.
My mum was in the fish shop one day when a man came in and started moaning about prices. "What, am I putting your kid through college?" The shop owner said, " Yes you are!' Cheapskate left disgruntled and the shop owner said to my mum "He has no clue about what it takes to get this stuff to market. It's not like beef and chicken, lives are put at risk, of course it's expensive."
This story could make a great movie!
George Clooney would make a great captain!
@@CEngineering-pv8uwjust imagine if Mark Walberg also starred in it! I would watch it.
It is a movie called the “perfect storm”.
@@jackallen9780 they are being sarcastic bro
@@jackallen9780That's such a perfect name for such a movie. Man those Hollywood people...that's why the get the big bucks.
I've been waiting forever for someone to do a good telling of this particular story. And it's YOU of all people, love it! Finally man, thank you! Love your videos brother.
🤣 thanks
That’s almost a wonderful compliment!
There was an incredible documentary about this I saw in the mid 90s. Really chilling. It had interviews with a woman on another boat who was there t monitor what the Japanese were catching. I can recall her saying the last communication she had with the Andre Gail was the captain saying I've rhe radio ' she's coming on, and she's coming on strong" about the storm. Iirc it was a weather presenter who first called it the perfect storm.
Thank you for another very well-done documentary. You're the best!
Thanks, I really appreciate that
That story about the fish looking up at Koskogot to me. I don’t like killing anything. I rescue spiders out of my house. It’s probably a girl thing lol
No, it's not a girl thing. I've been a fireman for a long time at 1st it dosnt get to you, but over time, too much death near you gets to you. It would be nice to never see pain or death again in my life...
@@chrisguzzy3732I saw a doco and there was a guy who worked on death row for like 30 years. He would guard the prisoners in the days before they were executed. He was pro death penalty his whole life. But one day he had a nervous breakdown and couldn't go back to work. Now he is against capital punishment. It took a toll on him.
I remember that storm. There were 30' to 35 ' breakers throwing boulders the size of small cars over the sea wall. Boats were blown hundreds of yards in land. The lobster traps were all over the beaches and the fishing fleets took a pounding.
I still remember watching it on the news when the Andrea Gail went missing, the fleet pulled together looked for survivors for a couple of weeks, even the Coast Guard looked for well over a week until they found items from her. It was also the quietest movie theater I ever sat in when the movie cam out.
It’s always “the last trip” that gets ya.
I thought I knew everything there was to know about the sinking of the Andrea Gail but you have some excellent nuggets included that I was unaware of. Thanks
Your presentation and story telling here is fantastic. Ignore the idiots in the comments who think they know better but clearly have done no research or have any knowledge on what they speak. Excellent work as usual.
🤣 thanks. I think I just rile people up with the title.
I wonder if it really makes a difference if you just made a non bait more sober title like the sinking of xyz, some of the clickbait titles dont even have the name of the ship and I also wonder whether they are actually detrimental for example for non subscriber specifically searching for an incident by name... @@waterlinestories
The things some people have to perform and endure just so we can buy our groceries conveniently is truly incredible. The next time you buy a slab of swordfish, say a prayer for the men who have perished trying to get that piece of fish to you.
never bought swordfish in my life
Me idem.
This is a story that will stay close to me for the rest of my life.
Me Too... 🙏
"The sea's getting colder." That is one hell of an understatement. It will drop to just a few degrees over freezing (from somewhere in the 60s F during summer). In the area off Cape Cod at least. (which isn't too far from the area discussed here)
My father lives on Cape Cod year round. One year I went and jumped into Nantucket sound in Jan. or Feb. Lets just say I'll never do that again. Holy hell that was cold. I have never felt anything like that before in my life.
I remember seeing this boat at A1 marina in panama city Fl in the late 80's getting that modification. I was on another longliner that fushe the gukf of mexico and we were tied uo beside her.
I was crewing on a yacht delivery from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean when this happened. Hurricane Grace was forming to the North of us and a tropical storm to the South. Luckily we navigated between the two and made landfall safely. Whilst at sea we could hear fishing vessels over the radio to the North who were caught in the tempest. Years later when the book and movie The Perfect Storm were released I found out about what had happened to the Andrea Gail. I still think about those brave men who lost their lives that day and all the countless others who have sacrificed themselves working at sea. I have also crewed on fishing boats and so have an even deeper respect for these guys. RIP all the brave men and women who died so we could have a fish supper.
You'll notice in the photos that the Andrea Gale had a stern ramp. Having one indicates she was originally built with the capability of being rigged as a stern trawler. Thus rigged she would have had net reels, nets, gallows frames, winches and more lifting righing aloft. All of this equipment would weigh significantly more than longline gear for swordfish and would have been accounted for by her designer. The barrel theory is doubtful as that wayer and fuel would hae been consumed by the time of the storm. I worked on trawlers in the North Atlantic and Bering Sea for forty five years with 30 as captain and while i can imagine how the Andrea Gale sank the fact is no one knows.
The Andrea Gail did not have a stern ramp. The FV Lady Grace, which was used to portray the AG in the movie, does. The AG, originally "Miss Penny" was designed and purpose-built as a longliner. She most likely was pitch-poled by the 100-foot seas in the area, if she didn't sink earlier in the storm.
Or if one of the outriggers dipped too deep and been in such a way that the chains and lines from it reached the wheel resulting in a loss of power resulting in being dead in the water drifting in a side sea that flipped it or swamped it.
You take from the sea , it takes from you .
i was on the water that night passing threw the area were the Andera was .that night the storm came threw and just grew and grew ,the captain never turn in ,and i the second engineer made none stop rounds , the captain and i talked some ,he told me then that he knew some boats were in trouble , our ship was 297 feet with 3000 horse power and plow threw the sea ,the waves where 50 to 70 feet and even bigger ones .
I'll just stick to inland lakes and my rowboat. Fresh fish for the family is good enough for me.
*through. Threw is the past tense of "throw."
You have real talent for explaining things to where a person like me. Who has never been on a ship can understand! Great job
👍🏻
More likely. The violent rocking of the boat caused the fuel to splash around in the fuel tanks. The engines sucked some air and stalled. With no propulsion, they ended up sideways and got hit broadside from a large wave and capsized
I'd more suspect that seawater contamination would be more likely since the fuel pickups are at the bottom of the tank, but either way the results would be the same. Engine dies, boat goes broadside, gets knocked down and down floods, sinks right quickly especially if the fish hold hatch lets go...
It could also be shaking up sludge from the tank bottom too.
@naughtiusmaximus830 maybe. But dead engines is a surefire way to get in trouble in a storm
I WAS ABOUT 18 OR 19 WORKING OUT OF A SHRIMP BOAT WITH MY HIGH SCHOOL BUDDIE WHEN WE LEFT PORT AT DELCAMBE, LOUISIANA, . WE WORKED ON TWO DIFFERENT BOATS, WITH 2 DIFFERENT CAPTIANS, ONE WAS AN OLD WOODEN HULL JUST LIKE THE ONE YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE FORREST GUMP MOVIE.. ONE OF THE CAPTIANS LOOKED LIKE A PIRATE... ONE OF OUR BOATS STARTED TO SINK, THEN FINALLY THE BILGE PUMP STARTED TO WORK .....JUST IN TIME..... WE MADE IT TO PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS JUST BEFORE SOME 20 FOOT WAVES ALMOST SANK OUR ASS'S,, YOU HAVE NEVER LIVED LIFE ............UNITL YOU ARE ABOUT TO DIE..........I KNOW THE FEAR THAT THESE MEN HAD...I HOPE THAT THEY HAD A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.BEFORE THEY MEET HIM......RIP............ JIM HAMMERS FT. LAUDERDALE FLORIDA
My dad works for the air force in long Island NY. He and his paratroopers tried to help in the rescue. Unfortunately there was nothing anyone could've done😢. Ty 106th air force in w.h.b. , N.Y
Another great video from my favorite site. Glad you back to normal 😉😉😉
Thanks Beverly. Hope all is well
@@waterlinestories I'm well, hope you are too?! I've been listening to your older vidoes with my eyes closed drinking in your awesome accent. Thank you 😉😉
@@waterlinestories Have you been sick, wat is fout boeta?
@2esquared No. Just took a break over Xmas and then it took a while to get up to speed
@@waterlinestories Well, hope you had a great holiday, your all rested up and will be bringing some great video's in the near furture. 😉😉😉
I love your channel and stories! (I have a very soft spot for ships of all kinds.)Thank you for presenting this to us.
👍🏻
If they were at the end of the trip you generally always burn your tanks down and then would transfer all the fuel from the drums down into the hull as soon as you can. No captain with any experience would leave all that weight on the bow longer than they had to, especially knowing there is weather coming
Most of the Andrea Gail's plastic drums that were recovered were empty, so this tracks. Tyne was an experienced mariner and would know better than to leave any weight high up.
It was a clickbait title-
he said at the end that nobody knows,
so why use a title like that?
I agree with you,though-
whatever vehicle it is,
extra fuel (or water) should always be properly stowed/stored as soon as there’s room.
I was at Newport Rhode Island at the time. The event took place soon after we took a direct hit from Hurricane Bob, August 1991. I have been out at sea on a US Navy ship many times in all kinds of weather, including hurricanes. Up until about 1991, nobody really believed in rogue waves. I experienced two. One on my first ship back in 1986 and again on my second ship around 1988. It was very sudden, and I was at the helm. We got hit broadside, and I knew what was happening and what was GOING to happen next. I steered the ships in a way to prevent them from capsizing. In 2004, I retired from the US Navy with just over 20 years served.
What were the seas regularly that day with you? And how big was the rogue wave- approx. Thanks in advance
@@giggiddy I was serving at a shore command, so I was not out at sea then (1991). I did, however get to experience rogue waves twice. Once on my 1st ship (1986) and once again, years later, on my 2nd ship, (1988) both as the helmsman. Long story short, I managed to keep both ships from doing "The Poseidon Adventure" in real-life. Both waves were large enough to be able to capsize my ship, had I not taken action. In the times before each wave, we were rolling up to 30 degrees to port & starboard fairly regularly.
My sub was stuck on the surface waiting for permission to go to Nova Scotia and a Nor Easter popped up out of nowhere. I was stationed as Look Out and the waves were pounding me and the Officer of the Deck. We got beat up for 3 hours before the XO called it and brought us down. I had never seen waves so big as in the North Atlantic. They would tower over us and each time a big wave hit it would go completely black. I had bruises on my entire back like someone kept hitting me with a sledge hammer.
Wouldnt it be safer if the sub had dived down and waited?
WTF....
@@DBBMedI could be wrong, but I believe they could only communicate when up on the surface. Once they dive, communications are limited/terminated.
You've never been hit with a sledge hammer...
I've heard that the waves in the roaring 40s circling Antarctica are ridiculous and relentless all year round, thanks to the Coriolis Effect and not having any landmass to slow it down. 10m waves are regular for that latitude apparently.
Loved the film..
RIP the Andrea Gail and their crew😢😢😢😢
You're doing a really great job! I'm glad that I've come across your channel!
👍🏻 thanks. Welcome aboard
Good Day. Excellent Posting. Thank You & Best Regards. RIP All Those Lost At Sea
Very happy to see that you did this because the movie was so vapid. The story about the cook is beautiful and tragically poetic. Is he a writer? Who would hear that powerful small piece but for this video?
I don't know if he's a writer. Would make sense.
23:55 You yourself said the storm didnt form right on top of them. They chose to go through it due to failed ice machines and didnt want their catch to spoil in the time it would take to wait it out or go around it. It was a choice that was made. I wouldve made the same choice but its still a choice.
They got it wrong. The storm DID form on top of them.
First off, the ice machine didn't outright fail, it was just not producing enough ice.
Second, the first forecast (which ALL boats in the fishing fleet received on the evening of Oct 27th) vastly undersold the weather - it only called for 10-15ft seas and 20-25 knot winds. You wouldn't fish in weather like that, but for driving home it wouldn't even be a concern to a boat as big as the Andrea Gail.
By the time an updated forecast came out at dawn the next day, it was too late for all the vessels in the area (most of the fishing fleet including Andrea Gail, along with a foreign longliner Eishin Maru 78, and two containerships Holland and Zara), who would be caught by the storm in under 12 hours.
Boats can't escape hurricane-speed winds.
It wasn't a conscious choice that sank the Andrea Gail, it was the inability to see into the future.
I have always hoped a good maritime channel would cover the Andrea Gail. I have read about it but not seen anyone cover it yet on yt. Great job as always.
👍🏻 Thanks. Great to see you here
RIP Mark Wahlberg
😂😂😂😂
The movie is fantastic but I highly recommend reading the book. It goes into so much detail about all the conditions of fishing and storms. The author does a great job at explaining all the possibilities that couldve happened to the crew
What’s the name of the book
In a room full of blind men who can truely see? They payed the price for a butt load of fish and cash. Because thats what you do. It payes the bills. No fish- No money. Maintnance and weather be damned. Its sad and tragic. My heart to the families and friends of the men and women who fish the big water.
The perfect storm staring George Clooney. Great movie, sad event.
I was an actor in the movie 8 Seconds the life and death story of Lane Frost a young Champion Rodeo Bull Rider that died in the arena after the bull he just rode turned around and gored him. Luke Perry, Steven Baldwin, Cynthia Gery and many other good actors were in this 1994 hit.
The director had made Rocky movies, Karate Kid and many other block busters. I was from Texas and knew of Bull riding and Rodeos so I was hired to be a Rodeo Clown, bar fighter, EMT and just being one of the bull riders too. The way the studio portrayed the family dynamic was terrible. They made his father look like a cold hearted azz that didn't love or care about his son. Which was the complete opposite of the truth. Hollywood got the basics wrong and made the family seem like they didn't love each other when they did completely. Just because they say "based" on a true story. Very little of the story is actually true. This goes for all movies that were based on a real person or event. It's heartbreaking to see how Hollywood can just make things up to make the movie seem more than it really was. Lane had a great story to tell without lying about so many things in his life. Sorry this is so ling. 30 years and several movies later it still stings.
Always exciting to see a new Waterline Stories post... Keep up the great work, love all of it.
May all involved in these stories rest in peace.
This was very sad. George Clooney died in the incident.
Ha ha
Mark Wahlberg was also lost.
Are we just going to ignore that John C Riley survived so that he could spend time with his stepbrother and document their time together?
Boats & hoes ⛵️
i cried when he yelled " I REGRET NOTHING". it was so stunning and brave. sadly they made it before the disabled dog was invented.
Good one ! 👌🏻👍🏻 lol. 😂
That storm was brutal. I drove to Gloucester 20 minutes away just to take pictures. The waves were up to 30 feet high washing away cliff side roads. I can only imaging the hell those guys went through in their final moments while out at sea. I hope the Gloucester fishing fleet learned from that loss to stay clear of the Atlantic storms at all cost. Every time I drive to Gloucester I think of the Andrea Gail like it happened yesterday. I am sure the loss for all those families still hurt, still pray for answers to what actually happened. I pray they do get closure some day. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Nice touch with the animations man 👏🏻
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They're not lost to us just in a different dimension! God has them all in his arms!
The Crows Nest is still around! Been a fair few times when I used to work in the area
It’s one of the last true bar rooms in town. Gloucester used to have a bar on every corner. Now there are less than 5 and that may be exaggerating a bit. I think there are 3 left.
My absolute favourite channel ANYWHERE! Love your work!👏👏👏
Thanks, I really appreciate that
@@waterlinestories you are most welcome. I really appreciate the high quality of the research and the skill of how it is presented. I also think it is marvellous how you present all the measurement conversions from miles to kilometres and so on. It means that for some of us, we don’t have to multitask and try to make the calculations on our own! I always get excited about new episodes and I always really enjoy the high quality presentation. Keep up the excellent work, 👏🏻 🥇☝🏻
Hi there, as a mass native and a waterman myself this story is not correct. All there top side fuel and water would have been most likely depleted. Also their engines weren’t 325hp. It was a Cat 3408, minimum 365hp but guys will routinely turn up injection pumps. Appreciate the retelling but you got holes in your take on things.
Thank you!
Definitely depleted....they were coming back from the far reaches....so very sad ...
@@user-xh8ii2hj6r for sure, I remember this. Everyone I knew remembered this. Fishing is freakin dangerous.
@@johneden7975 agree 💯!
I'm a West Coast guy sport fisherman all my life....As big as the Pacific is it never shows it's temper as often as the Atlantic....I'm a spoiled warm weather guy! 120 miles out is the farthest I've ever been...seen a 17 foot Great Hammerhead Shark 5 feet off the starboard rail chomping on a 150 lb tuna in its mouth!
It was surreal...one of its hammers came out of the water and it's eye 👁️ looked right at me....I almost could of slapped it! It was bitchin looking its 👁️ was as big as a tennis ball! ✌️.... always respect the water!
It's pretty funny that after the monstrous sea state he accurately describes, they look for, and cite another possible cause, that couldn't possibly have contributed, given the distance they traveled! Add storm could have taken down the tanker!
I was a senior in high school growing up in Gloucester, Ma and was good friends with Bobby Shatford’s younger brother Brian. We were together for that whole Halloween weekend. I was sleeping at his house. I remember the USCG knocking on Ethel Shatford’s door to tell them he son was missing. We all went to the crows nest to get what ever info we could. It was a sad time in Gloucester with all the destruction and the loss of another crew missing and presumed lost out of Gloucester.
The A./G. At the time, was considered on the smaller side of boat's fishing sword in the areas they were. However, At those times and on The Grand banks, everything in this video was common practice. Pushing weather, boats & Men to their limits just was an accepted way of life. It was a really nice boat w/great crew on board from everything I have heard. Long lining for sword must have been pretty cool in those days. I remember the day of the storm. Knowing how it was on land I can NOT imagine just how vicious it was off shore. Measured waves in a few places were 90 ft.+
For someone like me being a construction worker all my life, adding room additions on to homes , building decks and kitchen and bath remodeling, and making a good living, it is hard to imagine taking on a career such as this. But having a chance to spend 10 days at sea on a fishing boat with a family member, I quickly realized what it was all about. You quickly fall in love with the sea and mother nature. The calm, the peace, the quiet and above all the sites and the marine wildlife you chance to see. I have to admit, the first 2 or 3 days were pretty scary looking across the sea and seeing nothing but water in every direction clear to the horizon, and knowing there could be up to a mile of deep water under you. All the beauty and freedom quickly over rides the fear and it's forgotten. Especially when you run into a school of fish quickly filling the nets. That's when the action and fast hard work begins. By the 7th day, I didn't think about going home and wanted to go further out to sea.
May the Lord always bless these brave and hard working men who lost their lives on this sail. I do understand the love and compassion for this line of work now...
For me, I think the fear was all the water and the dangers of sinking and drowning. But I realized there was much more danger getting on the freeway every morning driving to work with all the idiot drivers driving up to 80 mph weaving in and out of speeding traffic to get to work on time...LOL
We had seawater get into one of our tanks not far from off Hinchinbrook in Queensland that left both main engines and the generator dead. It was coming on dark with heavy seas so we had to switch tanks then drain all the fuel lines, filters and assorted fittings, all the while testing the diesel and dropping heaps into the bilges. Being side on to the swell had everybody getting seasick, this being aided by the 46 degree engine room temperature and the diesel in the bilges. Anyway whilst sweating and spewing profusely we managed to bleed one main engine to not only turn us into the swell but prevent us from dropping an anchor in an effort to not go into the cliffs that we were steadily approaching. We kept at it down below and bled the port engine then the generators. It was the harshest conditions I’ve ever worked in by far and as we had our children on this trip there was always that background pressure spurring us on to get the job done.
The Andrea Gail did not have GPS navigation. The EPIRB was GPS enabled but GPS navigation units were very expensive and uncommon in 1991.
Actually, the Andrea Gail DID have a GPS, in combination with a LORAN unit. It wasn't a fancy, 2D animated GPS, but a unit that spat out numerical readings regarding latitude and longitude as well as heading. The AutoPilot also had its own internal GPS.
Who eats swordfish?45 yes old and I've never eaten or saw swordfish on a menu.
It's good, might want to try it
Don't know where you live, but here in New England, you can find it at most decent seafood restaurants. Location, location...
You need to get out more. I've eaten it, bought it in the store and seen it on the menu in restaurants. I used to buy my dog a piece of fish every friday, cook it and give it to her. She liked the swordfish.
Vegas buffets
It’s delicious
Wow - another absolutely fascinating WaterlineStories video - it reminds me of when my folks and I went on a Whale-Watching Boat Trip off the coast of Boston,MA (fortunately the seas were still and the weather was perfect) but the North Atlantic can change on a dime. Thank you again for bringing us these world-class productions my friend. Subscribing to your channel is one of the best things I've done this year.
Thanks, that's great to hear
Interesting content! I've Subscribed. Keep up your waterworld tales. Greetings from the French Alps.
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I fished the Flemish cap and Grand Banks Swordfishing for years and it is most certainly an experience like no other
Having a 375 hp engine for a 72 ft 92 ton vessel seems woefully under powered. I can't imagine going so far from shore on one small engine. Trying to face down 35 ft seas with that is suicide.
Thinking the same. They were closer to Europe than home with that engine
You have to remember that it’s a marine diesel. Horsepower is not its main power measurement, but its torque. It might’ve had upwards of 2000 ft lbs of torque. On top of that, there is really no point in having more power than needed, since it often causes more strain when you try to push a full displacement hull faster and harder than is designed.
@@Windsor_351 I'm aware of hull speed limits for displacement hulls, but good point. Still, with all your power curve in torque that doesn't leave you much speed-wise. I looked up that she only had a top speed of 10 knots. You're not outrunning any storms with that.
Rule of thumb is 2 hp per 1000 lbs. displacement. 365 hp in a 92 ton vessel is about right.
It all depends on how her gear box is set up. That is plenty for a fishing boat of this size.
The Perfect Storm was my favorite movie in childhood. Thanks for the reminder i still need to make my wife watch it!
I don't think the barrels had anything much to do with it.
Sailing into a raging storm was the root of the problem.
excellent coverage, thank you!
i wish they could find that boat.
Why. The fish that was on the boat is gone by now😂
It probably broke apart