The Hungry Ocean - Essay Example

By her own admission gender has never been a problematic issue in her, illustrious and legendary career on the high seas. The challenge and the accomplishments: An interesting part of the conversation is highlighted at the concluding pages of the book and Linda Greenlaw writes, “What more do you want? You make a good living doing what you love. That’s more than most people have.”(256) The story of her becoming the commander of the one-hundred-foot-long sword fishing boat, named Hannah Boden is amazing.

She has a wonderful childhood and her enlightened parents are pleased to give her the liberty to choose the career of her choice. Little do they realize that she will opt for the career of a fisherman. She goes to become the legend. The life of a fisherman is tougher and the mood of the ocean is unpredictable. This is not the profession where one is engaged in the table work from 10 a.m. to 5p.m.The duration of a sword fishing trip to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland will last for a month or more.

According to her, the actual job of fishing is a thrill but “the greatest challenges any captain faces are often keeping the crew focused, making sure the vessel remains mechanically sound, and returning safely to port." (p. xi) She becomes an author due to fortuitous circumstances and she writes, “I wonder daily of the opportunity to write this book has been a blessing or a curse. Writing has proven to be hard work, often painful. I can honestly say that I would rather be fishing.”(Preface) Destiny wills it thus and events in her childhood do much to support her decision to go to sea.

Her family lives on an island on the cost of Maine and it is but natural that she sees high prospectus for her life and career amidst the waves on the high seas. Fish and fishermen, the life of swordboat crew: As the captain, a fisherman has got to be an excellent public relations man with enough technical and administrative knowledge. Proper understanding of navigation, weather equipment and plotting the course and distance by hand is part of her routine work as caption of the ship. Linda Greenlaw has an excellent study of the human beings and maintains good rapport with members of the crew.

About Bob, a dynamic fisherman and the owner of the ship she writes, “He was an amazingly clever person; his competence covered a wide range….As for determination—he would take a boat to Mars if he thought there might be a fish to be caught there.”(3) Fishermen need to remain ever ready and mentally prepared for disasters, survival and accomplishments. This book contains the details of one such trip on the swordship boat and reveals how the lifestyles of a fisherman are entirely differed on the ocean beds as compared to plain space on this Planet Earth.

She has a crew of six members Ringo, Kenny, Charlie, Peter, and Carl each with his own ideas and adventurous in one’s own right. The life in the ship is full of appointments and disappointments. As the head leading the crew Linda Greenlaw lists the advantages and disadvantages. The main attraction is the fat paycheck and respect of admiration of