Andrea Gail History

New blog format, more photos of fishing in Portland. Less Andrea Gail related, more commercial fishing related.

Book mark and check back often at for MANY MANY original photos with descriptions:

http://portlandfish.tumblr.com/

many thank you to those who have left comments  and helped  know what the true history of the Andrea Gail was.

please remember  it was only  a movie . the actual men were ,

lets  say  bigger than life.    fish in peace my Brothers

BY ROBERT BAKER,   TWO PHOTOS ARE APRIL NICHOLE with ALFRED PIERRE LARGE COD JIMMY DWYERS RIDGE

ANDY YOU DID A GREAT JOB ON THIS PROJECT THANK CHARITA FOR HELPING also ALFREDS HOME PORT NEW YORK CITY

ONE PHOTO ALFRED PIERRE POSING FOR POST BIRTHDAY PHOTO AT MARINERS BAR NEXT TO THE CROWS NEST IN GLOUCESTER I WAS NEXT DOOR HAVING A BEER ALFRED LOOKED AROUND THE CROWS NEST TO SEE ME MISSING WE HAD A GOOD NIGHT AFTER A LONG COLD

MISERABLE TRIP . HE ASKED ME BOBBY WHY ARENT YOU DRINKING WITH THE CAPTAIN AT THE CROWS NEST

YOU LEFT YOUR WIFE THERE TOO , REPLY I JUST PUT TEN IN FISHING WITH HIM HE S THE LAST PERSON I WANT TO LISTEN TO . SATURDAY NIGHT FEBUARY 23RD 1991 WE WENT EVERY WHERE THAT NIGHT PRATTYS CAMERONS DRINK DANCE ALFRED NOT ME ALFRED WAS DANCING WITH TWO WHITE GIRLS AT CAMERONS CAPTAINS WIFE MINE TOO ALL EYES ON ALFRED CAPTAIN WASNT TO SAVY OF THE IDEA ALFRED DANCIN WITH HIS GIRL I KINDA TOLD MY OLD LADY TO GET OUT THERE CAPPYS OLD LADY SHE WAS UP FOR IT WHAT A NIGHT GLAD I KEPT A JOURNAL ON THE PERFECT STORM BOAT ANDREA GAIL THE BLACK BOOK OF THE ANDREA GAIL WE ALMOST HAVE THE BALLARD OF THE ANDREA GAIL DONE

AWAY AWAY THEY DID SAIL SIX BRAVE MEN OF THE ANDREA GAIL

THE PERFECT STORM CURSE OF THE ANDREA GAIL. WE RECENTLY VISITED THE PERFECT STORM MOVIE BOAT LADY GRACE . LOOKED MORE LIKE LADY DISGRACE

THE DEAD WONT REST TILL THE TRUTH HAS BEEN EXPOSED, LADY GRACE S WHEELHOUSE WINDOWS WERE PLYWOODED OVER VERY ERIE OMINUS SIGHN FROM ABOVE OR THE OTHER SIDE .SHE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE YARD WHILE UNDER REPAIR

another boat LADY OF GRACE sunk and lost all her crew in bad weather.scalloper .no trace of her .they radioed it was bad weather and the skipper made the call they were coming home.

IM SURE ITS CURSED    net works media have BEEN AIRING LES NAGY S PHOTO WORK OF THE ANDREA GAIL AS WELL AS MINE TOO PAYING NO ROYALTIES ON T V WEATHER CHANNEL

THIS SIGHT BY ANDY AND CHARITA NEW YORK WEB MASTERS THANKS YOU TWO.

ALFRED PIERRE THAT  PERFECT STORM CREWMAN LOST AT SEA OCTOBER 28 1991

Frank Maxwell    Alfred Pierre Back to

Alfred Pierre  with Baker at Mariner.s bar in Gloucester

Dominic  Frankie  Alfred

new old photos of Andrea Gail

Companion way

deck of Andrea Gail with sword fish beacon buoys

EMPTY  WHEELHOUSE ANDREA GAIL

Febuary 7th 2009

drove from Portland to Gloucester tonight, every Febuary for 18 years since 1991,   1984 was around my first time taking out fish at STAR fisheries ,GUS

OFTEN I COME TO THE OLDEST SEA PORT IN NORTH AMERICA.

WENT TO THE CROW’S NEST , get the usual    two  hats   two beers  . one for each

person that might accompany me ,in our travels,

looked at the wall from my usual corner perch at the bar ,close to the door.

she noticed they changed the front  windows. i knew ,she hadn’t been there in years.

the old key board for the rooms upstairs hasn’t changed since the crew of the Andrea

Gail left in September 1991 ,

the  old   key board   . guess you  would  have to see it , to know what i’m talking about

she  does paranormal.  sitting at the bar , said she was getting  feelings  ,

what she  does, going to have to talk to her again.  IT HAS HISTORY surely

Crow’s nest   restless spirits ?

who ever took the picture off the wall ??  crew memorial at the crow’s nest???

you should return it back with the rest of the Andrea Gail crew photos

made another trip to Gloucester   went to cape pond ice   talked with Scott

the  Andrea Gail   stop at the Crows nest  gave Greg a card Andrea Gail history . com   looked for Moses , missed him all over  Gloucester,

had fish and chips at the pilot house , saw a few faces from Portland .

shot over 400 images   GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD A NEW  ANDREA GAIL

WEB SIGHT    some improvement in the CHAOS.

had one good taxi  comment     thank you for the  COMMENTS ,

had to deny or hold back a couple comments for personal reasons.

try to respect the family’s of the crew, the truth is hard some times.

personally it has been very difficult at times  remembering my brothers

thank you again

made  a trip to Gloucester again  Saturday march 7th 2009

Maine  boats from Portland are all fishing out of Gloucester

got to the crows nest early  Greg was reading the paper bar was empty

got another Crows Nest Cap  hat. took about 300 images with the new canon camera DIGITAL

lunch at the Pilot House , one of the Pratty girls works at the Pilot house. GLOUCESTER IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE  ,WATER WAS SO CLEAR Clean 2009

Paul left portland to go fishing on the Theresa Marie 4. january 22nd  2009 PAUL BROUGHT A SUITCASE ON BOARD with his belongings. they say never bring a coffin on the boat.

he died on the boat about the fourth day fishing jan 26th 2009  78 miles off shore.
talked to one crewman in the taxi on commercial street .that was on the  boat
he told me this quote I never lost a man on the boat before.

tried to revive him for a long time.

paul could not breathe and collapsed.

he died at sea ,. he has a large family from maine,

paul worked on the waterfront most of his younger days.

he has many friends from portland, our prayers to the family

january 2009

HAVE YOU RODE IN MY TAXI CAB IN PORTLAND MAINE ??

i promote the web site to people who ask me about fishing.

gave lots of Andrea Gail photos away to taxi patrons.

they gave the ultimate,

been to Gloucester  a few times this week of march 2009

pilot house   crows nest  Prattys  cape pond ice .

all the boats in Gloucester   are from Portland Maine today

original productions  looked at our web sight

they want to show  some of the Andrea Gail  photos on T V

show called SWORD like the sword fish  camera crews follow a few boats to  the Grand Banks Newfoundland.  Linda and a couple other boats.

the show  SWORD with Captain Linda Greenlaw is on standby or hold latest word. she drifted over the line ,and was arrested ,boat taken to Saint John Newfoundland

support your local fisherman,

portland  maine is  the dead fishermans  port, fish past ghost town Rockland was first to dry up

hand full of lobsterman left .,   government regulations have made the east coast  ghost fishermans towns, D M R is out of control,

small fishing boats   FISH  not lobster  , but not limited ,

should be encouraged  , not out lawed  . or regulated out of the industry.

embraced by government ,

Gloucester times FRONT PAGE

peter of the western venture   getting  unfair phony violations,

leave the  fisherman and industry alone  GOVERNMENT.

have you not done enough damage.  more  marine patrol  in Maine

than there are fisherman.  PROTECT SOME PHONY paid job .ride around free do we need more state waste on salary,over fishing is not a factor,its a lie

for a dead industry.   you gave every one a ticket twice

we got your  point . we all went  to Gloucester.

choke on your portland fish pier .

working waterfront  my  aching  ass  . who wants to pay for the cooler

million dollar complex to sell a couple fish sandwiches ,

Shame on some one ,.

dont blame the fisherman  that is  bull.

most are dead  ,

leave Linda alone , she drifted over the  line .

any one ever think a tanker might have dragged the gear.

make a big deal  out of nothing , BLANK  EDIT  another fisherman

swords finally did air on discovery. via original productions.they edited out all the good stuff on television. they did not want to be first to air the ANDREA GAIL PHOTO COLLECTION OF ALFRED PIERRE .by Baker,they did not want to pay an extra 200 thousand dollars for the film footage of Captain Greenlaw getting boarded and seized by Canada Coast Gaurd for fishing in Canadian waters  illegally,for what might let viewers see the basis for the OVER THE LINE FISHING that is common in the late 1970s more around 1977 the first year of the 200 mile first years sea territory declaration ,all though Canada and Maine are less than a short mile. or the gray or continualy over lap zone between Maine and Canada or down east Maine.

linda is a notorious sword fish killer
cant wait to hear what they call me  ,  she  is  an ANGEL quote moose her previous crew sword man yes moose from maine like the animal

linda if you get this message call me.  bob

over—    did  you   copy?

EDITOR wanted

went to Gloucester Tuesday December 16th 2008 .

one thing on my mind . photo the Lady Grace ,see if Moses was still in Gloucester.

captain Ron and i like to check on Gloucester. first stop at the Crows Nest . Terry was tending the bar.

Greg was sitting at the other end of the bar. we ordered two hats , two beers ,

any one seen Moses? someone said they just saw him at the fish pier aka state pier.

i knew he would stop at prattys  moses . at prattys Joyce was smoking a cigarette .

long time native Gloucester barmaid at the Crows Nest in the 1900s. beautiful Lady.

got a short chat about the Andrea Gail she cried for Bobby Shatford . and his girlfriend camping out on her couch after they perished .

she gave me a long hug. an old friendly face .

walked in to Prattys took a picture of Moses and the captain Ron.

bartender started yelling at me no cameras ha ha ahaha, he was a stiff old prick

just like every captain would yell at me over the years no f  EDIT camera .

swear one captain dropped my camera over the side as we were getting off the boat after

a trip of throwing over dead haddock over for three days straight. took some nice shots .

lost to the sea for ever . you can see the last flash go off as it descended to the depths.

thousand pound quota on haddock. amendment 13 , the fleet of new england wasted millions of pounds of beautiful fish.

a shameful sin on management regulations. lots of fisherman know how we feel fishing on Georges banks. edit Georges deserves a capital letter.
back to Prattys , piss me off. i replied you let the deadliest catch bring their cameras in.

i walked out disgusted. went took a couple pictures on the fish pier, no one taking fish out,.

captain Ron and Moses were out front looking for me when i came back through . we had a crew of 4 now .

headed to mitchs next to the old timers across from the lady grace berth. across from Saint Peters.

got what i came for . roll of film featuring the movie boat for the perfect storm .

thanks Sebastion Junger for opening Pandoras box. it may have been like all the others

unknown unamed. Fishing Vessel HIGH STAKES ,you never hear that boats name in association with the perfect storm. she was fishing on the Grand Banks in the October storm of 1991. a girl told me her boy friend was on the High Stakes.as were one of my old friends .Jim .glad she told me her story. ERIC  AKA  FOOTY , he was on watch in the wheelhouse of  High Stakes. we know the weather was extreme,to say the least,people wont come out of the house on land ,let alone be on the Grand Banks.the captain and crew were in their bunks. footy was on watch alone jogging or trying to keep the 70 foot steel boats bow into the oncoming wind and waves.Grand Banks home of rouge waves ,that and Georges banks,east coast has rouge wave areas. where the conditions are perfect to produce the surprise widow makers. rouge waves are known by many names.the hand of GOD,if you are on these areas in the Ocean.you are in GODS hands, heavy seas are made on the shoals of Georges. the grand Banks and any other sea mounts where deep vast  bottom meets the continental shelf. Eric is on watch when out of nowhere  he sees the large wall of water heading for the High Stakes. in a split second the sea crashes and breaks on the helpless crew. it pushes the 100 ton ship backwards and inundates the deck full of water. High Stakes has been pused back and down in to the heavy sea storm. just as the wave clears another giant wall of sea water is coming right at the boat , footy knows this is the biggest one he has seen. he yells hold on the crew is not sleeping but they do not see it coming. pow bang like a wave shot from a canon it hits with devastating forces steel breaks snaps and twists the water rushes through nearly every missing window in the wheelhouse. Eric has been blown out of the wheelhouse and finds himself on the back deck full of water and contents of the wheelhouse where he was on watch. he is still alive and kicking.he is shook up but not injured to bad,but he has nearly cut one of his toes off and is bleeding hard. the crew are on alert now.wheelhouse has been destroyed in an instant. no windows left no steering or control.it has been separated from the deck by a couple feet from its original position. its may day may day may day,everymariner’s worst nightmare,we are going down on the Grand Banks .every one on the High Stakes is still alive ,even the boat dog is still alive. the air waves are full of static electricity, and may day is every where. E P I R B s are going off,all coast gaurd stations are on most high alert.crews from other boats are aware of the high stakes distress signalbut there is little any one can do. only choice is take care of yourself.other boats want to help but can not due to sea conditions.  any attempt to make way to their position is futal .waves are at the point where steering is nearly impossible. the fleet has one option batton down ride the storm out,seas are pushing 100 foot boats backwards when they hit the bows. drifting is an option .but this can be fatal in an instant. the crew of the High Stakes are forced to Abandon ship to the life raft. it will be three days in the life raft on the Grand Banks before the crew and dog of the High Stakes will be rescued.Footy is ;losing a lot of blood in the raft .the water inside is blood red and covering the bottom part.the other crew members think  Footy might die from blood loss. its no picinic ride in a life raft in a storm.the raft is not stable and tends to be violently tossed about the monster seas. often men in life rafts are ytossed around so that men are thrown out in to the sea. exhausting being thrashed about,then trying to swim back to the raft and get back in. 3 days in the raft  GOD HELP US is the status.

the camera  is on the list of things that dont impress the captain .

get that EDIT camera out of my wheelhouse!   some crew are all for it .

for a smoke  ,or  a  watch.  do the dishes , prices i have paid for offshore pictures.

the halibut pictures on the Andrea Gail  in 1990 1991 winter . Linda Greenlaw was running the Hanah Boden.  they cost a few smokes . take the first watch home.

all  these pictures of the  perfect storm Andrea Gail on the web . the men in the photos were not the men who died on the boat .

only one man in the andrea gail photos  was lost .

Alfred Pierre

Andrea Gail Settlement Slip Feb 15, 1991 thru Feb. 24, 1991, Trip No. 491 – see attached PDF file Andrea Gail Settlement Slip Feb 15, 1991 thru Feb. 24, 1991, Trip No. 491

unknown fish trips TOPIC  the Unknown trip only the crew knows about.

short trip ,excuse to turn the ship around ,sneak in and out for a day trip. shack the trip, also known as ghost trip,crew splits the catch dollars  without the boat owner knowing common in the industry. pull in to a different port unload go right back out fish a few days  go  back to home port .tell the owner  fishing was poor,broken down .any story handy. just no fish. all fishermen are liars ,Shame on us . well it wasn’t what my topic of thought when setting down behind the mighty key pad,from the mighty pencil to the internet, a collection of words to ponder. original y meant to write the thoughts of yesterday still in todays grasp of publish. for the few of you who compute.

beware the ide of march. imprinted on my memory thanks to the mighty pencil or pen i carried on the The Andrea Gail March of 1991 this is the Unknown trip  Andrea Gail  Journal list March 18th 1991 . went to a funeral for a close fishing mate John Joy 6 pm in South Portland, lots of fishermen there, Tony Deltorto was there with his son Joey Deltorto.John worked for Tony on his small boats.Called him at his Place on Cape Cod. told him John Died could he come to Maine,John Joy was my first fishing mate,gill net fishing around 1979. right after the funeral that night left for Gloucester to go fishing on the Andrea Gail  remember the last time I saw Tony Deltorto and John Joy,  should have been an ominus sign, remember the Pamela D ,42 foot bruno gill net boat , Tony let John and Baker take the boat,she stalled when you pulled in to nuetral,john was turning in to union wharf ,Pamela stalled .smashed in to Union wharf. did some bad damage forward bow

we bounced off, John saying hold on  hold on , Laughing as he let go of the wheel, ( Bob you better take over now)  first time at the wheel for me unofficially,  Back to the topic, left the funeral home in South Portland, got to Gloucester around 9 pm march 18th 1991, olsen studer maxwell baker and captain ski gimp. steam till daylight up off the gulf of Maine,daylight set the cable drum out 18 miles,2500 hooks give or take a few hundred,hooks are baited and stowed in fish baskets,250 hooks average,300 a full heavy basket.we set the gear out and start to haul back.weather is  bad at  best.          10 foot  sea  force 7  35  to 40 knot gusts of wind. we have around 1500 pounds of ground fish mostly small cusk ,few cod fish ,lots of hake. out of the BLUE ,Captain says we are going in, March 19th 1991 about 50 miles from Portland Maine, Andrea Gail is going to Portland Maine,boat owner has no idea what is going on. the cell phone, woman on the other end of a phone.Strategically  fishing where cell phone signals can be picked up.around 30 miles offshore  average cell phone distance, she loves the Captain, they warned her. she loves me ,he loves me too, all that love make a boat go any where, went to pull a few codfish out of the hole to bring home to eat, captain went nuts  threw the fish back in the hole from the hatch i was fileting. hollaring screaming no fish for me ,half way to Portland, not supposed to be there, owner has no clue. captain started pushing me belly style in my face. (do not push me again Captain) ! the rest of the crew are looking on in Awe.

Olsen reminded me about the scene 16 years later . from the back seat of a Taxi i was driving. he tells the story better than i . funny how he got in the taxi i was driving 16 years later, told me he was on the Andrea Gail with me,.i told he was high on drugs, quote ( screw you Bobby Baker  i was there you and that Captain were pushing each other back and forth on the Andrea Gail, olsen i was there when he smashed the Andrea Gail into Union Wharf in front of all Those People, broke that big brand new pilon off like a tooth pick, knocked me on my ass when we hit the wharf, put that 12 foot long dent in the starboard bow .bent the steel right over on the bow, Major BOW  DAMAGE  ON  THE ANDREA GAIL STARBOARD BOW Bent in from the bow eye back 10 to 12 feet

THE FINAL STABILITY STRAW ,dent is severe in the top bow,affecting the way water is displaced, major factor ,unknown to every one except us,Bill Studer he went flying across the deck when we hit, they just moved  a 90 foot boat as we were approaching Union Wharf Portland Maine, tom the fish broker and some lumper and unloading crews are waiting for Andrea To land.they are not expecting a crash landing,maxwell is thrown across the deck on impact also. skipper is holding the wheel eyes wide open .he knows first Andrea Gail is going to Be part of the end of Union wharf , every one on the wharf starts back stepping its almost high tide, crash bang ,out riggers are waving around up chains rattling hair raing experience, i was sitting at the galley table still mad and refusing to man the lines for the earlier fish incident.

immediately,Captain runs up in my face after we stopped .he went to the engine room returned to deck screams at me  (WHAT DID YOU DO) blank blank edit remark (TAKE A HAMMER TO THE REVERSE GEAR ! ),my immediate response ( THATS FIGHTING WORDS AROUND HERE CAPTAIN)

we are in a heated exchange of words, one more remark like that Captain you can meet me at the top of the ladder.we are taking it to the wharf ,most all Captains around here check reverse at the state pier ,before they attempt to land the ship. that was the last time i was ever aboard the Andrea Gail. one memory of lasting impression. Alfred was not there to see my last trip. up the wharf i went that march 19th 1991, had my gear and head to the nor west, old saying in Maine on the boats.went to the nearest fish bar .Captain Cooks BAR

Wharfs End back then , one extremely pissed off fisherman, walked in the bar place was empty, Captain Cook was at the bar ,started to tell cook the story about the hammer and the reverse gear,and in walks the skipper of the Andrea Gail with his girlfriend in tow, looked at Captain Cook and told him if he says one word about SABOTAGE were going to have a brawl instantly. Cook says  non  no  no ,dont do it let me handle it. sat back at the other end of the bar snearing at the love struck Andrea Gail Captain at wharfs end.while the rest of the crew were still on the boat, not many people saw it happen .but the few that did will never forget the ANDREA GAIL in Portland Maine that March afternoon around 5 pm 19th March 1991

Andrea is at the wharf East Gloucester Rocky neck ,art colony with GLOUCESTER Massachusetts Billy Studer and Mark Olsen on this trip.Alfred Pierre is not going because he went last trip with a different skipper .the crew split at the wharf in Gloucester last trip.Roger Captained the Andrea Gail trip #5/91 also known as  AKA trip #5 in 1991 Alfred Pierre  was the only original crewman for the past year,Roger got some Gloucester friends to go trip 5 / 91, Captain is  Back from his Ski injury .  so many guys coming and going on the deck and wheelhouse. lots of new guys. AKA fresh meat to settle. turning wheel on the unseaworthy ANDREA, BLACK BALLED by Gloucester men.Alfred is in new york with his pregnant girlfriend. this unknown trip is short  less than 48 hours of chaos. Bill Studer, Mark Olsen,Frank Maxwell ,Baker ,and a love struck  Captain ,with a girl in Maine.A boat in Gloucester,boat owner who does not want his boat in Portland,Maine. what do you think the outcome is. set out from gloucester

memory of Captain  Christopher Tobey

maine lobster we lost three men in the lobster season 2008

one on october 28th 2008 date the Andrea gail sank 1991

another ominus sign.. captain Chris Tobey died on the ISLE of shoals few hundred feet off duck island. mothers day 2008

one huge wave the boat went over.

his son and anther young man swam ashore , they were rescued the next day

he built us a new gulf fleet 24 foot boat for fishing last year

fisherman in new england have had another losing battle year

hard to look at our new boat , and not see chris , his work

most beautiful boat we have had . his style unique , the water on the rails . just enough to wash your hands .

you would have to fish on one of his boats to know excactly

he has boats fishing in new england today ,novi style.

our deepest sorrow losing another one of our own .

we pray for his family ,.

over the line Linda  Maine Captain Linda Greenlaw . amazing woman.  she drifted over the  boundary line to Canada, Original Productions has film footage of 3 sword  boats  with crews. Linda got a 25 thousand dollar  fine, its unclear if the catch was seized. more unjust actions of GOVERNMENT SHAME.     we as a group of stand up sea going mariners. have come to our conclusion , CAPTAIN GREENLAW had NO INTENT OF FISHING IN CANADIAN WATERS, AND  was not engaged in fishing . we think a CANADIAN Vessel  bound for CANADA  HOOKED AND TOWED  the vessels gear in to the edge of the line ,that does not EXCEED THE 200 mile limit.or line ,we have fished along side each other for years,lets get realistic. many a Canadian crewman .worked on boats in Maine ,when MAINE  citizens  could not  make a trip  because the Captain took another nationality with no papers, seen it  hundreds of times , i can bullshit the regulations all day they are unconstitutional, who is responsible . the N M F S .  this organization is not fair  or reasonable,

the court should not prosecute FISHERMAN.for these violations of the court,   easy to blame the GOVERNMENT regulations, its not  a person . it is not  for  the  people, or by the people, a select few ,tax funded ,who think they know ,    QUOTE BY A PAST FISHERMAN FROM  MAINE, YOU CAN’T TEACH THEM A THING.THEY HAVE A COLLEDGE EDUCATION ,THEY KNOW EVERYTHING.  MERTON  JUNKINS   BUXTON MAINE  R I P