What do you think?
Rate this book
Blue Water: A Tale of the Deep-Sea Fishermen
A tale of one boy's life in the world of deep-sea fishing on an ocean that is both tender and cruel
First published in 1914, Blue Water is set in the early 1900s and traces the adventures of "Shorty" Westhaver from boyhood to young manhood in the dangerous and, often, tragic world of the Grand Banks fishery.
First published in 1914, Blue Water is set in the early 1900s and traces the adventures of "Shorty" Westhaver from boyhood to young manhood in the dangerous and, often, tragic world of the Grand Banks fishery.
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2006
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 16, 2019
The version of this book I’m reading was scanned from a yellowing text published at the turn of the last century. Hence it should not be overly shocking that it begins with a ditty that includes the “N word.” Unfortunately this copy is a poor reproduction from Open Library missing c. every tenth letter.
In the opening pages a pair of twelve-year-olds from a remote seafaring outport in Nova Scotia go on a tear. Playing hookey from school they visit the wharf, borrow a pipe and smoke, then decide to try for a bull in the china closet sending a neighbour’s ox charging into their one-room classroom. Caught red-handed by one boy’s uncle the lad engages in fisty cuffs with a snickering classmate. Sent home the pair repair to the sea shanty where they saw a bottle of rum and proceed to drink themselves into oblivion.
A kindly neighbour takes fatherless Frank (Shorty) Westhaver in hand encouraging him to swear off drink and complete his education advice he takes to his great advantage. The book centres on Frank’s rise from spare hand on his uncle’s schooner to sea captain. Although I grew up 20 miles from the ocean locations such as Lurcher, Cape Sable, Cape Hatteras, Georges Bank, Ten Pound Island, Ironbound, Canso were on radio on an almost daily basis.
It helps to read up somewhat on sailcraft if you don’t already know it to fully enjoy this book. It will give you a unique sense of what it’s like to be at sea in a gale on a ship with a hole loaded with fish. You’ll also get a feel for the hung-over crew after roistering days ashore.
For every sailor with a gal in every port there’s an unfaithful betrothed who falls for the fop instead of her good man. It’s how he reacts to that rejection that can make or break a man. And of course behind every great man is a woman.
In the 1930ies where this story is set it had a happy ending. Since then:
Sailing ships have become strictly pleasure craft.
inshore fishery has all but disappeared.
There’s been a moratorium on Cod.
Commercial fishing is subject to severe quotas.
Fish plants fight for enough quotas to allow their workers to draw UI the rest of the year.
In the opening pages a pair of twelve-year-olds from a remote seafaring outport in Nova Scotia go on a tear. Playing hookey from school they visit the wharf, borrow a pipe and smoke, then decide to try for a bull in the china closet sending a neighbour’s ox charging into their one-room classroom. Caught red-handed by one boy’s uncle the lad engages in fisty cuffs with a snickering classmate. Sent home the pair repair to the sea shanty where they saw a bottle of rum and proceed to drink themselves into oblivion.
A kindly neighbour takes fatherless Frank (Shorty) Westhaver in hand encouraging him to swear off drink and complete his education advice he takes to his great advantage. The book centres on Frank’s rise from spare hand on his uncle’s schooner to sea captain. Although I grew up 20 miles from the ocean locations such as Lurcher, Cape Sable, Cape Hatteras, Georges Bank, Ten Pound Island, Ironbound, Canso were on radio on an almost daily basis.
It helps to read up somewhat on sailcraft if you don’t already know it to fully enjoy this book. It will give you a unique sense of what it’s like to be at sea in a gale on a ship with a hole loaded with fish. You’ll also get a feel for the hung-over crew after roistering days ashore.
For every sailor with a gal in every port there’s an unfaithful betrothed who falls for the fop instead of her good man. It’s how he reacts to that rejection that can make or break a man. And of course behind every great man is a woman.
In the 1930ies where this story is set it had a happy ending. Since then:
Sailing ships have become strictly pleasure craft.
inshore fishery has all but disappeared.
There’s been a moratorium on Cod.
Commercial fishing is subject to severe quotas.
Fish plants fight for enough quotas to allow their workers to draw UI the rest of the year.
November 5, 2022
A joy to read
August 30, 2010
This book is an interesting look into the life of a Grand Banks fisherman written in the time period where sail was giving way to steam. The book was written by a man who traveled on the schooners and then shared a fisherman's story.
It is a fictional tale but it has a factual base. The dialects are heavily rendered and the story is fairly idealistic but I enjoyed it quite a bit. If you are going to read it though have wikipedia or a sailor's dictionary handy because you will need it!!
It is a fictional tale but it has a factual base. The dialects are heavily rendered and the story is fairly idealistic but I enjoyed it quite a bit. If you are going to read it though have wikipedia or a sailor's dictionary handy because you will need it!!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews