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Just north of Boston is Gloucester, not just the fishing capital of Massachusetts, but of the USA. Here fishing boats venture out to the rich fishing grounds off the north eastern United States and Canada. The town is steeped in history, with hints of the schooner fishing days of old brought alive by the Adventure, one of the last fishing schooners left.
Spirit of Cardiff in Gloucester Harbour
In more recent years, Gloucester has been better known as the town at the centre of events featured in the book and movie "The Perfect Storm". It was from here in October 1991 that the swordfish boat Andrea Gail ventured forth, never to return when it was caught in the storm of the century.
It's a small, close-knit community of fishermen, and by the time Alan, Steve and Clive had moored Spirit of Cardiff in the harbour and made their way round to the Crow's Nest pub on Main Street (featured in the movie as a rather more rustic building at the end of the wharf), word had already got out that a rather odd-looking boat was in town.
Rufus, a charming lady who has worked behind the bar of the Crow's Nest for the last twenty years, remembers the crew of the Andrea Gail well, and admits that since "The Perfect Storm", the clientele has changed somewhat, with tourists coming in for Crow's Nest T-shirts and caps. The walls of the bar are now peppered with photographs of George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg et al, taken when they'd pay the real Crow's Nest a visit after a hectic day's shooting.
The Lady Grace, the boat which played the part of the Andrea Gail in the movie, is moored up against Cape Pond Ice (whose T-shirt was worn by Bugsy). The faded green paintwork is splashed with dark green on the bow where she was renamed for her movie role, and then her original name repainted over a splash of lighter green. But one of the oil drums on her forward deck still bears the letters "AG".
The Lady Grace aka the Andrea Gail
Perhaps one of the best finds was a chance meeting Clive had with Gloucester's living legend, 90 year-old Capt. William Shields. The last of the schooner fishing boat captains, Shields survived a capsize in a horrendous storm in 1938, and again narrowly escaped death three years later when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour. Jacques Cousteau was a personal friend, and Shields was involved with the Alvin, the submersible used by Robert Ballard to locate the wreck of the Titanic. Shields was accompanied by his son-in-law, Bill Harmon, who also happened to have gone to school with Billy Tyne, captain of the ill-fated Andrea Gail.
"After what happened in 1991," he explained, "you'd never get me out on the water." Over a cup of coffee, Clive explained what Spirit of Cardiff was all about, and gave Bill Shields a copy of the brochure. "You going across the ocean in that?" he exclaimed. "Take my advice. Go home by plane." But it was a different story when he saw the boat for himself. "OK," he admitted. "I think you might make it in that."
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