The Andrea Gail Story

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What happens when three powerful weather systems converge to form a storm of unprecedented ferocity? Join us as we recount the gripping and tragic tale of the Andrea Gale, a 72-foot commercial fishing vessel led by Captain Frank Billy Tyne. Set sail from Gloucester, Massachusetts in late September 1991 with hopes of a bountiful haul from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, the journey soon turned into a nightmare. Battling the relentless North Atlantic elements, the seasoned crew faced a rare and catastrophic weather event, later immortalized as “The Perfect Storm” by Sebastian Junger’s book and its film adaptation.

In this episode, we unravel the sequence of harrowing events that led to the Andrea Gale's fateful end. Hear the tension-filled final distress call from Captain Tyne and understand the sheer power of nature that turned a routine fishing trip into a tragic struggle for survival. We also explore the devastating aftermath for the families left behind, reflecting on the relentless bravery of those who make their living at sea. This chilling narrative serves as a poignant reminder of the ocean’s unpredictability and the enduring courage of fishermen in the face of its formidable forces.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:32):
The.
The story of the Andrea Gale isa haunting reminder of the
sea's unpredictable and oftenmerciless nature.
In late September 1991, thecommercial fishing vessel Andrea
Gale, a 72-foot long liner,departed from Gloucester,
massachusetts.
The crew, led by Captain FrankBilly Tyne, included six men

(00:57):
David Sullivan, michael BugsyMoore, alfred Peer, robert Bobby
Shadford and Dale Murph Murphy.
They were seasoned fishermen,each with their own reasons for
bravering the treacherous watersof the North Atlantic.
Their destination was the GrandBanks of Newfoundland, a rich

(01:21):
fishing ground known for itsbounty of swordfish.
The crew hoped for a successfulhaul that would make the
grueling trip worthwhile.
For weeks they battled theelements, enduring the cold, the
wet and the relentless toil offishing.
As October drew to a close, theweather began to change.
Unbeknownst to the crew, a rareand deadly convergence of

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weather systems was brewing Acold front moving from the
Canadian coast, a high pressuresystem building over the
Atlantic and the remnants ofhurricane grace were on a

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collision course, later bedubbed the Perfect Storm.
The Perfect Storm of 1991 was arare and catastrophic weather
event caused by the convergenceof three powerful weather
systems.
Here are the key contributingfactors 1.

(02:32):
Warm air from a low-pressuresystem, a low-pressure system
moving from the Great Lakesregion brought warm air into the
mix.
This system was moving eastwardand contributed to the storm's
intensity.
2.
Cold air from a high-pressuresystem.
At the same time, ahigh-pressure system over the

(02:52):
southeastern Canada was pushingcold, dry air southward.
The interaction between thewarm air from the low-pressure
system and the cold air from thehigh-press pressure system
created a highly unstableatmosphere.
3.
Moisture from Hurricane Grace.
Adding to the chaos, theremnants of Hurricane Grace,

(03:12):
which had been moving up theeastern seaboard, provided a
significant amount of tropicalmoisture.
This moisture fed into thedeveloping storm, increasing its
energy and leading to theformation of massive waves and
intense winds.
The combination of these threefactors created a storm of
unprecedented ferocity, withwaves reaching up to 100 feet

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and winds exceeding 90 mph.
This convergence of weathersystem was so unusual and
powerful that it was latertermed the Perfect Storm.
The Andrea Gale found itself inthe heart of this monstrous

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storm.
The seas grew increasinglyviolent.
The crew, despite theirexperience, and the vessel's
sturdy design, faced an almostunimaginable challenge.
The last communication from theAndrea Gale was a distress call
indicating their dire situation.
Captain Tyne's voice, filledwith tension, conveyed the
gravity of their predicament.

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The storm raged on and theAndrea Gale was lost to the sea.
The vessel's emergency positionindicating radio beacon EPIRB,
washed ashore weeks later, butthe ship itself was never found.
The families of the crew wereleft with only memories and the
haunting uncertainty of theirloved one's final moments.

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The tragedy of the Andreea Galewas immortalized by Sebastian

(05:05):
Junger's book the Perfect Storm,which chronicled the events
leading up to the disaster.
The book was later adapted intoa film, bringing the harrowing
tale to a wider audience.
The story serves as a poignantreminder of the perils faced by
those who make their living atsea and the incredible power of

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nature that can, in an instant,turn a routine fishing trip into
a fight for survival.
May them all rest in peace,thank you.