[U S Army EOD]

Read Dana's, "Two Years Before the Mast". Not at all like the book. Based on what he said, they didn't really have it that bad. He only spoke ill of one of his captains, not as being cruel but basically just a poor leader of men and a incompetant seaman.

I could compare his experiences and living conditions with some of mine when we crossed the North Atlantic in the winter time in my 36ft boat. I can tell you first hand what it was like to be in a Force 12 with 30 to 50 foot waves with wind I am sure in excess of 100mph at times. This went on for over 18 hours and we put the spreaders underwater at least three times when knocked down by large breaking waves. You don't understand the meaning of fear until you have been through something like that and understand why sailors were so religous.

By the way, I had on board at that time, my son Andrew who was 22 months and my daughter Rebecca who was 6 months. They stood it fine.

[U S Army EOD]

I meant the book is not like the movie.

[AnAmericanMother]

I've read Dana's book, as well as the afterword where he went back around and visited his old haunts, and does a riff on "where are they now." Pretty amazing tale even if it wasn't as awful as the movie (that is what you meant, right?) It was certainly the making of Dana, who was pretty much a Harvard aesthete before he saw the light before the mast.

Captain Thompson was pretty clearly incompetent all round. The story of what happened to him in the afterword is kind of sad.