“An intense, immersive deep dive into a wild, dangerous, and unknown world, written with the pace and appeal of a great thriller. This is nonfiction at its very best.”—Lee ChildThe true story of two doomed ships and a daring search-and-rescue operation that shines a light on the elite Coast Guard swimmers trained for the most dangerous ocean missions In late September 2015, Hurricane Joaquin … September 2015, Hurricane Joaquin swept past the Bahamas and swallowed a pair of cargo vessels in its destructive path: El Faro, a 790-foot American behemoth with a crew of thirty-three, and the Minouche, a 230-foot freighter with a dozen sailors aboard. From the parallel stories of these ships and their final journeys, Tristram Korten weaves a remarkable tale of two veteran sea captains from very different worlds, the harrowing ordeals of their desperate crews, and the Coast Guard’s extraordinary battle against a storm that defied prediction.
When the Coast Guard received word from Captain Renelo Gelera that the Minouche was taking on water on the night of October 1, the servicemen on duty helicoptered through Joaquin to the sinking ship. Rescue swimmer Ben Cournia dropped into the sea—in the middle of a raging tropical cyclone, in the dark—and churned through the monstrous swells, loading survivors into a rescue basket dangling from the helicopter as its pilot struggled against the tempest. With pulsating narrative skill in the tradition of Sebastian Junger and Jon Krakauer, Korten recounts the heroic efforts by Cournia and his fellow guardsmen to haul the Minouche’s crew to safety.
Tragically, things would not go as well for Captain Michael Davidson and El Faro. Despite exhaustive searching by her would-be rescuers, the loss of the vessel became the largest U.S. maritime disaster in decades. As Korten narrates the ships’ fates, with insights drawn from insider access to crew members, Coast Guard teams, and their families, he delivers a moving and propulsive story of men in peril, the international brotherhood of mariners, and the breathtaking power of nature.
Praise for Into the Storm
“The story [Tristram] Korten tells is impressively multifaceted, exploring everything from timely issues such as climate change to timeless themes such as man’s struggle against the ocean’s fury.”—Miami New Times
“Into the Storm is a triumph of reporting and you-are-there writing that becomes a deeper tale—with more implications about our own lives—with every chapter.”—Robert Kurson, New York Times bestselling author of Shadow Divers
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Spectacular in every way —an intense, immersive deep dive into a wild, dangerous, and unknown world, written with the pace and appeal of a great thriller . . . This is nonfiction at its very best.
In 2015 a hurricane formed in the Bahamas over water that was an unprecedented 86 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the story of the ships and people caught up in that unpredictable monster.
Well-paced and full of quirky facts, this story grabbed me from the first page. The writing and editing toward the end deflated a bit, but overall, the fact-based story is a good, quick read.
Put on a life jacket before diving into this one!
~D. L. Orton, author of the best-selling Between Two Evils series. Get the 1st book in the series, Crossing In Time: An Edgy Love Story (Between Two Evils Book 1), for free right now!
Riveting stuff — a terrifying but also inspiring story of disaster and resilience on the high seas. This is as close as I ever need to get to being aboard a ship in a hurricane. Riveting stuff.
This book has a lot of weather-related information but is so well written that it is understandable and interesting. I could not put this book down. Highly recommend it.
Well written, and very telling about this industry too!
Very authentic and factual. Really captured the work done by the Coast Guard and the skill required to do their job. I’m speaking as a retired Coast Guard officer.
Excellent read about tragic human error and the awesome power of the sea.
A fascinating and true story of Hurricane Issac and the two ships caught in the midst of the Category 3-4 storm One crew survived while the other didn’t make it. The author examines the origins of the cyclone, the backgrounds of each ship and captain, and how these variables lead to the final outcomes. The book is factual but reads like a novel. I especially enjoyed the history of the National Hurricane Center and the details about the Coast Guard rescue swimmers.
Having been born and raised in Key West, Florida I knew what it is like to ride out hurricanes with the windows broaded up and the winds howling while the whole family bundled around a lighted candle. Into The Storm will grab you and hold onto you from the first page to the last page. I highly recommend this book.
During Hurricane Joaquin, two ships went down. This book describes the Coast Guard efforts to locate the doomed ships and how they were able to rescue one of the crews. This book was very well researched and explained the characters completely–I felt like I knew all of them. If you’re a ship buff, you will enjoy this one!
Well told- I couldn’t put it down!
Tragedy comes easy on the high seas, but there are always men and women ready to save those in danger. Excellent read!
Well written depiction of the events, capturing the factors which contributed to the disaster.
I enjoyed this book a great deal. I thought I knew quite a bit about the Coast Guard, but I learned so much more. An exciting (and true) read.
Much too much detail concerning weather predictions. Otherwise interesting and in parts gripping.
Gave me a great picture of being out in a stormy sea. Well done, never boring.
I wondered what happened and now I know.
Very intense author has great storytelling ability
An incredible story and a first-rate adventure . . . Tristram Korten delivers us into a thrilling and dangerous world, strapping us in beside everyday heroes who confront forces of nature even Hollywood can’t recreate. Into the Storm is a triumph of reporting and you-are-there writing that becomes a deeper tale — with more implications about our own lives — with every chapter.
Excellent story–reads like fiction, but it’s amazingly true. Excellent detail and pacing to keep the story moving. Highly recommended to anyone who likes the genre or the sea.