The Perfect Storm

Discussion Day 1, The makings of a productive fishing ground.

Chapter references:

• Georges Bank, 1896
• Glouster Mass, 1991
• God’s Country

Reading Questions:

1. What physical conditions create rich fishing grounds in Georges Bank, Grand Banks, and the Flemish Cap?
2. What type of fishing has historically been done on Georges ?and Grand Banks ? More specifically, what species were fished for and what tools did they use to fish for them?
3. Examine the current map to the right. ?Match it to what you read in your textbook in “God’s Country.” ?How does the interaction between the warm Gulf Stream and the Cold Labrador Current attract predatory fish like sword fish?

Resources:

• Map of Georges Bank from Google
• Map of the The Grand Banks and the?Flemish Cap from Google
• Grand Banks: Where the Gulf Stream meets the Labrador Current
• Year long animation of the Gulf Stream and Labrador Currents

Discussion Day 2: Fishing and Fishing Boats

Chapter References:

• God’s Country
• The Flemish Cap

Reading Questions:

1. Make a simple sketch of a boat and correctly identify the following boating terms (port, starboard, aft, bow, stern, beam, freeboard, draft.)
2. If a boat is in rough seas what are the advantages and disadvantages of a boat design like the Adrea Gail’s (high freeboard, low draft)
3. What is the purpose of “the birds?”
4. Describe or draw how a long line set is made.
5. What is the attraction to fishing swordfish, why are fishermen willing to go so far to get them?

Resources:

• Boating Terminology
• Monterey Bay Fact Sheets – How long lining works.
• Arkive.org:?All about swordfish.

Discussion Day 3, Storms

Chapter References:

The Barrel of the Gun

Reading Questions

1. What ?is the jet stream and what does it have to do with the direction that weather move across the Atlantic and what ?
2. Air always moves from high pressure to low pressure. ?Remember our recent wind storm? ?Look at a picture to the right and explain connection between a descending barometric pressure and increasing wind speed?
   

   Wind speed and Barometric Pressure from and Anchorage Site October 8, 2013

3. Explain how hurricanes are created.
4. The perfect storm was the interaction between a late season hurricane and a Nor’ester. ?Describe what a Nor’ester is and explain how they form.

Resources:

• Current Buoy weather on the Flemish Cap
• How stuff Works: Hurricanes
• What is a Nor’ester?
• Wikipedia: The Jet Stream

 

Discussion Day 4, Big Waves and Really Big Waves

Chapter References:

The Barrel of the Gun

Graveyard of the Atlantic

Reading Questions:

1. Describe what a “fully developed sea state” is like.
2. Describe a “rogue wave.”
3. What were the conditions like for the Andrea Gail as conditions mo
   ved from a Beaufort 10 to and 11 and 12?

References:

• Youtube: What’s it like to be a really angry sea
• YouTube: Rogue wave hits huge container ship?
• The Beaufort Scale