The Ship and the Storm

Hurricane Mitch and the Loss of the Fantome

By: Jim Carrier

Narrated by: Robertson Dean

Captain Guyan March had spent his entire professional career aboard Windjammer Barefoot Cruises’ fleet of extravagant tall ships that carry passengers on weeklong fantasy cruises spiced with rum and sun. When he agreed to command the Fantome, Windjammer’s marquee ship, a beautiful 282-foot schooner that “sailed like a pig” in the Gulf of Honduras, he knew that a storm would leave him little space to run. In the southern reaches of the Caribbean, Tropical Storm Mitch whirled to life like a nebula and became Captain March’s worst nightmare - a category five storm with 180-mile-per-hour winds and 50-foot seas. After discharging his passengers in Belize, Captain March and his crew, most of them West Indians, took the $20 million uninsured tall ship out to sea to dodge the approaching storm. What ensued was a deadly game of cat and mouse that confounded experts’ predictions and cornered the Fantome with eerie precision.

Based on journalist Jim Carrier’s exhaustive research and hundreds of interviews, The Ship and the Storm explores the story of the Fantome and Hurricane Mitch from every angle. From the deck of the ship, to the research planes flying into the eye of the hurricane, to islanders and coastal villagers in a desperate battle for survival, The Ship and the Storm is the heartbreaking and horrifying story of the most destructive hurricane in Western Hemisphere history.

©2000 Jim Carrier (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Great story and narration

great story and narration. Highly recommend this book. of course there were some back stories that drug on that I could have done without, but everyone has their opinions. overall a great story

More Story Then Fact

Just me personally I was looking for more of a nautical narrative from the book. It took on more of a storyline of the people and families that were effected by the loss of the Fantome rather then the Marine aspects of the loss. Was hoping for more legal interpretations and USCG final reviews on the sinking.
Very good background on the vessel and it’s operations. If you are looking for more of a faxed based assessment of the sinking it’s not there.
Still a good read.

Pronunciation of bowsprit as "Bo-sprit"???

An extensive detailed account like this book deserves a competent reader who knows how to pronounce the glossary of nautical terms.

Memories for all and the end unfolds

As an adult child of a jammer staff of the 70’s this book was a wonderful trip down memory lane hearing old stories told by my father as well as hearing the end of the schooner he loved so dearly. I purchased this book for my father as well and although he could not read the Coda or Epilogue, he did thoroughly enjoy this read. I think imagining the end was just too painful for him. To all the other jammers out there, I hope this book was as well loved by all of you. I know it brought back many fond memories for both my father and I. A must read for any jammer or adventure lover.

Too long

Too long of a story! This entailed everything of hurricane Mitch, very detailed! I had to skip some chapters.