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A Speck in the Sea: A Story of Survival and Rescue
The harrowing adventure-at-sea memoir recounting the heroic search-and-rescue mission for lost Montauk fisherman John Aldridge, which Daniel James Brown calls "A terrific read."
I am floating in the middle of the night, and nobody in the world even knows I am missing. Nobody is looking for me. You can't get more alone than that. You can't be more lost.
I've got too many people who love me. There's no way I'm dying like this.
In the dead of night on July 24, 2013, John Aldridge was thrown off the back of the Anna Mary while his fishing partner, Anthony Sosinski, slept below. As desperate hours ticked by, Sosinski, the families, the local fishing community, and the U.S. Coast Guard in three states mobilized in an unprecedented search effort that culminated in a rare and exhilarating success.
A tale of survival, perseverance, and community, A Speck in the Sea tells of one man's struggle to survive as friends and strangers work to bring him home. Aldridge's wrenching first-person account intertwines with the narrative of the massive, constantly evolving rescue operation designed to save him.
I am floating in the middle of the night, and nobody in the world even knows I am missing. Nobody is looking for me. You can't get more alone than that. You can't be more lost.
I've got too many people who love me. There's no way I'm dying like this.
In the dead of night on July 24, 2013, John Aldridge was thrown off the back of the Anna Mary while his fishing partner, Anthony Sosinski, slept below. As desperate hours ticked by, Sosinski, the families, the local fishing community, and the U.S. Coast Guard in three states mobilized in an unprecedented search effort that culminated in a rare and exhilarating success.
A tale of survival, perseverance, and community, A Speck in the Sea tells of one man's struggle to survive as friends and strangers work to bring him home. Aldridge's wrenching first-person account intertwines with the narrative of the massive, constantly evolving rescue operation designed to save him.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published May 23, 2017
286 people are currently reading
940 people want to read
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December 15, 2022Years ago, I'd joined a boat, my first, a racing catamaran, in the Canary Islands, and we had life-saving drills and practices. How to clip a life line around your waist and on to the lines so that you wouldn't fall overboard while reefing sails or steering in a storm. Throwing a bucket overboard and trying to retrieve it with the boat making forward motion (it's kind of hard to stop and turn a yacht, it's a slow process) and if the sea was at all rough, the bucket would go with the waves and disappear in the troughs and be far away in no time at all.
If the bucket had been gone for four hours, as John Aldridge was, before we missed it, I don't know how we would have found it and that's why I'm interested in this book. But why I keep leaving it on the shelf is because there is no tension to the story, we know he was found and we know it was by a major sea and air rescue effort. So it resides on my shelves, virtual and real and I pick it up sometimes. But then I put it back.
If the bucket had been gone for four hours, as John Aldridge was, before we missed it, I don't know how we would have found it and that's why I'm interested in this book. But why I keep leaving it on the shelf is because there is no tension to the story, we know he was found and we know it was by a major sea and air rescue effort. So it resides on my shelves, virtual and real and I pick it up sometimes. But then I put it back.
October 26, 2017
It’s not that this isn’t an amazing true story of survival. It is. And I loved it for that. But it’s impossible not to know the outcome. Much of the tension is lost because of it. Still entirely worth the time to read, and I fully recommend. Let me just jump to the end and mention a wonderful thing I found here: In this book, I experienced an entire community come together for one man, as if he had been every person’s son, brother, or friend missing that day. In a way, he is. Talk about warming my heart. You see, the folks here in this small fishing community remember the lives that have been lost, some very recent. There is a statue that stands near the lighthouse at the far end of Long Island, right outside of Montauk. It bears the names in remembrance of those who have died beyond that lighthouse, many never found nor the reason lost even understood. Therefore, when John Aldridge is brought home to Montauk, there is incredible joy.
June 24, 2017
John Aldridge and his friend and business partner, Anthony Sosinski, own and operate a small commercial fishing boat. On July 24, 2013 they set out from Montauk, New York to check their fishing traps. At approximately three o’clock in the morning, while Sosinski slept, Aldridge accidentally slipped overboard.
By the time Sosinski and another shipmate awoke, Aldridge had been missing for nearly four hours. A massive search and rescue operation began. The U.S. Coast Guard headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut coordinated the effort together with the close knit community of fishermen in Montauk. The search area in the North Atlantic, with it’s continually changing winds, swells, and currents, was large. The sophisticated equipment used by the Coast Guard was very helpful. But as the hours passed, and with little additional information to guide them, many people wondered if the search would be a rescue or a recovery effort.
This is a wonderful story of friendship, community, never giving up and survival that will hold your interest until the very end.
By the time Sosinski and another shipmate awoke, Aldridge had been missing for nearly four hours. A massive search and rescue operation began. The U.S. Coast Guard headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut coordinated the effort together with the close knit community of fishermen in Montauk. The search area in the North Atlantic, with it’s continually changing winds, swells, and currents, was large. The sophisticated equipment used by the Coast Guard was very helpful. But as the hours passed, and with little additional information to guide them, many people wondered if the search would be a rescue or a recovery effort.
This is a wonderful story of friendship, community, never giving up and survival that will hold your interest until the very end.
June 26, 2017
This was quite a story. It was definitely fascinating to see how the rescuers used deductive reasoning to figure out where they should start in their search for Johnny. My favorite part was definitely seeing the situation from Johnny's point of view, which I actually wish we got more of. In addition, there were several sections that focused solely on rescue efforts and methodology, and while I liked learning about that, it seemed to break the flow of the story a bit.
September 1, 2017
On July 24, 2013, John Aldridge of Montauk, New York fell overboard from the back of the lobster boat, Anna Mary. His partner Anthony Sosinski and a crew member were asleep below. In the morning, they discovered Aldridge missing and called the Coast Guard. A large sea rescue search and rescue began.
Part of the story is told by John Aldridge about his ordeal of survival. The other part of the story is told by Anthony Sosinski or third person narrator and covers the search and rescue. It was amazing to read about the support of the fishing community (Montauk, New York) for both of the men.
This is a well written memoir about survival in the North Atlantic. The book is highly readable. Aldridge was in good physical shape when he went overboard. The story clearly demonstrates that he survived because of his skill as a seaman and the rescue was successful because of the seamanship of fellow fishermen and the excellent knowledge and skills of the Coast Guard. This is a remarkable uplifting story about beating the odds of survival.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is six and a half hours long. There are two narrators for this book. Robert Fass does an excellent job narrating his section of the book. Fass is an Audie-winning narrator. Fred Berman also does a great job narrating the book. Berman is a voice-over artist and award-winning audiobook narrator.
Part of the story is told by John Aldridge about his ordeal of survival. The other part of the story is told by Anthony Sosinski or third person narrator and covers the search and rescue. It was amazing to read about the support of the fishing community (Montauk, New York) for both of the men.
This is a well written memoir about survival in the North Atlantic. The book is highly readable. Aldridge was in good physical shape when he went overboard. The story clearly demonstrates that he survived because of his skill as a seaman and the rescue was successful because of the seamanship of fellow fishermen and the excellent knowledge and skills of the Coast Guard. This is a remarkable uplifting story about beating the odds of survival.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is six and a half hours long. There are two narrators for this book. Robert Fass does an excellent job narrating his section of the book. Fass is an Audie-winning narrator. Fred Berman also does a great job narrating the book. Berman is a voice-over artist and award-winning audiobook narrator.
October 26, 2018
I pulled this one off the shelf at the library as part of my annual ritual of reading about disasters at sea, shipwrecks and mutinies during the summer when I wish I was at the ocean but instead I am landlocked here in the Bluegrass.
Overall, the story of Aldridge's fall into the sea would have made a fine magazine article. Perhaps as maritime misadventure goes, a day spent overboard in relatively warm water simply doesn't provide material for the length of this book. It was interesting to learn John Aldridge's thoughts and feelings as he bobbed and swam for so many hours, and hard to imagine the frustration he must have felt as boat after boat crossed within his sight but did not spot him in the water. I felt panicky just reading it.
On the other hand, I could live forever without hearing any more about how close the Montauk fishing community is or how regulations on the fishing industry are making it harder to earn a living with a small fishing boat. These belabored points added length but nothing more.
Overall, the story of Aldridge's fall into the sea would have made a fine magazine article. Perhaps as maritime misadventure goes, a day spent overboard in relatively warm water simply doesn't provide material for the length of this book. It was interesting to learn John Aldridge's thoughts and feelings as he bobbed and swam for so many hours, and hard to imagine the frustration he must have felt as boat after boat crossed within his sight but did not spot him in the water. I felt panicky just reading it.
On the other hand, I could live forever without hearing any more about how close the Montauk fishing community is or how regulations on the fishing industry are making it harder to earn a living with a small fishing boat. These belabored points added length but nothing more.
April 22, 2022
This book gave me chills. John Aldridge, in a moment of carelessness, falls off a fishing boat in the middle of the night sixty or so miles off the coast of the U.S. in the Atlantic Ocean. By all rights, he should have drowned. The chances of finding him before he did drown—especially since it wasn’t noticed that he had fallen for several hours—brings the needle-in-a-haystack analogy to mind. But a combination of his own stubbornness and the hard work of the coastguard rescued him. It’s an amazing story.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
October 10, 2023
I loved the book! It provided some great insight into the local dynamics of Montauk Long Island. It’s one of the great places in the U.S. And the book itself told the story of an amazing survival by a local Montauk fisherman. I knew of the story years ago, and it was great to read the book in detail, and understand what he went through. It’s a great reminder of how strong a human being can be when they need to.
April 9, 2018
A dramatic account of the unlikely rescue of a fisherman lost at sea. The juxtaposition of the first person chapters for the man lost and the third person narrative of background and those searching really worked well.
Popsugar 2018: A book set at sea
Popsugar 2018: A book set at sea
June 15, 2017
What Used to Be Called a ‘Ripping Yarn’
By Bill Marsano. Keenan Wynn was a noted character (active 1940s-1980s) and a motorcycle enthusiast, and in regard to the latter I once got from him a valuable piece of advice: “When you think you can ride it, sell it.” Which is one way of saying never take your skill for granted.” That is exactly John Aldridge where comes in. A long-time lobsterman with years of success and experience in his trade, he thought he knew what he was about when he grabbed a box hook to shift two heavy coolers full of ice on deck. He bent his knees, leaned back and pulled hard. He took it for granted that he knew what he was doing. But not for long: “I knew as I pulled on the handle that it would be a disaster. There was no surprise when it broke, just an endless, slow-motion recognition that I had put myself into a situation I will not get out of.” Thus begins this thrilling and heart-lifting tale of courage, of imagination; of hard work and dedication. Do not miss it. After Aldridge fell from the stern, boat, chugged away on autopilot, leaving him alone, a speck in the sea. After an initial wave of panic, Aldridge decided to stop being stupid. He decided he would live, and he took a series of brilliant and difficult steps toward a nearly impossible goal: staying alive long enough for someone to find him. Realizing that his seaboots would fill with water and drown him, he a) shucked them off and b) emptied and inverted them so that, full of air, they would serve as a makeshift floatation device. Using his knowledge of local currents and other lobstermen’s traplines, he guesstimated his position and fought his way toward buoys that could keep him afloat and help him be found—even if only as a corpse that his family could bury. When his co-captain and longtime pal Anthony Sosinski realized Aldridge was missing, he called for help immediately. Rescuers faced a critical problem. Aldridge had fallen overboard somewhere during the last nine hours, making the search are almost unbelievably large. Anyone who’s read ‘The Perfect Storm’ or Linda Greenlaw’s books on the swordfishing trade knows fishing towns are dense webs of incredibly close relationships; to say everybody knows everybody else’s business is almost an understatement. And so the town of Montauk on Long Island Sound, population 3,326, was stunned when the news hit—and soon electric with activity. More than twenty local boats quickly joined the search—lobsterboats, fishing boats, even whale-watching boats willing sacrificed a day’s earning to help. (Some whale-watchers, already at sea, simply turned back and put their guests ashore.) The Coast Guard marshaled its cutters and helicopters, and made a brilliant tactical decision. Knowing that a flotilla of local boats, their crews inexperienced in search operations, might actually produce confusion and error, the CG put the local fleet under the command of Sosinski, who organized them into a coherent search pattern. He did one other thing: intimately aware of Aldridge’s work routine, the various chores he had to do and when he might do them, Sosinski was able to work up a good estimate of when Aldridge had fall into the sea, thus dramatically shrinking the search area and concentrating its forces. I said above that Aldridge had been stupid. I stand by that and think he would agree. He was aware that two lobstermen had been lost at sea only a few months earlier, their bodies never recovered; aware that OSHA ranks commercial fishing as one of the most hazardous of all occupations; that its fatality was stunningly higher than the national average, yet he went on deck at night and alone, not waking his relief, and with absolutely no safety equipment, not even a basic life vest. The Coast Guard count for a lot in the tale., and it gets due credit. Many pleasure boaters show contempt for the CG, considering it a bunch of meddler and killjoys who pull them over because their boats are overloaded or poorly maintained or lacking life preservers, or because the boaters themselves are loaded. Just remember that these guys are a lot like your local firemen: they’ll risk their lives to save yours.—Bill Marsano has sailed in small boats and paddled kayaks long enough to know that he doesn’t know enough.
By Bill Marsano. Keenan Wynn was a noted character (active 1940s-1980s) and a motorcycle enthusiast, and in regard to the latter I once got from him a valuable piece of advice: “When you think you can ride it, sell it.” Which is one way of saying never take your skill for granted.” That is exactly John Aldridge where comes in. A long-time lobsterman with years of success and experience in his trade, he thought he knew what he was about when he grabbed a box hook to shift two heavy coolers full of ice on deck. He bent his knees, leaned back and pulled hard. He took it for granted that he knew what he was doing. But not for long: “I knew as I pulled on the handle that it would be a disaster. There was no surprise when it broke, just an endless, slow-motion recognition that I had put myself into a situation I will not get out of.” Thus begins this thrilling and heart-lifting tale of courage, of imagination; of hard work and dedication. Do not miss it. After Aldridge fell from the stern, boat, chugged away on autopilot, leaving him alone, a speck in the sea. After an initial wave of panic, Aldridge decided to stop being stupid. He decided he would live, and he took a series of brilliant and difficult steps toward a nearly impossible goal: staying alive long enough for someone to find him. Realizing that his seaboots would fill with water and drown him, he a) shucked them off and b) emptied and inverted them so that, full of air, they would serve as a makeshift floatation device. Using his knowledge of local currents and other lobstermen’s traplines, he guesstimated his position and fought his way toward buoys that could keep him afloat and help him be found—even if only as a corpse that his family could bury. When his co-captain and longtime pal Anthony Sosinski realized Aldridge was missing, he called for help immediately. Rescuers faced a critical problem. Aldridge had fallen overboard somewhere during the last nine hours, making the search are almost unbelievably large. Anyone who’s read ‘The Perfect Storm’ or Linda Greenlaw’s books on the swordfishing trade knows fishing towns are dense webs of incredibly close relationships; to say everybody knows everybody else’s business is almost an understatement. And so the town of Montauk on Long Island Sound, population 3,326, was stunned when the news hit—and soon electric with activity. More than twenty local boats quickly joined the search—lobsterboats, fishing boats, even whale-watching boats willing sacrificed a day’s earning to help. (Some whale-watchers, already at sea, simply turned back and put their guests ashore.) The Coast Guard marshaled its cutters and helicopters, and made a brilliant tactical decision. Knowing that a flotilla of local boats, their crews inexperienced in search operations, might actually produce confusion and error, the CG put the local fleet under the command of Sosinski, who organized them into a coherent search pattern. He did one other thing: intimately aware of Aldridge’s work routine, the various chores he had to do and when he might do them, Sosinski was able to work up a good estimate of when Aldridge had fall into the sea, thus dramatically shrinking the search area and concentrating its forces. I said above that Aldridge had been stupid. I stand by that and think he would agree. He was aware that two lobstermen had been lost at sea only a few months earlier, their bodies never recovered; aware that OSHA ranks commercial fishing as one of the most hazardous of all occupations; that its fatality was stunningly higher than the national average, yet he went on deck at night and alone, not waking his relief, and with absolutely no safety equipment, not even a basic life vest. The Coast Guard count for a lot in the tale., and it gets due credit. Many pleasure boaters show contempt for the CG, considering it a bunch of meddler and killjoys who pull them over because their boats are overloaded or poorly maintained or lacking life preservers, or because the boaters themselves are loaded. Just remember that these guys are a lot like your local firemen: they’ll risk their lives to save yours.—Bill Marsano has sailed in small boats and paddled kayaks long enough to know that he doesn’t know enough.
June 3, 2017
This was an amazing story of survival and rescue. I was drawn into this story right away and found this story fascinating, terrifying, and incredibly uplifting. This was told from many different perspectives and at times it was confusing, but really interesting to hear what all those people were going through while Johnny was overboard.
This book gave me goose bumps and I even shed a few tears at the end when reading the different reactions to hearing Johnny was safely rescued. I cannot imagine going through what his family and friends experienced and I pray I never have to. The community support throughout the search for Johnny was also unbelievably moving.
The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the parts when it was giving the background on Montauk Harbor. I had to skim parts of that because it was long and I didn’t find it real interesting or relevant but others might feel differently. Those parts were not real long and if I skimmed them, it didn’t take long to get past. The rest of the story was intense and wonderfully captivating.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone. It’s short enough to read in a weekend and it’s such an amazing story and I am extremely glad I read it.
*I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.*
This book gave me goose bumps and I even shed a few tears at the end when reading the different reactions to hearing Johnny was safely rescued. I cannot imagine going through what his family and friends experienced and I pray I never have to. The community support throughout the search for Johnny was also unbelievably moving.
The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the parts when it was giving the background on Montauk Harbor. I had to skim parts of that because it was long and I didn’t find it real interesting or relevant but others might feel differently. Those parts were not real long and if I skimmed them, it didn’t take long to get past. The rest of the story was intense and wonderfully captivating.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone. It’s short enough to read in a weekend and it’s such an amazing story and I am extremely glad I read it.
*I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.*
July 6, 2023
A good listen, especially the sections where John Aldridge's plight was read by the narrator. Our book club was interested in the tale of the dramatic, multi-pronged rescue effort right here in our Long Island waters; many remembered this story from the news coverage in 2014 when it happened. The book described the tight-knit Montauk fishing community and the hardships of this way of life and it made us wonder how long these intrepid souls can continue to make a living when competing with commercial fishing boats.
January 4, 2020
The ending is not a surprise but how could it be otherwise. Interesting exploration of the life of a local fisherman and conservation concerns.
May 20, 2018
A Speck in the Sea by John Aldridge and Anthony Sosinski opens with a dialogue between two childhood friends about going fishing. A true story, A Speck in the Sea narrates how Johnny (John) goes overboard while his best friend Sosinski was asleep off the coast of Montauk, New York. When crew members realize that a net previously onboard has been knocked off, it becomes apparent that Johnny has possibly fallen overboard, and Tony's (Anthony) first instinct is to alert the Coast Guard and retrace the path that the boat has traveled. Once the U.S. Coast Guard headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut were alerted and pushed to find Johnny with the assistance of the close knit community of fishermen in Montauk. As these two groups along with the Anna Mary crew eagerly search for Johnny in the vast ocean, family members along with rescue efforts that this rescue may not be a rescue, but something else. Meanwhile, as we witness efforts to save Johnny, we receive the point of view of Johnny as he floats on the ocean surface with the assistance of his boots that doubled as floatation devices. He speaks of how organisms found him as something to grow on along with encountering ocean organisms such as a shark.
For me, I particularly enjoyed the switch of POVs between Johnny and the rescue efforts as the parallel construction of two timelines was very easy to follow, and it also it provided real-life accounts of the true events and the emotions that the characters were feeling at that moment in time. What really ruined it for me was the jumps in time from current situations to childhood and adolescent memories. It interrupted the flow of the timeline and confused me especially at the beginning of the book. Although it was nice to get to know the long lasting friendship between the two protagonists, it was something that was not properly placed in my opinion and should have been something at the very beginning but not intermittent throughout the book.
I also particularly enjoyed the suspense that was created by the alternating timelines. By keeping to the original story of this survival at sea with so many small details, the authors still managed to stir up suspense and drama in the reader.
If you liked this book or are interested in survival books I would suggest that you read something like the “I survived…” series for a quick experience with survival stories or novels like After the Fire: A True Story of Friendship and Survival, which is almost homogenous with what you can find in A Speck in the Sea.
For me, I particularly enjoyed the switch of POVs between Johnny and the rescue efforts as the parallel construction of two timelines was very easy to follow, and it also it provided real-life accounts of the true events and the emotions that the characters were feeling at that moment in time. What really ruined it for me was the jumps in time from current situations to childhood and adolescent memories. It interrupted the flow of the timeline and confused me especially at the beginning of the book. Although it was nice to get to know the long lasting friendship between the two protagonists, it was something that was not properly placed in my opinion and should have been something at the very beginning but not intermittent throughout the book.
I also particularly enjoyed the suspense that was created by the alternating timelines. By keeping to the original story of this survival at sea with so many small details, the authors still managed to stir up suspense and drama in the reader.
If you liked this book or are interested in survival books I would suggest that you read something like the “I survived…” series for a quick experience with survival stories or novels like After the Fire: A True Story of Friendship and Survival, which is almost homogenous with what you can find in A Speck in the Sea.
May 29, 2023
3.5 stars. This is an incredible story of survival, and even knowing the outcome doesn’t change that. I also found the setting to be enjoyable mainly because I am so familiar with it and could picture where everything was taking place. The storytelling was a little weak but it was still a great story.
April 15, 2017
Awesome book. Strongly recommended.
August 15, 2017
It was interesting enough to hold my attention. I didn't care the way the narrative of the fisherman and the the rescue operations were shuffled back and forth. The writing was fair.
Want to read
January 10, 20184⭐️s from DH. How a fisherman survived without a life jacket in the frigid waters off the northeast coast until his rescue 12 hours later. Very lucky guy!
March 25, 2021
Quick read, made very real by knowing Anthony personally. Testiment that you never know what another person has experienced.
November 1, 2017
This is much more than a story of survival and rescue, although clearly it is that. It is a life affirming story of the human spirit, never giving up, of thinking through decisions you make, of the loyalty and dedication of family and friends ,particularly boyhood friend and partner -'I never gave up'Anthony Sosinski, whose lives would have been negatively impacted forever if this had turned out differently-(thoughts of It's A Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart )-to the magnificent efforts of the often unsung heroism and dedication of the Coasties, and thrown in, you will learn a lot of the history of Montauk and a peek behind the veil into the tough lives of the commercial fishermen. I recommend this inspiring good read to all . I met John Aldridge ,Anthony Sosinski and sister Cathy briefly at the Dan's Papers event. And thought-What a lucky guy. And upon reading the book in one sitting I thought-And how funny- this event happened on my birthday July 24, 2013 ,a day my husband always treats me by taking me out to The End for a lobster dinner. Go figure. And I will never complain about the price of a lobster ever again! Also I would be remiss if I did not point you to the original song printed at the back of the book composed by Nancy Atlas-their friend and local singer. She performed it at the event and it brought the audience to tears! Brava!
May 24, 2017
I thought this was an interesting read. If nothing else, it was a fast read. Yet, I found that I wanted more. There was a lot of focus of the story spent on the numerous search and rescue efforts. What I was hoping for was that equal amounts of focus was spent on John's point of view as he was awaiting rescue. Although, I did find it interesting and could see how it was an easy mistake on the original search area as John was supposed to wake up Anthony for the next watch. Therefore, with John falling overboard, it was hard for Anthony to pin point at what time John fell overboard. It was great seeing how the community came together in the search efforts. Additionally, I learned some things about the Coast Guard. A good read.
June 6, 2017
A fascinating survival story, from the very beginning I was immersed in both John and Anthony's stories. I knew of course he would survive, but how? He fell into the ocean with almost nothing around him, except his own boots and a vague sense of which direction another fishing boat had left its buoys. I was utterly amazed at his persistence and will to survive.
All while John is lost at sea, we are introduced to members of his family and his friend network and how his disappearance affects them. It was beautiful to read, John is a loved man and his family needed him back. These thoughts helped get him through.
Another fantastic biography/memoir. Five stars!
All while John is lost at sea, we are introduced to members of his family and his friend network and how his disappearance affects them. It was beautiful to read, John is a loved man and his family needed him back. These thoughts helped get him through.
Another fantastic biography/memoir. Five stars!
July 12, 2017
Must read story of perseverance and survival.
I really enjoyed this story. Being friends with Anthony Sosinski "Ski" as kids this story was especially moving. Regardless, it is amazing to see how the fishing community, USCG and John's family banded together is inspiring. Thank God this story has a happy ending.
Please do yourself a favor and read this book. You will be glad you did.
I really enjoyed this story. Being friends with Anthony Sosinski "Ski" as kids this story was especially moving. Regardless, it is amazing to see how the fishing community, USCG and John's family banded together is inspiring. Thank God this story has a happy ending.
Please do yourself a favor and read this book. You will be glad you did.
September 28, 2017
A fascinating story about the author, John Aldridge, when he feel overboard from his commercial fishing boat and nobody knew it for several hours. Then his fight to survive and the fight to find him in time.
My favorite parts were the ones written from his point of view. But the whole thing is very fascinating.
It's not the type of book I'm usually drawn to, but it caught my attention and I'm glad I read it. (*some vulgar language, but it IS written by a commercial fisherman. lol)
My favorite parts were the ones written from his point of view. But the whole thing is very fascinating.
It's not the type of book I'm usually drawn to, but it caught my attention and I'm glad I read it. (*some vulgar language, but it IS written by a commercial fisherman. lol)
April 3, 2018
meh. a lot of filler.
January 20, 2019
🌊⛵Rezensionsexemplar⛵🌊
(unbezahlte Werbung)
-Bloggerportal Randomhouse -
⛵🌊🦀Ein Fleck im Meer🦀🌊⛵
-Eine dramatische Geschichte von Willensstärke und Überleben-
Autor: John Aldridge, Anthony Sosinski
Verlag: Heyne
Preis: 9,98€, Taschenbuch
Seiten: 256 Seiten
ISBN: 978-3-453-42245-2
Erscheinungsdatum: 10. Dezember 2018
2 Von 5 Sternen ⭐⭐
🦀🌊⛵🦀🌊⛵🦀🌊⛵🦀🌊⛵🦀🌊⛵🦀🌊⛵🦀
Inhaltsangabe:
Entnommen von: www.randomhouse.de
Was ist der einzelne Mensch in den Weiten des Ozeans? Nicht mehr als ein unbedeutender winziger Fleck? Mitten in der Nacht, vierzig Meilen vor der Küste, ist der erfahrene Hummerfischer John Aldridge aus Montauk bei rauer See über Bord gegangen - unbemerkt von seinem Freund Anthony, mit dem er gemeinsam das kleine Fischerboot Anna Mary betreibt.
🌊
Eine wahre Geschichte über den Willen zu überleben und über eine Freundschaft zwischen zwei Männern, die alles füreinander tun.
🦀🌊⛵🦀🌊⛵🦀🌊⛵🦀🌊⛵🦀🌊⛵🦀🌊⛵🦀
Weitere Informationen:
https://www.randomhouse.de/Taschenbuc...
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Hallo ihr Süßen💕
Es fällt mir unheimlich schwer diese Rezension zu schreiben, da ich den Mensch hinter dieser Geschichte einfach wirklich sehr bewundere! Doch hier möchte ich keines Falls seine Handlungen und Erlebnisse bewerten! Hier geht es nur um das Buch, seine Ausdrucksweisen und seinen Stil. Da es sich um eine wahre und ergreifende Handlung handelt, habe ich mich dazu entschieden, das Buch rein Sachlich zu bewerten. Ich werde nicht auf die Handlung und Erlebnisse eingehen und diese auch nicht erläutern oder beurteilen, denn dies steht mir einfach als Leserin nicht zu. Was ich aber sehr wohl Rezensieren kann ist, wie dieses Buch verfasst wurde. *Ein Fleck im Meer*, von diesem Buch hätte ich mir so einiges versprochen, denn ich wolle unbedingt wissen, wie es ein Mensch schaft so lange auf hoher See im eisigen Wassers des Meeres zu überleben! Das war meine intention dieses Buch zu lesen, doch leider wurde ich mit vielen Szenen aus der Vergangenheit von John Aldridge hingehalten. Natürlich ist es von Vorteil etwas über den Menschen hier der Geschichte zu erfahren und auch etwas über seinen Beruf, seine Familie, seine Freunde und sein Leben als Hummer-Fischer. Doch war mir dieser Anteil an dem Buch einfach viel zu lang. Es wurde viel mehr drum herum geredet und für meinen Geschmack zum Teil sehr Technisch geschrieben, so dass mir einfach die eigentliche Story und Erfahrung die John gemacht hat, zu kurz kam. Das Buch hat knapp 253 Seiten und davon wurden gefühlte 30 Seiten über das eigentliche Ereignisse geschrieben. Das war mir einfach zu wenig, denn hier steht ja nichts von einer Biographie seines Lebens. Ich wollte einfach, in gewisser Weise Haut nah miterleben, wie es ist auf dem offenen kalten Ozean zu schwimmen und ums Überleben zu kämpfen! Das habe ich nicht bekommen. Ich bin sher froh, daß der Autor dieses tragische Unglück überlebt hat, doch sein Buch konnte mich nicht überzeugen. Es war für mich ein reines Biographisches Sachbuch. Ganz lieben Gruß
Sonja/Shaaniel
(unbezahlte Werbung)
-Bloggerportal Randomhouse -
⛵🌊🦀Ein Fleck im Meer🦀🌊⛵
-Eine dramatische Geschichte von Willensstärke und Überleben-
Autor: John Aldridge, Anthony Sosinski
Verlag: Heyne
Preis: 9,98€, Taschenbuch
Seiten: 256 Seiten
ISBN: 978-3-453-42245-2
Erscheinungsdatum: 10. Dezember 2018
2 Von 5 Sternen ⭐⭐
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Inhaltsangabe:
Entnommen von: www.randomhouse.de
Was ist der einzelne Mensch in den Weiten des Ozeans? Nicht mehr als ein unbedeutender winziger Fleck? Mitten in der Nacht, vierzig Meilen vor der Küste, ist der erfahrene Hummerfischer John Aldridge aus Montauk bei rauer See über Bord gegangen - unbemerkt von seinem Freund Anthony, mit dem er gemeinsam das kleine Fischerboot Anna Mary betreibt.
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Eine wahre Geschichte über den Willen zu überleben und über eine Freundschaft zwischen zwei Männern, die alles füreinander tun.
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Hallo ihr Süßen💕
Es fällt mir unheimlich schwer diese Rezension zu schreiben, da ich den Mensch hinter dieser Geschichte einfach wirklich sehr bewundere! Doch hier möchte ich keines Falls seine Handlungen und Erlebnisse bewerten! Hier geht es nur um das Buch, seine Ausdrucksweisen und seinen Stil. Da es sich um eine wahre und ergreifende Handlung handelt, habe ich mich dazu entschieden, das Buch rein Sachlich zu bewerten. Ich werde nicht auf die Handlung und Erlebnisse eingehen und diese auch nicht erläutern oder beurteilen, denn dies steht mir einfach als Leserin nicht zu. Was ich aber sehr wohl Rezensieren kann ist, wie dieses Buch verfasst wurde. *Ein Fleck im Meer*, von diesem Buch hätte ich mir so einiges versprochen, denn ich wolle unbedingt wissen, wie es ein Mensch schaft so lange auf hoher See im eisigen Wassers des Meeres zu überleben! Das war meine intention dieses Buch zu lesen, doch leider wurde ich mit vielen Szenen aus der Vergangenheit von John Aldridge hingehalten. Natürlich ist es von Vorteil etwas über den Menschen hier der Geschichte zu erfahren und auch etwas über seinen Beruf, seine Familie, seine Freunde und sein Leben als Hummer-Fischer. Doch war mir dieser Anteil an dem Buch einfach viel zu lang. Es wurde viel mehr drum herum geredet und für meinen Geschmack zum Teil sehr Technisch geschrieben, so dass mir einfach die eigentliche Story und Erfahrung die John gemacht hat, zu kurz kam. Das Buch hat knapp 253 Seiten und davon wurden gefühlte 30 Seiten über das eigentliche Ereignisse geschrieben. Das war mir einfach zu wenig, denn hier steht ja nichts von einer Biographie seines Lebens. Ich wollte einfach, in gewisser Weise Haut nah miterleben, wie es ist auf dem offenen kalten Ozean zu schwimmen und ums Überleben zu kämpfen! Das habe ich nicht bekommen. Ich bin sher froh, daß der Autor dieses tragische Unglück überlebt hat, doch sein Buch konnte mich nicht überzeugen. Es war für mich ein reines Biographisches Sachbuch. Ganz lieben Gruß
Sonja/Shaaniel
January 25, 2024
Without a doubt, “A Speck in the Sea” is probably the most well-documented ocean rescue story I’ve read in a very long time. The book details what happened to fisherman John Aldridge when during the early morning hours of July 24, 2013, he was thrown off the back of his fishing vessel the Anna Mary. It wasn’t until hours later when his absence was discovered by fishing partner Anthony Sosinski, who was asleep during the accident, that the call went out to the Coast Guard.
What follows is a very thorough examination of the Coast Guard response and the response of the fishing community of Montauk.
Readers are treated to a first-person account by Aldridge of what was going through his mind during the 12 hours he spent bobbing in the ocean with only his upturned fishing boots to lend him buoyancy. The narrative switches to third person as the author recounts the massive response by the Coast Guard up and down the East Coast.
I guarantee, readers will share in the tension as the rescuers repeatedly come close to Aldridge without seeing him during the massive search. When a Coast Guard helicopter finally spots the lonely fisherman floating near a buoy the relief of the considerable tension built up during the preceding pages is tremendous.
The succeeding pages present a vast array of facts relating to the rescue including a listing of all the Coast Guard assets employed during the search. This may not have been necessary to most readers other than to fill out the relatively short book somewhat.
It’s revealing that Aldridge himself returned to fishing but installed a gate on the stern of his boat to prevent such an accident from occurring in the future. Lesson learned!
What follows is a very thorough examination of the Coast Guard response and the response of the fishing community of Montauk.
Readers are treated to a first-person account by Aldridge of what was going through his mind during the 12 hours he spent bobbing in the ocean with only his upturned fishing boots to lend him buoyancy. The narrative switches to third person as the author recounts the massive response by the Coast Guard up and down the East Coast.
I guarantee, readers will share in the tension as the rescuers repeatedly come close to Aldridge without seeing him during the massive search. When a Coast Guard helicopter finally spots the lonely fisherman floating near a buoy the relief of the considerable tension built up during the preceding pages is tremendous.
The succeeding pages present a vast array of facts relating to the rescue including a listing of all the Coast Guard assets employed during the search. This may not have been necessary to most readers other than to fill out the relatively short book somewhat.
It’s revealing that Aldridge himself returned to fishing but installed a gate on the stern of his boat to prevent such an accident from occurring in the future. Lesson learned!
August 11, 2017
Back in the day, when 8mm movie cameras came on the scene, it seemed every person who owned one wanted to gather their friends together in the living room to watch three-minutes-at-a-time movies (with no sound) of their last vacation of Aunt Bertha's 95th birthday party. Even as a kid, watching these movies of people I didn't know was sheer drudgery. I wondered then why anyone would want to watch someone else's home movies. I still do.
Reading A Speck in the Sea: A Story of Survival and Rescue is at times equivalent to the above. While I did not count them, it seems that out of seventeen or so chapters, maybe four or five deal with the actual survival story. The balance of the book recounts behind the scenes stories, home movies if you will, of people the reader could really care less about. At one point we get to hear the thoughts of a bartender when she found out Johnny was missing.
I love survival stories and this one is a good one. John Aldridge had a problem, he fell off his boat in the dead of night with no one around to witness it. He recounts his time in the sea and his survival skills are remarkable. The only problem is, it takes about four or five chapters to tell it. I could summarize it in a way that would be enjoyable and leave you completely understanding what happened and how his problem was solved, but that would spoil the book for you. It is a fairly expensive book for just a few chapters that are worth any thing, but I will leave that up to the reader of this review. If you like home movies of strangers, this book is for you.
Reading A Speck in the Sea: A Story of Survival and Rescue is at times equivalent to the above. While I did not count them, it seems that out of seventeen or so chapters, maybe four or five deal with the actual survival story. The balance of the book recounts behind the scenes stories, home movies if you will, of people the reader could really care less about. At one point we get to hear the thoughts of a bartender when she found out Johnny was missing.
I love survival stories and this one is a good one. John Aldridge had a problem, he fell off his boat in the dead of night with no one around to witness it. He recounts his time in the sea and his survival skills are remarkable. The only problem is, it takes about four or five chapters to tell it. I could summarize it in a way that would be enjoyable and leave you completely understanding what happened and how his problem was solved, but that would spoil the book for you. It is a fairly expensive book for just a few chapters that are worth any thing, but I will leave that up to the reader of this review. If you like home movies of strangers, this book is for you.
March 17, 2018
I once read that the absolute #1 basic truth of the universe is that sooner or later the impossible WILL happen. No matter how we protect ourselves or try to be perfect, it is a random and unpredictable universe that controls everything, and given enough time, virtually ANYTHING can and will occur.
Johnny Aldridge is an experienced, capable and healthy fisherman. That alone helps him overcome panic and find a way to survive 12 hours lost in the ocean. The impossible happened, and a man who spends his heart and mind to be safe, finds himself lost.
The story is a good one. Filtered down to its essence it could be told in a chapter or two, but the backdrop of the families, the Montauk community and the Coast Guard fill it out into a novel. This ends up being one of the "happy ending stories" in a situation that usually ends up being tragic.
There is a lot to learn from the book. Johnny's calm resourcefulness saved his life. His strength and determination to survive saved his life. Efforts by the Coast Guard, his partner Anthony and the entire fishing community heroically saved his life.
Johnny Aldridge is an experienced, capable and healthy fisherman. That alone helps him overcome panic and find a way to survive 12 hours lost in the ocean. The impossible happened, and a man who spends his heart and mind to be safe, finds himself lost.
The story is a good one. Filtered down to its essence it could be told in a chapter or two, but the backdrop of the families, the Montauk community and the Coast Guard fill it out into a novel. This ends up being one of the "happy ending stories" in a situation that usually ends up being tragic.
There is a lot to learn from the book. Johnny's calm resourcefulness saved his life. His strength and determination to survive saved his life. Efforts by the Coast Guard, his partner Anthony and the entire fishing community heroically saved his life.
December 11, 2020
Obviously you know that he must survive because it's his survival and rescue but there is something special about the way it's written (and only knowing that because I listened to the audio and the dual narrators explaining search/rescue and then Aldridge's story *in* the water) creates a movement to the story that allows the pacing to keep up and slow down with the angst of what will happen next.
It's a story that brings in elements of man versus nature, of the will to survive, the power of friendship and family, and the skills of jobs such as the Coast Guard who military precision allows for happy endings such as this one. It was a robust story and still was on the shorter end of an audiobook. And I was listening to the exact part of the rescue when the helicopter appeared overhead and lowered down to get him and bring him up while I was driving in the car and I teared up! The way his macho Italian Long Island accent hits but the complete relief of rescue is something. And then to know that people actually die DURING rescue because of the severe drop in blood pressure is fascinating.
A heart-pounder with a perfect cadence of storytelling during a harrowing 12 hours at sea.
It's a story that brings in elements of man versus nature, of the will to survive, the power of friendship and family, and the skills of jobs such as the Coast Guard who military precision allows for happy endings such as this one. It was a robust story and still was on the shorter end of an audiobook. And I was listening to the exact part of the rescue when the helicopter appeared overhead and lowered down to get him and bring him up while I was driving in the car and I teared up! The way his macho Italian Long Island accent hits but the complete relief of rescue is something. And then to know that people actually die DURING rescue because of the severe drop in blood pressure is fascinating.
A heart-pounder with a perfect cadence of storytelling during a harrowing 12 hours at sea.
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