The Grey Seas Under: The Perilous Rescue Mission of a N.A. Salvage Tug

The Grey Seas Under. Hmmmm. unusual title. Under what? Farley Mowatt. Unusual name. The beginning is slow and disoriented, like being in a foggy unfamiliar harbor jammed full of rust streaked vessels, succumbing to neglect. In retrospect, the sodden tone of the beginning, that caught me off guard, was an ideal prologue.The Grey Seas Under chronicles the life of the 156' salvage tug, Foundation Franklin, originally christened H.M.S. Frisky, from her purchase in early 1930 by the Montreal-based Foundation Company of Canada, to her last assignment during the cruel winter of 1946. Her battles with the sea were epic. The men who sailed her, heroic, sometimes eccentric and the rescues she accomplished, legendary. The lives she saved: grateful beyond measure.So what makes this book a must-read masterpiece? It is not written to highlight an exemplary vocabulary. There are no superlative descriptions. Displays of elite literary proficiency are missing.The Grey Seas Under is a song. A ballad. Farley Mowatt is a minstrel, singing of a period in his life where he felt most alive, most connected to his fiber. Those days pass quickly for mortals but the tone is not sad. It is an adagio form, punctuated with rolling staccato storms. This is not a gilded representation of reality seen through progressive bifocals; this is a raw and salty reality lived by working men whose poetry sails above varnished table tops with fiddled edges and coffee mugs. No pontifications from the podium are found.If you have a paperback copy read it twice. Read it to your kids and grandkids. If you have a hardbound copy in good condition, you have an appreciating asset.BIG thanks to Ray R. for the loan of this fabulous book. The Grey Seas Under. Under what? Under the keel of a good ship. A ship that does not veer from difficulty, but takes pride in accomplishment and returns to home port, time after time. The Grey Seas Under? As it always has been, under the watchful but impassive heavens.

Outstanding writing- clear and knowledgeable. The many and varied accomplishments of this rescue tug are almost unimaginable- winter in the North Atlantic. These are challenging waters in good weather, and of course, rescues aren't usually happening in good weather. Nothing but admiration and respect for these sailors!

Nice looking paperback book. It's a much bigger volume than I expected. I hope it's a good read.

As current tug boat operators and war historians, a well documented fascinating read.

A doctor recommended this book during a visit and I must say I enjoyed it so much I ordered another book by this author.

What's not to like about Farley Mowat? A classic sea story beautifully told. For people who wonder if it's exaggerated, it's not. All the technical details are correct, and there are some gems. Even in this age of electronics, satellite phones, and 200-tonnes bollard pull — there are some things about good seamanship that never change. Sailor or landlubber, I defy you not to enjoy this book. The paper, print, and binding are adequate, but not great.

A great story of the sea and deep water marine salvage and rescue by a great author with first hand knowledge. The period covered is from the very early 1930's to immediately after the Second World War. It's the story of the deep sea salvage steam tug "Foundation Franklin" and the captains and crews that served on her over the years. It's also the story of the many ships she gave aid to - most successful but a few vessels that the sea claimed for herself.

Mowat wrote this a long time ago. It's a wonderful adventure story.

I read this book years ago, more that one. it was well researched and well written. If you have any interest in high adventure and history on the sea, then you will be entertained.

Given that the first story relates to my father, I was always likely to rate this book high. The story of a very brave rescue in impossible conditions has been told elsewhere by British Scources. The view from the other side of the Atlantic is closer and more personal and moving. Thank you!The storytelling is vivid throughout and was easy to understand for someone who used to be familiar with the sea in all it's moods. I was brought up to the common sight of wrecked ships and survivors in the West of Scotland during the war. It was easy to take bravery for granted.

Wonder story, well told.

Fantastic book for a man like me, I am x sea going, and repaired many tugs, and I just love this book. Many thanks and thank you Amazon Dibnah

Great book! I read it many years ago and am enjoying it as much as I did the first time around.