To The Lighthouse

Have you ever pondered over the fact that we've been to space and the Moon, yet there are still vast areas of ocean floors that we haven't set eyes on? Or that there is such an occupation as 'oceanaut'? I think it says so much about the secretive, elusive and terrifying nature of our waters on Earth - surely something to be respected and feared.

Yet of course, just like the air and land, we have declared victory over our waters too, shipping and cruising across the world for business or pleasure. It seems cocky to think we've got this under control.

The sinking of cargo ship El Faro [the Lighthouse] in October 2015 is the 'proof in the pudding' - a haunting phrase that returns many times towards the end of Into the Raging Sea, the book by Rachel Slade that tells the story of this maritime disaster in detail.

It is a truly fascinating account: using the actual conversations transcribed from the ship's 'black box', we get real insight into the days leading up to the tragedy, and this is accompanied by in-depth analysis of the preceding history and events following the sinking of the ship. I love the back cover copy of this book, because for once it genuinely sums up the contents of the work, and perhaps is worth quoting here in full:

Why did the captain steer directly into a hurricane?

Why did the engines fail?

How could it sink without a single survivor?

Who's responsible?

What did I like about it?

I didn't think the story itself would be as captivating as it turned out to be - don't try selling me something with the word 'megastorm' on the cover - but Slade's powerful narrative works wonders to bring the tragedy alive and to hammer home the significance of such a singularity. It takes an in-depth look at the laws and regulations around shipping in the US, outlining the many areas in which it is lacking, and going deeper into the history of how these regulations developed in the first place.

She also takes good care to present all the major figures from the transcription in detail: backgrounds, interests, employment history, even personal lives are provided for everyone from captain of El Faro Michael Davidson to John Glanfield, retired shipbuilder who took part in the creation of El Faro's 'older sister'.

The human element is well balanced with the technical, and Slade is thorough in every area, which gives the book a satisfying air of professionalism. The years of research she must have carried out comes across bright as day - she knows the story inside out and it seems has spoken to everyone even remotely connected to the tragedy in any way. From how the crew is recruited for voyages through shipbuilding and weather forecasting, she leaves no stone unturned. And this helps people who know absolutely nothing about container shipping - me being a prime example - to not feel left out, but in fact come away with a general idea. And this is what good non-fiction is supposed to do. It makes us care.

What was I not massively fond of?

There are a few points I picked up on throughout the book for this section. Number one being that Slade too often flirts with melodrama in her writing style for my liking. When approaching turning points, short, dramatic sentences and single-sentence paragraphs take charge, and in my opinion cheapen the occurrences to the feeling of a disaster film. "In the whipping winds and waves, Shultz secured the scuttle. But it was too late." "Time slowed to a crawl. The sky began to take shape. Dawn." Of course, this type of dramatic tension is necessary, no debate - but I think a touch of subtlety would have gone a long way.

I also found that perhaps sometimes the technical bits went a bit too in-depth and I found myself zoning out. When discussing the Jones Act, for example (federal law that regulates maritime commerce in the US), we spend a long time on Alexander Hamilton and his role in the creation of the law, as well as its many variations. Interesting and absolutely relevant to the story, no doubt, but perhaps a bit of editing down would have worked in the book's favor.

The blame is also very clear in the book. Slade doesn't shy away from making her opinions known. Of Davidson: "What kind of a man is capable of facing such excessive errors of judgment?" (I mean, fair enough, she is right, but still.) Perhaps the book was written with a purpose more than just education.

Finally, there is a chapter towards the end of the book - 'Spirits' - that I just did not understand. It's only a few pages, but talks about the many 'ghostly' occurrences that family members and friends of the crew of El Faro have experienced after the tragedy. Premonitions, ghostly communications and the like. I would have cut this out entirely.

Overall...

The significance of the sinking of El Faro in maritime history really shows itself in the second part of the book, which deals with the aftermath and trial. US officials are baffled. People who deal with shipping emergencies all day, every day, for decades, are shocked. And it slowly dawns on us how outrageous and unfair it is to have lost 33 lives at sea due to, in large part, bureaucracy. It's frankly disgusting.

This is a well-written account, captivating in every way and, hopefully, influential to the right eyes.

P.S. If you're more the dip into things kind of reader, here's an in-depth article about the tragedy.

7/10