Salt Water Tales: The Strange and Tragic, Illustrated

Gordon Turner is the author of Empress of Britain: Canadian Pacific’s
Greatest Ship and the editor of SeaFare, a quarterly newsletter on sea
travel.

For centuries, Newfoundland ships and sailors have endured more than
their share of misfortune. Fog, icebergs, heavy seas, insufficient
lighthouses, poorly charted waters, and human error have contributed to
a long list of sinkings, collisions, groundings, and unexplained
disappearances. Newfoundlanders went to sea as fishers and sealers
because the island’s economy provided few alternatives. Although their
vessels lacked sophisticated technology, their crews were not found
wanting in courage, ingenuity, or seamanship. Bringing home a stricken
vessel demanded these qualities, but not every ship made it back to its
home port, as Salt Water Tales reminds us.

The book is a collection of 48 true stories, running from a few
paragraphs to several pages. Nearly all accounts are set in the 19th and
early 20th centuries. Most involve sailing ships, and many involve
death. Illustrations, all small, consist mostly of photos, press
clippings, and tiny sketches.

Parsons has researched newspaper archives and corresponded with
descendants of old-time sailors in an effort to ensure that these tales
are not forgotten by Newfoundland residents. Some of the stories read
well, but a good number fall somewhat flat. A more skilful pen could
have brought the accounts to a more vivid life. In addition, numerous
typos and inconsistencies of style detract from the stories themselves.
The book lacks a map, which would allow readers to locate the many
places named in the text. The author promises a second volume along the
lines of Salt Water Tales, and there is no doubt that Newfoundland can
supply the material.