The Doryman's Reflection: A Fisherman's Life

Fishermen survive as relics, the last hunter-gatherers among us. Their boats, crammed with ropes and nets, carry the mystique of a nearly forgotten world ruled by the elements. Now an accomplished writer, Molyneaux as a young man journeyed to Maine with no experience and a dream of working on a boat. This is the story of his apprenticeship with Bernard Raynes, one of Maine's last independent commercial fishermen. In the early 1980s, these two men shared some of the fishing industry's best years, as well as gripping adventures on the stormy North Atlantic. Now their world has changed. The author discusses the factors-personal and political, environmental and economic-that led to the decline of New England fishing. Thanks to a strong work ethic and an iron will, Raynes resolutely hangs on to a vanishing way of life, while consolidation pushes that way of life out of reach for today's young fishermen. For over three centuries, Raynes's ancestors invested their futures in the lives of fish. They learned to think like fish and developed unparalleled ability as fishermen. Today's fishermen will not have to match Raynes's supreme skill. Technology has edged Raynes out, and his fishing legacy will die with him.