Perfect Storm, The

By 1201 UTC (0701 EST), on October 30, the storm was raging. It was about 340 nautical miles south of Halifax.

Four hours later, it continued to create massive offshore seas and coastal terror. The Coast Guard picked up a three-person crew from the sailboat Satori.

By early evening on the 30th, the ANG (Air National Guard) team from Westhampton Beach, New York had to abandon rescue operations for a Japanese yachtsman in trouble 270 miles southeast of the Long Island coast. Battling unbelievable winds as it returned to base, the rescue chopper refueled twice, but it wasn't enough. The pilot had to ditch in the wild ocean. The crew could not manage a final refueling effort.

Tech Sgt. Rick Smith was lost at sea during the mission. The rest of the crew spent a five-hour nightmare in the swirling ocean before they were rescued.

During the morning of October 31, the Perfect Storm weakened as it drifted south (near 36.7N, 71.5W). But when it contacted the warm southern water, the storm intensified again as it started to acquire subtropical characteristics. A full-fledged hurricane was being born.

Where would it go? Back to the same place where the earlier storm had wreaked havoc on the Andrea Gail!