In March 1984, the commercial fishing boat Wind Blown departed Montauk Harbor for a routine offshore trip. The captain, a married father of three, led a four-man crew that included two locals and a wealthy summer resident. After a week at sea, they encountered a sudden nor'easter, leading to a harrowing struggle for survival that ultimately claimed their lives. Neither the boat nor the crew was ever found, marking this tragedy as the second-worst nautical disaster for Montauk's fishing vessels in over a century. This event has since woven itself into the local folklore of the East End's year-round residents. At that time, Montauk was a working-class village where commercial fishing was vital to the economy, long before it transformed into a haven for the wealthy. Amanda M. Fairbanks delves into the significant changes in Montauk's identity and examines why this decades-old tragedy remains vivid in collective memory. She investigates how deep grief can reshape recollections and highlights the complex dynamics between fathers and sons, along with the lingering secrets families carry. Ultimately, this narrative of family and brotherhood raises profound questions about how memories of the deceased impact the lives of those who remain.
