Two boats smacked into whales -one had to return to Auckland for repairs - and a helmswoman on Maiden, a British entry with an all-female crew, suffered a severely sprained back when she was hit by what was called "an awesome wave."

Junger's tale fashioned a compelling if staid narrative out of seemingly disparate events, but this film adaptation tends to flatten out the story into a conventional if absorbing story of man vs. nature, as the crew fights for survival against the awesome waves the storm kicks up.

"Some awesome waves," he said.

The central part of the film, which cuts between the Andrea Gail's fight to stay afloat and the attempts of the Coast Guard to rescue a yacht in peril, is suspenseful action of the first degree, aided by some awesome computer-generated waves.

I'm on the verge of tears by the time we arrive at Pastels since I'm positive we won't get seated but the table is good, and relief that is almost tidal in scope washes over me in an awesome wave.

Her high, curved bows, broad beam, and shallow draft made it possible for her to ride up and down even the most awesome waves - as long as she met them bow on.