Come with author John N. Morris

as he takes readers

on an incredible voyage into the past 

This site is dedicated to the history of the dorymen of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Author and historian John N. Morris's new book, Alone at Sea: Gloucester in the Age of the Dorymen (1623-1939), fully chronicles the evolution of Gloucester's fishing fleet from 1623 through 1939. It is the culmination of 10 years of intensive research, sparked by Morris's personal quest to learn more about his grandfather, Steve Olsson, a doryman who disappeared at sea in 1935. First, he turned to the Web, finding the information about his grandfather on sites about Gloucester and Nova Scotia. The result is this book. Beautifully written and illustrated, Alone at Sea is the most complete and compelling history of Gloucester fishing ever written.

An expert on dorymen's history, Morris concludes that "the fishermen of the past were at their best when they acted together and at their worst when they acted alone." To this end, Morris intends this Web site to be a living, interactive resource for modern fishermen and their families, from Gloucester, MA to Nova Scotia and beyond. By joining with others to study the evolution of dory fishing over three hundred years, Morris hopes to gain some insight into where the industry is headed in the future, particularly in light of recent legislation on catch shares.

Learn more about Alone at Sea and author John N. Morris; click through the slideshow of historic photographs; preview the book; or purchase your copy of Alone at Sea.

 
Interact by contributing stories and photos from the dorymen in your family, or by viewing and updating appendices to Alone at Sea that detail yearly catches (1808-1939), men lost at sea and the families they left behind (1693-1940).