Linda Greenlaw is an American best-selling author of books with maritime themes. Linda is the only female swordfishing boat captain on the east coast of the country. Her books provide insight into commercial fishing and include The Hungry Ocean, The Lobster Chronicles and All Fishermen Are Liars.
Her publications have been very successful, with some reaching #2 on the New York Times bestseller list. Greenlaw lives in Isle au Haut, Maine, where she made history as the first female swordfishing captain on the East Coast of America.
Early life
Linda Greenlaw was born in Connecticut to Jim and Martha Greenlaw. Her father worked as an information systems manager at Bath Iron Works. Linda grew up in Topsham, Maine, and spent her summers with her family in Isle au Haut, a small village off the Maine coast of just 71 people.
She attended Colby College, where she majored in English and Government. During her studies, she worked as a cook and deckhand on the Walter Leeman boat in order to be able to pay the fees. After graduating in 1983, she continued to work on the boat in her free time and during vacations.
In fact, Alden Leeman, the boat’s owner, who met Linda during her tenure there, promoted her to swordfish captain in 1986 when he bought a second vessel. Although Linda is a woman, she has never faced any problems or discrimination while working on the fishing boat.
She expressed surprise and even embarrassment at the number of people who were genuinely amazed that a woman could be adept at navigating such a ship. Linda captured this feeling in her book called The Hungry Ocean.
Linda Greenlaw career
commercial fisherman
During the Perfect Storm of 1991, Linda Greenlaw served as captain of the Hannah Boden while Andrea Gail sank in the Atlantic. Sebastian Junger’s book The Perfect Storm and its film adaptation featured Greenlaw’s efforts to warn Andrea Gail of the impending storm.
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio played her part in the film, and Junger hailed her not only as the only female swordfishing captain but also as one of the finest captains on the entire East Coast. In 1997 Greenlaw moved to Isle au Haut and bought a 35-foot lobster boat named Mattie Belle.
However, on May 28, 2009, the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Court convicted Greenlaw of illegal fishing and trespassing in Canadian waters. The Crown demanded a fine of CAD$53,000. On the other hand, her defense recommended a fine of half the amount. The judge issued a $38,000 fine after concluding she failed to exercise “due diligence.”
writer
In 1999, Greenlaw published her first book, The Hungry Ocean, in which she chronicled a challenging swordfishing journey over a month. The voyage was marked by harsh weather conditions, unruly fish, amusing shipmates, and the overwhelming stress of working ten consecutive days, each lasting 21 hours.
Her later works include The Lobster Chronicles: Life on a Very Small Island (2002), All Fishermen Are Liars: True Tales from the Dry Dock Bar (2004), Seaworthy: A Swordboat Captain Returns to the Sea (2010), and Lifesaving Lessons: Notes from an Accidental Mother (2013).
Greenlaw also collaborated with her mother, Martha Greenlaw, on two cookbooks and wrote four crime novels titled Slipknot (2007), Fisherman’s Bend (2008), Shiver Hitch (2017), and Bimini Twist (2018). These novels feature her fictional character, Jane Bunker, and are named after knots.
Linda Greenlaw Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Linda Greenlaw |
| birth date | December 22, 1960 |
| Age (as of 2023) | 62 years |
| Place of birth | Connecticut, United States |
| Profession | Author, Fisherman |
| University | Colby College |
| qualification | graduate |
Physical Statistics | |
| Height | in feet inches – 5′ 6” – in centimeters – 168 cm |
| Weight | in kilograms – 60kg – in pounds – 132 pounds |
| Hair color | dark brown |
| eye color | dark brown |
Linda Greenlaw Family | |
| Father | Jim Greenlaw |
| Mother | Martha Greenlaw |
| Sister | – |
| Brother | – |
relationship status | |
| Marital status | Married |
| Who is Linda Greenlaw’s husband? | Steve Wessel |
| Children | One |
Personal life
Linda Greenlaw is married to Steve Wessel, who owns a specialty boat manufacturing business in Surry, Maine. His family business was associated with water for so many years that he decided to continue this as a full-time job. Steve tied the knot with Linda in 2012 because they celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in 2022.
Linda said she first met Steve when she was delivering a boat for a custom repair for her friend. They quickly liked each other and fell in love. After 8 months of the relationship, they decided to get married. They have no biological children from this relationship, but they adopted a daughter Sarai Johnson, a keen fisherman.
Linda Greenlaw net worth
Based on studies, Linda Greenlaw’s estimated net worth is $5 million. Her success as an author contributed greatly to her considerable wealth.