Linda Greenlaw is a renowned author who writes about maritime themes. Linda is the only female swordfishing boat captain on the East Coast in the country. Her books offer insights into commercial fishing and include ‘The Hungry Ocean’, ‘The Lobster Chronicles’, and ‘All Fishermen Are Liars.’
Her publications were highly successful, with some reaching No.2 on the New York Times bestseller list. Greenlaw resides in Isle au Haut, Maine, where she made history as the first female swordfishing boat captain on the American East Coast.
Early Life
Linda Greenlaw was born in Connecticut to Jim and Martha Greenlaw. Her father worked as an information systems manager for Bath Iron Works. Linda grew up in Topsham, Maine, and spent her summers with her family in Isle au Haut, a small village located off the coast of Maine that had only 71 inhabitants.
She attended Colby College, where she double-majored in English and government. During her graduation, she worked as a cook and deckhand on the Walter Leeman boat so that she could pay the fees with it. Even after graduating in 1983, she continued working on the boat during her free time and vacations.
In fact, Alden Leeman, the owner of the boat who had become acquainted with Linda during her tenure there, promoted her to a swordfish captain in 1986 when he bought a second vessel. Despite being a woman, Linda 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 capably run such a vessel. This sentiment was captured by Linda in her book entitled The Hungry Ocean.
Linda Greenlaw Career
Commercial Fisherman
During the 1991 Perfect Storm, 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 movie adaptation depicted Greenlaw’s efforts to warn Andrea Gail about the upcoming storm.
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio played her role in the movie, and Junger praised her as not only the sole female swordfishing captain but also one of the most excellent captains on the entire East Coast. In 1997, Greenlaw relocated to Isle au Haut and purchased a 35-foot lobster boat named Mattie Belle.
However, on May 28, 2009, the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador convicted Greenlaw of fishing illegally and entering Canadian waters without authorization. The Crown requested a fine of CAD$53,000. In contrast, her defense recommended a fine of half that amount. The judge imposed a penalty of $38,000 after concluding that she failed to exercise “due diligence.”
Writer
In 1999, Greenlaw published her first book, “The Hungry Ocean,” which chronicled a challenging swordfishing journey that lasted for a month. The voyage was marked by harsh weather conditions, stubborn fish, amusing shipmates, and the overwhelming stress of working for ten consecutive days that lasted 21 hours each.
Her subsequent 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 detective novels under the titles “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 (Deadliest Catch) Biography |
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| Real Name | Linda Greenlaw |
| Birth Date | 22 December 1960 |
| Age (as of 2023) | 62 Years |
| Birth Place | Connecticut, United States |
| Profession | Author, Fisher |
| College | Colby College |
| Qualification | Graduate |
Physical Statistics |
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| Height | in feet inches – 5’ 6” – in Centimeters – 168 cm |
| Weight | in Kilograms – 60 kg – in Pounds – 132 lbs |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
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Family |
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| Father | Jim Greenlaw |
| Mother | Martha Greenlaw |
| Sister | – |
| Brother | – |
Relationship Status |
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| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband | Steve Wessel |
| Children | One |
Personal Life
Linda Greenlaw is married to Steve Wessel who owns a custom boat-making business in Surry, Maine. His family business for so many years was associated with water so he decided to continue this as a main career. Steve tied the knot with Linda in 2012 because they celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary back in 2022.
Linda said that she met Steve for the first time when she went to deliver a boat for custom repair for her friend. They quickly liked each other and fell in love. After 8 months of dating, they decided to get married. From this relationship, they don’t have any biological children but they adopted a daughter Sarai Johnson, a passionate fisherman.
Linda Greenlaw Net Worth
Based on studies, Linda Greenlaw’s estimated net worth amounts to $5 million. Her success as an author greatly contributed to her substantial wealth.
More power to you. I prefer dry land Sasquatch Watch sightings. Later Mike Mooney.