Maelstrom is a story about the sea, love, loss, addiction, recovery, moral quandaries, evil, pursuit and retribution. The story takes place in coastal New England, Bermuda, Miami and Key West
Ryan Cunningham planned on leaving all his responsibilities behind by sailing his boat South from New England to the Caribbean. Funny how life throws you curve balls. When he leaves the dock his crew has grown to include a beautiful, young, single mother of two in recovery whose trying to put her life back together, her 12 year old daughter, her 5 year old son and a 120lb Black Labrador named Clifton. On the first leg of their trip to Bermuda they survive a two-day storm of hurricane force winds.
In Bermuda they run afoul of an amoral, international drug smuggler and his mega-yacht full of misfits and it will take everything they have to survive his attentions. Ryan is normally a "live and let live" kind of a guy but sometimes that just isn't possible. Ryan finds he has to reach deep, down inside to a dark primitive place in order to survive and save his new family.
The author is a licensed sea captain who has made over 20 sailing trips between New England, Bermuda and the Caribbean. He has also run larger ships in the oil fields, charter boats in the FL Keys, a ferry in Boston Harbor and sailed in the Mediterranean and South Pacific. He lived in Key West for 6 years and currently resides in Sarasota, FL with his wife Louise and their two black labs.
In Bermuda they run afoul of an amoral, international drug smuggler and his mega-yacht full of misfits and it will take everything they have to survive his attentions. Ryan is normally a "live and let live" kind of a guy but sometimes that just isn't possible. Ryan finds he has to reach deep, down inside to a dark primitive place in order to survive and save his new family.
The author is a licensed sea captain who has made over 20 sailing trips between New England, Bermuda and the Caribbean. He has also run larger ships in the oil fields, charter boats in the FL Keys, a ferry in Boston Harbor and sailed in the Mediterranean and South Pacific. He lived in Key West for 6 years and currently resides in Sarasota, FL with his wife Louise and their two black labs.
About Rip Converse, the Author
Rip Converse grew up on the water in a small coastal town in New England and spent my summers sailing and boating in Buzzards Bay, the Elizabeth Islands, Cape Cod and Nantucket. Later in life Converse became a licensed Captain, drove the Cuttyhunk ferry, worked the oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico, ran large charter catamarans out of Key West for 6 years and a ferry in Boston Harbor. He has also raced in the Marion to Bermuda race several times, made over twenty offshore passages between New England, Bermuda and the Caribbean, cruised the Mediterranean and parts of the South Pacific and spent a year living on a classic wooden sloop in Antigua. Drawing on this extensive experience for both inspiration and vivid realism in this, his first novel.
Converse currently live in Sarasota, FL with his wife Louise and their two black labs Emma and Asher. In addition to his writing and boat deliveries he also makes exquisite, custom, sculpted, rocking chairs that sell for $5,000 - $30,000. www.parkerconverse.com
Converse currently live in Sarasota, FL with his wife Louise and their two black labs Emma and Asher. In addition to his writing and boat deliveries he also makes exquisite, custom, sculpted, rocking chairs that sell for $5,000 - $30,000. www.parkerconverse.com
PARKER "RIP" CONVERSE II