8
Crowded Waters
VOC A B U L A R Y / CON T E X T / D E F I N I T I ON
pitched
“As the ship pitched and yawed, Thad noted
that Pa was gripping the wheel
yawed
tightly.” (lurched) (swerved)
unpredictable
“But it was spring, and everything was
unpredictable.” (changeable)
treacherous
“Those tides made the way tricky…and
potentially treacherous.” (hazardous, perilous)
channel
“Don't often see the channel this crowded.”
(waterway)
veer
“The two sailing ships tried to veer off.” (swerve)
rudder
“The Columbine had lost its rudder.”
(steering mechanism)
havoc
“If we let that ship drift…she'll create havoc
in the lanes.” (chaos, destruction)
Question/Predict/Evaluate
1. What kinds of risks might a sea captain take on a day such as today?
2. What makes a boat difficult to maneuver?
3. What does Pa mean when he says “Bad weather makes bad seamen worse, good ones better.”?
4. What happened between the Bonnie Brea and the Columbine? What is the danger the Columbine now
poses to the other boats in the water?
5. What decision does Captain Bates make about the Columbine? What does this show about the captain?
What does it mean to his business? Would you have made this decision?
6. Reread the last line of this chapter. What does the author mean by this?
7. What questions would you like to have answered in the next chapter?
The Newspaper Connection
1. How would you summarize the action of this chapter in a headline?
2. Captain Bates makes a decision that is probably not in his best interests but the interests of others. Can you
find an example in the news of someone who made a decision that will help the greater good rather than
one's self?
3. Find different newspaper articles that would appeal to Thad, Abigail, and Captain Bates. Explain why each
would interest them.
CHA P T E R 3
