▁Andrea ▁G ail , ▁he ▁lived ▁above ▁his ▁favorite ▁hang - out , ▁The ▁Crow ' s ▁N est , ▁where ▁his ▁mother , ▁Eth el , ▁would ▁tend ▁the ▁bar . ▁Bobby ▁was ▁d ating ▁Christ ina ▁" Chr is " ▁Cot ter , ▁whom ▁he ▁met ▁through ▁his ▁sister , ▁Mary ▁Anne . ▁Chris ▁soon ▁became ▁his ▁f iance . ▁Bobby ▁had ▁two ▁children ▁from ▁a ▁previous ▁marriage . ▁He ▁accepted ▁the ▁spot ▁on ▁Andrea ▁G ail ▁because ▁he ▁needed ▁money ▁to ▁pay ▁the ▁child ▁support ▁that ▁he ▁ow ed ▁his ▁ex - w ife . ▁Bobby ▁planned ▁this ▁fish ing ▁trip ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁last ▁one ▁before ▁sett ling ▁down ▁and ▁marry ing ▁Chris . ▁It ▁was ▁said ▁that ▁Bobby ▁was ▁not ▁only ▁the ▁young est ▁fish erman ▁on ▁the ▁boat , ▁but ▁the ▁most ▁in ex per ien ced ▁as ▁well . ▁D ale ▁" M ur ph " ▁Mur phy : ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁story ▁Mur ph ▁is ▁ 3 3 ▁years ▁old . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁from ▁Brad ent on ▁Beach , ▁Florida . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁phys ically ▁described ▁to ▁have ▁sh ag gy ▁black ▁hair , ▁a ▁thin ▁be ard , ▁and ▁Mong ol ian ▁eyes . ▁ ▁Mur ph ▁has ▁a ▁three - year - old ▁child ▁and ▁an ▁ex - w ife ▁named ▁Deb ra . ▁ ▁Mur ph ▁is ▁the ▁cook ▁for ▁Andrea ▁G ail . ▁David ▁" S ul ly " ▁S ull ivan : ▁A ▁h ired ▁fish erman ▁who