THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

The replica of the Bounty built for the 1962 movie was lost as it attempted to sail from Connecticut to Florida by going around the storm. Sadly they found out the storm was far, far bigger than anticipated. Two members of the crew were lost.

The ship left New London on Thursday, when Sandy was still over Cuba and its path uncertain. But by Friday, it became clear they could not avoid the storm.

On Saturday, as the sea began to get rough, someone posted on Bounty's Facebook page: "Riding the Storm Out...Day 2. I'm sure that Bounty's crew would be overwhelmed by all the prayers and best wishes that have been given. Rest assured that the Bounty is safe and in very capable hands. Bounty's current voyage is a calculated decision ... NOT AT ALL ... irresponsible or with a lack of foresight as some have suggested. The fact of the matter is ... A SHIP IS SAFER AT SEA THAN IN PORT!"

By afternoon Sunday, Bounty's engines had stopped and the ship was taking on water in 50-knot winds. The ship's crew sent distress signals, so when a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules transport plane was dispatched Sunday, they were able to talk to the air crew by radio, as the plane circled overhead.

At first, plans were made to drop pumps aboard by helicopter to help keep the ship afloat. Then Bounty's crew radioed that the water was coming in too fast, about two feet an hour. They were going to abandon the ship, which was being thrown around by heavy seas that seemed to be traveling in every direction.

At 4 a.m., they launched two orange life rafts with canopy roofs and flashing strobe lights on top, and at least 14 of them climbed in, nine in one raft, five in another. It was still unclear Monday night what happed to the other two-the ship's experienced captain, Robin Walbridge, 63, and Claudene Christian, 42, who joined the crew in May while the ship was in Wilmington and whose Facebook page says she is a descendent of Fletcher Christian, the mutineer on the original Bounty played by Brando.

Late Monday afternoon, the Coast Guard recovered Christian's body and took her to Albemarle Hospital in Elizabeth City, where she was pronounced dead. Walbridge, 63, remained missing.

Kudos to the Coast Guard crews for their efforts in difficult conditions.