Long before "The Perfect Storm," the 1935 August Gale roared northeast. The surf raged along the New York and New Jersey shores as the gale whirled toward Newfoundland. Waves as tall as three-story houses swamped ships; monster combers broke masts in two About the Author: Barbara Walsh is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and magazine columnist who has chased many stories during her career; her work has changed laws, lives, and affected the 1988 presidential election. She is also the author of Sammy in the Sky, a children's book illustrated by painter Jamie Wyeth. Barbara lives in Maine with her two daughters, husband, and a Tennessee coonhound.