The boy(a young male person [ðə bɔɪ]) was(past tense of 'is'; linking verb [wɑz]) back(returned to the original place [bæk]) now(at the present time [naʊ]) with(accompanied by [wɪθ]) the sardines(small, oily fish [ðə sɑrˈdinz]) and(conjunction; connecting two clauses [ənd]) the two baits(two portions of food used to attract fish [ðə tu beɪts]) wrapped(covered or enclosed in paper or cloth [ræpt]) in(enclosed by [ɪn]) a newspaper(a paper containing news and information [ə ˈnuzˌpeɪpər]) and(conjunction; connecting two clauses [ənd]) they(refers to the boy and another person [ðeɪ]) went down(descended; moved towards a lower place [wɛnt daʊn]) the trail(a path or track through a wild area [ðə treɪl]) to(expressing direction or purpose [tɪ]) the skiff(a shallow, flat-bottomed open boat [ðə skɪf]), feeling(experiencing through the sense of touch [ˈfilɪŋ]) the pebbled sand(sand containing small, smooth stones [ðə pebbled sænd]) under(beneath; below [ˈəndər]) their feet(the lower extremities of their legs [ðɛr fit]), and(conjunction; connecting two clauses [ənd]) lifted(raised; elevated [ˈlɪftɪd]) the skiff(a shallow, flat-bottomed open boat [ðə skɪf]) and(conjunction; connecting two clauses [ənd]) slid(past tense of slide; to move smoothly along a surface [slɪd]) her(referring to the skiff [hər]) into(expressing movement or direction toward the inside of [ˈɪntu]) the water(a clear, colorless, odorless, and tasteless liquid [ðə ˈwɔtər]).
''Good luck old man(An expression of wishing someone success, followed by the term 'old man' which can be a term of endearment or familiarity. [gʊd lək oʊld mæn]).''
''Good luck(An expression of wishing someone success. [gʊd lək]),'' the old man said(The elderly man spoke. [ðə oʊld mæn sɛd]). He fitted(He adjusted or made something suitable. [hi ˈfɪtɪd]) the rope lashings(ropes used to fasten or secure something. [ðə roʊp ˈlæʃɪŋz]) of the oars(belonging to the paddles used to propel a boat. [əv ðə ɔrz]) onto the thole pins(small vertical pegs or pins that fit into the gunwale of a boat and act as fulcrums for oars. [ˈɔntu ðə θoʊl pɪnz]) and, leaning forward(bending his body in a forward direction. [ənd ˈlinɪŋ ˈfɔrwərd]) against the thrust(in opposition to the force. [əˈgɛnst ðə θrəst]) of the blades(of the flat, wide parts of the oars. [əv ðə bleɪdz]) in the water(located in the sea. [ɪn ðə ˈwɔtər]), he began to row(he started to propel the boat using oars. [hi bɪˈgæn tɪ roʊ]) out of the harbour(away from the sheltered area where boats are docked. [aʊt əv ðə ˈhɑrbər]) in the dark(during the absence of light. [ɪn ðə dɑrk]). There were other boats(There existed additional vessels. [ðɛr wər ˈəðər boʊts]) from the other beaches(originating from different coastal areas. [frəm ðə ˈəðər ˈbiʧɪz]) going out to sea(heading towards the open ocean. [goʊɪŋ aʊt tɪ si]) and the old man heard(and the elderly man perceived. [ənd ðə oʊld mæn hərd]) the dip and push(the sound and motion. [ðə dɪp ənd pʊʃ]) of their oars(of their paddles. [əv ðɛr ɔrz]) even though(despite the fact that. [ˈivɪn ðoʊ]) he could not see them(he was unable to visually perceive them. [hi kʊd nɑt si ðɛm]) now the moon was below the hills(because the moon had descended behind the elevated landforms. [naʊ ðə mun wɑz bɪˈloʊ ðə hɪlz]).
Sometimes someone would speak(Occasionally, a person would utter words. [ˈsəmˌtaɪmz ˈsəmˌwən wʊd spik]) in a boat(while situated in a vessel. [ɪn ə boʊt]). But most of the boats(However, the majority of the vessels. [bət moʊst əv ðə boʊts]) were silent(did not produce any sound. [wər ˈsaɪlənt]) except for the dip of the oars(excluding the sound of the paddles entering the water. [ɪkˈsɛpt fər ðə dɪp əv ðə ɔrz]). They spread apart(They moved away from each other. [ðeɪ sprɛd əˈpɑrt]) after they were out(once they had exited. [ˈæftər ðeɪ wər aʊt]) of the mouth of the harbour(the opening of the sheltered area for boats. [əv ðə maʊθ əv ðə ˈhɑrbər]) and each one headed(and every vessel directed its course. [ənd iʧ wən ˈhɛdɪd]) for the part of the ocean(towards a specific area of the sea. [fər ðə pɑrt əv ðə ˈoʊʃən]) where he hoped to find fish(in which the person anticipated discovering marine creatures. [wɛr hi hoʊpt tɪ faɪnd fɪʃ]). The old man knew(The elderly man was aware. [ðə oʊld mæn nu]) he was going far out(he was traveling a considerable distance. [hi wɑz goʊɪŋ fɑr aʊt]) and he left(and he departed from. [ənd hi lɛft]) the smell of the land behind(the scent of the earth receding. [ðə smɛl əv ðə lænd bɪˈhaɪnd]) and rowed out(and propelled the boat. [ənd roʊd aʊt]) into the clean early morning smell(towards the fresh scent of the beginning of the day. [ˈɪntu ðə klin ˈərli ˈmɔrnɪŋ smɛl]) of the ocean(of the sea. [əv ðə ˈoʊʃən]). He saw(He perceived. [hi sɔ]) the phosphorescence(the emission of light. [ðə ˌfɑsfərˈɛsəns]) of the Gulf weed(of the seaweed found in the Gulf. [əv ðə gəlf wid]) in the water(within the sea. [ɪn ðə ˈwɔtər]) as he rowed(while he propelled the boat. [ɛz hi roʊd]) over the part of the ocean(across the area of the sea. [ˈoʊvər ðə pɑrt əv ðə ˈoʊʃən]) that the fishermen called(which the people who catch fish referred to as. [ðət ðə ˈfɪʃərmɪn kɔld]) the great well(a large, deep area. [ðə greɪt wɛl]) because there was a sudden deep(due to the presence of an abrupt depth. [bɪˈkəz ðɛr wɑz ə ˈsədən dip]) of seven hundred fathoms(measuring seven hundred units of depth. [əv ˈsɛvən ˈhənərd ˈfæðəmz]) where all sorts of fish congregated(in which various types of marine creatures gathered. [wɛr ɔl sɔrts əv fɪʃ ˈkɑŋgrɪˌgeɪtɪd]) because of the swirl(due to the circular motion. [bɪˈkəz əv ðə swərl]) the current made(created by the flow of water. [ðə ˈkɑrənt meɪd]) against the steep walls(in opposition to the vertical surfaces. [əˈgɛnst ðə stip wɔlz]) of the floor of the ocean(of the seabed. [əv ðə flɔr əv ðə ˈoʊʃən]). Here there were concentrations(In this location, there were gatherings. [hir ðɛr wər ˌkɑnsənˈtreɪʃənz]) of shrimp and bait fish(of small crustaceans and fish used as lure. [əv ʃrɪmp ənd beɪt fɪʃ]) and sometimes schools of squid(and occasionally groups of cephalopods. [ənd ˈsəmˌtaɪmz skulz əv skwɪd]) in the deepest holes(within the most profound cavities. [ɪn ðə ˈdipəst hoʊlz]) and these rose(and these ascended. [ənd ðiz roʊz]) close to the surface(near the top layer. [kloʊz tɪ ðə ˈsərfəs]) at night(during the hours of darkness. [æt naɪt]) where all the wandering fish(in which all the roaming marine creatures. [wɛr ɔl ðə ˈwɑndərɪŋ fɪʃ]) fed on them(consumed them as food. [fɛd ɔn ðɛm]).
In the dark(refers to a state of low or no light [ɪn ðə dɑrk]) the old man(a man who is advanced in age [ðə oʊld mæn]) could feel(was able to perceive or sense [kʊd fil]) the morning coming(the approach or arrival of the morning; the transition from night to day [ðə ˈmɔrnɪŋ ˈkəmɪŋ]) and as he rowed(while he propelled the boat through the water using oars [ənd ɛz hi roʊd]) he heard(he perceived sound with his ears [hi hərd]) the trembling sound(a sound characterized by shaking or quivering [ðə ˈtrɛmbəlɪŋ saʊnd]) as flying fish(a type of fish that can leap out of the water and glide through the air using their wing-like fins [ɛz flaɪɪŋ fɪʃ]) left the water(exited the water; jumped out of the water [lɛft ðə ˈwɔtər]) and the hissing(a sound resembling a prolonged 's' sound [ənd ðə ˈhɪsɪŋ]) that their stiff set wings(referring to the rigid, extended fins of the flying fish used for gliding [ðət ðɛr stɪf sɛt wɪŋz]) made as they soared away(the sound produced as the flying fish glided or flew away [meɪd ɛz ðeɪ sɔrd əˈweɪ]) in the darkness(in the absence of light [ɪn ðə ˈdɑrknəs]). He was very fond of(He liked very much; he had a strong affection for [hi wɑz ˈvɛri fɑnd əv]) flying fish(a type of fish that can leap out of the water and glide through the air using their wing-like fins [flaɪɪŋ fɪʃ]) as they were(because they were [ɛz ðeɪ wər]) his principal friends(his main or most important companions [hɪz ˈprɪnsəpəl frɛndz]) on the ocean(in the open sea [ɔn ðə ˈoʊʃən]). He was sorry for(He felt pity or sadness for [hi wɑz ˈsɑri fər]) the birds(flying animals with feathers [ðə bərdz]), especially(in particular; above all [əˈspɛʃəli]) the small delicate dark terns(small, fragile, dark-colored seabirds [ðə smɔl ˈdɛləkət dɑrk tərnz]) that were always flying(that were constantly in flight [ðət wər ˈɔlˌweɪz flaɪɪŋ]) and looking(and searching with their eyes [ənd ˈlʊkɪŋ]) and almost never finding(and rarely succeeding in their search [ənd ˈɔlˌmoʊst ˈnɛvər ˈfaɪndɪŋ]), and he thought(he had a thought or idea [ənd hi θɔt]), the birds have(the birds possess or experience [ðə bərdz hæv]) a harder life(a more difficult existence [ə ˈhɑrdər laɪf]) than we do(compared to what we experience [ðən wi du]) except for(excluding; with the exception of [ɪkˈsɛpt fər]) the robber birds(birds that steal food from other birds [ðə ˈrɑbər bərdz]) and the heavy strong ones(and the robust, powerful birds [ənd ðə ˈhɛvi strɔŋ wənz]). Why did they make(Why were they created [waɪ dɪd ðeɪ meɪk]) birds so delicate and fine(birds so fragile and refined [bərdz soʊ ˈdɛləkət ənd faɪn]) as those sea swallows(like those seabirds that resemble swallows [ɛz ðoʊz si sˈwɑloʊz]) when the ocean(considering that the ocean [wɪn ðə ˈoʊʃən]) can be so cruel(can be extremely harsh or merciless [kən bi soʊ kruəl])? She is kind(The ocean is benevolent [ʃi ɪz kaɪnd]) and very beautiful(and extremely attractive [ənd ˈvɛri ˈbjutəfəl]). But she can be(However, the ocean can be [bət ʃi kən bi]) so cruel(extremely harsh or merciless [soʊ kruəl]) and it comes so suddenly(and it happens unexpectedly [ənd ɪt kəmz soʊ ˈsədənli]) and such birds(and birds like these [ənd səʧ bərdz]) that fly, dipping and hunting(that fly, diving briefly, and searching for food [ðət flaɪ ˈdɪpɪŋ ənd ˈhəntɪŋ]), with their small sad voices(with their soft, mournful calls [wɪθ ðɛr smɔl sæd ˈvɔɪsɪz]) are made too delicately(are created too fragilely [ər meɪd tu ˈdɛləkətli]) for the sea(to withstand the harsh conditions of the ocean [fər ðə si]).