The Old Man and the Sea

The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway Serious? How anti climatic was that ending. After everything this old man has gone through, being stubborn to a point where I'm inclined to call it stupid, that's how it ends?
I mean, I get that he had his reasons, but this old fool almost killed himself getting this fish because he hadn't caught anything in 85 days, but come on, at some point you have to cut your losses and move on. And just look what his stubborness bought him... a big load of nothing with a side of pain.
No man.