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Working on the Edge: Surviving In the World's Most Dangerous Profession: King Crab Fishing...
by Spike Walker
Available from Amazon
$10.85
|
Features
Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st pbk. ed edition March 15, 1993
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312089244
ISBN-13: 978-0312089245
Product Dimensions:
9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
From Publishers Weekly
The pay was fabulous--a deckhand could earn $100,000 in four months--but working conditions were nightmarish. Fishing for king crab in Alaskan waters is the most dangerous occupation on earth, stresses Walker, who crewed with the crab fleet during the boom years 1976-84 and here presents bone-chilling tales about men (one woman), ships and the sea. Deckhands frequently worked around the clock, pushing 750-pound crab pots over a pitching deck swept with icy, stinging salt spray, enduring gale-force winds and gigantic waves. Because of the lack of privacy and sleep, irregular meals, darkness and isolation from civilization, the offshore life affects sailors mentally as well as physically. Walker gives a gripping account of the 1981 fall season, with its lost ships and heroic rescues. He combines his personal experiences with sailors' stories for a vivid picture of an occupation that challenges nature. Super adventure. Photos.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Walker shares his experiences of crab fishing off the coast of Alaska in an interesting and informative anecdotal style. Readers will learn that the dangers that make crab fishing such a risky if highly profitable profession don't all come from the sea itself. Fear, depression, greed, and drugs have played a large role as well. "For too many caught up in the 'go to hell' lifestyle . . . there was cocaine--grams of it, ounces of it, pounds and kilos . . . ." And then the fishing industry collapsed due to a number of reasons: natural biological cycles, overfishing, large numbers of predators, disease, etc. Recommended for general collections.
- Mary J. Nickum, Fish & Wildlife Reference Svce., Bethesda, Md.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Reader Reviews
This book is a semi-autobiographical tale of the dangers and rewards of fishing in both the Gulf of Alaska and the Bearing Sea. Spike Walker recounts his 8 years of fishing for crab, as well a touches on some of the cod and other fish caught in these cold waters. Walker talks about both the highs (the ability to earn $100,000 in four months, in the early 80's) and the lows (stories of death, missing fishermen, and rampant drug usage). The book starts when Walker is between jobs and is broke. He calls a former classmate from College who encourages him to travel up to Alaska and "pound the docks" to look for work as a "greenhorn". The work is hard and you must be able to go without sleep for a numbers of hours, days. Spike talks about the reality of getting hired. Many Captains do not like to take out "Greenhorns" as they are not sure what will happen if the person can't take the mental stress that goes with days at sea, while sleep deprived. He mentions one story where someone got into a fight in a galley because they didn't' like the way a guy chewed. As the Captain you are responsible for the safety of all on your boat. You are also responsible for getting the best price for your catch. Walker goes into details on some of the more prominent accidents during the era of his fishing. He spent time interviewing survivors and coast guard personnel to try and determine what was happening and how things went wrong. These stories are portrayed to the reader as some of the ways that make this job one of the most dangerous in the world. You have frigid seas, rogue waves, mechanical malfunctions that are all working against your success as well as mother nature which may cause more than a foot of ice to form on a boat, or hit the boat with a more than 60' wave. Walker breaks the stories down by the time he spends on different boats, fishing for different types of King Crab (red, blue as well as Tanner Crab). I thoroughly enjoyed this non-fiction book. For those who love the Discovery Channels "World's Most Deadliest Catch" this book is a must. You will even recognize the name of some of the ships that came by accidents. It is also a great look into the over fishing that happened in the 80's and how it came about. Well written and interesting.
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Working on the Edge: Surviving In the World's Most Dangerous Profession: King Crab Fishing...
by Spike Walker
Available from Amazon
$10.85
|
|
|
|
