Working on the Edge: Surviving in the World's Most Dangerous Profession: King Crab Fishing on Alaska's Highseas

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Spike Walker

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Overview

No profession pits man against nature more brutally than king crab fishing in the frigid, unpredictable waters of the Bering Sea. The yearly death toll is staggering (forty-two men in 1988 alone); the conditions are beyond most imaginations (90-mph Arctic winds, 25-foot seas, and super-human stretches of on-deck labor); but the payback, if one survives can be tens of thousands of dollars for a month-long season.

In a breathtaking, action-packed account that combines his personal story with the stories of survivors of the industry's most harrowing disasters, Spike Walker re-creates the boom years of Alaskan crab fishing—a modern-day gold rush that drew hundreds of fortune-and adventure-hunters to Alaska's dangerous waters—and the crash that followed.

Now in paperback, a dramatic insider's account of the world's most dangerous profession: king-crab fishing in the frigid waters of the Bering Sea where the conditions are beyond most imaginations (90 mph Arctic winds, 25-foot seas, and superhuman stretches of on-deck labor). But the payback, if one survives, can be tens of thousands of dollars for a month-long season. Photographs.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780312089245
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication date: 3/28/1993
Edition description: REV
Edition number: 1
Pages: 312
Sales rank: 286,048
Product dimensions: 6.18 (w) x 9.24 (h) x 0.82 (d)

Meet the Author

Spike Walker spent nine seasons as a crewman aboard some of the most successful crab boats in the Alaskan fleet. While "working on the edge," the crewman's term for laboring in the brutal outer reaches of the Berin Sea, Spike encountered 110-mph winds, roade out one of the worst storms in Alaska's history, worked nonstop for seventy-four hours without sleep, participated in record catches of king crab, saw ships sink, helped rescue their crews, and had close friends die at sea. He currently lives in Clatskanie, Oregon, and returns each year to fish for halibut in Alaska.

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Loves_to_read63

Posted June 1, 2011

Loved it!!!

I really enjoyed this book. It was one of those books that you cant put down and stay up late reading!! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading about Alaska and hard yet enjoyable life of being an Alaska fisherman!
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No-Mersea

Posted February 7, 2010

I Also Recommend:

A High Seas Adventure

From Kodiak to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, Spike Walker's book Working on the Edge: Surviving in the World's most Dangerous Profession: King Crab Fishing on Alaska's High Seas is a heart-pounding adventure in the occupation of crab fishing. This book will take you on a one of a kind adventure with insights from greenhorns to the most experienced deckhands and skippers mixed with horrifying tales of seas gone wild and the troubles of crabbing. It is a unique firsthand account of life on the edge. Walker's descriptions of life at sea and on the dock are delightful while conjuring up vivid images. It is like you can feel the arctic cold rush through you and taste the salty sea spray. If you are looking for a thrilling read, this is your book. However, it is also a wonderful guide detailing what crabbing is like and provides excellent insights and advice for would-be greenhorns. It discusses the highs and lows of working on a boat, with an emphasis on the dangers and sad stories of the wasteful deaths that happen by accident or careless and rash decisions. There is also a stress on the amount of hard work that goes into a job such as crab fishing and a need for flexibility that comes with an independent style of life. Also, it talks about the extravagance that fishermen experience when they strike it rich on crab populations. It can be a pressure-filled job where word-of-mouth goes a long way into making it to the elite crab boats. I loved the blend of stories from Walker's experiences and those of other crabbers. Also, Walker does an excellent job of explaining terms that the average person who has never been on a crab boat would not understand. It was a pleasure reading this book and learning about this unique, dangerous, and exciting profession. I would give it the highest ratings and would recommend it to anyone who thinks their job is tough. Working on the Edge puts life in perspective and gives a wonderful look into the world of working on a crab boat.
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Anonymous

Posted October 14, 2007

A reviewer

This is a book I would think about while at work. I could not wait to get home each evening to pick up where I left off. One of the best books I have ever read. The book makes you feel like you are living the events with the crew. I highly recomend this book to any reader!
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Anonymous

Posted August 6, 2007

Great book

Its hard to put down. Its composed of many short stories, so interruptions wont leave you lost if you take your time coming back, but I don't think that will happen. If you like the Deadliest Catch on discovery channel, you will love this book. Really defines the history Alaskan Crab Fishing well.
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Anonymous

Posted August 10, 2006

Awsome BOOK!!!

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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Anonymous

Posted July 4, 2006

AWESOME

One of the best books I have ever read. So discriptive and interesting that I had to restrain myself from finishing the book too quickly. Accurately portrays the life of crab fishermen. Highly reccomended
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Anonymous

Posted August 31, 2001

Outstanding

One of the hardest books to set aside yet even harder to read as you seem to put yourself aboard one of the vessels during its time of live or die situations. I have read all three of his books to date and found that once you read one you will be in a bookstore ordering the others if not found on the shelf. Of the three 'Working on the Edge' gives one a whole new perspective and the utmost respect for those men who risk their lives each time they leave port. I've lost some friends over time in this trade but I have gained a knowledge after reading this book and the others from Spike, as to what they were really up against.
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Anonymous

Posted April 13, 2001

Unbelievable

Growing up in a fishing community in The Bay of Fundy I could almost relate to this experience . Spike Walker took me to places I was too young to get to on my own (Crab fishing in Alaska ) . I picked up this book just to flip through , but soon found I couldn't put it down . At times I was excited by the money and adventure , and moments later found I was scared to death . Spike made me feel as if I were really there , and sometimes wish I had been . What a great book !!
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Anonymous

Posted March 11, 2000

Kept me off the computer

I have not even checked my e-mail since I began to read this one. My only regret is that I can't sit down for several hours at a time to read it. I have to be satisfied with one hour shots, but I just can't seem to wait for those one hour shots to come.
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