Question:
Need information on how to get on Alaskan fishing boat this summer. Can
anyone help?
Answer:
-Try going out on an ocean fishing boat on a really windy day. If
you don't get sick, then you probably wont have a problem, but you
never know. Go to doctor and get a prescriiption for scopalamine
patches for sea sickness.
- I did see a documentary on the Discovery
Cahnnel recently, in their "Death on the Job" series. Seems that Alaskan
trawlers present some of the harshest, most dangerous working conditions
imaginable. Crew members work 16-18 hours a day, safety precautions are
often ignored, and accidents are frequent
-Friends of mine in college (about 10 years ago) did a summer in Alaska working
on a fishing boat. The money was good, and they were nuts enough to have a
good time with it. They came home with many wild stories and photos, mostly
of them biting the heads off of fish. They came back glad they did it, but
not ready to ever do it again.
Safety is a big thing, the career guys on these boats never had more than 8
fingers. You're most of the time standing up to your waist in fish guts,
sliding fish towards the automatic cutters. The product is delivered to a
cannery ship which does the canning and delivery, so you NEVER have to put
to shore, except for fuel and food. You'll be at sea for weeks/months.
The money is good, you're paid for the risk to your hands. The hours are
killer, especially since it's never dark out.
If you've got the stones for it, you could have a character building
experience from it, but go with friends so you've got backup in case of
fights, and find out what safety equipment you'll need.
