Miracle In The Bering Sea

By Bruce Bouley

Follow the adventures of Elliot, Makya aboard the fishing vessel Northern Lights. As deckhands they venture into unknown dangers in the Bering Sea as they search for the most sort after Alaskan King and Opilio crab. Working 20-hour shifts, contending with flaring tempers, they try to beat the odds of surviving a million square miles of the most deadliest sea in the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bruce Bouley
• Release date: Feb 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311616517

Bruce Bouley

B. A. Bouley was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on May 11. He attended Griswold High School, in Jewett City, Connecticut. Twelve years he worked as a police officer for the City of Norwich in Connecticut. After retiring from the position of Coordinator of Safety at a hospital in Connecticut. Relocating to Ocala, Florida, in 2008 where he currently resides after being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. He is now pursuing his passion for writing fiction novels. As an amateur writer Bruce at this time has published three books and is currently working on a fourth.

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Miracle In The Bering Sea

Bruce A. Bouley

Published by Bruce A. Bouley at Smashwords

Copyright 2009 Bruce A. Bouley

ISBN:

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, some places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

This book is dedicated to my son Shane and his wife,

my daughter-in-law, Charlene.

If it wasn’t for their inspiration and support

I would have never have taken the time to write this book.

FOREWORD

I was inspired to write this book after my son introduced me to the Discovery Channel series Deadliest Catch. Even though the characters and the incidents in this book are fictitious, some of the places, fishing technique, and perils of the Bering Sea are real.

The Bering Sea crab fisheries are among the most dangerous in the United States. Intense competition and fisheries restrictions have forced many operators to take incredible risks in their quest to make a living.

In a ten-year period, sixty-six people died as a result of capsizing, sinking, man overboard, and industrial accidents. It was revealed that the most common cause has been vessels capsizing, claiming forty-one people on eleven vessels. The U.S. Coast Guard had determined that the most likely cause was vessel overloading.

The vessels engaged in the Alaskan crabbing industry use pots to harvest the crab. The pots are approximately seven square feet and weigh up to 750 pounds or more. Many of the vessels would not safely carry the total number of pots that they were allowed to fish. In 1999, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game imposed pot limits for the October Bristol Bay king crab season as a way to manage the amount of crab taken. With the large number of vessels, nearly 260 that participated, and their tremendous catching power, the fishing seasons were typically very short, averaging about five to six days.

To be economically competitive, they had to catch as much crab as possible and as quickly as possible before the season is closed. This resulted in a decline in Bering Sea crab stocks, which resulted in closures of several major crab fisheries. The significant drop in supply also resulted in a substantial increase in the price of crab.

The October 1999 Bristol Bay king crab and the January 2000 Bering Sea opilio crab had become the make it or break it seasons. Economically strapped, the boat owners were under intense pressure to maximize their catch. Delays in fishing could result in significant loss of income to the boat owners. This resulted in safety issues; the increase pressure created significant incentives for the captains to overload their vessels with crab pots and to have the crews fish without rest.

This prompted the Coast Guard to review vessel loading and stability issues in an effort to create a safer work environment and to deter overloading. This prompted the Coast Guard inspectors who were accompanied by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, a week before the crab season, to go aboard each crab boat still in port to ensure compliance with state regulations. The Coast Guard inspectors would review loading and stability issues with the captains and check for overloading.

These inspections turned out to be very successful and helped promote safety aboard the vessels.

In 2005, the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Crab Rationalization Program was implemented. Crab rationalization is the change in crab-fishing regulations. The 2004/2005 season was the last crab-fishing season of derby-style fishing where fishing vessels and crews literally raced out unto the Bering Sea to catch as much crab as possible before the end of the season was announced. Beginning in the 2005/2006 the Crab Rationalization Program season went into effect, the crab-fishing fleet was actually reduced from approximately 250 fishing vessels to approximately eighty. That was the immediate effect of crab rationalization where each boat is given an IFQ, or individual fishing quota, to fish based on their average catch from previous years. There are many other details to crab rationalization that are unpleasant to fishermen, Alaskans, and people who care about the Alaskan fisheries. Even though this program was to control the crab harvest and promote additional safety, it has caused an economic hardship of individual boat owners, crews, communities, and individuals who have lost their jobs because of the reduction in the crabbing fleet.

Even though the controversy continues whether crab rationalization has benefited the industry and has made it safer is irrelevant. The fact remains that crab fishing in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands is still rated as one of the most dangerous jobs. No matter how many safety standards they implement on the Bering Sea crabbing fleet, these cannot control the weather and sea conditions that these brave men and women risk their lives in to harvest this much sought-after catch.

This book will hopefully pay homage to those who have lost their lives and to the many that continue to risk their lives season after season to bring to our table the succulent taste of Alaskan king and opilio crab.

CHAPTER I

It was the Christmas holidays in Kodiak, Alaska. Elliot Martel was relaxing in his den after having one of his wife’s excellent Christmas dinners. His children were in the living room playing with the new gifts that Santa brought them on Christmas. It just didn’t seem fair that he should be relaxing with a bottle of beer and a cigarette waiting for his meal to digest while his wife, Dyre and Kirima, their friend, continued to work clearing the table of the dishes and putting the leftovers away.

Elliot thought back to the time he first met Dyre.

He remembered meeting her literally by accident. It was summer in Kodiak; Dyre had just moved to Kodiak from Seattle with her family, and she was working at a local A&W carhop restaurant after school. The carhop restaurant was a local after-school hangout. It was a unique restaurant where the customers would park in the parking lot, and the waitresses on roller skates would come to the cars to take the orders. When they came back with the order, the customer would put their window down about three-quarters of the way. The carhop would then hook the tray on the window with the food order. Elliot had just passed his driver’s test and was rewarded with a driver’s license. Elliot had picked up, his friend, Makya and drove to the carhop restaurant. They parked and put the headlights on to get the carhop’s attention so they could place their order. The waitress came skating over to them. Elliot could not help but notice her long curly golden blonde hair blowing around as sheskated toward them. She wore a white long-sleeve blouse with a brown bow tie, a brown vest, and brown spandex pants that accented her shapely body. She wore roller skates that were white in color with brown shoelaces. As she came to Elliot’s window, he could not help being taken in by her beautiful blue eyes; and as she began to speak, her perfectly maintained white teethsparkled in the afternoon sunlight. She had a hypnotizing smile with a subtle touch of lipstick. Her name tag read Dyre.

Elliot asked her how she pronounced her name. She said, Dear. She then asked in return, What’s your name?

He said, Elliot, and it’s pronounced just the way it sounds.

She laughed a cheerful laugh. She said, OK, now that we have the formalities out of the way. May I take your orders?

Makya ordered his usual triple-decker cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and bacon on it and a large Coke. Elliot ordered two foot-long hot dogs with relish, fries, and a large strawberry milk shake.

After about fifteen minutes, Dyre came skating back with the order and set the tray on the rolled-down window.

She then said, That will be $8.40.

Elliot told Makya that he would pay for the food. As he collected his money, he reached out the window to hand it to Dyre. His left arm struck the top of his milk shake that was sitting on the tray. The shake started to rock dangerously, and as Elliot quickly tried to stabilize the shake, he only

made matters worse; and the shake, as if in slow motion, toppled over. Before Dyre could get out of the way, her outfit was accented with the milky reddish strawberry shake. Elliot, forgetting the tray was on the window, opened his car door quickly to help her, not realizing how close she was to the car. As he opened the door, the door struck Dyre, knocking her to the ground; along with the food on the tray.

Elliot said, I’m so sorry how stupid of me. Are you ok?

Even though she tried to make it look like she was mad as she looked at Elliot, she could not help but laugh because of the blank, confusing, and concerned look on his face, which was now beet red from embarrassment.

Dyre said, I’m OK . . . even though I think my day is over since I can’t continue working in these clothes. She continued, I’ll need to call my parents to get a ride.

Makya whispered over Elliot’s shoulder, Offer her a ride, stupid. Now’s your chance to make this situation good.

Elliot then said to Dyre, The least I could do is give you a ride home . . . please at least allow me to do that.

Dyre looked at Elliot, laughed, and said, As long as you promise to get me home safely . . . no more accidents!

Elliot promised.

She told Elliot, I’ll be just a few minutes. I just need to get my things. Be right back, promise.

Makya looked at Elliot and remarked, Nice move . . . I never tried to do anything like that to pick up a girl.

Elliot snapped, It was an accident!

Makya said as he put his hands up in a defensive position as to stop from being hit, OK! Whatever you say, and continued to laugh. Makya then said, Don’t leave it here. When you drop her off, make sure you tell her you want to make it up to her by treating her to a nice, relaxed night out.

Dyre came back to Elliot’s car, climbed into the backseat, and said, 1341 Summerfield Place. Elliot had a blank stare, and she repeated, That’s where I live, 1341 Summerfield Place. Unless you’re a mind reader, I don’t think you know where I live.

Elliot then said, Oh yeah sorry.

As they drove to Dyre’s house, they talked and joked; and she told him how she was new to the area, just moving from Seattle because her dad was promoted and had to transfer to the Kodiak factory. When they arrived at her house, Elliot, being the gentleman he was, got out first and then opened the door for Dyre. He then walked her to the front door and couldn’t help but notice that she was much shorter then she initially appeared. He thought that the roller skates definitely made her appear taller.

When they were at the front door, Elliot then sprung the question, I’d really like to make this up to you. Since I caused you to miss a day’s work, could I take you out one of these nights for a relaxing dinner? . . . and maybe even show you some of the sights around Kodiak since you’re new to the area. It would make me feel better after all of the trouble I caused you.

Dyre looked at Elliot and knew he was sincere and said, I’d like that as long as you promise not to spill anything else on me. Elliot responded, Great! I’ll give you a call, and we can set something up. Elliot continued, OK. I’ll see you later.

As Elliot turned to walk back to the car, it was as if his feet were not touching the ground. It was as if he was floating from all the excitement.

Elliot was shocked back to reality when he heard Dyre saying, 385-7709. Elliot turned and looked at her with a blank stare. She said again, My phone number . . . 385-7709 . . . I think you’re going to need it if you really meant you were going to call me.

Elliot responded, Oh yeah . . . sorry, and smiled.

Dyre then said, Tell Makya bye, and make sure you thank him for having you ask me out. She laughed as she disappeared into the house. Elliot thought, Was it that obvious? That was the beginning of a long relationship that eventually led to marriage.

Elliot was brought back to the present when he heard Dyre’s voice coming from the kitchen. Dyre knew that Elliot had just come back from a hard, cold king crab season in the Bering Sea and that this rest was well deserved.

Elliot thought how lucky he was to have such a wonderful and loving wife like Dyre and their two beautiful children. They had decided to have their children late in life. They had been blessed with a boy and a girl. The oldest was his son, Tayte, whose name was Scandinavian meaning happy; and that, Tayte was. Tayte in October had turned ten, and as usual, Elliot missed his birthday again because he was in the middle of the Bering Sea earning a comfortable living for his family by fishing Alaskan king crab. On Tayte’s birthday, Elliot would always take the time from piloting his boat to call his wife on the sat phone and talk to Tayte to wish him a happy birthday. At ten years old, Tayte was the normal mischievous boy; and even if Elliot said so himself, a handsome boy with his fair complexion and blonde hair. Elliot hoped when Tayte grew up that he would not want him to follow in his footsteps but would go to college and get a better education and a safer job then he had. However, Elliot felt this was going to be a problem because Tayte loved to go on his boat. He would always ask Elliot when he would be old enough to go out fishing with him. He would tell Tayte if he took him to sea, there would be no one around to be the man of the house. Someone had to take care of his mom and sister. He would remind Tayte it was his job when he was out to sea. Tayte would then straighten himself up and tell his father not to worry because he would watch over his mom and Freya. Tayte would then turn and walk away with that extra bounce in his step.

Their daughter of six was petite like her mother, and she was the apple of Elliot’s eye. Dyre had named their daughter Freya, which meant noble woman or highborn lady. She was a spitting image of her mom when Dyre was around six years old. Freya had golden blonde hair that was naturally curly. She always loved to have her mom do her hair in pigtails with berets in them.

Because it was Christmas, her berets were red with little snowmen on them. Freya had big blue eyes, and her cheeks were plump and rosy. Her smile and laugh could melt the hardest of hearts. Because it was Christmas, Freya was preoccupied with her gifts. If it was any other time she would be attached to Elliot at the hip and would mimic everything Elliot would do from the time he arrived home until he left on the next crab season. Her usual spot when watching television was on Elliot’s lap, and she would lean back with her head resting in the fold between his arm and chest. Normally, she would sit there until she fell asleep. Once asleep, Elliot would then carry her to her bedroom and gently place her on the bed. He would prop her little pillow under her tiny head and pull the blanket over her angelic body. Elliot would stare at her for several minutes and think how wonderful the miracle of life was. He would then walk from the room and close her door until it was slightly ajar, causing the light from the hallway to create a halo effect around her golden face. His little angel, he thought.

After taking a puff of his cigarette, something that he had been meaning to give up, and a drink from his beer, he thought back to when he was a greenhorn with Makya and how they got the job on their first crabbing boat. It was hard to believe that it has been nearly twenty years from the time they first started in the crabbing industry.

All newcomers to the crabbing industry were tagged as greenhorns, and they would be no exception. It was like yesterday when they were sitting in the local pub in Dutch Harbor known as the Elbow Room.

The Elbow Room was Dutch Harbor’s most notorious bar. He could recall sitting in the Elbow Room with Makya in the days when the waitresses could easily earn several hundred dollars in tips in a single night from fishermen who have just came in from their season catch, with thousands of dollars in their pockets. Oh yes, there were the occasional fights that would break out. When the fight broke out, the patrons would push out who ever was fighting onto the street outside, and the bar would then lock the doors until everything was settled down again. After all was said and done, the two contestants would then clean themselves off, shake hands, and come back into the bar and buy everyone another round of drinks. The fight was over, and everyone was good friends again. This was just another way to vent after spending several sleepless and dangerous weeks on the Bering Sea.

It was here at the Elbow Room that greenhorns like Elliot and Makya would try to secure a job on one of the many crabbing boats. The Elbow Room was the place where the skippers of the crabbing fleet gathered, and if there was any recruiting for a greenhorn, this was where it would take place. Elliot and Makya had traveled for three days from Kodiak to Dutch Harbor on the ferry Weathered Storm to hopefully get their first opportunity to work on a crabbing boat.

There were other forms of transportation to get to Dutch Harbor. One could fly into Dutch Harbor Airport from Kodiak on Alaska Airlines or Peninsula Airways. These flights could take anywhere from six to ten hours, and the cost could range from several hundreds to a thousand dollars or more round-trip. This was extremely expensive for a couple of adventurers who didn’t even know if they would be able to get a job. Elliot worked in a furniture factory, and Makya worked as a short-order cook in a local restaurant.

The other thing to consider when flying into Dutch was that it was not the safest airport to land at. The airport was very tricky since it was surrounded by water and mountains. The runway was 3,900 feet long. On the northwest side was the sixteen-hundred-foot Ballyhoo Mountain, and on the southeast, there was water. At the very end of runway 30, there was more water and then again, more water off the departure end of runway 12. If you made it through all of that, then there is the unpredictable weather that you have to deal with where the crosswinds at the airport could easily vary between fifty and seventy-five knots, and the unpredictable fog at times would create zero visibility. Many planes have been known to crash while attempting a landing, and Dutch Harbor Airport was known as the third most dangerous airport to land at in Alaska. Because of the unpredictable conditions at Dutch Harbor, many of the landings are either cancelled or aborted, and flights have to divert to Cold Bay approximately 145 miles to the northeast. So for that reason, not only was the ferry the least expensive and the slowest means of transportation, it was more than likely the safest.

Elliot had just turned twenty-one, and Makya was twenty, and both were full of piss and vinegar and felt like they could take on the world alone.What they were told about how dangerous and exhausting crab fishing was and that 75 percent of the greenhorns that go to sea on crabbing boats for the first time never work on them again didn’t matter. Elliot remembered thinking that these were just stories that old salts made up to pass the time. It really couldn’t be as hard as they made it out to be. Anything was better than continuing to work in the furniture factory or as a mechanic for minimum wage. Elliot also worked as a mechanic part-time in the local garage.

Makya worked as a short-order cook in a local restaurant in Kodiak called Tom’s Great Alaskan Burgers. Makya loved to cook and was good at it. He always talked about going to culinary school. However, it did not take much for Elliot to convince Makya to come with him on this latest adventure.

Elliot and Makya grew up together since grammar school. Makya was handsome even as a child and always seemed to have either the girls chasing him or, on most occasions, the boyfriends of the girls chasing him. This didn’t bother him, and Makya really considered this a very entertaining sport to see how many times he could get a girl to go out with him when she said she was committed to another. He was tall and, at the age of twenty, stood approximately six foot two. His dark black hair was shoulder length, and at times, he would tie it in a ponytail. Makya weighed around 230 pounds, and it was pure muscle. No matter how often he would shave, it always looked like he had a day’s growth of beard. Makya would never back down from a fight and always put himself in harm’s way to protect Elliot. He always looked good no matter what he wore. In high school, he was the captain of his wrestling team, and the only time he lost the state high school wrestling championship was in his freshman year.

While in sixth grade, they were studying about the Native Americans and how they became blood brothers with the white man. While they were walking home from school, Makya took out his pocketknife, and he and Elliot cut their