Lost at Sea: An American Tragedy

... having moved to Anacortes 7 years ago, my contractor told me to read this book, as his father was a fishing captain from here and his mother lost her father when he went down with one of the "A" Boats. I have since befriended other main characters in this very gripping and well written book. The story is gripping, profound, vivid and a poignant reminder to the fallibility of mankind and the dangers of greed. It offers insight into the roots of the culture behind Deadliest Catch, as well as my adopted hometown of Anacortes. Being non-fiction, I am surprised that it does not have an index. The lack of an index hampers its utility as a text or reference book.

Once I got past the scene-setting of the individual seamen who were inevitably the ones who drowned (sorry for that burst of cynicism, but the more touching the personal tale, the more likely they were to be among the lost), the book gets down to the business of telling us about the whole cycle of commercial fishing in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The miracle of this story is that Dillon captures both the personal and the intimate details of the individuals, but he also nails the macro-issues of the industry, its evolution and practices. As an added bonus, he gives us the inner chambers of our government and a cold-eyed view of how laws are actually enacted, a civics lesson that we should read and re-read. Great book, all around. A brilliant feat by Dillon, who makes it all flow so naturally that you don't even know you're reading virtuoso journalism of the highest order.

Yes, LOST AT SEA is a sad tale. How can any book about the loss of life at sea not strike a somber chord? But author Dillon does a fantastic job of examining the probable causes contributing to the sinking of the crab boats "Americus" and "Altair" in Alaska's Bering Sea in 1983. The author's writing is crisp and engaging, and although tragic (14 men died on the two boats) the story itself is incredible! LOST AT SEA more than holds its own against "that other book" and is a must-read for all who enjoy true tales of the sea.

This book is inevitably bound to be missed in all the hoopla attending the release of the film version of Sebastian Junger's "The Perfect Storm." That's a true shame, because Dillon's account of the dangers of commercial fishing in the Bering Sea is not only poignant, but an incisive look into how the loss of human life can bring about public policy changes that will save other lives in the future.If you read the Junger book, you'll like this one, too. Dillon doesn't quite have the flair for characterization or drama that Junger wields, but he does manager to convey the horrors of a sudden capsizing in the frigid sea, a common event which few fishermen survive. The story focuses on the trawlers Americus and Altair, which disappeared in February, 1983, less than 25 miles off the coast of Unalaska Island in a heavily-traveled sea lane. The ships disappeared in relatively calm water. The capsized hull of Americus was spotted a few days later, but sank in 4,200 feet of water before divers could enter the hull and search for survivors or bodies. Altair was never found, save for some small bits of debris. Fourteen men, most of them under the age of 25, died in the sinkings.Dillon covers the disaster's awful impact on the dead men's survivors, then moves on to a careful account of the Coast Guard investigation into the disaster. He fairly gives us hints in the narrative leading up to the sinkings that should tip even the most non-mechanically inclined reader to what probably caused the ships' losses. When it becomes clear later on what that cause was, Dillon's little trick allows us to feel the same sense of dawning horror that the ships' owner, a conscientious and decent man, and architect must have felt when they realized what had happened and that it had been preventable.Finally, Dillon covers the political fall-out of the sinkings, which helped spur Congress to pass the first federal legislation mandating safety precautions on commercial fishing vessels. He tells it straight up -- how the victims' families and the families of other lost fishermen organized to get the law passed, how special interest politics slowed -- and nearly stopped -- its passage and how the persistence of these ordinary citizens and a few legislators finally carried the day.This is a great book for those who love sea disaster stories. Dillon obviously has a great sympathy for the men who fish the Bering Sea and a keen perception of the brutal environment in which they must work and how dangerous their jobs are. He also does a fine job of documenting how the families left behind in Anacortes, Washington, (the home port of the two lost trawlers) lived with the inevitability that tragedy would find its way to their own doorsteps and dealt with the overwhelming sorrow and loss once it did.But this book's real value lies in the account it gives of the political machinations required to pass even the simplest safety legislation. Public policy i

This book gave a good image of what it is like up in the Bering Sea fishing to make a living. I was almost going up there as a fishery observor on the boats for a few months, but I didn't go at the last second. Thank goodness, what those people put themselves through is unbelievable. I agree the money is great, but what is happening up there just makes me mad! I can't believe all the deaths, hardships, and difficulties it took just to install some basic laws, rules, and regulations for the fishery business. Whats going on still to this day, why must the government keep this Olympic system for the king crab industry, everyone knows it is far too dangerous. I am a graduate student in marine fisheries and I plan on making a difference up there in the future. The decline of the fisheries is my #1 concern, and it well should be with the fisherman as well, for it is their livelihood that relies upon it. My next concern is the absolute insanity that goes on just to catch some fish, crabs, etc.

Like The Perfect Storm and Into Thin Air, Lost at Sea is a nonfiction account of a recent tragedy.But Lost at Sea is a better story told my a writer with far more talent. This is the one to read.