Nights of Ice: True Stories of Disaster and Survival on Alaska's High Seas - Paperback

True Stories of Survival on Alaska's Deadliest Waters

Nights of Ice is a critically acclaimed account of the dangerous and harrowing job of fishing off of the treacherous, subzero Alaskan coastline.

Spike Walker has spent more than a decade fishing in the subzero hell of Alaska's coastal waters. This collection--coming on the heels of his classic memoir Working on the Edge--is a testament to the courage of those who brave nature's wrath each fishing season, and to the uncontrolled power of nature herself. The crewmen in Nights of Ice face a constant onslaught of roaring waves, stories-high swells, and life-stealing ice. Tested by the elements, these seamen battle for their vessels and their lives, on every page evincing a level of courage and a will to live seldom found elsewhere in modern society.

Author Expertise from Alaska's Fishing Fleet

Spike Walker brings authentic firsthand experience from working aboard some of the most successful crab boats in the Alaskan fleet. His memoir Working on the Edge was hailed as the definitive account of this perilous trade by James A. Michener. Walker survived one of the worst storms in Alaska's history, lending unmatched credibility to these accounts of maritime survival.

What Readers Experience

Each story in this collection documents the raw reality of commercial fishing in Alaska's coastal waters. The book captures the constant battle against roaring waves, massive swells, and deadly ice formations that threaten vessels and crews. These narratives showcase the exceptional courage and determination required to survive in one of the world's most dangerous occupations.

This paperback edition from St. Martin's Griffin delivers gripping accounts that appeal to readers interested in maritime history, survival narratives, and the human capacity to endure extreme conditions. The book serves as both historical documentation and tribute to those who risk everything on Alaska's high seas.