Testimonials

True Alaskan story … David Putnam, Kodiak, Alaska

He was 16 years old and just got a fishing gig on a small 20-foot skiff with a couple, Jason and Lucy Grier. They took David for his first season of set-net site salmon fishing in Uganik Bay. As they set their nets, two unnoticed mishaps would have devastating effects on their trip and would be followed by a series of deadly mistakes. As the trio circled the bay, they made the mistake of putting the heavier led weights on one side of the boat, creating an uneven distribution of weight on one side. The boat was now tipping to the weighted side and they would soon realize another mistake: the plug had accidently been kicked out, letting the frigid ocean water flood the boat.

They all kept on with their work, un-phased by the leaning boat, until it was too late. When they realized what was happening, the boat was completely swamped. Pumping furiously to rid the water from the boat, Jason, Lucy and David all gathered to one side of the boat – the same side of the boat where all the weights were placed. Overwhelmed, the boat rolled, bobbed for a few moments and then the bow turned straight for the sky.

The three screamed to a boat, 50 yards away. Their screams were muted by the sweeping winds across the bay. No one could hear them. No one had seen their boat sinking. The stern went below the surface and everyone started treading, then it came back up and they held on again, their only means of staying afloat. No one had life jackets on. In fact, there were no life jackets on the boat.

Jason looked to the buoys they had set and swam to what he thought would be a safer option for staying afloat.

David and Lucy stayed bobbing with the boat. Jason called for them to swim to the buoy. David told her not to swim – he knew the chances of being rescued were better if they stayed with the boat since rescuers would spot the boat much easier than a person floating alone in the water. Lucy looked to her husband and without thinking twice, began swimming to him. 

Jason struggled to hold the buoy with one arm and Lucy with the other. Her head barely above water as she kept slipping from Jason’s hold. Finally, Jason let go of the buoy to devote his energy to save his wife.

The tranquil waves whispered tragedy as Lucy’s body went limp and she quietly slipped from Jason’s arms beneath the cold waves. Jason floated alone. Within moments, Jason’s strength was exhausted and he followed his wife. 

David was alone in the water. He’d tread for minutes while the boat was submerged and then cling to the bow as it slowly resurfaced. For one and a half hours he continued this routine and did everything he could think of to stay alert. He sang Sublime as loud as he could in efforts to fight the fatigue from overwhelming his body and mind. He thought about the person he’d become, disappointed with his life choices. He was determined to create a better life for himself.

By this time their fishing lines had drifted in an unruly, awkward formation. The neighboring boat noticed the lines and then saw David. As they maneuvered to David, they came too close and went directly over his head as he ducked below the surface. Slowly and carefully, they circled back and lifted David into their boat. They undressed and gave him all the clothing they had, even putting extra fishing nets on top of his body to help generate and retain any heat.

They circled the bay looking for Jason and Lucy. They found Lucy’s body floating and managed to pull her lifeless body into the boat. Jason was never found.

The Coast Guard arrived and proceeded to treat David. On the way back, they attempted to revive Lucy and reported getting one heartbeat, but they could not bring her back to life.

David planned on being a crab fisherman prior to the accident. And although he lives on an island, he has not fished on a boat since. He now owns a contracting company in Kodiak.

Interview conducted August 13, 2009