p>For those our there who do not know what the "Deadliest Catch" is, let me give you a description. This is a show that is on the Discovery Channel. It follows the working life of several Alaskan crab boats as they work to recieve your future dinner on the Bering Sea. Here is the blurb that the Discovery Channel says about the show...
"Each year, hundreds of fishermen converge on Dutch Harbor, Alaska, for the beginning of the Alaskan king crab season. While at sea, they face nearly 24-hour shifts for days at a time, in less than optimal conditions: 40-foot waves, 80-mph winds, subfreezing weather and 700-pound crab pots slamming against the deck — not to mention a nearly 100 percent injury rate.
But the payoff can be huge: Well-placed pots can collect millions of dollars worth of highly prized king crabs ... or just enough crabs to cover the boat's operating expenses. Whatever the take, the men and their families will feel the effects the rest of the year."
Pretty amazing stuff just so we can all go to Red Lobster. I am completely addicted to this show. I think this is because this is reality TV. I know that they edit a lot of things, and of course show the most interesting stuff, but it is so intriguing. An average of 4 men per year die fishing for crab, making this the deadliest job per year percentage wise. You stand a greater chance of dying on the Bering Sea then being a fire fighter, or a soldier in Iraq. Pretty admirable stuff, you can see why these men have captured my imagination. I know that although there is a part of me that would love it, the rational side of me slaps that idea around and tells me to stay behind my desk.
So next time you wonder why King Crab legs are so expensive, think of the men plying the Bering Sea in January, with the highest death rate of any job in America. These are the guys who make that dinner possible. Thanks...JD