Woman Lost at Sea

The crisp air on her skin on a summer morning in Bristol Bay, Alaska never felt better. Feeling the splash of the ice-cold water on her face as the fish come flying off of the net; her hands stinging from the ripping the remainder of the fish from the net

For the past eight summers, the smell of salt water and fresh fish feel like home to Maggie J. Vincent, a senior at Washington State University.

While some students work at fast food restaurants during the summer to pay for college, Vincent prefers working at a commercial fishing company in Alaska.

“When I was younger, I enjoyed hearing tales of my fathers experiences in Alaska,” Vincent said. “As a child I looked forward to the day that I would be old enough to share in these life experiences first hand.”

However, according to Vincent, spending your summers on a boat in Alaska isn’t a trip to the beach.

“When you’re not pulling up the net and picking fish, you are taking a nap, eating or cleaning the boat,” Vincent said.

A typical day is based on teamwork, according to Vincent. With only four other crewmembers, the group has to take shifts in order to keep a balanced rotation.

More crewmembers were required as the amount of fish caught in the net increased. If vast amounts of fish are caught in the net, the net is ‘smoking’, according to Vincent. If the net is ‘dragging’, it means there is a small amount of fish caught.

“It’s not about the money,” Vincent said. “The life lessons I’ve learned from working at the commercial fishing company make all the difference.”

Vincent has encountered many memorable experiences over the past eight summers in Alaska.

One of her most memorable moments was on the Fourth of July in 2004. Vincent was crossing from her boat to another boat when she hallucinated and fell face first into the tender.

“After a three hour drive to the clinic to get stitches in my chin, I spent the night tonguing the area where my front tooth used to be,” Vincent said.

“Lack of sleep was definitely a factor in my hallucination,” Vincent said. “I probably had five hours of sleep over the course of three days.”

Very few women work in the commercial fishing industry as crew and even less work as skippers.

“The hardest part about working in the commercial fishing industry is when it comes time to pull up the net and try to pull the fish out of the ‘gill net’,” Vincent said. “It’s hard, fast-paced and exhausting.”

“Working in Alaska has taught me a lot about independence and maintaining a good work ethic,” Vincent said.

Vincent plans to continue working at the commercial fishing company in Alaska for as many years as she can.