Alaska - The Undiscovered Country

[puduhead]

One of my roommates and I (not Jaquio) are looking into working in Alaska this summer processing fish or whatever they give us 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. We faxed a bunch of applications out today.

anybody here done something like this?

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[SpaceTiger]

> One of my roommates and I (not Jaquio) are looking into
> working in Alaska this summer processing fish or whatever
> they give us 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. We faxed a
> bunch of applications out today.

Is this the thing where you actually go out on the boat? I heard somewhere that Alaskan fishing crews had the world's lowest life expectancy or something.

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[thegodofhellfire]

> anybody here done something like this?

No, but I do have this malformed intention of going to work in New Zealand next summer. Accomodation's sorted, so it only remains to find enough money for plane tickets and actually get a job. Which is far more difficult than it sounds, I'm sure.

Good luck with your own trip, though!

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[maq112k2]

> Is this the thing where you actually go out on the boat? I
> heard somewhere that Alaskan fishing crews had the world's
> lowest life expectancy or something.

I think processing fish is when the fish is cut, ground, or whatever they do in those factories.

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[shawn]

> Is this the thing where you actually go out on the boat? I
> heard somewhere that Alaskan fishing crews had the world's
> lowest life expectancy or something.

Yes it is. They work your ass off in a dark wet cold room that's moving just like the boat and there's a good chance you could cut or stab yourself. The pace is supposed to be breakneck and your out to sea from anywheres from 2 - 6 weeks depending on how good the fishing is. A friend of mine did this back in the late 80's and he said it was the hardest work he had ever done and he ended up making $1200 a week for 3 weeks work but he said it was like hell working out there and he wouldn't do it again unless he was really desparate. <img src=smilies/cwm11.gif>

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[Garrot]

I've also heard, in addition to what shawn said, that if you don't work the amount of time you signed up for they just let you go, without the money that you would have supposedly earned in that week period (or whatever you signed up for). So you better be willing to commit....unless this is someone you know that you're signing up with or something.

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[puduhead]

there's lots of other work besides on the ships. they process the fish on land.

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[puduhead]

> I've also heard, in addition to what shawn said, that if you
> don't work the amount of time you signed up for they just
> let you go, without the money that you would have supposedly
> earned in that week period (or whatever you signed up for).
> So you better be willing to commit....unless this is someone
> you know that you're signing up with or something.

Yes I'm committed. It's 3 months. That's not much really. I knocked doors for 2 years in another state for the LDS church. I think I can take it.

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[World_Demise]

I haven't, but I know people that have. Watch The perfect storm, you'll get an idea what it's like. Many long hours, 20 and up aren't uncommon, you fighting against raging storms to stay on your feet, but the pay is good. Even the lowest ranked people on some of these boats make around 50 grand a year.

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[puduhead]

> Many long hours, 20 and up aren't uncommon, you fighting
> against raging storms to stay on your feet, but the pay is good.
> Even the lowest ranked people on some of these boats make
> around 50 grand a year.

I don't even know if I'll be on a boat, but i'm not against that. I've got a lot of ocean sailing experience under my belt. i don't get motion sick and I'm good on my feet.

as for the long hours, I used to work around the clock for my software company before they laid me off. and I was salary so I didn't even get anything extra except a pat on the back.

coffee is your friend.

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[Jaquio]

> coffee is your friend.
>
I second that emotion.

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[Danoz]

> Is this the thing where you actually go out on the boat? I
> heard somewhere that Alaskan fishing crews had the world's
> lowest life expectancy or something.

There you go SpaceTiger, send him away floatin'! <img src=smilies/cwm11.gif>

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