Over the Straits by Ernest Haycox

In the Alaskan fish country, the cannery tender Star sets out with a load of valuable red salmon, racing against spoilage, profit, and an oncoming storm. Ernest Haycox turns the journey into a tense sea adventure where rough men make hard choices, and the pressure of business collides with the unforgiving demands of weather and survival. Once the boat clears the shelter of the islands, the crossing becomes a brutal fight against wind, waves, and shrinking margins of safety. Dad, the old cook, and Al, the taciturn engineer, are thrown into a physical struggle in which every detail of seamanship matters—course, compass, mast stays, loose clamps, and the ever-present risk of one hidden weakness bringing disaster. As the storm reaches full fury, the Star is hammered in darkness and the crew is nearly helpless. Then comes the crucial danger: the huge seine net on the stern may be lost, taking with it their best chance of surviving the blow. Ed's desperate attempt to lash himself and reach the stern fails, leaving the men trapped in blackness as the engine falters and the sea closes in. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.