Coming Back Alive - The True Story Of The Most Harrowing Search And Rescue Mission Ever Attempted On Alaska's High Seas

by Spike Walker

When the fishing vessel La Conte sinks suddenly at night in one-hundred-mile-per-hour winds and record ninety-foot seas during a savage storm in January 1998, her five crewmen are left to drift without a life raft in the freezing Alaskan waters and survive as best they can.One hundred fifty miles away, in Sitka, Alaska, an H-60 Jayhawk helicopter lifts off from America's most remote Coast Guard base in the hopes of tracking down an anonymous Mayday signal. A fisherman's worst nightmare has become a Coast Guard crew's desperate mission. As the crew of the La Conte begin to die one by one, those sworn to watch over them risk everything to pull off the rescue of the century.Spike Walker's memoir of his years as a deckhand in Alaska, Working on the Edge, was hailed by James A. Michner as "masterful . . . will become the definitive account of this perilous trade, an addition to the literature of the sea." In Coming Back Alive, Walker has crafted his most devastating book to date. Meticulously researched through hundreds of hours of taped interviews with the survivors, this is the true account of the La Conte's final voyage and the relationship between Alaskan fishermen and the search and rescue crews who risk their lives to save them.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Survival, Adventure, Memoir, Maritime, Nautical

Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Eric_W · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** Contains multiple spoilers. ** Walker celebrates the Coast Guard SAR (Search and Rescue — not to be confused with SARS) teams that operate in Alaska's forbidding winters. These people risk their lives to save those who have usually made some really dumb decisions. Flying at any time in Alaska is difficult because of the terrain and sudden weather changes, but virtually no one flies at night. SAR teams are often called out at night and usually in the worst weather. Sensory deprivation is common, especially in the whiteout conditions of blizzards, when pilots can only depend on their fluorescent radar screens and instruments to keep them from "a controlled collision with terrain." The other members of the team, a flight mechanic, a rescue swimmer, and a navigator often make the difference between life and death. One such team was returning to base after having successfully rescued the survivors of a plane crash. The pilot was a newcomer to the area and had just made a ninetydegree course correction when "his navigator, who was seated behind him, suddenly inquired, 'Hey, is there a reason we're flying at only sixteen feet?'"

About half the book is dedicated to a truly extraordinary rescue. A fishing boat with five crewmen had been caught in a fierce, very fierce winter storm. (The crew had warned the captain to leave the area earlier, but he wanted to collect as much of his fishing gear as possible and ignored their warnings, a decision that would cost him his life.) Soon their boat was being tossed around by one-hundred-foot seas and nasty rogue waves that could come from any direction. The wind chill approached 100 degrees below zero. The boat soon foundered, but the men were able to don their survival suits, and to tie themselves together to the EPIRB, a floating emergency beacon that had a strobe light and radio transmission that could be picked up by satellite. They struggled to stay alive in the freezing water until the first SAR chopper arrived. It was pitch dark, and only the strobe light of the beacon helped the SAR team to find them. The Coast Guard team maneuvered for almost two hours, fighting against tremendous winds and waves that would occasionally tower over the helicopter, forcing them to rapidly rise before being inundated. The basket kept being blown toward the back of the chopper at risk of becoming entangled in the tail rotor blades. Finally, low on fuel and with the flight mechanic, whose job it was to control the metal basket they were trying to lower, suffering from hypothermia, they were forced to turn back. A second rescue chopper was dispatched to no avail. The waves were so high and the wind so strong that getting a basket anywhere near those in the water was impossible. Again they were forced to return to base. By this time, the men had been in the water for many hours and one man had slipped off the rope and died. The boat's skipper was unconscious, being held up by one of the crewmen, ironically a former coast guardsman, someone familiar with survival techniques. By the time a third chopper arrived, the situation was desperate. A C-130 was flying high overhead to relay messages, since the atmosphere was so turbulent their signals could not get through. This SAR team, benefiting from the insights gained information relayed by the first rescue crew, brought extra flares and an extra crewman to help with the winch. The base commander, the only other available pilot, was flying in the co-pilot's seat. After seeing how difficult things were for the pilot to try to maintain position, he hit upon an inspiration. He would manipulate the collective, the device that controls the helicopter's altitude, while the other pilot flew the machine. It went against everything they had been taught and trained, but was precisely what was needed. It relieved the pilot of one extra duty, and he could now concentrate on the directions of the flight mechanic. Tragically, as they lifted two of the survivors from the water, the skipper, who had regained consciousness and was being held on to the side of the basket, fell off and drowned. His body was recovered later by a rescue swimmer from yet another chopper. Three men were saved. The story of the rescue and the odds against it was spellbinding. I could not put the book down.

[Cropredy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll start by saying this is better than 'A Perfect Storm'. Think of this book as 'Into (very) Cold Water' or 'Into Gale Force Winds' or both.

The author does a good job of grabbing you with a rescue mission in the first chapter, then, lays the background of the Coast Guard's air-sea rescue units. Equal attention is paid to the fishing culture of Alaska. Before you are too lulled by the scene setting, Walker throws in another harrowing rescue mission before concluding the first half of the book.

The second half is a detailed drama of one particular 'all hands on deck' rescue attempt in January. What makes for compelling reading is the foreshadowing of the previous two rescue vignettes that occurred in the recent past along with multiple characters (i.e. real people) in the distressed fishing vessel. Does everybody make it? Does nobody make it? You will read past your bedtime to find out.

Do I have any criticism? It would have improved the book if the author were able to include an analysis taken from the after action reports / lessons learned. But, I only say that because you, the reader, want to know more about these stories once you've unfrozen your extremities and lowered your heart rate.

Well-paced, with excellent portrayals of individual airmen and seamen, and a keen grasp of the Alaskan weather and seas. Highly recommended.

[Judy Churchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horrifying and beyond imagination. I couldn't put this real life Alaska ocean rescue story down. Being a pilot, I understood viscerally that the conditions were way below flying weather. I found myself tense along with the pilots trying to make the rescue. There is no doubt that we have heroes among us - those who go beyond all reasonable expectations to save another human being. This was well written and extremely well researched which undoubtedly led to its complete credibility. It's non-fiction that reads better than any fictional adventure story I've read.

[Jill schubert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't out this book down!

What a story! I couldn't finish it fast enough.
The men and women of the USCG are heroes and deserve a special place in heaven!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't what I expected at all. It was mostly history and back story and very little about the actual rescue which the cover and blurb said it was about. The rescue was inspiring and the men who took part were wonderfully brave, however the rest of the book was pretty dull and not what was advertised at all. There was also a lot of banging on about god and hunting which turned me right off.

[Val Wilkerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...this is the true story about a search and rescue in Alaska by the Coast Guard out of Sitka Alaska. I have lived in Juneau alaska and spent several months in Sitka so I know what the weather can be like. This Coast Guard Rescue story had my heart beating for sure. These guys are right up there with navy seals in my book. I was also pleased at the end of the book to see my dear friends in Juneau, Roger and Betty Stidolph mentioned.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh.My.God. I held my breath the entire time I read this book, it was that compelling and suspenseful.

This is the true story of a Coast Guard rescue mission off the Alaskan coast and it seems everything that could go wrong did. I don't want to give away the ending but it's a fascinating read and tribute to the perseverance, courage, and professionalism of the Coast Guard.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a couple introductory rescues, this meticulously researched book recounts how the fishing vessel La Conte sinking during a savage storm in January 1998 left five crewmen adrift without a life raft in the freezing Alaskan waters. From Sitka, Alaska, an H-60 Jayhawk helicopter came in for the rescue of the century. Much covered here is about the Coast Guard in Alaska and their rescue talents and dedication.

[Brooke Schafer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A page-turner! It will keep you up at night!

[Shruts · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a harrowing story of a death-defying rescue by the Coast Guard of a fishing boat crew who deliberately took excessive risks against Nature, and lost the bet. They had absolutely no business being there in that place at that time in their substandard boat.

The Coast Guard crews, 13 men and three helicopters, put their lives at risk to go for these foolish fishermen, and almost made their own wives into widows, and children orphans.

[SP · Rating 4 out of 5]

One major survival story, wrapped up with a couple of smaller ones. It begins with an old Coast Guard saying: "You have to go out, but you don't necessarily have to come back." Think of it as basically being about what happens when Deadliest Catch goes really, really wrong. And when things go badly, the Coast Guard is there. Well written, and with some interesting vignettes about life along the coast of southeastern Alaska.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off - you need to know that this is actually two books in one. He doesn't actually get to the real story until book two halfway through the book. I almost gave up on it at page 50. I am so glad I didn't. I have never read a book that I was on the edge of my seat like I was with this one. Overall, it was an intense book. It was good.

[Darren Rippy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tale of selfless heroism. The Coast Guard are the unsung, everyday heroes of the military.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and amazing

A rollercoaster ride. I couldn't stop reading this unbelievable true story. Such hero's make me proud. One of the best books i have read!

[Marnie Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't finish...

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it could have been condensed a little, but for this kind of account I'd rather it be a tad extraneous than lacking in detail. I really enjoyed reading it.

[Hugh Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I try not to give 5 star reviews to 99% of books I read but this gem is a 5 star. It is a story of the most amazing SAR by the USCG originating out of their helicopter base in Sitka. Alaska in Jan 1998 to try to rescue 5 commercial fishermen from the sinking Le Conte, a 72 foot wooden vessel caught in a ferocious storm in the Gulf of Alaska.
These fishermen were caught in a situation few Americans could ever imagine and if you are an armchair adventurer or a person interested in self reliant people living and thriving in a world free of algorithms and AI and urban stresses then this book should be on your bucket list. Actually all of Spike Walker's book should be on your list especially if you are fascinated by life in Alaska.
Spike starts the book recounting some other helicopter rescues in the Gulf along with some expected tragic outcomes. He has lived and worked in Alaska for 2 decades writing primarily about the fishing industry. He managed to get permission to write about a particular subset of the US Coast Guard, the helo based SAR division in Sitka.
The bulk of the book centers around one particular rescue of the LeConte and once you are locked into that, gird yourself for a page turning roller coaster.
I think it is time for a disclaimer. I also lived and worked in SE Alaska staring in the 60's and into the 90's on a variety of vessels, commercial fishing and sail. I even side tied to the 72' LeConte on one occasion in the early '90s. All of the ports and coves and sounds in the vast Alexander Archipelago as it is called mentioned by Walker were familiar to me. I experienced many gales and several storms one of which almost claimed the life of my wife and myself. I have experienced 80 knot winds and immense seas but in most cases anchored in secure coves with big anchors and even long lines ashore to rocks and trees as backup protection.
I also had the pleasure of a coffee with Spike Walker at a Fishing Exposition in Seattle in the early 90's and met a rarity in the journalistic world: An author who got right into the closed community of fishermen and wrote from the inside out in the most vivid and personal prose imaginable. I also had some time in the Bell UH-1 "Huey" in the Viet Nam period. The expertise of the Pilots and flight crew portrayed flying the UH-60"Blackhawk" helicopters on SAR missions out of Sitka seemed a standard deviation above even the wartime pilots I knew. If you are a current or former pilot you will be white knuckled in sections of this book.
If you enjoy "Coming back Alive" you will need to acquire Spike Walker's other books which have an honored position on my shelf. Some of the images in those books remain with me in almost PTSD intensity to this day.









alaska

[Terry R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming Back Alive – Spike Walker – Completed 06/07/2023.
To my children, B.J.M.; A.N.C.; T.L.L. and their spouses.
This book is a gripper, I could not put it down until I had completed 3-4 chapters at each sitting. Clearly this is a book about the true stories of the heroes of the Coast Guard and their hair rising attempts to rescue the Alaskan Fisherman in need. I cannot imagine how many different ways to describe a person, floating in cold Alaskan waters at night. His description of being on the surface of a sixty foot wave as it tosses you around like a wet rag doll is just an example. This author draws you in by his descriptions of Alaska, the beauty and the dangerous conditions it provides to its residents. Amazing!
Not sure why the author broke down into two books but it reads just the same. Book one has short stories but the second book is about the most dangerous rescue ever conducted by the USCG. Powerful read for sure.
Although I never flown in the USCG Pelican helicopter, the sight of the bright orange beast flying along the coast is very cool. Everybody wants to fly around on the warm sunny day watching the beaches, making sure the coast is guarded but I do not want to fly into the details described here in this book. The newer USGC Dolphin helicopter are even faster and sleeker.
I did get to fly on a USCG HC-130 long range search and rescue plane during a government operation to locate and identify several freighter ships off the coast between North Carolina and Florida. On that beautiful day, it was easy to spot the vessels from our cruising altitude, then dropping down to about 200 feet off the water to get the boats identified. It was a blast. We covered the SC and GA coast line about 40 miles off shore in a couple hours. After the pilots reported we were done, I was bummed, but had a great day doing it.
The true stories here are the brave men and women working these rescues. It is the real deal. The author goes on with the specific details as if you are there. One of their mottos is “You have to go out but you don’t have to return.” Thank you to the men and women of the United States Coast Guard for your service. Read the book.
Love Dad, T.R.M.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a personal story connected to this. I was in the USCG in Alaska during the main rescue story that's annotated in the book. I took the F/V LeConte's initial call. It was baffling that a small, wooden, ancient fishing vessel would be in outside waters during JANUARY in Alaska. But we started the standard response: launch the ready helo, etc. Then my watch was over, and I handed it off to the next watch section. We followed up the next day, as friendly co-workers and it was shocking and angering how things went (this isn't in the book). Anyway, fast forward, what, 24 years? I was in a CG vet group on FB talking about our biggest SAR cases that made their way to a book or movie. One book was discussed. One vet asked, "has anyone read 'Coming Back Alive' or know the F/V LeConte case?
No one answered. I was intrigued - I sure remembered it, so I asked, what was your connection to the LeConte, thinking he was ground crew in AK somewhere or maybe a boat. He humbly said, "worst night of my life". So I asked more - I mean, it was a heck of a case, and a terrible night but that seemed a weird way to describe it. Turns out, he was a survivor - in fact, the only reason why there were ANY survivors. So I quickly got a copy of the book and read the account. Words cannot describe what happened, but Walker does a decent job of it. I was hypothermic and smelling the salt water the whole way through the book, it's that gut wrenching for me. I reached out to Bob Doyle, the CG vet who was the crewmember onboard LeConte, thanking him for closure. I never knew the whole, rest of the story and now, here it was. He shared a few things not found in the book. We cried together over Facebook Messenger.
Needless to say, this book means a lot to me and is worth your time to read it, if you can.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy mackerel, or should I say Holy Salmon, or King Crab. This book was all I had hoped for and much more. Search and Rescue books are one of my 2 favorite genres (the other being historical time-travel), and Coming Back Alive is just about at the top of the list. No spoilers, but these Coast Guard Search and Rescue guys DO... NOT... QUIT! Spike Walker lays the perfect groundwork by explaining the Alaskan fishing culture and the training of the CGSAR in the 1st half of the book. I knew the 2nd half was going to be of one harrowing rescue attempt, and I seriously thought "this is going to be so dragged out". Boy, was I wrong. Couldn't put the book down (except to make hot tea to warm me up). Walker's writing makes you feel the ice cold water, the ferocious hurricane force winds, and the mountainous waves that both the drowning sailors and extraordinary rescuers had to deal with. As the book says, "A Coast Guard rescuer has to go out, but nothing says he has to come back". I highly recommend this book. Just bring a blanket and wear your Smartwool socks.

[Richard Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Autor Spike Walker has done an amazing job of chasing down, interviewing and documenting the all of the fishermen, coastguard members and family of the survivors of three of the most amazing rescues and rescue attempts by the Alaskan Coastguard helicopter pilots, swimmers and hoistmen who man the H-60 Jayhawk machines in hurricane force winds with waves topping a hundred feet as boats sink beneath the fishermen who are both brave enough and crazy enough to ply the waters outside the normal fishing grounds in search of mother lodes of fish. You will follow the lives of wives and families, hear the stories from all sides of the picture as rescuers fight to maintain positions, altitudes and communications, wives and families wait for notification of rescues and the men in the water fight to ward off hypothermia in the most deadly seas on earth. Enjoy the action and love the characters. They are human in all respects.

[Ursula Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling, Adventurous Rescue Story

This was a harrowing and fascinating account of the most incredible Coast Guard helicopter rescue in Alaskan history. Author Spike Walker gives some background and the tale of another rescue that ended tragically before diving into the main story. The book really comes alive detailing the incredible rescue attempts of several fishermen floating on the sea in horrendous weather, with no life raft, tied to each other and facing waves over 70 feet. This section is riveting, a total of three different Coast Guard helicopters were involved in the rescue and you can't wait to find out who makes it and who doesn't. I read this book using immersion reading, while listening to the audio book version. A thrilling, heartbreaking and heartwarming read.

[Patrick Wikstrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billed as the greatest Coast Guard rescue in history and I’ll admit it was a spellbinder. In 1998 an older fishing trawler, the La Conte, goes out to the more distant fishing grounds off Sitka Alaska with no life raft as a known storm is moving in. Big mistake! 90ft seas and 100MPH winds build up and the ship goes down. The five crew have to hit the water in their survival suits. It took three different helicopters until the last one managed to get the basket down and pull three of the five crew out of the water. Big bad storm -several times they almost lost the helicopters. Another good Coast Guard rescue tale. Listened on Audible- 3***

[kitty kitty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with this on different levels. The first part sound like a person who never wrote anything before. How did Walker know what a dead person said or thought? It's hard to feel sympathy for someone who put the lives of his crew for the pursuit of the might dollar. He knew his boat had major issues and because of it men lost their lives and put the Coast Guard's lives in grave peril. My son is a thirty year Coast Guard veteran, and has gone out on missions like this. He brought back the bodies of rescuers too many times. This makes me sick to my stomach.

[Sherlyn K. Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The TRUE story of the most Harrowing Search and Rescue Mission EVER attempted in Alaska's High Seas!

The title explains better than me! I'll add that it's Extremely Hard to Put Down, Keeps You on the Edge of Your Seat, and you can't flip the pages fast enough! This one could even make a grown man cry! But personally I don't feel there is anything wrong with that anyway! All humans need to cry sometimes and this book is one of those times!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. ENJOY!!!!! OUT OF THIS WORLD READ !!!

[Stacie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories of the rescues were awe inspiring. You can't imagine what it would truly be like, but since most of us have a healthy fear of/respect for the ocean, I think we can appreciate the amazing feats they accomplished. I think the problem with the book is just that you get pulled out of the action SO much for side commentary and backstory that it makes it hard to keep going sometimes. As much as you know the author wants us to get to know these amazing men, the structure of it has a jarring effect. Read this book if you like nonfiction.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok story. The central core is the grueling and daring rescue of shipwrecked commercial fishermen in Alaska by coast guard helo crews. Takes a very common modern literary pattern of using a single major incident as the backbone for the book. Then there are branches of other lesser but related events and the minor biographies of the participants all scattered throughout. It’s an attempt to flesh out an otherwise short tale. Ultimately it just carried on more than it needed to.

[Kaitlyn Zeichick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredibly detailed and well researched, and the climax in the middle was emotional, horrifying, and well-written.

Because it was so detailed though, it ended up being a little redundant. And since there’s so many people involved, it can be hard to track who’s who and get a bigger picture of who each one is beyond that they’re very experienced men who moved to Alaska and loved it, are all incredibly heroic, and usually have a wife and kids.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Walker's 1993 book Working on The Edge (about Alaska's king crab fishing industry), but this book felt not only overwritten (with so! many! exclamation! points!), but oddly padded. Once one gets into the meat of the book - about a third of the way through Walker finally gets to the S&R event in the title - the pace picks up, but there's a lot of extraneous detail to wade through first.

[Sharon Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts in this book when I could not stop reading. There were moments of great hope and of deep despair. For those reasons, this book deserves 5 stars. But there were moments, too many in my opinion, of scenic descriptions that I felt were necessary to a degree, but ended up to be page fillers and that is why I gave it only a 3-star review.