The Day that The Buggman Died

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Nomomo
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The Day that The Buggman Died

Post by Nomomo »

The Day that The Buggman Died - A Remembererance of the Buggman - (Bugg with 2 Gs as his last name was Bugg)

The Buggman was dear friend and roomate.

The Buggman was the most concientious deckhand on our crab boat (The Gulf Wind) when it came to always having a knife strapped to your waist or leg. This was of great importance in King Crabbing in the Bering Sea to always have a knife at the ready, as without a knife one cannot cut themselves free in a critical situation if they got caught up in the lines.

The Buggman always had his eye out for himself and the safety of others on deck, and whenever he seen another deckhand out on deck without a knife strapped to them they were in for a very serious ass chewing from the Buggman. I can't begin to count the times I remember hearing Bugg yelling at someone for not having a knife on them. He took it very seriously.

Which makes Bugg's death so ironic in a very sad way.

I remember it so clearly, the day Buggman went over the side. We were dumping pots over the side, in very high seas stormy weather setting a line of crab pots, and Bugg made the critical mistake of being on the wrong side of the coiled line on the deck as it was going out after just dumping a pot. (99 times out of a hundred one can get away with this, but it is a dangeruos thing to do as the line is going out towards the Stern - whereas if one is on the bow side of the line (left) this is a safe position from becoming entangled in the line.) This was the sort of mistake Buggman had never made before. But this day this mistake cost him his life.

Bugg got his foot caught in the line as it was going out and it took him over the side in the flash of a moment. He was gone in an instant being pulled towards the bottom of the Bering Sea by the line connected to a 700 lb crab pot.

When we backed up the boat and located the buoy from the the crab pot that took Bugg over the side we threw out the grappling hook, and put the line in the chock to haul in the line and we found that the line was no longer connected to the crab pot. The line had been cleanly cut with a very sharp knife.

So, amazingly as Bugg was going down towards the bottom of the Bering Sea being pulled by the 700 lb crab pot, he was able to pull his knife out of its sheath that was strapped to him and cut the line.

Unfortunately in this disorienting situation of being pulled towards the bottom of the sea, Bugg cut the line that led away from his entangled foot to the crab pot's buoy, and not the other end of the line from his foot that led to the 700 lb crab pot. Thus Bugg was drug down to the botttom of the Bearing Sea without even the buoy to help us find his body.

We spent a fruitless day searching the area for Bugg's body before giving up.

One can only imagine how disorienting it must have been for Bugg to in one moment be standing on deck, and in the next instant to be under the freezing cold waters of the Bering Sea being pulled quickly to the bottom of the sea by a 700 lb crab pot.

But in all this, he got his knife out of its sheath that was strapped to him and starting cutting the lines while he was being pulled down by the crab pot. That in itself is amazing.
But alas, in that disorienting situation Bugg cut the line to the buoy instead of the line leading to the crab pot. Thus, The Buggman was gone.

I'll never forget what a great guy and friend The Buggman was to me and the rest of the crew. Once a year, every spring for the last more than two decades I have made a point of buying a mini bottle of Crown Royal (as this was Bugg's drink) to drink in honor to my pal Bugg.

The world misses you Bugg.

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Last edited by Nomomo on Sun Aug 21, 2022 4:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Binger
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Re: The Day that The Buggman Died

Post by Binger »

Incredible.

Incredible writing.
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Dr. Shades
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Re: The Day that The Buggman Died

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Was Buggman pulled towards the bottom of the Bering Sea by the line connected to a 700 lb. crab pot?
"It’s ironic that the Church that people claim to be true, puts so much effort into hiding truths."
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Re: The Day that The Buggman Died

Post by huckelberry »

Dr. Shades wrote:
Tue Aug 23, 2022 11:20 am
Was Buggman pulled towards the bottom of the Bering Sea by the line connected to a 700 lb. crab pot?
Shades, that is what Nomomo relates all right. I do not see uncertainty.
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Re: The Day that The Buggman Died

Post by Binger »

huckelberry wrote:
Fri Aug 26, 2022 8:13 pm
Dr. Shades wrote:
Tue Aug 23, 2022 11:20 am
Was Buggman pulled towards the bottom of the Bering Sea by the line connected to a 700 lb. crab pot?
Shades, that is what Nomomo relates all right. I do not see uncertainty.
I worked in the Bering Sea and we did all our offloads and restocking at Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, Alaska. It was fascinating. One of my favorite work experiences ever. Nomomo's writing reminded me so much of that experience.

I was on a deck when a Japanese worker who had passed away was lifted out of one freezer and lowered into the freezer of a vessel that was returning to Japan. All the crews and cranes stopped working when the body was moved. The Bering Sea has some interesting traditions and there is a lot of profound respect for the men and women that work there.
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