History of the Aleutian Ballad
A true Alaskan survivor — from the deadly Bering Sea to the calm waters of Ketchikan.
The Story of the Aleutian Ballad
1970s–1990s
A Workhorse of the Bering Sea
For more than 25 years, the Aleutian Ballad fished the unforgiving waters of the Bering Sea. She hauled thousands of pounds of crab through freezing winds, towering waves, and months at sea — earning a reputation as a hardworking, dependable boat in one of the world’s most dangerous fisheries.
1991
“Black Sunday”
A storm unlike any other tore across the Bering Sea with winds over 170 mph and waves reaching sixty feet. The Aleutian Ballad was struck broadside, rolled onto her side, and her crew abandoned ship into the icy water. Miraculously, every man survived. Days later, the Coast Guard reported the vessel still afloat — battered but alive. When she was finally righted and sailed back to port, she became known as “the boat that refused to sink.”
Mid-1990s
A New Owner, A New Chapter
After the storm, Captain Vance Jones sold the Ballad. Fisherman David Lethin bought the wreck, repaired her, and sent her back to work. With veteran Captain Murray Gamrath at the helm, the Ballad returned to sea — but fate had more tests ahead.
Late 1990s
Collision on the Cliffs
One dark night, the Aleutian Ballad ran full speed into a 500-foot cliff. The hull was torn open from bow to stern. Even so, she didn’t sink. When surveyors from Lloyd’s of London inspected the damage, they said they had never seen a boat so destroyed that still managed to stay afloat. The bottom was replaced entirely, and she sailed again — stronger than before.
Early 2000s
Sharks, Setbacks, and Stubborn Luck
In the years that followed, the Ballad weathered lawsuits, breakdowns, and more close calls. During one salmon-buying season, her crew ran out of fuel and drifted for seventeen hours — surrounded by sharks drawn to the scent of fish spilling over the deck. Despite everything, the old crabber always found her way home.
2006
Fame on The Deadliest Catch
When Discovery Channel launched a new show about Alaskan crab fishing, they filmed aboard the Aleutian Ballad. During shooting, a massive rogue wave slammed into her side and rolled her over — caught on camera for the first time in television history. The footage became one of the most famous scenes in The Deadliest Catch, and the Ballad’s legend reached viewers around the world.
2007
A New Life in Ketchikan
Instead of returning to crab fishing, Lethin transformed the Aleutian Ballad into something new: the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour. The first excursion launched from Ketchikan on July 25, 2007, with only five guests aboard. One woman told the crew afterward, “This is the best thing I’ve ever done.” From that moment, the Ballad’s purpose was clear — to share the real life of Alaskan fishermen with the world.
Today
The Luckiest Boat in the Ocean
The Aleutian Ballad has survived capsizing, collisions, sharks, lawsuits, and storms that would have ended most ships. What some call bad luck, her crew knows as proof of strength. After everything she’s endured, she isn’t unlucky — she’s the luckiest boat in the ocean.