To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the NSRI, here is a collection of daring rescues filled with drama and danger. From burning ships to shark attacks, sinking trawlers to hallucinating fishermen, these are the stories of man’s constant battle with some of the most dangerous waters on earth. But there is one story in particular that gave rise to the creation of the NSRI...

On 12 April 1966, four fishing boats put out to sea from Stilbaai on South Africa’s southern coast. Soon they were all pulling in fish as fast as they could bait their hooks, and the boats were settling lower in the water. Shortly before sunset, skipper Gerhard Dreyer saw clouds building on the horizon. But the fishing was too good and they ignored the signs. Later that night a gale force wind slammed into them. ‘I told the men to throw everything overboard,’ Gerhard remembers. An hour before midnight, Gerhard headed for deeper water to try and ride out the swells. As dawn broke, they saw for the first time the true extent of the night’s damage: among the flotsam, one man in a lifebuoy. That man was the only crewman from the other three boats to survive the terrible storm. Seventeen men died that night.

Simonstown schoolteacher Patti Price was horrified when she read the news. She began a media campaign and appealed to the president of the Society of Master Mariners. As a direct result of her efforts, the South African Inshore Rescue Service was founded in August 1966 (renamed the National Sea Rescue Institute in 1967). Today, the NSRI has 35 rescue bases and over 1 000 volunteers.

Top Water is a fishing book as immense in scope as the state it describes. Each of the ten major gamefish species is covered in chapters that give species biology and life history and then provide fishing information such as where to look for that fish, timing, tactics, fly theory, and gear requirements. From steelhead to cohos and sockeyes, from giant kings to feisty pinks, from vibrant rainbows to surprise grayling, char and lake trout, each chapter finishes with a thorough discussion of the species' range in Alaska with highlights on those rivers and drainages that will interest fly fishers. Alaska is a dream fishing destination for anglers from around the world. Top Water does justice to those fantasies with more than 100 beautiful and informative full-color photographs. You'll see the natural beauty of the venues these fish inhabit as well as the details of what each species looks like, what kind of tackle you'll need, and what flies will be most effective. Full color maps offer quick reference for where to look for each species. Top Water is more than a coffee table book; it's a comprehensive and definitive reference work; it's an armchair travelogue and a guidebook all in one. This guide to the fabled state of Alaska should be in every angling book outlet and part of every angling collection wherever that may be. Full-color throughout, 15 maps.