August is the month with the most shipwrecks in Alaska maritime history. Ship fires, groundings (mostly from falling asleep at the helm), and capsizing (mostly hauling fish aboard) are three common causes. August is also the month with the most shipwreck survivors compared to the number of shipwrecks. Survivability goes up when the air and water temperatures are up. August is generally the warmest month. It is interesting to note that most of the wrecks occur toward the second half of the month. This could be because crews are so worn out from the summers endeavors. It could also be because the weather begins to freshen toward the end of the month as fall approaches.
