They would even secretly sabotage each other's crab traps. In short, they did everything they could to make the other's life difficult, and things got ugly.
Rivals see red the moment they cross paths.
They were already holding in a lot of anger, and with the alcohol going to their heads, all reason was thrown to the wind.
Neither side gave a damn about the consequences. They ripped off their shirts, and bare-chested, they stormed out of the bar into the snow and started brawling without another word.
At first, only a dozen or so men were involved in the melee.
But this was Saint Paul Island during the off-season. The island was teeming with idle crewmen, outnumbering even the sea dogs sunning themselves on the beach.
The moment someone saw the fight break out, they started calling their buddies for backup. Hearing the commotion, others rushed to join in, either to get in on the action or to help their friends let off some steam.
