It was just before midnight. The Exxon Valdez slid safely through the dangerous narrows of Prince William Sound. It was fully loaded with 170,000 tons of crude oil. The oil had come through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline from Prudhoe Bay. And it was headed for oil refineries in Washington state. Now the Exxon Valdez had just one more turn. But it takes a long time to turn such a big ship. Suddenly, the deck officer saw the flashing red light. It was the warning light on rocky Bligh Reef. He knew the ship wasn't going to make the turn. Steel screeched on stone. The tanker slammed onto the reef. It shuddered to a halt. The alarm bell split the night air. Thick, black crude oil gushed from the torn hull. The worst oil spill in U.S. history was underway. Book jacket.