Bering Sea Gold (2012–…): Season 3, Episode 4 - Let the Games Begin - full transcript
Zeke: WHAT I'VE COME
TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT DREDGING --
IT REALLY HELPS TO HAVE SOMEBODY
LOOKING OUT
FOR YOUR BEST INTERESTS.
Kris: GOT IT PRETTY CLOSE
TO DIALED IN.
WE DEFINITELY GOT
THE RIGHT CREW.
EVERYBODY'S IN A PRETTY GOOD
MOOD RIGHT NOW.
HELP! HELP!
WHAT'S GOING ON?
HELP!
HELP!
Vernon:
THIS CREW I'VE GOT NOW
IS THE BEST I'VE WORKED WITH,
PERIOD.
YOU LEAD THEM.
YOU DON'T PUSH THEM.
YOU DON'T RAM THINGS
DOWN THEIR THROATS.
I'M SICK OF YOUR [BLEEP] JASON!
THEY'RE LIKE MY PARTNERS.
YOU PISS EVERYBODY
IN THE [BLEEP] DAMN GROUP
WITH YOUR NEGATIVE
BULL[BLEEP] JASON!
THIS IS MY SPOT!
AND I BROUGHT YOU HERE!
♪ LISTEN UP CLOSE, NOW
♪ WHAT I SAY
♪ I'M A-GONNA HEAD OUT WEST
ONE DAY ♪
♪ I HEARD ABOUT A FORTUNE
TO BE MADE ♪
♪ AND I'M A-GONNA GET IT,
NOW, JUST YOU WAIT ♪
♪ GOLD
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Narrator: IN THE FROZEN PORT
OF NOME, ALASKA...
Emily:
GOT TO GET SOME GOLD TODAY.
IT'S REALLY HARD
TO EVEN DESCRIBE
WHAT KIND OF PRESSURE I FEEL
FOR THIS ICE-MINING SEASON.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ODDS
AGAINST US,
AND WE DON'T HAVE TIME.
Narrator: ...FOUR WEEKS
INTO THE WINTER MINING SEASON,
TENSIONS ARE RISING
ACROSS THE FLEET.
YOU SIT OUT HERE AND GRIND
AND GRIND AND GRIND,
AND THE LAST TWO HOLES
WERE DEAD,
SO I'M JUST BLEEDING
MONEY AGAIN.
Vernon: THIS IS WHAT
IT'S ALL ABOUT RIGHT HERE.
WHATEVER WE GOT IN THAT PAN,
WE GOT SEVEN OR EIGHT TIMES MORE
IN THE BOX.
Narrator:
CREWS THAT HAVE HIT PAY DIRT
ARE WORKING ROUND THE CLOCK.
Vernon:
I'M GONNA STAY HERE UNTIL I GET
MY SHARE OF GOLD OUT THERE
OFF THE BOTTOM OF THAT SEA.
NEPTUNE'S GOLD IS COMING TO ME.
Narrator:
WHILE FOR EVERYONE ELSE...
WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
...THE CHANCE TO TURN A PROFIT
IS SLOWLY MELTING AWAY.
Kris: OH, I'M REALLY TRYING
AS HARD AS I CAN
TO GET ALONG WITH EVERYBODY
AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
JUST MAKE IT WORK.
THAT'S MY WHOLE PHILOSOPHY
RIGHT NOW,
IS JUST MAKE IT WORK
BY ANY MEANS.
Narrator:
ONE MILE EAST OF NOME HARBOR,
AT THE MISS NOMER...
YEAH, I CAN HEAR YOU FINE.
Narrator: ...WITH 25 OUNCES
WORTH MORE THAN $32,000 BANKED
FOR THE SEASON, ZEKE TENHOFF
WORKS HIS DIVE SHIFT
UNDER A FOUR-FOOT LID OF ICE.
Sarah: HOW'S IT LOOKING
DOWN THERE?
TENDING TOPSIDE --
ZEKE'S GIRLFRIEND, SARAH DUNN.
THREE DAYS AGO...
IT'S TIME TO MOVE,
FOR SURE.
Narrator: ...TO CHASE THE GOLD,
ZEKE AND PARTNER, GLEN LeBARON,
MOVE THEIR OPERATION
TO DEEPER WATERS.
YEAH,
GO VERY, VERY SLOW.
THEIR REWARD...
Kenny: 10.32.
Glen: WHOO-HOO!
Narrator:
...A 10-OUNCE CLEAN-UP
AND THIRD PLACE
ON THE LEADER BOARD.
BEEN WORKING HARD...
DOING A LOT OF PHYSICAL LABOR
DOWN HERE.
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME
AFTER AN EXTENDED AMOUNT
OF DIVING DOWN HERE
AT THIS DEPTH...
I DON'T KNOW.
I FEEL LIKE I'M KIND OF DRUNK.
Sarah: IN THIS DEPTH,
COMPARED TO LAST WEEK,
WE WERE DIVING,
AND THEY WERE IN 17, 18 FOOT.
ZEKE'S PUTTING IN FIVE-
TO SIX-HOUR DIVE SHIFTS HERE.
AND HE WAS PUTTING IN EIGHT-HOUR
DIVE SHIFTS AT THE LAST PLACE.
AND HE IS WAY MORE TIRED.
WHAT KIND OF AREA
ARE YOU WORKING RIGHT NOW?
WHAT'S IT LOOKING LIKE?
I DON'T KNOW.
HE SAID IT WAS, LIKE,
REALLY AWESOME
AND SOME OF THE BEST GOLD
HE'S SEEN SO FAR.
BUT I DON'T REALLY SEE
HOW THAT'S POSSIBLE.
Narrator:
TO MARK GOOD GOLD,
GLEN HAS LEFT LIGHTS
ON THE OCEAN FLOOR
TO DIRECT ZEKE
EXACTLY WHERE TO MINE.
NOT REALLY SEEING
THE SUPER-REALLY-GOOD GOLD
THAT GLEN WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON.
ZEKE LIKES TO BE IN CHARGE.
AND GLEN'S BEING
JUST A LITTLE
TOO ANAL, OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE
ABOUT EVERYTHING.
Glen: WHAT ARE YOU SEEING
DOWN THERE?
ARE YOU SEEING
SOME GOLD?
Zeke:
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
LIKE, THIS AREA --
THE COBBLE FIELD, I MEAN...
YEAH, WELL,
LET'S CLEAN THE BOX.
I BET YOU -- I DON'T KNOW.
I WAS SEEING
SOME DAMN GOOD [BLEEP]
UNLESS IT
JUST SPONTANEOUSLY ENDED,
SOMETHING'S AWRY
BECAUSE SOME OF THE BEST GROUND
I'VE BEEN SEEING
IS RIGHT THERE.
SO I'M A LITTLE BIT
[BLEEP] IRRITATED.
IT'S REALLY SIMPLE.
I HAVE FAR MORE EXPERIENCE
THAN ZEKE,
AND BECAUSE OF THAT,
I KNOW THAT I OUTRANK HIM
AND MY JUDGMENTS
ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN HIS.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO
IS I THINK THAT IF WE DREDGE
REAL HARD FOR SIX DAYS,
I THINK THAT WE COULD GET
TWO POUNDS OF GOLD.
AND I'M KIND OF HAVING
A FINANCIAL CRISIS.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S LIKE --
I KNOW IT'S GOOD.
IT'S REALLY
MINING-WORTHY GROUND.
Zeke:
I MEAN, YOU SOUND, LIKE,
75% CERTAIN
THAT IT'S REALLY GOOD.
YOU MAY PRETEND
THAT YOU'RE 100% CERTAIN,
BUT I THINK YOU'RE ABOUT
75% CERTAIN IT'S REALLY GOOD.
I THINK THAT IN ONE WEEK,
I CAN DO 30 OUNCES HERE
BY MYSELF.
Glen: THE BIGGEST CONCERN
ABOUT WORKING WITH ZEKE
IS THE CONFLICT OF OPINION
AND THE CONFLICT OF EGOS
AND JUST REALLY THE CONFLICT
OF STRATEGY.
SOME OF THE GROUNDS
THAT I GIVE THE THUMBS-UP,
HE GIVES THE THUMBS-DOWN,
AND THAT'S CREATING
A MAJOR ISSUE RECENTLY.
Narrator: AFTER ZEKE REPORTED
NO GOLD IN THE AREA,
THE SELF-PROCLAIMED
BEST DREDGER IN NOME
ISN'T ABOUT TO TAKE
HIS WORD FOR IT.
HOW'S YOUR WATER?
WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND, JASMIN,
TENDING, GLEN CHECKS OUT
THE SUPPOSEDLY DEAD SPOT.
OKAY, LET ME KNOW
IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE.
YOU KNOW, ZEKE JUST LEFT
THIS DREDGE DOWN HERE
IN A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT LOCATION.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE ALL HE DID
WAS A BUNCH OF PROSPECTING.
YEAH, I THINK I'M GONNA GO
WORK THAT AREA AGAIN.
PROSPECTING DOESN'T MAKE MONEY
UNLESS YOU MINE.
HE SAID THAT THE GOLD
IN THIS AREA
WAS LESS THAN PHENOMENAL,
AND HE STARTED MOVING AROUND.
GIVE ME A BREAK.
LESS THAN PHENOMENAL?
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
YEAH,
THERE'S -- THERE'S GOLD
JUST FALLING OUT OF THIS
EVERYWHERE.
THIS IS THE KIND OF MATERIAL
YOU JUST --
YOU HOLD THE NOZZLE STILL
FOR A SECOND,
AND GOLD JUST STARTS TRICKLING
OUT OF THE MATERIAL
IN JUST ANY PLACE YOU LOOK.
THIS IS REALLY GOOD GOLD,
AND THIS IS THE KIND OF GOLD
THAT'S GONNA GET US
3 TO 6 OUNCES A DAY.
OKAY, WELL, GOOD LUCK.
YEAH, THIS IS JUST REALLY
UNBELIEVABLE.
WE WENT THROUGH ALL THIS EFFORT
TO MOVE HERE,
AND WE'VE PRODUCED
VERY LITTLE GOLD
IN ONE OF THE RICHEST PLACES
I'VE EVER FOUND.
AND I'M JUST FURIOUS
THAT ZEKE DIDN'T ACTUALLY MINE.
Narrator: JUST A MILE AWAY,
OVER ON CLAIM 14,
AT THE EROICA...
BACK ON THE ICE --
THE MELTING ICE.
Narrator:
....WEEKS INTO THE ICE SEASON,
OWNER EMILY RIEDEL
HASN'T YET MADE A DIME.
BECAUSE OF THIS HOT-WATER
HEATER, I COULDN'T MINE.
AND NOW WE'RE JUST HOPING
IT'S THAWED OUT AND READY TO GO.
Narrator:
ON THEIR LAST DIVE...
UP! PULL ME UP!
Narrator:
...ICE IN THE HOT-WATER LINES
NEARLY COST
CREWMAN TONY MANN HIS LIFE.
MY [BLEEP] REGULATOR
FROZE.
COME ON, BABY.
COME ON.
YOU GOT WATER?
GOT WATER.
WHOO-HOO-HOO-HOO!
ALREADY 50K IN THE HOLE
FOR HER DREDGE,
EMILY NEEDS TO START
PRODUCING GOLD FAST.
AND THE NEXT DIVER UP...
...IS THE CAPTAIN, HERSELF.
I'M JUST READY TO PUT IT PAST ME
AND GET DOWN THERE AND WORK.
AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS,
IT HAPPENS.
TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST,
I'M STILL SCARED [BLEEP]LESS
BY IT.
I HAD A COUPLE OF SCARY
EXPERIENCES,
AND NOW, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE
A TRIGGER FOR ME.
Narrator:
IN HER CAREER AS A DIVER...
...CRIPPLING PANIC ATTACKS
HAVE COST EMILY RESPECT...
YOU'RE NOT A MINER,
AND YOU'RE NOT AN ASSET
TO HIS OPERATION.
...AND CREDIBILITY.
YEAH, IT'S PRETTY HARD TO BE
A GOLD MINER AND A DREDGER
IF YOU DON'T DIVE.
Tony: AND REMEMBER --
ME AND DARYL'S ON THE END
OF THAT [BLEEP] HOSE,
SO KEEP YOUR LINE CLEAR,
AND THEN ALL YOU GOT TO DO
IS GIVE US A SHOUT,
AND WE'LL PULL YOUR ASS UP.
SO JUST REMEMBER TO BREATHE OUT
ON YOUR WAY UP.
ALL RIGHT. 10-4.
LEADERSHIP MAKES ME HAPPY.
I LIKE BEING IN CONTROL
OF THINGS.
BUT IF YOU WERE REALLY TO HAVE
THE RIGHT TO RUN A DREDGE,
YOU SHOULD BE A DIVER.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING I SHOULD
HAVE TO RELY ON PEOPLE FOR.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I SHOULD
BE ABLE TO DO MYSELF.
SHE SOUNDS GOOD.
SHE'S WILLING TO WORK.
SHE NEEDS TO GET HER BUTT BACK
IN THE WATER, AND HERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT.
I JUST GOT TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE I'M AT.
LET ME JUST KIND OF MAKE SURE
I'M SEEING EVERYTHING.
Daryl:
TAKE A LITTLE WALKABOUT.
CHECK IT OUT FOR A WHILE,
AND JUST RELAX.
OKAY.
GIVEN HER DIVE HISTORY,
I HOPE SHE JUST --
IF SHE CAN KEEP
HER ANXIETY DOWN,
SHE'LL BE JUST FINE.
JUST GIVE ME A SECOND
TO KIND OF FIGURE [BLEEP] OUT.
CLOSE YOUR EYES
AND BREATHE.
[ GROANS ]
WHAT'S GOING ON?
OH, NO, I JUST...
IT'S BEEN A WHILE,
YOU KNOW?
GETTING BACK
INTO THE SWING OF THINGS.
TRYING TO GET BACK
IN THE SADDLE AGAIN.
SHE'S BACK.
SHE'S NOT FREAKING OUT.
SHE'S ACTUALLY GETTING
SOME WORK DONE.
THAT'S SWEET.
THAT'S GOOD FOR ALL OF US.
HER SELF-ESTEEM,
OUR RESPECT FOR HER,
AND SOME GOLD IN THE BOX.
SO IT WORKS
ALL THE WAY AROUND.
WIN-WIN, BROTHER.
YEAH, JUST SLOW
YOUR BREATHING DOWN.
YEAH, YOU GUYS,
I'M GONNA COME UP.
SPOKE TOO SOON, DARYL.
Narrator:
OFF THE COAST OF NOME,
AT THE EROICA...
UH, HOLD ON.
YEAH, JUST SLOW
YOUR BREATHING DOWN.
Narrator:
JUST 15 MINUTES INTO HER DIVE...
YEAH, YOU GUYS,
I'M GONNA COME UP.
SPOKE TOO SOON, DARYL.
...CAPTAIN EMILY RIEDEL
HAS BEEN SPOOKED.
YEAH,
IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE
FOR HER TO GET
HER CONFIDENCE BACK.
IT'S A WEIRD THING.
IT'S LIKE, I DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S BECAUSE I'M ANXIOUS
OR IF IT'S BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY
GETTING HARDER TO BREATHE.
YEAH, YEAH...
UH, I WOULDN'T RISK IT.
IF YOU THINK
YOU'RE FREEZING UP AT ALL,
TRUST ME,
IT'S NOT A FUN FEELING.
YOU'RE NOT A MINER,
AND YOU'RE NOT AN ASSET
TO HIS OPERATION.
YEAH, IT'S PRETTY HARD TO BE
A GOLD MINER AND A DREDGER
IF YOU DON'T DIVE.
ALL RIGHT,
I'M JUST GONNA KEEP DREDGING.
Tony: THERE YOU GO.
JUST SLOW DOWN.
YOU KNOW, JUST THROW ROCKS,
AND, YOU KNOW,
JUST KEEP YOUR BREATHING DOWN.
I'M GETTING
MORE COMFORTABLE, ACTUALLY.
THERE YOU GO.
YEAH, THERE'S SOME GOOD COLOR
DOWN HERE, YOU GUYS.
YEAH!
HELL, YEAH!
OHH!
[ LAUGHS ]
[ CHUCKLES ]
AH [BLEEP]
YEAH,
I'M THE BEST DREDGER EVER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE
SHE HAS ANXIETY ABOUT
AS FAR AS DIVING GOES,
BUT I THINK SHE'S GETTING
OVER IT, SLOWLY BUT SURELY.
THE MORE TIME IN THE WATER,
THE MORE COMFORTABLE
YOU'RE GONNA BE IN THE WATER.
SO SHE'S GETTING IT BACK NOW.
HA! HA HA HA!
HA HA!
Narrator:
EIGHT MILES TO THE WEST,
ON THE TOMCOD CLAIM...
HOW'S IT GOING?
Kris: IT'S GOING THE SAME
AS IT GOES EVERY DAY.
EVERYTHING'S FREEZING
TOO FAST.
IT'S WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR
MOTOR IN A [BLEEP] ENGINE HOUSE.
WITH JUST 13 OUNCES OF GOLD
COLLECTED FOR THE SEASON,
THE KELLY FAMILY FIGHT
TO GET THE MOTOR RUNNING
ON THEIR ULTRA-LOW-BUDGET
DREDGE, THE REAPER.
SO YOU THINK,
"NO, LET'S [BLEEP] KEEP IT OUT
IN A [BLEEP] AREA
SO IT CAN FREEZE
EVERY 10 --"
CALM DOWN, KRIS.
SO FAR THIS SEASON....
[BLEEP]
WHAT A GHETTO
PIECE OF [BLEEP]
...OWNER BRAD KELLY'S
SHODDY EQUIPMENT
HAS CUT INTO GOLD PRODUCTION.
WE BROUGHT A LITTLE BIT
OF GOLD FOR YOU.
WE HAD A [BLEEP] WEEK
THIS WEEK.
A LOT OF BREAKDOWNS.
AND HIS NEW FAMILY HAS BEEN
A CONSTANT DISTRACTION.
LET GO FOR A SECOND.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
LET'S SEE WHAT IT IS.
EVERYTHING'S GOOD TO GO.
HOPEFULLY IT WORKS OUT.
NOW THE LATEST
DISTRACTION COMES
COURTESY OF BRAD'S
YOUNGEST SON, ANDY...
...IN THE FORM OF ASPIRING DIVER
KATY PRIESTER.
KRIS SAID HE PUT IT ON SOME GOLD
LAST TIME HE WAS DOWN.
SO I'M HOPING THAT THERE'S
SOME VIRGIN GROUND AROUND HERE.
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH
KATY PRIESTLY IS WE'RE FRIENDS.
I'M READY TO DO
SIX, EIGHT HOURS EVERY DAY.
Andy: NOBODY EVER LET HER GO
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN,
SO I TOLD HER, "[BLEEP]
IF YOU WANT TO GO ON THE BOTTOM,
I'LL THROW YOUR ASS DOWN THERE."
I'M HERE TO DIVE
AND GET SOME GOLD.
I'M NOT HERE TO PLAY GAMES.
Katy: I'M FROM ARIZONA.
A LOT OF THINGS BROUGHT ME
TO NOME, NOT JUST GOLD MINING.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS.
UNZIP.
I'M GONNA GET CERTIFIED IN MAY
FOR OPEN BODY WATER.
BASICALLY,
GET SOME EXTRA TIME DOWN THERE.
MAYBE EVEN HIT UP
SOME BEAUTIFUL CORAL.
NO, DON'T MESS WITH IT.
Brad:
SHE SAID SHE DOVE BEFORE,
AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT A REGULATOR WAS.
THAT'S PRETTY BASIC.
WORST-CASE SCENARIO
IS SHE DIES DOWN THERE,
AND WE GOT TO DRAG HER ASS OUT.
Narrator:
IF YOU'RE KEEPING SCORE AT HOME,
THAT IS
THE LEAST-EXPERIENCED DIVER
ATTEMPTING
THE MOST DANGEROUS JOB
ON THE CHEAPEST DREDGE ON ICE.
LET'S SEE WHAT SHE CAN DO.
Narrator:
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY. COME ON.
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
WHAT DID SHE SAY?
SHE'S GETTING WATER
INSIDE OF HER HOOD.
OF COURSE IT'S GONNA GET WET.
YOU'RE IN A WET SUIT.
I CAN'T SEE
ANYTHING DOWN HERE.
OH, HELLO.
I CAN'T SEE
ANYTHING THAT WAY.
FOLLOW THE NOZZLE.
IT'S JUST THAT I'M NOT GETTING
ANY AIR.
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
JUST TAKE A DEEP --
I'M SURE
SHE'S HEARD THAT BEFORE.
OKAY.
FEELS PRETTY GOOD
TO BE DOWN HERE, FINALLY,
WITH PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY
HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ME.
THE LIGHTS ARE ON,
BUT NOBODY'S HOME.
I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING.
OH, NO.
MAN.
SOMETHING'S GOING ON.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
HELP!
HELP!
HELP!
WHAT'S GOING ON?
HELP!
[ GRUNTS ]
HELP!
HELP!
HELP!
[ GROANS ]
Narrator:
SEVEN MILES WEST OF NOME...
HELP!
HELP!
HELP!
WHAT'S GOING ON?
HELP!
[ GRUNTS ]
HELP!
HELP!
HELP!
[ GROANS ]
HELP! HELP!
TAKE THE MASK OFF!
TAKE THE MASK OFF, PLEASE!
PLEASE!
ARE YOU OKAY?
NO, I CAN'T BREATHE.
SHE'S JUST FREAKING OUT.
IT'S OKAY.
OKAY, WALK.
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
I COULDN'T EVEN HEAR HER.
OKAY, CALM DOWN.
CALM DOWN.
CALM DOWN.
EVERYTHING'S FINE.
DONE GOOD, GIRLY.
DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT.
YOU GONNA GET SUITED UP?
OH, YOU'RE ALREADY SUITED UP.
I REALLY KNOW
THAT'S THE END OF HER.
SHE'S NOT GONNA COME BACK.
ANYTHING ELSE?
SOMETIMES YOU NEED
A LITTLE FEAR IN YOUR LIFE,
A LITTLE JOLT
TO BRING YOU BACK TO REALITY
AND GET HER BACK AT SAFEWAY
OR, YOU KNOW, 7-ELEVEN --
WHATEVER SHE DOES.
NOW I GOT TO GO DOWN
AND MAKE MY OWN MONEY.
NO, SHE'D NEVER
DIVE AGAIN FOR US.
IT'S A LIABILITY LAWSUIT
WAITING TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW.
YOU DID
REALLY GOOD, GIRL.
NO.
Narrator: WITH THE KATY PRIESTER
EXPERIMENT OFFICIALLY OVER,
SEVEN MILES TO THE EAST,
ON CLAIM 12....
ZEKE'S GONNA BE HERE ANY TIME.
I'LL LET HIM
JUST START HIS SHIFT
AND DO WHATEVER THE [BLEEP]
HE WANTS.
Narrator:
...GLEN LeBARON SURFACES
AFTER FOUR HOURS UNDER THE ICE.
I NEED TO HAVE A SERIOUS TALK
WITH ZEKE.
I'VE BEEN OUT HERE
SPINNING MY [BLEEP] WHEELS.
YOU KNOW THAT.
HOW MUCH DREDGING
DO I GET TO DO?
LIKE, NONE.
ALL I DO I COME OUT HERE,
AND I GET EVERYTHING READY
FOR ZEKE, YOU KNOW?
AND THEN ZEKE
DOESN'T DREDGE THERE.
ZEKE IS JUST REALLY FUSSY
ABOUT THE GROUND.
HE WANTS IT SHALLOW,
AND HE WANTS IT RICH.
AND, LIKE,
I'VE SPENT MORE TIME UNDERWATER
DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT
THESE GROUNDS ARE WORTH WORKING
THAN HE HAS,
AND SOME OF THE GROUND
THAT ZEKE'S BEEN TURNING DOWN
I THINK IS REALLY GOOD.
HE SPENDS TOO MUCH
[BLEEP] TIME POTHOLING
AND [BLEEP] DINKING AROUND
DOWN THERE
INSTEAD OF JUST CUTTING
A BIG, WIDE SWATH.
THE HONEST TRUTH
IS HE HASN'T GOTTEN US
A [BLEEP] DAMN
HONEST OUNCE.
THE TIME
I'VE BEEN GIVING TO HIM
HAS ONLY BEEN
[BLEEP] CUTTING DOWN PRODUCTION.
HE NEEDS TO, LIKE, BUNKER DOWN
AND, LIKE, COVER SOME GROUND.
I LIKE BEING EFFICIENT.
I LIKE BEING EFFECTIVE.
AND [BLEEP] THINGS
ARE NOT [BLEEP] EFFICIENT
OR EFFECTIVE ENOUGH,
AND IT'S REALLY
[BLEEP] PISSING ME OFF.
IT'S COSTING ME
A LOT OF [BLEEP] MONEY.
[ ENGINE SHUTS OFF ]
Zeke:
HOW'S IT GOING?
HEY, ZEKE.
THERE IS A LOT OF GOLD
DOWN HERE,
AND WE'RE NOT REALIZING
OUR POTENTIAL HERE.
I JUST REACHED
THIS POINT OF FRUSTRATION,
AND I JUST, LIKE, YOU KNOW,
KIND OF EXPLODED,
BUT, LIKE,
I'M CALMING DOWN.
AND WE JUST HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT A WAY
WHERE WE CAN BOTH
EFFECTIVELY MINE.
THE BIG PROBLEM HERE
IS THAT, LIKE,
WE'RE NOT IN, LIKE,
A TREMENDOUSLY CONSISTENT AREA.
I WOULD CONSIDER THE GROUND
THAT I SAW DOWN THERE LAST --
I WOULD CONSIDER
THAT CONSISTENT,
AND I THINK IT'S WORTH
CUTTING SOME BIG SWATHS
AND GRIDDING IT OFF
AND WORKING IT ALL.
THE DREDGE IS BACK
IN THE GENERAL VICINITY
WHERE I LEFT IT
AT THE END OF MY LAST SHIFT.
AND EVERYWHERE I LOOK,
IT'S DREDGE-WORTHY STUFF --
GOOD GOLD ALL THROUGH IT.
MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW?
AND SO I THINK THAT --
YOU KNOW, EXCELLENT GOLD,
NOT JUST GOOD GOLD.
MM-HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WANT TO DO
IS MOW IT ALL.
IT SEEMS
TO ALL BE PRODUCING.
YEAH, IT'S...
YOU KNOW,
IT'S -- IT'S, UH...
YEAH, IT'S -- IT'S --
IT'S LIKE --
YEAH, IT'S JUST BEEN
SO INCONSISTENT IN THIS AREA.
IT'S LIKE...
YEAH, I'M EXCITED
TO GO BACK DOWN THERE TODAY
AND LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
OKAY. WELL, GOOD.
GLEN'S AN OPEN BOOK.
IT'S REAL EASY TO SEE
THAT GLEN IS A DIFFICULT GUY.
HE'S GOT A GIANT EGO.
AND ANYONE WITH A GIANT EGO
IN THE MINING WORLD
IS DEFINITELY A DIFFICULT GUY
TO WORK WITH.
YOU HOLD YOUR COOL
LIKE NOTHING.
SO IMPRESSIVE.
I WANTED TO TELL GLEN TO GO...
IF GLEN GOES DOWN
AND DOESN'T HAVE A GOOD DAY,
HE GETS
REALLY, REALLY FUSSY
AND KIND OF, LIKE,
BLAMES IT ON ME.
WE HAVE TO LAUGH AT IT,
OR ELSE WE WOULD
JUST PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE.
WELL, THAT'S 'CAUSE HIS EGO
IS SO INCREDIBLY DELICATE.
IT'S LIKE, "AAH."
[ CHUCKLES ]
Zeke: I'VE COMMITTED
TO TRYING AS HARD AS I CAN
TO MAKING A MINING PARTNERSHIP
WORK WITH GLEN.
AND, YOU KNOW,
I LIKE TO TRY TO REALLY
FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THINGS
THAT I COMMIT MYSELF TO.
AND, YOU KNOW,
IT'S -- IT'S GETTING HARDER.
Narrator:
OFF THE COAST OF NOME, ALASKA,
ON THE TOMCOD CLAIM...
Vern: HEY, JASON, HOW'S
THE VISIBILITY UNDER THERE?
Jason:
VISIBILITY'S JUST FINE, VERN.
BUT EVERYTHING ELSE
ISN'T FINE.
WE REALLY GOT TO
GET OUR [BLEEP] TOGETHER, OKAY?
SARCASTIC BULL[BLEEP]
COMING UP FROM DOWN THERE.
...OWNER VERNON ADKISON
AND HIS DAUGHTER, ELAINE,
MAN THE COMS FOR VERNON'S
CREW CHIEF, JASON WALKER.
HE DOES, LIKE,
ONE WALK-AROUND
AND TRIES TO FIND
SOMETHING TO BITCH ABOUT.
HE'S DONE A GOOD JOB
PUTTING US ON THE GOLD.
YEAH, OKAY. BUT THAT DOESN'T
GIVE HIM A FREE PASS
TO JUST DO
WHATEVER THE "F" HE WANTS.
SO FAR THIS SEASON...
Jason:
I'M ON SOME GOLD.
THAT'S A DAMN GOOD
TEST MAT.
Narrator: ...VERNON
HAS COLLECTED 61 OUNCES --
WORTH NEARLY 80,000 BUCKS --
THE BEST GOLD
OF HIS THREE-YEAR CAREER.
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF GOLD
ON THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN.
Narrator:
BUT JASON AND HIS EGO...
NO, HE'S CHALLENGING ME
AT EVERY MOMENT!
IT'S NOT GONNA CONTINUE!
...ARE TEARING THE TEAM
APART.
I KNOW
WE GOT A PROBLEM HERE.
SPENSER WON'T TEND
FOR HIM.
SHEM HATES HIS GUTS.
WHO IN THE HELL
AM I GONNA PUT WITH HIM?
THERE'S NOBODY
I CAN PUT WITH HIM.
Narrator:
NOW THE SKIPPER AND HIS DAUGHTER
ARE THE ONLY ONES LEFT
WILLING TO TEND FOR HIM...
AT SOME POINT, WE NEED TO HAVE
A TALK ABOUT SCHEDULING.
WHAT IS IT?
I'M NOT TENDING
FOR JASON ANYMORE.
I'LL WORK WHATEVER SHIFT,
HOWEVER MANY HOURS, BUT I'M NOT
TENDING FOR HIM ANYMORE.
I DON'T WANT TO
WORK AROUND HIM, PERIOD.
...MAKE THAT
JUST THE SKIPPER.
I NEED YOU
TO BE ON THIS SHIFT.
LISTEN, I DON'T WANT
TO BE MISERABLE.
I CAME UP HERE TO WORK
AND TO, YOU KNOW, JUST --
RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHY
I CALL IT "WORK," NOT "PLAY."
I DON'T WANT
TO WORK AROUND HIM, EITHER.
ALL THIS NEGATIVITY HAS RUBBED
OFF ON ME, AND I CAN FEEL IT.
SO YOU'RE GONNA
MAKE ME DO IT?
WE'VE GOT A JOB TO DO HERE,
ELAINE.
YOU DON'T ALWAYS
GET TO WORK
WITH PEOPLE THAT YOU ENJOY,
OKAY?
THIS IS THE SHIFT
I NEED YOU TO BE ON.
OKAY.
YEP.
Vern:
I'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES
TO MAKE THE DAMN WHEELS
GO ROUND, YOU KNOW?
IF IT'S TENDING, I'LL TEND, BUT
I GOT A BUSINESS TO RUN, TOO.
ALL RIGHT, NOW TRY IT.
UP.
WHOA!
[ GROANS ]
Jason: ALL RIGHT?
YEP.
AAH.
NO. JUST THE ICE.
WHOA!
I LANDED ON MY HEAD.
I'M ALL RIGHT.
Narrator:
FOR VERNON, A DEMOTION TO TENDER
IS A MATTER OF INSULT
AND NOW ALSO INJURY.
THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT --
HIM GOING DOWN UNDER THE WATER.
SOMETIMES
I WISH HE WOULD STAY DOWN.
SO YOU'RE HAVING
THROTTLE ISSUES?
YOU NEED IT RAMMED AGAIN?
ALL RIGHT, THEN, [BLEEP]
DAMN IT! I JUST ASKED YOU!
I DIDN'T HEAR YOU
THE FIRST [BLEEP] TIME!
I'M SICK OF YOUR [BLEEP]
JASON!
Jason: ALL RIGHT, I THINK IT'S
TIME FOR US TO HAVE A TALK.
YEAH, RIGHT!
[BLEEP] DAMN RIGHT!
ALL RIGHT.
YOU --
MOTHER [BLEEP]
[BLEEP] YOU!
[BLEEP]
WE CAN SHUT
THIS MOTHER [BLEEP] DOWN!
I'M TIRED OF YOUR [BLEEP]
I CAN'T GET ANYBODY
TO TEND FOR YOU,
AND I AIN'T
TENDING FOR YOU!
[BLEEP] SHUT IT DOWN!
I'M TIRED OF PUTTING UP
WITH YOUR [BLEEP]
YOU PISSED OFF EVERYBODY
IN THIS [BLEEP] DAMN CREW
WITH YOUR NEGATIVE
BULL[BLEEP] JASON!
EVERY WORD OUT OF YOUR MOUTH
IS NEGATIVE!
Jason:
OH, YEAH, IT'S ALL ME!
A FEW MONTHS AGO,
YOU WERE POSITIVE.
NOW YOU'RE NEGATIVE.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY ON THE CREW
IS A [BLEEP] BOMB.
THEY'RE ALL AGAINST YOU.
I'D HAVE FIRED EVERYBODY.
RIGHT, AND THEN YOU WOULD NOT
HAVE ANYBODY TO WORK WITH.
NO, YOU DON'T CARE
IF THEY'RE INCOMPETENT OR NOT.
THEY'RE NOT INCOMPETENT.
YOU DON'T CARE.
THEY'RE PUTTING MORE GOLD
IN THE BOX THAN YOU ARE.
THEY'RE NOT INCOMPETENT.
RIGHT!
SURE --
AFTER I LED THEM HERE!
THIS IS A BIG AREA!
ANYBODY CAN GO DOWN THERE
AND [BLEEP] PULL SOME GOLD
AFTER I LED THEM HERE,
OKAY?!
YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE
IF IT WEREN'T FOR ME!
ANY [BLEEP] FOOL
CAN GO DOWN THERE
AND SUCK UP GOLD AFTER YOU LEAD
THEM THERE, ALL RIGHT?!
THIS IS MY SPOT,
AND I BROUGHT YOU HERE!
THOSE GUYS ARE RIGHT --
100 YARDS FROM THERE.
YEAH!
LOOK WHERE THEY ARE!
LOOK WHERE THEY ARE!
THEY WORKED HERE
LAST YEAR, TOO.
YOU THINK IT'S BY CHANCE?!
YOU THINK IT'S BY CHANCE?
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING HERE
15 YEARS!
OH, RIGHT, RIGHT!
ELAINE, YOU JUST
STAY OUT OF THIS.
NOBODY CAN TAKE AWAY
WHAT I DID.
OH, YEAH,
YOU'RE THE GREATEST, JASON.
YOU'RE THE GREATEST.
NOBODY.
MAN, KEEP
TELLING YOURSELF THAT.
YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE
YOU'RE TRYING TO CONVINCE.
EVERYBODY ALREADY KNOWS.
THAT YOU'RE A [BLEEP] NUT CASE?
[BLEEP] DAMN IT.
YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I'M [BLEEP] DOING?!
JUST WHAT I SAID -- YOU DON'T
KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!
AS IN WHAT?
AS IN ANYTHING!
YOU'RE SO FULL OF [BLEEP]
I AIN'T AFRAID OF ANYTHING
YOU WANT TO DECIDE, OKAY?
YOU'RE NOT GONNA SCARE ME.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN
A GOOD THING,
BUT IT TURNED OUT
NOT TO BE A GOOD THING.
Jason: HE'S AN IDIOT.
HE'S AN IDIOT.
NOW THAT I'VE
BUILT THE OPERATION
AND PUT HIM ON THE GOLD AND --
"NOW JASON CAN JUST GO NOW.
WE DON'T NEED JASON ANYMORE."
AND THAT'S JUST HIS MENTALITY
AND THE MENTALITY
OF HIS DAUGHTER.
Vern: NEVER AGAIN.
I'M DONE WITH HIM. I CAN'T
TOLERATE THE MAN ANYMORE.
ANYBODY CAN GO DOWN THERE
AND [BLEEP] PULL SOME GOLD!
[BLEEP]
DO IT! KILL EACH OTHER,
YOU [BLEEP]
FIGHT, YOU [BLEEP]
A COUPLE OF YELLOW BELLIES
OVER THERE
[BLEEP] TOUGH
[BLEEP] SWAPPING [BLEEP] SPIT.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
NO WAY.
THE QUIET ONES
ARE ALWAYS THE DEADLY ONES.
KILL HIM, JASON!
THEY'RE STILL SCREAMING.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
I HOPE
WE DON'T SOUND THAT BAD.
WE DO SOUND THAT BAD.
Jason:
LOOK WHERE THEY ARE!
I DON'T KNOW WHY
WE TAKE PLEASURE
OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S
MISFORTUNE,
BUT [BLEEP] IT SURE
BRIGHTENS UP OUR SPIRITS,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
Narrator:
ONE MILE EAST OF NOME HARBOR,
AT THE EROICA...
ROGER THAT.
COMING HOME.
...EMILY SURFACES AFTER
A SECOND TROUBLE-FREE DIVE...
...OFFICIALLY
BACK IN THE SADDLE.
GOOD JOB.
YOU GOT YOUR CONFIDENCE BACK.
WE LIKE IT.
I SAW SOME GOLD.
IT WAS GOOD TO SEE
SOME [BLEEP] GOLD DOWN THERE.
WHOO-HOO! HELL, YEAH!
NICE.
Emily:
IT WAS GOOD. I WENT DOWN.
I SAW SOME GOLD. AND I FEEL
A LOT BETTER IN THE WATER.
TODAY, I THINK I CONQUERED
SOME OF THE DEMONS.
AT FIRST,
I WAS DEFINITELY PRETTY SHAKY,
BUT ONCE I JUST STARTED FOCUSING
ON MOVING MATERIAL, I FELT FINE.
Daryl: IT WENT WELL.
EMILY BEING ABLE TO GET BACK
DOWN IN THE WATER TODAY
WAS A GOOD THING.
IT TAKES SOME OF THE STRAIN
OFF OF TONY AND I
AND PUT MORE GOLD IN THE BOX.
IT'S A WIN-WIN-WIN
ALL THE WAY AROUND.
Emily: HEY, GUYS,
I'VE GOT GOOD NEWS --
MASSIVE PICKER.
LOOK AT IT.
IT'S SO ROUND AND PRETTY.
LOOK AT THAT. IT'S, LIKE --
IT'S PERFECT ROUND, ALMOST.
OOH. IT'S HEAVY, TOO.
SEXY, SEXY GOLD.
Narrator:
JUST ONE MILE AWAY
AT THE MISS NOMER...
HOW ARE YOU DOING,
MY BABY?
HUH?
FEELING OKAY?
...AFTER ANOTHER SHIFT OF MINING
WHERE HE'S BEEN TOLD TO MINE,
ZEKE TENHOFF CALLS IT A DAY.
IF YOU CAN WORK WITH GLEN,
YOU CAN WORK WITH ANYONE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT GLEN WANTS FROM A PARTNER.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
GLEN FEELS CHALLENGED
IF I STATE MY OWN OPINION.
SOMETIMES, IT CAN BE...
ANNOYING.
IF HE'S GETTING REALLY
FRUSTRATED ABOUT SOMETHING,
THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT
I CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T THINK THAT THIS AREA
IS CONSISTENTLY RICH ENOUGH.
IF WE WANT TO MAKE ANY
CHANGES TO OUR PLAN, THEN
I'M REALLY OPEN TO THAT,
BUT WHAT I'M NOT OPEN TO IS
IF IT'S, LIKE,
ELIMINATE ME AND MY OPINIONS
FROM THE EQUATION COMPLETELY.
THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
Narrator: BACK IN TOWN,
AT VERNON ADKISON'S TRAILER...
HOW'S THE GOLD?
...IT'S TIME
TO WEIGH SOME METAL.
YEA-YEAH!
[ CHUCKLES ]
NEWLY FIRED DIVER
JASON WALKER
HAS TURNED UP TO COLLECT
HIS SHARE OF THE BOUNTY.
YEAH, THIS IS MY LAST CLEANOUT
ON THE RANGER.
AND A BIG CLEANOUT IT IS.
IT'S JUST NOT GONNA BE
THIS GOOD AGAIN!
[ LAUGHS ]
ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS ABOUT
THE THIRD OR FOURTH TIME
JASON AND I
HAVE PARTED COMPANY.
AND THIS TIME...NO MORE.
THIS IS IT.
FINITO. IT'S -- NEVER AGAIN.
I MADE SOME GOOD MONEY,
YOU KNOW?
WASN'T NEARLY
AS MUCH AS I WANTED,
BUT WHAT I'VE PROVEN TO MYSELF
MAKES UP FOR IT.
VERN USES PEOPLE.
AND WHEN HE FEELS
HE CAN GET AWAY
WITHOUT USING YOU
OR NEEDING YOU ANYMORE,
HE'LL TOSS YOU TO THE WIND.
Narrator: WITH HIS CREW PUTTING
ANOTHER 70 HOURS ON THE BOX...
Vern: 0.83.
NOW THE FINE GOLD
FROM THE BACK OF THE BOX.
...VERNON NEEDS TO SEE
BIG GOLD ON THE SCALE
TO STAY ON TRACK
FOR A 200-OUNCE SEASON.
NOW,
THIS IS THE MAIN LOAD.
4.76...
...0.83,
1.6,
31.58.
GRAND TOTAL IS...
...38.77 OUNCES.
WHOO!
NICE.
WHOO!
YEAH.
Narrator: 38.77 OUNCES
IS WORTH A MASSIVE $50,400.
ALL RIGHT, POP THE CHAMPAGNE,
ELAINE.
WHAT IS THAT?
39 OUNCES IN 68 HOURS.
I'M LOVING IT.
Elaine: WHOO!
Man: OH, YEAH.
39 OUNCES FOR THREE OR FOUR DAYS
ON A HOLE --
THAT'S YIPPEE KI-YAY.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
Narrator:
AS SEVERANCE PAY, JASON RECEIVES
4.28 OUNCES OF GOLD...
[ CORK POPS ]
...WORTH 5,500 BUCKS.
[ SPITS ]
[ WOMAN LAUGHS ]
HE ALSO RECEIVES...
WELL, THIS IS JASON'S.
...A BUBBLING GLASS
OF THE TRADITIONAL NOME GOODBYE.
ALL RIGHT.
WHOO!
OW!
YEAH!
YEAH.
GET IN THERE.
Vern: OKAY, GUYS,
0.57 OUNCES PER HOUR.
THAT'S THE BEST
WE'VE DONE SO FAR.
[ ALL WHOOPING ]
[ QUIET CHUCKLING ]
ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW,
WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP AFTER IT.
WE'LL CHURN IT
RIGHT TO THE BITTER END.
WE'LL BE OUT THERE.
WE'LL COME OFF THE ICE
RIGHT BEFORE THE LAST PIECE
HEADS SOUTH.
ALL RIGHT, MAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL BE IN TOUCH.
YEAH.
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED,
THE GUY IS MENTAL,
AND I CAN'T AFFORD
TO BE AROUND HIM.
HE'S COST ME WAY TOO MUCH MONEY.
HE'S JUST ABOUT
TORN MY CREW APART.
SO I'M FINISHED WITH HIM
FOREVER.
I'M DRIVING AWAY WITH A SMILE.
AND...
I-I-I DID NOTHING
BUT SUCCEED.
I'LL BE TWO OR THREE YEARS
CLEANING UP THE AFTERMATH
OF MY ASSOCIATION WITH JASON.
8 GRAND IN A WEEK, BROTHER!
[ GRUNTS ]
$8,000 IN A WEEK.
Vern: I'M PRETTY DAMN HAPPY.
I GOT, YOU KNOW, ENOUGH TO SEE
ME THROUGH THE NIGHT, YOU KNOW?
[ BOTH CHUCKLE ]
I MIGHT HAVE GOLDEN DREAMS.
THIS IS THE BEST TEAM
I'VE BEEN WITH.
THESE GUYS --
THEY KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
IT'S -- THEY'RE COMPETENT.
THEY'RE DEPENDABLE.
THEY'RE THERE
WHEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
KICKING ASS UNDER THE WATER.
ALL RIGHT.
BRING IT IN HERE,
MOTHER [BLEEP]
COME ON! COME ON!
[BLEEP] YEAH, GUYS!
THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
HEY, WE CAN DO IT.
YEAH!
YEAH!
FEEL IT!
Narrator:
MID-SEASON, THE WILD RANGER CREW
HAVE A COMMANDING LEAD,
BUT NOW THEY'LL HAVE TO PROVE
THEY CAN PRODUCE GOLD
WITHOUT JASON.
Man: DANG!
YOU'VE DONE WELL.
LET'S GO MAKE SOME MONEY!
GLEN, YOU ARE JUST SIMPLY
BEING A [BLEEP]
AAH! [ LAUGHS ]
YOU SHOULD LEAVE NOME!
YOU OUGHT TO LEAVE NOME!
OH [BLEEP]
[BLEEP] DAMN IT!
TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT DREDGING --
IT REALLY HELPS TO HAVE SOMEBODY
LOOKING OUT
FOR YOUR BEST INTERESTS.
Kris: GOT IT PRETTY CLOSE
TO DIALED IN.
WE DEFINITELY GOT
THE RIGHT CREW.
EVERYBODY'S IN A PRETTY GOOD
MOOD RIGHT NOW.
HELP! HELP!
WHAT'S GOING ON?
HELP!
HELP!
Vernon:
THIS CREW I'VE GOT NOW
IS THE BEST I'VE WORKED WITH,
PERIOD.
YOU LEAD THEM.
YOU DON'T PUSH THEM.
YOU DON'T RAM THINGS
DOWN THEIR THROATS.
I'M SICK OF YOUR [BLEEP] JASON!
THEY'RE LIKE MY PARTNERS.
YOU PISS EVERYBODY
IN THE [BLEEP] DAMN GROUP
WITH YOUR NEGATIVE
BULL[BLEEP] JASON!
THIS IS MY SPOT!
AND I BROUGHT YOU HERE!
♪ LISTEN UP CLOSE, NOW
♪ WHAT I SAY
♪ I'M A-GONNA HEAD OUT WEST
ONE DAY ♪
♪ I HEARD ABOUT A FORTUNE
TO BE MADE ♪
♪ AND I'M A-GONNA GET IT,
NOW, JUST YOU WAIT ♪
♪ GOLD
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
Narrator: IN THE FROZEN PORT
OF NOME, ALASKA...
Emily:
GOT TO GET SOME GOLD TODAY.
IT'S REALLY HARD
TO EVEN DESCRIBE
WHAT KIND OF PRESSURE I FEEL
FOR THIS ICE-MINING SEASON.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ODDS
AGAINST US,
AND WE DON'T HAVE TIME.
Narrator: ...FOUR WEEKS
INTO THE WINTER MINING SEASON,
TENSIONS ARE RISING
ACROSS THE FLEET.
YOU SIT OUT HERE AND GRIND
AND GRIND AND GRIND,
AND THE LAST TWO HOLES
WERE DEAD,
SO I'M JUST BLEEDING
MONEY AGAIN.
Vernon: THIS IS WHAT
IT'S ALL ABOUT RIGHT HERE.
WHATEVER WE GOT IN THAT PAN,
WE GOT SEVEN OR EIGHT TIMES MORE
IN THE BOX.
Narrator:
CREWS THAT HAVE HIT PAY DIRT
ARE WORKING ROUND THE CLOCK.
Vernon:
I'M GONNA STAY HERE UNTIL I GET
MY SHARE OF GOLD OUT THERE
OFF THE BOTTOM OF THAT SEA.
NEPTUNE'S GOLD IS COMING TO ME.
Narrator:
WHILE FOR EVERYONE ELSE...
WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
...THE CHANCE TO TURN A PROFIT
IS SLOWLY MELTING AWAY.
Kris: OH, I'M REALLY TRYING
AS HARD AS I CAN
TO GET ALONG WITH EVERYBODY
AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
JUST MAKE IT WORK.
THAT'S MY WHOLE PHILOSOPHY
RIGHT NOW,
IS JUST MAKE IT WORK
BY ANY MEANS.
Narrator:
ONE MILE EAST OF NOME HARBOR,
AT THE MISS NOMER...
YEAH, I CAN HEAR YOU FINE.
Narrator: ...WITH 25 OUNCES
WORTH MORE THAN $32,000 BANKED
FOR THE SEASON, ZEKE TENHOFF
WORKS HIS DIVE SHIFT
UNDER A FOUR-FOOT LID OF ICE.
Sarah: HOW'S IT LOOKING
DOWN THERE?
TENDING TOPSIDE --
ZEKE'S GIRLFRIEND, SARAH DUNN.
THREE DAYS AGO...
IT'S TIME TO MOVE,
FOR SURE.
Narrator: ...TO CHASE THE GOLD,
ZEKE AND PARTNER, GLEN LeBARON,
MOVE THEIR OPERATION
TO DEEPER WATERS.
YEAH,
GO VERY, VERY SLOW.
THEIR REWARD...
Kenny: 10.32.
Glen: WHOO-HOO!
Narrator:
...A 10-OUNCE CLEAN-UP
AND THIRD PLACE
ON THE LEADER BOARD.
BEEN WORKING HARD...
DOING A LOT OF PHYSICAL LABOR
DOWN HERE.
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME
AFTER AN EXTENDED AMOUNT
OF DIVING DOWN HERE
AT THIS DEPTH...
I DON'T KNOW.
I FEEL LIKE I'M KIND OF DRUNK.
Sarah: IN THIS DEPTH,
COMPARED TO LAST WEEK,
WE WERE DIVING,
AND THEY WERE IN 17, 18 FOOT.
ZEKE'S PUTTING IN FIVE-
TO SIX-HOUR DIVE SHIFTS HERE.
AND HE WAS PUTTING IN EIGHT-HOUR
DIVE SHIFTS AT THE LAST PLACE.
AND HE IS WAY MORE TIRED.
WHAT KIND OF AREA
ARE YOU WORKING RIGHT NOW?
WHAT'S IT LOOKING LIKE?
I DON'T KNOW.
HE SAID IT WAS, LIKE,
REALLY AWESOME
AND SOME OF THE BEST GOLD
HE'S SEEN SO FAR.
BUT I DON'T REALLY SEE
HOW THAT'S POSSIBLE.
Narrator:
TO MARK GOOD GOLD,
GLEN HAS LEFT LIGHTS
ON THE OCEAN FLOOR
TO DIRECT ZEKE
EXACTLY WHERE TO MINE.
NOT REALLY SEEING
THE SUPER-REALLY-GOOD GOLD
THAT GLEN WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON.
ZEKE LIKES TO BE IN CHARGE.
AND GLEN'S BEING
JUST A LITTLE
TOO ANAL, OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE
ABOUT EVERYTHING.
Glen: WHAT ARE YOU SEEING
DOWN THERE?
ARE YOU SEEING
SOME GOLD?
Zeke:
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
LIKE, THIS AREA --
THE COBBLE FIELD, I MEAN...
YEAH, WELL,
LET'S CLEAN THE BOX.
I BET YOU -- I DON'T KNOW.
I WAS SEEING
SOME DAMN GOOD [BLEEP]
UNLESS IT
JUST SPONTANEOUSLY ENDED,
SOMETHING'S AWRY
BECAUSE SOME OF THE BEST GROUND
I'VE BEEN SEEING
IS RIGHT THERE.
SO I'M A LITTLE BIT
[BLEEP] IRRITATED.
IT'S REALLY SIMPLE.
I HAVE FAR MORE EXPERIENCE
THAN ZEKE,
AND BECAUSE OF THAT,
I KNOW THAT I OUTRANK HIM
AND MY JUDGMENTS
ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN HIS.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO
IS I THINK THAT IF WE DREDGE
REAL HARD FOR SIX DAYS,
I THINK THAT WE COULD GET
TWO POUNDS OF GOLD.
AND I'M KIND OF HAVING
A FINANCIAL CRISIS.
BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S LIKE --
I KNOW IT'S GOOD.
IT'S REALLY
MINING-WORTHY GROUND.
Zeke:
I MEAN, YOU SOUND, LIKE,
75% CERTAIN
THAT IT'S REALLY GOOD.
YOU MAY PRETEND
THAT YOU'RE 100% CERTAIN,
BUT I THINK YOU'RE ABOUT
75% CERTAIN IT'S REALLY GOOD.
I THINK THAT IN ONE WEEK,
I CAN DO 30 OUNCES HERE
BY MYSELF.
Glen: THE BIGGEST CONCERN
ABOUT WORKING WITH ZEKE
IS THE CONFLICT OF OPINION
AND THE CONFLICT OF EGOS
AND JUST REALLY THE CONFLICT
OF STRATEGY.
SOME OF THE GROUNDS
THAT I GIVE THE THUMBS-UP,
HE GIVES THE THUMBS-DOWN,
AND THAT'S CREATING
A MAJOR ISSUE RECENTLY.
Narrator: AFTER ZEKE REPORTED
NO GOLD IN THE AREA,
THE SELF-PROCLAIMED
BEST DREDGER IN NOME
ISN'T ABOUT TO TAKE
HIS WORD FOR IT.
HOW'S YOUR WATER?
WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND, JASMIN,
TENDING, GLEN CHECKS OUT
THE SUPPOSEDLY DEAD SPOT.
OKAY, LET ME KNOW
IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE.
YOU KNOW, ZEKE JUST LEFT
THIS DREDGE DOWN HERE
IN A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT LOCATION.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE ALL HE DID
WAS A BUNCH OF PROSPECTING.
YEAH, I THINK I'M GONNA GO
WORK THAT AREA AGAIN.
PROSPECTING DOESN'T MAKE MONEY
UNLESS YOU MINE.
HE SAID THAT THE GOLD
IN THIS AREA
WAS LESS THAN PHENOMENAL,
AND HE STARTED MOVING AROUND.
GIVE ME A BREAK.
LESS THAN PHENOMENAL?
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
YEAH,
THERE'S -- THERE'S GOLD
JUST FALLING OUT OF THIS
EVERYWHERE.
THIS IS THE KIND OF MATERIAL
YOU JUST --
YOU HOLD THE NOZZLE STILL
FOR A SECOND,
AND GOLD JUST STARTS TRICKLING
OUT OF THE MATERIAL
IN JUST ANY PLACE YOU LOOK.
THIS IS REALLY GOOD GOLD,
AND THIS IS THE KIND OF GOLD
THAT'S GONNA GET US
3 TO 6 OUNCES A DAY.
OKAY, WELL, GOOD LUCK.
YEAH, THIS IS JUST REALLY
UNBELIEVABLE.
WE WENT THROUGH ALL THIS EFFORT
TO MOVE HERE,
AND WE'VE PRODUCED
VERY LITTLE GOLD
IN ONE OF THE RICHEST PLACES
I'VE EVER FOUND.
AND I'M JUST FURIOUS
THAT ZEKE DIDN'T ACTUALLY MINE.
Narrator: JUST A MILE AWAY,
OVER ON CLAIM 14,
AT THE EROICA...
BACK ON THE ICE --
THE MELTING ICE.
Narrator:
....WEEKS INTO THE ICE SEASON,
OWNER EMILY RIEDEL
HASN'T YET MADE A DIME.
BECAUSE OF THIS HOT-WATER
HEATER, I COULDN'T MINE.
AND NOW WE'RE JUST HOPING
IT'S THAWED OUT AND READY TO GO.
Narrator:
ON THEIR LAST DIVE...
UP! PULL ME UP!
Narrator:
...ICE IN THE HOT-WATER LINES
NEARLY COST
CREWMAN TONY MANN HIS LIFE.
MY [BLEEP] REGULATOR
FROZE.
COME ON, BABY.
COME ON.
YOU GOT WATER?
GOT WATER.
WHOO-HOO-HOO-HOO!
ALREADY 50K IN THE HOLE
FOR HER DREDGE,
EMILY NEEDS TO START
PRODUCING GOLD FAST.
AND THE NEXT DIVER UP...
...IS THE CAPTAIN, HERSELF.
I'M JUST READY TO PUT IT PAST ME
AND GET DOWN THERE AND WORK.
AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS,
IT HAPPENS.
TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST,
I'M STILL SCARED [BLEEP]LESS
BY IT.
I HAD A COUPLE OF SCARY
EXPERIENCES,
AND NOW, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE
A TRIGGER FOR ME.
Narrator:
IN HER CAREER AS A DIVER...
...CRIPPLING PANIC ATTACKS
HAVE COST EMILY RESPECT...
YOU'RE NOT A MINER,
AND YOU'RE NOT AN ASSET
TO HIS OPERATION.
...AND CREDIBILITY.
YEAH, IT'S PRETTY HARD TO BE
A GOLD MINER AND A DREDGER
IF YOU DON'T DIVE.
Tony: AND REMEMBER --
ME AND DARYL'S ON THE END
OF THAT [BLEEP] HOSE,
SO KEEP YOUR LINE CLEAR,
AND THEN ALL YOU GOT TO DO
IS GIVE US A SHOUT,
AND WE'LL PULL YOUR ASS UP.
SO JUST REMEMBER TO BREATHE OUT
ON YOUR WAY UP.
ALL RIGHT. 10-4.
LEADERSHIP MAKES ME HAPPY.
I LIKE BEING IN CONTROL
OF THINGS.
BUT IF YOU WERE REALLY TO HAVE
THE RIGHT TO RUN A DREDGE,
YOU SHOULD BE A DIVER.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING I SHOULD
HAVE TO RELY ON PEOPLE FOR.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I SHOULD
BE ABLE TO DO MYSELF.
SHE SOUNDS GOOD.
SHE'S WILLING TO WORK.
SHE NEEDS TO GET HER BUTT BACK
IN THE WATER, AND HERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT.
I JUST GOT TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE I'M AT.
LET ME JUST KIND OF MAKE SURE
I'M SEEING EVERYTHING.
Daryl:
TAKE A LITTLE WALKABOUT.
CHECK IT OUT FOR A WHILE,
AND JUST RELAX.
OKAY.
GIVEN HER DIVE HISTORY,
I HOPE SHE JUST --
IF SHE CAN KEEP
HER ANXIETY DOWN,
SHE'LL BE JUST FINE.
JUST GIVE ME A SECOND
TO KIND OF FIGURE [BLEEP] OUT.
CLOSE YOUR EYES
AND BREATHE.
[ GROANS ]
WHAT'S GOING ON?
OH, NO, I JUST...
IT'S BEEN A WHILE,
YOU KNOW?
GETTING BACK
INTO THE SWING OF THINGS.
TRYING TO GET BACK
IN THE SADDLE AGAIN.
SHE'S BACK.
SHE'S NOT FREAKING OUT.
SHE'S ACTUALLY GETTING
SOME WORK DONE.
THAT'S SWEET.
THAT'S GOOD FOR ALL OF US.
HER SELF-ESTEEM,
OUR RESPECT FOR HER,
AND SOME GOLD IN THE BOX.
SO IT WORKS
ALL THE WAY AROUND.
WIN-WIN, BROTHER.
YEAH, JUST SLOW
YOUR BREATHING DOWN.
YEAH, YOU GUYS,
I'M GONNA COME UP.
SPOKE TOO SOON, DARYL.
Narrator:
OFF THE COAST OF NOME,
AT THE EROICA...
UH, HOLD ON.
YEAH, JUST SLOW
YOUR BREATHING DOWN.
Narrator:
JUST 15 MINUTES INTO HER DIVE...
YEAH, YOU GUYS,
I'M GONNA COME UP.
SPOKE TOO SOON, DARYL.
...CAPTAIN EMILY RIEDEL
HAS BEEN SPOOKED.
YEAH,
IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE
FOR HER TO GET
HER CONFIDENCE BACK.
IT'S A WEIRD THING.
IT'S LIKE, I DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S BECAUSE I'M ANXIOUS
OR IF IT'S BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY
GETTING HARDER TO BREATHE.
YEAH, YEAH...
UH, I WOULDN'T RISK IT.
IF YOU THINK
YOU'RE FREEZING UP AT ALL,
TRUST ME,
IT'S NOT A FUN FEELING.
YOU'RE NOT A MINER,
AND YOU'RE NOT AN ASSET
TO HIS OPERATION.
YEAH, IT'S PRETTY HARD TO BE
A GOLD MINER AND A DREDGER
IF YOU DON'T DIVE.
ALL RIGHT,
I'M JUST GONNA KEEP DREDGING.
Tony: THERE YOU GO.
JUST SLOW DOWN.
YOU KNOW, JUST THROW ROCKS,
AND, YOU KNOW,
JUST KEEP YOUR BREATHING DOWN.
I'M GETTING
MORE COMFORTABLE, ACTUALLY.
THERE YOU GO.
YEAH, THERE'S SOME GOOD COLOR
DOWN HERE, YOU GUYS.
YEAH!
HELL, YEAH!
OHH!
[ LAUGHS ]
[ CHUCKLES ]
AH [BLEEP]
YEAH,
I'M THE BEST DREDGER EVER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE
SHE HAS ANXIETY ABOUT
AS FAR AS DIVING GOES,
BUT I THINK SHE'S GETTING
OVER IT, SLOWLY BUT SURELY.
THE MORE TIME IN THE WATER,
THE MORE COMFORTABLE
YOU'RE GONNA BE IN THE WATER.
SO SHE'S GETTING IT BACK NOW.
HA! HA HA HA!
HA HA!
Narrator:
EIGHT MILES TO THE WEST,
ON THE TOMCOD CLAIM...
HOW'S IT GOING?
Kris: IT'S GOING THE SAME
AS IT GOES EVERY DAY.
EVERYTHING'S FREEZING
TOO FAST.
IT'S WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR
MOTOR IN A [BLEEP] ENGINE HOUSE.
WITH JUST 13 OUNCES OF GOLD
COLLECTED FOR THE SEASON,
THE KELLY FAMILY FIGHT
TO GET THE MOTOR RUNNING
ON THEIR ULTRA-LOW-BUDGET
DREDGE, THE REAPER.
SO YOU THINK,
"NO, LET'S [BLEEP] KEEP IT OUT
IN A [BLEEP] AREA
SO IT CAN FREEZE
EVERY 10 --"
CALM DOWN, KRIS.
SO FAR THIS SEASON....
[BLEEP]
WHAT A GHETTO
PIECE OF [BLEEP]
...OWNER BRAD KELLY'S
SHODDY EQUIPMENT
HAS CUT INTO GOLD PRODUCTION.
WE BROUGHT A LITTLE BIT
OF GOLD FOR YOU.
WE HAD A [BLEEP] WEEK
THIS WEEK.
A LOT OF BREAKDOWNS.
AND HIS NEW FAMILY HAS BEEN
A CONSTANT DISTRACTION.
LET GO FOR A SECOND.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.
LET'S SEE WHAT IT IS.
EVERYTHING'S GOOD TO GO.
HOPEFULLY IT WORKS OUT.
NOW THE LATEST
DISTRACTION COMES
COURTESY OF BRAD'S
YOUNGEST SON, ANDY...
...IN THE FORM OF ASPIRING DIVER
KATY PRIESTER.
KRIS SAID HE PUT IT ON SOME GOLD
LAST TIME HE WAS DOWN.
SO I'M HOPING THAT THERE'S
SOME VIRGIN GROUND AROUND HERE.
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH
KATY PRIESTLY IS WE'RE FRIENDS.
I'M READY TO DO
SIX, EIGHT HOURS EVERY DAY.
Andy: NOBODY EVER LET HER GO
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN,
SO I TOLD HER, "[BLEEP]
IF YOU WANT TO GO ON THE BOTTOM,
I'LL THROW YOUR ASS DOWN THERE."
I'M HERE TO DIVE
AND GET SOME GOLD.
I'M NOT HERE TO PLAY GAMES.
Katy: I'M FROM ARIZONA.
A LOT OF THINGS BROUGHT ME
TO NOME, NOT JUST GOLD MINING.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS.
UNZIP.
I'M GONNA GET CERTIFIED IN MAY
FOR OPEN BODY WATER.
BASICALLY,
GET SOME EXTRA TIME DOWN THERE.
MAYBE EVEN HIT UP
SOME BEAUTIFUL CORAL.
NO, DON'T MESS WITH IT.
Brad:
SHE SAID SHE DOVE BEFORE,
AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT A REGULATOR WAS.
THAT'S PRETTY BASIC.
WORST-CASE SCENARIO
IS SHE DIES DOWN THERE,
AND WE GOT TO DRAG HER ASS OUT.
Narrator:
IF YOU'RE KEEPING SCORE AT HOME,
THAT IS
THE LEAST-EXPERIENCED DIVER
ATTEMPTING
THE MOST DANGEROUS JOB
ON THE CHEAPEST DREDGE ON ICE.
LET'S SEE WHAT SHE CAN DO.
Narrator:
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY. COME ON.
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
WHAT DID SHE SAY?
SHE'S GETTING WATER
INSIDE OF HER HOOD.
OF COURSE IT'S GONNA GET WET.
YOU'RE IN A WET SUIT.
I CAN'T SEE
ANYTHING DOWN HERE.
OH, HELLO.
I CAN'T SEE
ANYTHING THAT WAY.
FOLLOW THE NOZZLE.
IT'S JUST THAT I'M NOT GETTING
ANY AIR.
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
JUST TAKE A DEEP --
I'M SURE
SHE'S HEARD THAT BEFORE.
OKAY.
FEELS PRETTY GOOD
TO BE DOWN HERE, FINALLY,
WITH PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY
HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ME.
THE LIGHTS ARE ON,
BUT NOBODY'S HOME.
I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING.
OH, NO.
MAN.
SOMETHING'S GOING ON.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
HELP!
HELP!
HELP!
WHAT'S GOING ON?
HELP!
[ GRUNTS ]
HELP!
HELP!
HELP!
[ GROANS ]
Narrator:
SEVEN MILES WEST OF NOME...
HELP!
HELP!
HELP!
WHAT'S GOING ON?
HELP!
[ GRUNTS ]
HELP!
HELP!
HELP!
[ GROANS ]
HELP! HELP!
TAKE THE MASK OFF!
TAKE THE MASK OFF, PLEASE!
PLEASE!
ARE YOU OKAY?
NO, I CAN'T BREATHE.
SHE'S JUST FREAKING OUT.
IT'S OKAY.
OKAY, WALK.
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
I COULDN'T EVEN HEAR HER.
OKAY, CALM DOWN.
CALM DOWN.
CALM DOWN.
EVERYTHING'S FINE.
DONE GOOD, GIRLY.
DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT.
YOU GONNA GET SUITED UP?
OH, YOU'RE ALREADY SUITED UP.
I REALLY KNOW
THAT'S THE END OF HER.
SHE'S NOT GONNA COME BACK.
ANYTHING ELSE?
SOMETIMES YOU NEED
A LITTLE FEAR IN YOUR LIFE,
A LITTLE JOLT
TO BRING YOU BACK TO REALITY
AND GET HER BACK AT SAFEWAY
OR, YOU KNOW, 7-ELEVEN --
WHATEVER SHE DOES.
NOW I GOT TO GO DOWN
AND MAKE MY OWN MONEY.
NO, SHE'D NEVER
DIVE AGAIN FOR US.
IT'S A LIABILITY LAWSUIT
WAITING TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW.
YOU DID
REALLY GOOD, GIRL.
NO.
Narrator: WITH THE KATY PRIESTER
EXPERIMENT OFFICIALLY OVER,
SEVEN MILES TO THE EAST,
ON CLAIM 12....
ZEKE'S GONNA BE HERE ANY TIME.
I'LL LET HIM
JUST START HIS SHIFT
AND DO WHATEVER THE [BLEEP]
HE WANTS.
Narrator:
...GLEN LeBARON SURFACES
AFTER FOUR HOURS UNDER THE ICE.
I NEED TO HAVE A SERIOUS TALK
WITH ZEKE.
I'VE BEEN OUT HERE
SPINNING MY [BLEEP] WHEELS.
YOU KNOW THAT.
HOW MUCH DREDGING
DO I GET TO DO?
LIKE, NONE.
ALL I DO I COME OUT HERE,
AND I GET EVERYTHING READY
FOR ZEKE, YOU KNOW?
AND THEN ZEKE
DOESN'T DREDGE THERE.
ZEKE IS JUST REALLY FUSSY
ABOUT THE GROUND.
HE WANTS IT SHALLOW,
AND HE WANTS IT RICH.
AND, LIKE,
I'VE SPENT MORE TIME UNDERWATER
DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT
THESE GROUNDS ARE WORTH WORKING
THAN HE HAS,
AND SOME OF THE GROUND
THAT ZEKE'S BEEN TURNING DOWN
I THINK IS REALLY GOOD.
HE SPENDS TOO MUCH
[BLEEP] TIME POTHOLING
AND [BLEEP] DINKING AROUND
DOWN THERE
INSTEAD OF JUST CUTTING
A BIG, WIDE SWATH.
THE HONEST TRUTH
IS HE HASN'T GOTTEN US
A [BLEEP] DAMN
HONEST OUNCE.
THE TIME
I'VE BEEN GIVING TO HIM
HAS ONLY BEEN
[BLEEP] CUTTING DOWN PRODUCTION.
HE NEEDS TO, LIKE, BUNKER DOWN
AND, LIKE, COVER SOME GROUND.
I LIKE BEING EFFICIENT.
I LIKE BEING EFFECTIVE.
AND [BLEEP] THINGS
ARE NOT [BLEEP] EFFICIENT
OR EFFECTIVE ENOUGH,
AND IT'S REALLY
[BLEEP] PISSING ME OFF.
IT'S COSTING ME
A LOT OF [BLEEP] MONEY.
[ ENGINE SHUTS OFF ]
Zeke:
HOW'S IT GOING?
HEY, ZEKE.
THERE IS A LOT OF GOLD
DOWN HERE,
AND WE'RE NOT REALIZING
OUR POTENTIAL HERE.
I JUST REACHED
THIS POINT OF FRUSTRATION,
AND I JUST, LIKE, YOU KNOW,
KIND OF EXPLODED,
BUT, LIKE,
I'M CALMING DOWN.
AND WE JUST HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT A WAY
WHERE WE CAN BOTH
EFFECTIVELY MINE.
THE BIG PROBLEM HERE
IS THAT, LIKE,
WE'RE NOT IN, LIKE,
A TREMENDOUSLY CONSISTENT AREA.
I WOULD CONSIDER THE GROUND
THAT I SAW DOWN THERE LAST --
I WOULD CONSIDER
THAT CONSISTENT,
AND I THINK IT'S WORTH
CUTTING SOME BIG SWATHS
AND GRIDDING IT OFF
AND WORKING IT ALL.
THE DREDGE IS BACK
IN THE GENERAL VICINITY
WHERE I LEFT IT
AT THE END OF MY LAST SHIFT.
AND EVERYWHERE I LOOK,
IT'S DREDGE-WORTHY STUFF --
GOOD GOLD ALL THROUGH IT.
MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW?
AND SO I THINK THAT --
YOU KNOW, EXCELLENT GOLD,
NOT JUST GOOD GOLD.
MM-HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WANT TO DO
IS MOW IT ALL.
IT SEEMS
TO ALL BE PRODUCING.
YEAH, IT'S...
YOU KNOW,
IT'S -- IT'S, UH...
YEAH, IT'S -- IT'S --
IT'S LIKE --
YEAH, IT'S JUST BEEN
SO INCONSISTENT IN THIS AREA.
IT'S LIKE...
YEAH, I'M EXCITED
TO GO BACK DOWN THERE TODAY
AND LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
OKAY. WELL, GOOD.
GLEN'S AN OPEN BOOK.
IT'S REAL EASY TO SEE
THAT GLEN IS A DIFFICULT GUY.
HE'S GOT A GIANT EGO.
AND ANYONE WITH A GIANT EGO
IN THE MINING WORLD
IS DEFINITELY A DIFFICULT GUY
TO WORK WITH.
YOU HOLD YOUR COOL
LIKE NOTHING.
SO IMPRESSIVE.
I WANTED TO TELL GLEN TO GO...
IF GLEN GOES DOWN
AND DOESN'T HAVE A GOOD DAY,
HE GETS
REALLY, REALLY FUSSY
AND KIND OF, LIKE,
BLAMES IT ON ME.
WE HAVE TO LAUGH AT IT,
OR ELSE WE WOULD
JUST PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE.
WELL, THAT'S 'CAUSE HIS EGO
IS SO INCREDIBLY DELICATE.
IT'S LIKE, "AAH."
[ CHUCKLES ]
Zeke: I'VE COMMITTED
TO TRYING AS HARD AS I CAN
TO MAKING A MINING PARTNERSHIP
WORK WITH GLEN.
AND, YOU KNOW,
I LIKE TO TRY TO REALLY
FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THINGS
THAT I COMMIT MYSELF TO.
AND, YOU KNOW,
IT'S -- IT'S GETTING HARDER.
Narrator:
OFF THE COAST OF NOME, ALASKA,
ON THE TOMCOD CLAIM...
Vern: HEY, JASON, HOW'S
THE VISIBILITY UNDER THERE?
Jason:
VISIBILITY'S JUST FINE, VERN.
BUT EVERYTHING ELSE
ISN'T FINE.
WE REALLY GOT TO
GET OUR [BLEEP] TOGETHER, OKAY?
SARCASTIC BULL[BLEEP]
COMING UP FROM DOWN THERE.
...OWNER VERNON ADKISON
AND HIS DAUGHTER, ELAINE,
MAN THE COMS FOR VERNON'S
CREW CHIEF, JASON WALKER.
HE DOES, LIKE,
ONE WALK-AROUND
AND TRIES TO FIND
SOMETHING TO BITCH ABOUT.
HE'S DONE A GOOD JOB
PUTTING US ON THE GOLD.
YEAH, OKAY. BUT THAT DOESN'T
GIVE HIM A FREE PASS
TO JUST DO
WHATEVER THE "F" HE WANTS.
SO FAR THIS SEASON...
Jason:
I'M ON SOME GOLD.
THAT'S A DAMN GOOD
TEST MAT.
Narrator: ...VERNON
HAS COLLECTED 61 OUNCES --
WORTH NEARLY 80,000 BUCKS --
THE BEST GOLD
OF HIS THREE-YEAR CAREER.
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF GOLD
ON THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN.
Narrator:
BUT JASON AND HIS EGO...
NO, HE'S CHALLENGING ME
AT EVERY MOMENT!
IT'S NOT GONNA CONTINUE!
...ARE TEARING THE TEAM
APART.
I KNOW
WE GOT A PROBLEM HERE.
SPENSER WON'T TEND
FOR HIM.
SHEM HATES HIS GUTS.
WHO IN THE HELL
AM I GONNA PUT WITH HIM?
THERE'S NOBODY
I CAN PUT WITH HIM.
Narrator:
NOW THE SKIPPER AND HIS DAUGHTER
ARE THE ONLY ONES LEFT
WILLING TO TEND FOR HIM...
AT SOME POINT, WE NEED TO HAVE
A TALK ABOUT SCHEDULING.
WHAT IS IT?
I'M NOT TENDING
FOR JASON ANYMORE.
I'LL WORK WHATEVER SHIFT,
HOWEVER MANY HOURS, BUT I'M NOT
TENDING FOR HIM ANYMORE.
I DON'T WANT TO
WORK AROUND HIM, PERIOD.
...MAKE THAT
JUST THE SKIPPER.
I NEED YOU
TO BE ON THIS SHIFT.
LISTEN, I DON'T WANT
TO BE MISERABLE.
I CAME UP HERE TO WORK
AND TO, YOU KNOW, JUST --
RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHY
I CALL IT "WORK," NOT "PLAY."
I DON'T WANT
TO WORK AROUND HIM, EITHER.
ALL THIS NEGATIVITY HAS RUBBED
OFF ON ME, AND I CAN FEEL IT.
SO YOU'RE GONNA
MAKE ME DO IT?
WE'VE GOT A JOB TO DO HERE,
ELAINE.
YOU DON'T ALWAYS
GET TO WORK
WITH PEOPLE THAT YOU ENJOY,
OKAY?
THIS IS THE SHIFT
I NEED YOU TO BE ON.
OKAY.
YEP.
Vern:
I'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES
TO MAKE THE DAMN WHEELS
GO ROUND, YOU KNOW?
IF IT'S TENDING, I'LL TEND, BUT
I GOT A BUSINESS TO RUN, TOO.
ALL RIGHT, NOW TRY IT.
UP.
WHOA!
[ GROANS ]
Jason: ALL RIGHT?
YEP.
AAH.
NO. JUST THE ICE.
WHOA!
I LANDED ON MY HEAD.
I'M ALL RIGHT.
Narrator:
FOR VERNON, A DEMOTION TO TENDER
IS A MATTER OF INSULT
AND NOW ALSO INJURY.
THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT --
HIM GOING DOWN UNDER THE WATER.
SOMETIMES
I WISH HE WOULD STAY DOWN.
SO YOU'RE HAVING
THROTTLE ISSUES?
YOU NEED IT RAMMED AGAIN?
ALL RIGHT, THEN, [BLEEP]
DAMN IT! I JUST ASKED YOU!
I DIDN'T HEAR YOU
THE FIRST [BLEEP] TIME!
I'M SICK OF YOUR [BLEEP]
JASON!
Jason: ALL RIGHT, I THINK IT'S
TIME FOR US TO HAVE A TALK.
YEAH, RIGHT!
[BLEEP] DAMN RIGHT!
ALL RIGHT.
YOU --
MOTHER [BLEEP]
[BLEEP] YOU!
[BLEEP]
WE CAN SHUT
THIS MOTHER [BLEEP] DOWN!
I'M TIRED OF YOUR [BLEEP]
I CAN'T GET ANYBODY
TO TEND FOR YOU,
AND I AIN'T
TENDING FOR YOU!
[BLEEP] SHUT IT DOWN!
I'M TIRED OF PUTTING UP
WITH YOUR [BLEEP]
YOU PISSED OFF EVERYBODY
IN THIS [BLEEP] DAMN CREW
WITH YOUR NEGATIVE
BULL[BLEEP] JASON!
EVERY WORD OUT OF YOUR MOUTH
IS NEGATIVE!
Jason:
OH, YEAH, IT'S ALL ME!
A FEW MONTHS AGO,
YOU WERE POSITIVE.
NOW YOU'RE NEGATIVE.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY ON THE CREW
IS A [BLEEP] BOMB.
THEY'RE ALL AGAINST YOU.
I'D HAVE FIRED EVERYBODY.
RIGHT, AND THEN YOU WOULD NOT
HAVE ANYBODY TO WORK WITH.
NO, YOU DON'T CARE
IF THEY'RE INCOMPETENT OR NOT.
THEY'RE NOT INCOMPETENT.
YOU DON'T CARE.
THEY'RE PUTTING MORE GOLD
IN THE BOX THAN YOU ARE.
THEY'RE NOT INCOMPETENT.
RIGHT!
SURE --
AFTER I LED THEM HERE!
THIS IS A BIG AREA!
ANYBODY CAN GO DOWN THERE
AND [BLEEP] PULL SOME GOLD
AFTER I LED THEM HERE,
OKAY?!
YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE
IF IT WEREN'T FOR ME!
ANY [BLEEP] FOOL
CAN GO DOWN THERE
AND SUCK UP GOLD AFTER YOU LEAD
THEM THERE, ALL RIGHT?!
THIS IS MY SPOT,
AND I BROUGHT YOU HERE!
THOSE GUYS ARE RIGHT --
100 YARDS FROM THERE.
YEAH!
LOOK WHERE THEY ARE!
LOOK WHERE THEY ARE!
THEY WORKED HERE
LAST YEAR, TOO.
YOU THINK IT'S BY CHANCE?!
YOU THINK IT'S BY CHANCE?
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING HERE
15 YEARS!
OH, RIGHT, RIGHT!
ELAINE, YOU JUST
STAY OUT OF THIS.
NOBODY CAN TAKE AWAY
WHAT I DID.
OH, YEAH,
YOU'RE THE GREATEST, JASON.
YOU'RE THE GREATEST.
NOBODY.
MAN, KEEP
TELLING YOURSELF THAT.
YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE
YOU'RE TRYING TO CONVINCE.
EVERYBODY ALREADY KNOWS.
THAT YOU'RE A [BLEEP] NUT CASE?
[BLEEP] DAMN IT.
YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I'M [BLEEP] DOING?!
JUST WHAT I SAID -- YOU DON'T
KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!
AS IN WHAT?
AS IN ANYTHING!
YOU'RE SO FULL OF [BLEEP]
I AIN'T AFRAID OF ANYTHING
YOU WANT TO DECIDE, OKAY?
YOU'RE NOT GONNA SCARE ME.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN
A GOOD THING,
BUT IT TURNED OUT
NOT TO BE A GOOD THING.
Jason: HE'S AN IDIOT.
HE'S AN IDIOT.
NOW THAT I'VE
BUILT THE OPERATION
AND PUT HIM ON THE GOLD AND --
"NOW JASON CAN JUST GO NOW.
WE DON'T NEED JASON ANYMORE."
AND THAT'S JUST HIS MENTALITY
AND THE MENTALITY
OF HIS DAUGHTER.
Vern: NEVER AGAIN.
I'M DONE WITH HIM. I CAN'T
TOLERATE THE MAN ANYMORE.
ANYBODY CAN GO DOWN THERE
AND [BLEEP] PULL SOME GOLD!
[BLEEP]
DO IT! KILL EACH OTHER,
YOU [BLEEP]
FIGHT, YOU [BLEEP]
A COUPLE OF YELLOW BELLIES
OVER THERE
[BLEEP] TOUGH
[BLEEP] SWAPPING [BLEEP] SPIT.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
NO WAY.
THE QUIET ONES
ARE ALWAYS THE DEADLY ONES.
KILL HIM, JASON!
THEY'RE STILL SCREAMING.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
I HOPE
WE DON'T SOUND THAT BAD.
WE DO SOUND THAT BAD.
Jason:
LOOK WHERE THEY ARE!
I DON'T KNOW WHY
WE TAKE PLEASURE
OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S
MISFORTUNE,
BUT [BLEEP] IT SURE
BRIGHTENS UP OUR SPIRITS,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
Narrator:
ONE MILE EAST OF NOME HARBOR,
AT THE EROICA...
ROGER THAT.
COMING HOME.
...EMILY SURFACES AFTER
A SECOND TROUBLE-FREE DIVE...
...OFFICIALLY
BACK IN THE SADDLE.
GOOD JOB.
YOU GOT YOUR CONFIDENCE BACK.
WE LIKE IT.
I SAW SOME GOLD.
IT WAS GOOD TO SEE
SOME [BLEEP] GOLD DOWN THERE.
WHOO-HOO! HELL, YEAH!
NICE.
Emily:
IT WAS GOOD. I WENT DOWN.
I SAW SOME GOLD. AND I FEEL
A LOT BETTER IN THE WATER.
TODAY, I THINK I CONQUERED
SOME OF THE DEMONS.
AT FIRST,
I WAS DEFINITELY PRETTY SHAKY,
BUT ONCE I JUST STARTED FOCUSING
ON MOVING MATERIAL, I FELT FINE.
Daryl: IT WENT WELL.
EMILY BEING ABLE TO GET BACK
DOWN IN THE WATER TODAY
WAS A GOOD THING.
IT TAKES SOME OF THE STRAIN
OFF OF TONY AND I
AND PUT MORE GOLD IN THE BOX.
IT'S A WIN-WIN-WIN
ALL THE WAY AROUND.
Emily: HEY, GUYS,
I'VE GOT GOOD NEWS --
MASSIVE PICKER.
LOOK AT IT.
IT'S SO ROUND AND PRETTY.
LOOK AT THAT. IT'S, LIKE --
IT'S PERFECT ROUND, ALMOST.
OOH. IT'S HEAVY, TOO.
SEXY, SEXY GOLD.
Narrator:
JUST ONE MILE AWAY
AT THE MISS NOMER...
HOW ARE YOU DOING,
MY BABY?
HUH?
FEELING OKAY?
...AFTER ANOTHER SHIFT OF MINING
WHERE HE'S BEEN TOLD TO MINE,
ZEKE TENHOFF CALLS IT A DAY.
IF YOU CAN WORK WITH GLEN,
YOU CAN WORK WITH ANYONE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT GLEN WANTS FROM A PARTNER.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
GLEN FEELS CHALLENGED
IF I STATE MY OWN OPINION.
SOMETIMES, IT CAN BE...
ANNOYING.
IF HE'S GETTING REALLY
FRUSTRATED ABOUT SOMETHING,
THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT
I CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T THINK THAT THIS AREA
IS CONSISTENTLY RICH ENOUGH.
IF WE WANT TO MAKE ANY
CHANGES TO OUR PLAN, THEN
I'M REALLY OPEN TO THAT,
BUT WHAT I'M NOT OPEN TO IS
IF IT'S, LIKE,
ELIMINATE ME AND MY OPINIONS
FROM THE EQUATION COMPLETELY.
THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
Narrator: BACK IN TOWN,
AT VERNON ADKISON'S TRAILER...
HOW'S THE GOLD?
...IT'S TIME
TO WEIGH SOME METAL.
YEA-YEAH!
[ CHUCKLES ]
NEWLY FIRED DIVER
JASON WALKER
HAS TURNED UP TO COLLECT
HIS SHARE OF THE BOUNTY.
YEAH, THIS IS MY LAST CLEANOUT
ON THE RANGER.
AND A BIG CLEANOUT IT IS.
IT'S JUST NOT GONNA BE
THIS GOOD AGAIN!
[ LAUGHS ]
ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS ABOUT
THE THIRD OR FOURTH TIME
JASON AND I
HAVE PARTED COMPANY.
AND THIS TIME...NO MORE.
THIS IS IT.
FINITO. IT'S -- NEVER AGAIN.
I MADE SOME GOOD MONEY,
YOU KNOW?
WASN'T NEARLY
AS MUCH AS I WANTED,
BUT WHAT I'VE PROVEN TO MYSELF
MAKES UP FOR IT.
VERN USES PEOPLE.
AND WHEN HE FEELS
HE CAN GET AWAY
WITHOUT USING YOU
OR NEEDING YOU ANYMORE,
HE'LL TOSS YOU TO THE WIND.
Narrator: WITH HIS CREW PUTTING
ANOTHER 70 HOURS ON THE BOX...
Vern: 0.83.
NOW THE FINE GOLD
FROM THE BACK OF THE BOX.
...VERNON NEEDS TO SEE
BIG GOLD ON THE SCALE
TO STAY ON TRACK
FOR A 200-OUNCE SEASON.
NOW,
THIS IS THE MAIN LOAD.
4.76...
...0.83,
1.6,
31.58.
GRAND TOTAL IS...
...38.77 OUNCES.
WHOO!
NICE.
WHOO!
YEAH.
Narrator: 38.77 OUNCES
IS WORTH A MASSIVE $50,400.
ALL RIGHT, POP THE CHAMPAGNE,
ELAINE.
WHAT IS THAT?
39 OUNCES IN 68 HOURS.
I'M LOVING IT.
Elaine: WHOO!
Man: OH, YEAH.
39 OUNCES FOR THREE OR FOUR DAYS
ON A HOLE --
THAT'S YIPPEE KI-YAY.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
Narrator:
AS SEVERANCE PAY, JASON RECEIVES
4.28 OUNCES OF GOLD...
[ CORK POPS ]
...WORTH 5,500 BUCKS.
[ SPITS ]
[ WOMAN LAUGHS ]
HE ALSO RECEIVES...
WELL, THIS IS JASON'S.
...A BUBBLING GLASS
OF THE TRADITIONAL NOME GOODBYE.
ALL RIGHT.
WHOO!
OW!
YEAH!
YEAH.
GET IN THERE.
Vern: OKAY, GUYS,
0.57 OUNCES PER HOUR.
THAT'S THE BEST
WE'VE DONE SO FAR.
[ ALL WHOOPING ]
[ QUIET CHUCKLING ]
ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW,
WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP AFTER IT.
WE'LL CHURN IT
RIGHT TO THE BITTER END.
WE'LL BE OUT THERE.
WE'LL COME OFF THE ICE
RIGHT BEFORE THE LAST PIECE
HEADS SOUTH.
ALL RIGHT, MAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL BE IN TOUCH.
YEAH.
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED,
THE GUY IS MENTAL,
AND I CAN'T AFFORD
TO BE AROUND HIM.
HE'S COST ME WAY TOO MUCH MONEY.
HE'S JUST ABOUT
TORN MY CREW APART.
SO I'M FINISHED WITH HIM
FOREVER.
I'M DRIVING AWAY WITH A SMILE.
AND...
I-I-I DID NOTHING
BUT SUCCEED.
I'LL BE TWO OR THREE YEARS
CLEANING UP THE AFTERMATH
OF MY ASSOCIATION WITH JASON.
8 GRAND IN A WEEK, BROTHER!
[ GRUNTS ]
$8,000 IN A WEEK.
Vern: I'M PRETTY DAMN HAPPY.
I GOT, YOU KNOW, ENOUGH TO SEE
ME THROUGH THE NIGHT, YOU KNOW?
[ BOTH CHUCKLE ]
I MIGHT HAVE GOLDEN DREAMS.
THIS IS THE BEST TEAM
I'VE BEEN WITH.
THESE GUYS --
THEY KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
IT'S -- THEY'RE COMPETENT.
THEY'RE DEPENDABLE.
THEY'RE THERE
WHEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
KICKING ASS UNDER THE WATER.
ALL RIGHT.
BRING IT IN HERE,
MOTHER [BLEEP]
COME ON! COME ON!
[BLEEP] YEAH, GUYS!
THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
HEY, WE CAN DO IT.
YEAH!
YEAH!
FEEL IT!
Narrator:
MID-SEASON, THE WILD RANGER CREW
HAVE A COMMANDING LEAD,
BUT NOW THEY'LL HAVE TO PROVE
THEY CAN PRODUCE GOLD
WITHOUT JASON.
Man: DANG!
YOU'VE DONE WELL.
LET'S GO MAKE SOME MONEY!
GLEN, YOU ARE JUST SIMPLY
BEING A [BLEEP]
AAH! [ LAUGHS ]
YOU SHOULD LEAVE NOME!
YOU OUGHT TO LEAVE NOME!
OH [BLEEP]
[BLEEP] DAMN IT!