Bering Sea Gold (2012–…): Season 4, Episode 6 - Brokedown City - full transcript
Rough conditions on the Bering Sea are taking their toll on men and machines. A breakdown strands the Au Grabber at sea, while one of Emily's divers realizes he's too broke to continue dredging.
NOME ATTRACTS RISK TAKERS.
PEOPLE WHO LIKE THE ACTION.
PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY'RE GONNA
GET RICH QUICK.
[ LAUGHS ] YEAH!
THAT IS GOLD. WHOO-HOO-HOO!
Man: GOLD. AWESOME.
THEY FIND OUT PRETTY QUICKLY
IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.
NO! THE ANCHOR JUST WENT OVER.
EVERY DAY IS AN EXERCISE IN
FIXING BROKEN DOWN EQUIPMENT.
OH, [BLEEP].
GOLD GODS ARE PISSED OFF
AT US.
WHAT THE [BLEEP] DO I DO?!
AAH!
THIS SHOULD BE CALLED
"BROKEDOWN CITY,"
BECAUSE IF YOU GOT EQUIPMENT,
HEY, GUESS WHAT.
IT'S GONNA BREAK DOWN.
♪ 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: NOME, ALASKA.
[ DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE ]
Emily: WE'RE HALFWAY
THROUGH THE SEASON,
AND IT'S NOT GOING WELL.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER
IT'S THE GROUND
OR THE DIVER OR WHAT THE [BLEEP]
IS GOING ON,
BUT, YOU KNOW,
SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE.
Narrator:
THE SUMMER DREDGING SEASON
IS HALFWAY OVER,
AND THE FLEET IS FEELING
THE PINCH.
800 BUCKS A DAY
TO 1,000 BUCKS A DAY
JUST TO COME OUT HERE, YOU KNOW?
AND, UH, IF YOU DON'T FIND GOLD,
YOU'RE NOT GONNA --
YOU CAN'T SURVIVE.
Narrator: MINERS HAVE SUNK
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
INTO THEIR RIGS JUST
TO KEEP THEM UP AND RUNNING.
800 BUCKS WORTH FOR THEM
TWO LITTLE DINK PARTS.
DON'T DROP 'EM.
GO MAKE SOME DAMN GOLD, THEN.
SEE YA, DAD.
Narrator: BUT THERE'S STILL
TIME LEFT TO TURN A PROFIT.
BOAT IS GOOD.
THE SLUICE BOX IS GOOD.
ALL WE NEED TO DO NOW IS JUST
GET UP AND GET GOING.
FINGERS CROSSED, MAYBE WE CAN
FINISH THE SEASON
OUT WITH A BANG.
Narrator: NOW HITTING PAY DIRT
IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER...
[ BABY CRYING ]
...ESPECIALLY IF YOU NEED
MONEY FOR DIAPERS.
YOU READY?
I'M READY, BABE.
I'VE BEEN WAITING
FOR DAYS.
Narrator: IN THE CENTER OF NOME,
BRAD KELLY GETS
HIS FIRST CHANCE TO HOLD
HIS DAUGHTER, THE GOLDEN CHILD,
LITTLE BABY NIA.
TRUST ME. I'LL HANDLE HER
WITH KID GLOVES.
OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.
CAREFUL, CAREFUL, CAREFUL.
CAREFUL, CAREFUL.
[ Baby voice ]
ARE YOU LITTLE NIA?
MY LITTLE BABY.
[ Normal voice ]
DAMN, SHE'S SO SMALL.
SHE'D FIT UP A SUCTION HOSE.
HEY, YOUR BROTHERS
ARE A LITTLE ROUGH,
BUT THEY'RE GONNA
LOVE YOU.
Narrator: THREE DAYS AGO...
[ CRYING ] I DON'T KNOW --
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S GONNA
MAKE IT, YOU KNOW?
I REALLY DON'T. I'M REALLY UPSET
OVER THIS [BLEEP].
Narrator: AFTER HEMORRHAGING
BADLY DURING CHILDBIRTH,
BRAD KELLY'S GIRLFRIEND COURTNEY
WAS MEDEVACKED TO ANCHORAGE
TO SAVE HER LIFE.
I JUST WANT MY BABY
AND MY GIRL TO BE HEALTHY.
THAT'S ALL I GIVE A [BLEEP]
ABOUT.
COURTNEY, YOU SCARED
THE HELL OUT OF ME, BABE.
I WAS REALLY SCARED.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE DYING.
I WASN'T GONNA SEE YOU
AGAIN.
I THANK GOD YOU'RE HERE,
AND I'M GONNA WORK THE HARDEST
I'VE EVER WORKED
TO KEEP GOLD FOR YOU
AND THE BABY, OKAY?
[ BABY FUSSES ]
MY LITTLE PUMPKIN HEAD.
YOU GET OLDER, YOU SEE THE JOY
IN HAVING THIS LITTLE BABY.
IT'S A GREAT LITTLE THING,
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I GOTTA GET OUT THERE
AND MAKE A LOT OF GOLD NOW.
I WANT THIS BABY TO GO
TO SCHOOL HERE.
I WANT HER TO GO TO COLLEGE.
[ Baby voice ] EDUCATION. YEAH.
[ Normal voice ] OH, AND I KNOW
HOW TO RAISE KIDS NOW.
I LEARNED ALONG THE WAY.
I MADE MISTAKES WITH MY BOYS.
I'M NOT GONNA MAKE MISTAKES
WITH THIS ONE.
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,
WHEN I HAD MY KIDS,
I WAS YOUNG. I WAS 17 YEARS OLD.
YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW
HOW TO RAISE A FAMILY.
I WAS KINDA SHUNNED
FROM MY FAMILY.
NOW THAT I HAVE A NEW FAMILY,
I KNOW A DIFFERENT PATH
TO GO DOWN.
NOW YOU'RE GONNA SEE
A DIFFERENT BRAD.
I GOTTA TAKE CARE OF MY BABY
AT ANY COST.
I THINK SHE'S HUNGRY
AND WANTS A SECOND [BLEEP]
OR SOMETHING.
LOOK AT HER.
[ SNIFFS ]
NO, THAT WAS BAD.
DADDY'S GONNA QUIT SWEARING,
TOO.
DADDY'S NOT GONNA USE
NO MORE BAD WORDS. NOPE.
Narrator: WHILE THE NEWEST KELLY
SETTLES IN,
OVER IN NOME HARBOR...
GO AHEAD AND START
PUSHING AWAY.
Narrator: WITH 606 OUNCES,
WORTH 727 GRAND COLLECTED
ON THE SEASON,
SHAWN POMRENKE
AND THE 80-FOOT CHRISTINE ROSE
ARE FIRING UP TO HEAD
FOR THE TOMCOD CLAIM.
I'M A VERY,
VERY COMPETITIVE GUY.
I DON'T LIKE TO LOSE.
SO COMING IN FIRST
IN THE GOLD COUNT
IS PRETTY IMPORTANT TO ME.
I DON'T LIKE TO BE BEAT.
I DON'T LIKE ANYBODY BEATING ME
AT ANYTHING.
I LIKE BEING THE NUMBER ONE.
THAT'S THE BOAT I WANNA BUY
AT THE END OF THIS.
MAYBE I'LL FIND
THAT PILE OF GOLD TODAY,
SO I CAN BUY MY BIG BOAT.
[ HORN BLOWS ]
THE CHRISTINE ROSE
MIGHT BE LITTLE,
BUT IT'S EFFICIENT,
AND IT'S GOT
ONE HELL OF AN OPERATOR.
Narrator: SHAWN IS LESS
THAN 400 OUNCES AWAY
FROM BREAKING
THE 1,000-OUNCE BARRIER
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
YOU GET 1,000 OUNCES,
I MEAN, PEOPLE RESPECT THAT.
THAT SHOWS YOU KNOW WHAT
YOU'RE DOING.
AND WE NEED TO GET 25, 30 OUNCES
IN THE BOX TODAY,
OR WE'RE GONNA FALL BEHIND.
OH, [BLEEP].
THE ANCHOR JUST WENT OVER.
HEY, JAKE...
YOU GOT A 1,000-POUND ANCHOR
HANGING OFF THE END OF IT.
IF THAT CATCHES SOMETHING
ON THE BOTTOM,
IT'S GONNA RIP THAT WHOLE WINCH
AND EVERYTHING RIGHT OFF.
Narrator: AS THE HALF-TON ANCHOR
FELL OVERBOARD,
IT RIPPED THE TRAILING
STEEL BUOY ACROSS THE DECK
INTO THE GUARD RAIL,
NEARLY TEARING IT OFF THE BOAT.
I'M GONNA FLIP THE BALL
OUT OF THERE
AND TRY GRABBING THAT ANCHOR.
HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T SINK.
Narrator: TO GET HIS ANCHOR BACK
AND KEEP THE HULL INTACT,
SHAWN NEEDS TO CAREFULLY
RAISE THE LINE
WITH HIS EXCAVATOR.
HERE WE GO. I'M GONNA TRY IT.
OH, OH. OH, MAYBE I CAN JUST
FINESSE IT.
OH, NO, IT MIGHT WANNA COME OFF
THAT TOOTH.
IT'S HANGING ON A THREAD.
[ CLANK ]
Narrator: THE BUCKET ARM
IS AS HIGH AS IT CAN LIFT.
NOW IT'S A MATTER OF GENTLY
HOOKING THE ANCHOR
BACK ON THE GUARD RAIL.
NO!
MORE?
MORE.
Narrator: WITH THE ANCHOR
AND BUOY OVERBOARD,
IT'S NOW A RACE TO ATTACH
A CHAIN TO IT
BEFORE THEY'RE LOST COMPLETELY.
THINKING ON HIS FEET,
SHAWN SECURES THE CHAIN
TO THE MIDPOINT
OF THE ANCHOR LINE,
HOPING TO REDUCE THE DISTANCE
THE BUCKET ARM NEEDS TO LIFT.
GOT IT.
JUST GOT THE CHAIN HOOKED UP.
NOW I GOTTA GET THIS ONBOARD.
WHOA! WE GOT EVERYTHING ONBOARD!
Narrator: THE ANCHOR AND BUOY
SAFELY SECURED ON DECK,
IT'S NOW FULL SPEED AHEAD
FOR THE DIGGING GROUNDS.
YEAH, FORWARD, FORWARD.
THAT WAS SCARY.
KEEP PUSHING.
DO WHATEVER IT TAKES
TO GET THE GOLD.
Narrator: 4 MILES TO THE WEST,
ON THE ROCK WALL CLAIM...
WE'RE ALL SYSTEMS GO.
JUST GONNA LET THE ENGINE RUN
FOR A WHILE,
GET MY HOT WATER
ALL WARMED UP.
MY LEAST FAVORITE PART
OF DREDGING
IS PUTTING ON A COLD, WET
WET SUIT.
I REALLY HATE IT.
[ CHUCKLES ]
Narrator: DIVER ZEKE TENHOFF
AND HIS GIRLFRIEND SARAH DUNN
ARE PREPPING FOR ANOTHER DAY
AT WORK.
I WANNA FIND ONE OF THOSE
REAL HOT SPOTS
AND HOPEFULLY PUT A COUPLE
OUNCES IN HERE TODAY.
Narrator: 10 DAYS AGO...
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY, BLEEP ]
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: ZEKE BROUGHT ON
HIS BABY BROTHER GABE
AS A TENDER AND SECOND DIVER.
12 OUNCES.
THAT'S NOT BAD.
NOT BAD AT ALL.
Narrator:
AND THE PAIR BROUGHT IN
A $15,000 SCORE.
NOW, AFTER LITTLE BRO
HEADED HOME...
HEY, OUR GENERATOR
STOPPED WORKING,
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS OUT OF GAS.
WHAT'S THAT?
Narrator: ZEKE IS ONCE AGAIN
DIVING SOLO
WITH A GREENHORN TENDER.
ARE THERE ANY HOLES
IN ANY OF THESE THINGS?
THE BONES OF THE TENDERING JOB
ARE NOT -- NOT VERY HARD.
THERE'S NOT VERY MANY THINGS
YOU HAVE TO DO.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE
A GENIUS TO DO THAT STUFF.
YOU NEED SOME HELP?
[ BREATHING DEEPLY ]
Sarah: HE'S JUST IN.
NO GOODBYES OR ANYTHING.
HE'S ANXIOUS.
[ BREATHING DEEPLY ]
THE CURRENT
IS REALLY STRONG,
AND IT'S SWINGING
EVERYTHING AROUND.
I JUST GOTTA MOVE THE ANCHOR.
ARE YOU PULLING US?
[ GRUNTS ]
THIS IS -- THIS IS BOLD.
OKAY.
JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE I LEFT OFF.
I'M A LITTLE BIT DISORIENTED.
OKAY, BUT YOU'RE NOT PUTTING ANY
GOLD IN THE SLUICE BOX, THEN.
I KNOW. I'M JUST ASKING.
I'M JUST...
I'M NOT ASKING IF YOU GOT
A SECOND OUNCE OF GOLD ALREADY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT,
BUT I'M JUST ASKING
IF YOU ARE HITTING ANY GOLD.
THAT WAS MY WAY OF ASKING YOU
ARE YOU HITTING ANY GOLD
WHILE YOU'RE DOWN THERE.
NEVER MIND.
ONE OF THE REASONS
ZEKE GOT STUCK
WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND TENDING
IS BECAUSE THERE ARE
SO FEW PEOPLE THAT YOU WANNA
WORK WITH HERE.
NEVER THOUGHT I'D EVEN GO
ON A BOAT
BECAUSE I WAS ON A BOAT TWICE
BEFORE I CAME OUT HERE,
AND EVERY TIME, I GOT REALLY
SICK OUT ON THE BOAT.
BUT I LOVE BEING HIS TENDER.
IT CAN BE REALLY BORING,
BUT, YOU KNOW, I-I LOVE STARING
OFF INTO SPACE.
[ LAUGHS ]
[ BREATHING DEEPLY ]
OH, YEAH, RIGHT HERE
IS WHERE I LEFT OFF DREDGING.
THIS IS SUPER HOT.
OH, RIGHT OVER THERE,
IT'S STARTING
TO GET REALLY GOOD.
[ SARAH SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
YEAH, THERE'S BEEN A BUNCH
OF REALLY FINE GOLD
IN THIS -- IN BETWEEN
THESE ROCKS.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE
THESE BIGGER ROCKS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FINE GOLD
IN THESE LITTLE CRACKS.
YOU BETTER STOCK THAT GOLD UP
LIKE YOU MEAN IT.
IT'S KINDA GROUTED IN HERE,
YOU KNOW?
SQUEEZE, BABY.
OH, IT'S JUST
REALLY EASY STUFF.
[ CLANK, WHIRRING STOPS ]
SOMETHING JUST QUIT.
HOLD UP.
[ WHIRRING ]
[ BLEEP ]
[ BLEEP ] [ BLEEP ]
OH, NO!
WHAT THE [BLEEP] DO I DO?!
Narrator: OFF THE COAST OF NOME,
ON THE CLARK...
[ WHIRRING ]
[ BLEEP ]
[ BLEEP ] [ BLEEP ]
OH, NO!
WHAT THE [BLEEP] DO I DO?!
Narrator:
JUST MINUTES INTO ZEKE'S DIVE,
THE TINY DREDGE BURSTS
A FUEL LINE,
LEAKING DIESEL
ONTO A RED-HOT EXHAUST PIPE.
HEY, WE GOT A --
WE GOT A GAS LEAK...
OKAY, I'LL BE RIGHT UP.
[ WHIRRING ]
OH, OKAY.
[ ENGINE TURNS OFF ]
[ HISSING ]
CAN YOU JUST HOLD THIS THERE
SO IT DOESN'T DRIP DOWN?
AND I'LL UNSTRAP THESE --
YEAH, LIKE, IF I HOLD IT
JUST RIGHT,
IT DOESN'T COME OUT.
OKAY. AND THEN...
YEAH. OKAY.
I REALLY DON'T MIND
PUTTING MY HAND...
I'M GONNA UNSTRAP THIS
SO WE CAN TILT IT UP.
I HAVE MY FUEL TANK RIGHT NEXT
TO MY EXHAUST SYSTEM,
SO THAT'S ALREADY
KIND OF DICEY.
IT'S NOT A VERY GOOD IDEA.
UM...
BUT I HAD, LIKE, EVERYTHING
KINDA CLAMPED TOGETHER,
SO EVERYTHING FIT TOGETHER
JUST RIGHT.
OH, MY GOD. COME HERE. I DON'T
CARE IF IT HAS DIESEL ON IT.
WIPE YOUR FACE.
[ BLOWS NOSE ]
OH, MY GOD.
I'M SORRY.
THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY.
THERE'S DIESEL DRIPPING
ALL OVER OUR PUMP,
AND IT'S HOT AS [BLEEP].
Narrator: LUCKY FOR ZEKE...
YOU CAUGHT THAT, LIKE,
AT THE RIGHT TIME.
Narrator: HIS GIRLFRIEND,
THE GREENHORN TENDER,
NOTICED THE LEAK IN TIME.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE
BOTH THESE FUEL TANKS
WOULD HAVE [BLEEP]
EXPLODED, DUDE,
AND EVERYTHING WOULD
HAVE BEEN [BLEEP] [BLEEP].
RIGHT IN MY FACE.
AND, LIKE, EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE
CAUGHT ON FIRE AND [BLEEP].
CRISIS AVERTED.
Zeke: IT'S STARTING TO CLICK
WITH SARAH A LITTLE BIT.
SARAH'S GETTING BETTER AT,
YOU KNOW,
ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS
THAT GO INTO, YOU KNOW,
THE TENDERING JOB.
Narrator: AFTER SHUTTING DOWN
AND INSTALLING A NEW FUEL LINE,
ZEKE CAN GET BACK
AFTER THE GOLD.
Sarah:
GET YOUR ASS BACK DOWN THERE.
Narrator:
AS ZEKE RESUMES HIS DIVE,
5 MILES TO THE EAST...
AND THE CENTER OF NOME...
AT CAPTAIN EMILY RIEDEL'S
GARAGE...
Emily: THIS IS GONNA BE
AN INTERESTING CLEANUP.
THE BOYS WERE OUT.
THEY WERE OUT IN
SOME REALLY FANTASTIC GOLD.
Narrator:
THE SKIPPER AND HER CREW
ARE CLEANING GOLD
FROM A 4-DAY RUN.
MY GOAL IS 400 OUNCES
FOR THIS SUMMER SEASON.
I'M HOPING FOR AT LEAST
20 OUNCES OUT OF THIS CLEANOUT,
BECAUSE THAT WOULD MEAN THAT
WE'RE AVERAGING
ABOUT A HALF AN OUNCE,
A LITTLE BIT LESS
BUT 20 OUNCES WOULD BE
[BLEEP] FANTASTIC AT THIS POINT.
DOESN'T LOOK TO BE MUCH,
BUT IT'S REALLY GOT
A LOT OF WEIGHT
FOR SOMETHING SO SMALL.
Narrator:
EMILY'S NOT THE ONLY ONE
HOPING FOR A BIG PAYDAY.
I NEED SOME MONEY...FOR SURE.
Narrator:
AFTER THREE MONTHS IN NOME,
GREENHORN DIVER TONS RUPPE
IS FEELING THE BURN.
I CAME UP HERE WITH A SAVINGS --
PRETTY GOOD SIZE SAVINGS,
AND MORE THAN I THOUGHT
THAT I WOULD NEED,
AND I UNDERESTIMATED IT
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
THIS IS A PAYCHECK
FOR ALL THE BOYS,
BUT FOR TONS ESPECIALLY.
TONS IS PRETTY BAD OFF
IN A FINANCIAL WAY.
HE GETS PRETTY EXCITED
AND ANXIOUS DURING CLEANOUTS.
LIKE, I KNOW THAT THE GOLD
IS BASICALLY
HIS SOLE SOURCE OF INCOME
RIGHT NOW,
SO, YEAH, IT NEEDS
TO WORK OUT FOR HIM.
ALL RIGHT, WHAT'S THE DAMAGE?
IT'S 29.5 HOURS,
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GOLD.
THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH.
TIME TO COOL.
UNLIKE WITH EGGS, THIS GOLD
DID NOT FLUFF WHEN HEATED.
DON'T FLICK IT EVERYWHERE.
THERE YOU GO.
OH, WOW.
Emily: 5 OUNCES. UGH.
THAT'S TERRIBLE.
I'M FLUMMOXED.
I'M AT A LOSS, REALLY.
I'M A TOTAL LOSS.
Narrator: 4.9 OUNCES
IS WORTH JUST 5,800 BUCKS.
THAT'S TERRIBLE.
UH, YEAH, NO.
THAT, YOU KNOW, [BLEEP] SUCKS.
LIKE, WHAT THE [BLEEP]
AM I GONNA DO ABOUT IT, THOUGH?
[ CLATTER ]
I'M SORRY TO THROW A KNIFE
AND, LIKE, POTENTIALLY
HIT YOU, BUT... [BLEEP]
THAT [BLEEP] SUCKS.
[ CHUCKLES ] WHAT AM I SUPPOSED
TO [BLEEP] SAY ABOUT IT?
CAN'T DO ANYTHING
TO [BLEEP] CHANGE IT.
OKAY.
[ SCOFFS ]
WHAT CAN I [BLEEP] DO?
[ DRAWERS BANGING, CLATTERING ]
Narrator: WHILE THINGS ARE
LOOKING BLEAK FOR EMILY'S CREW,
7 MILES TO THE WEST...
ON THE TOMCOD CLAIM...
[BLEEP] DAMN IT, ROCKY.
Narrator: IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY
FOR CAPTAIN HANK SCHIMSCHAT
AND THE 80-FOOT AU GRABBER.
IT'S MY SECRET HONEY HOLE
RIGHT HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF GOLD.
WE JUST GOTTA GET IT.
Narrator: THIS SEASON,
HANK IS STUCK LIKE GLUE
TO A 2-ACRE AREA OF THE CLAIM
JUST OFFSHORE
OF AN ANCIENT CREEK BED.
I DON'T KNOW WHY GOD MADE IT
THAT WAY, BUT HE DID.
HE PUT THE GOLD RIGHT UNDER ALL
THESE BIG HARD [BLEEP] ROCKS.
I MIGHT BE A SECOND-YEAR ROOKIE
WITH MINING, BUT I KNOW DIRT.
WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH
THE SEASON RIGHT NOW,
AND WE'RE AT 104 OUNCES FOR
THE TOTAL FOR THE YEAR SO FAR.
I'VE BEEN ON ONE SPOT
ALL SUMMER,
AND IT'S BEEN REAL GOOD FOR ME.
I FOUND SOME REALLY GOOD GOLD
IN FRONT OF A CREEK.
YEAH, I GOT SOMETHING
TO PROVE TO MYSELF --
PROVE TO MYSELF
THAT I'D MADE THE RIGHT DECISION
TO GO GOLD MINING.
Narrator: AFTER DROPPING
A MILLION BUCKS
BUILDING HIS RIG,
HANK NEEDS THIS HONEY HOLE
TO HELP HIM OUT OF THE RED.
OH, I'LL GET A COUPLE OF
HUNDRED OUNCES OUT OF HERE
IF I PLAY MY CARDS RIGHT.
Narrator:
BUT ON THE BERING SEA...
...NO SECRET HOT SPOT
IS EVER REALLY SECRET.
THAT'S THE CLOSEST IT'S EVER
GOTTEN UP ON ME.
Narrator: JUST 200 YARDS AWAY...
GIVE ME SOME ROOM
SO I CAN BREATHE!
Narrator: LATE TO THE PARTY,
AFTER BEING WAYLAID
BY HIS ANCHOR LINE,
IS HANK'S BIGGEST RIVAL,
SHAWN POMRENKE,
AND THE CHRISTINE ROSE.
YEAH, AT SEA, WE'RE COMING BY
HANK RIGHT HERE.
THAT'S -- THAT'S A GOOD AREA.
WHY LET THEM GET IT?
I PULL UP NEXT TO HIM,
START DIGGING.
GIVE HIM A LITTLE TASTE
OF HIS OWN MEDICINE.
Narrator: LAST SUMMER...
Shawn:
THERE AIN'T NO STINKING WAY.
LOOKS LIKE HANK DECIDED TO MOVE
RIGHT IN ON US.
Narrator: HANK CHASED SHAWN
AND THE CHRISTINE ROSE
ALL OVER THE CLAIM.
Shawn: HE'D END UP GETTING SHOT
BACK IN THE OLD DAYS FOR IT.
Narrator: TODAY...
MR. GOLD IS RETURNING THE FAVOR.
THE WAY I LOOK AT IT,
I PAID ALMOST $2 MILLION
TO MINE ON THAT CLAIM.
DO I THINK I GOT A LITTLE BIT
MORE RIGHT TO IT THAN HANK?
DEFINITELY.
I MEAN, I'VE PAID MY DUES.
I'VE BEEN OUT THERE.
I'VE DONE IT.
SHAWN'S TRYING TO STEAL MY GOLD.
HE'S RUNNING OUT OF GROUND
OUT HERE. THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
SHAWN'S RUNNING OUT OF GROUND,
THE GUY THAT OWNS IT --
HE'S LEASING IT.
HE'S LETTING EVERYBODY
AND THEIR MOTHER COME OUT HERE.
COUPLE YEARS,
THIS WILL ALL BE GONE.
JUST MOVE ON.
FIND ANOTHER PLACE TO DIG.
WE'RE GONNA STOP
AND TAKE A PAN.
LOOKS LIKE
IT'S BEEN DREDGED.
IT'S JUST CLEAN-LOOKING.
THERE'S A --
A LOT OF THE HEAVIES ARE GONE.
Narrator:
WITH OVER 2 DOZEN DREDGES
WORKING THE CLAIM,
SHAWN HAS TO FIND A RARE SPOT
THAT HASN'T ALREADY
BEEN PICKED OVER.
Shawn: I WANNA MAKE SURE
WE'RE MOVING DIRT
THAT HAS A LOT OF GOLD IN IT,
NOT JUST HALF OUNCE AN HOUR,
A QUARTER OUNCE AN HOUR.
WE'RE LOOKING
FOR AN OUNCE AN HOUR-PLUS.
I'M GONNA PAN AND PAN
UNTIL I SEE WHAT I LIKE.
Narrator:
SHAWN MAY BE STRIKING OUT...
LOOK AT THIS, MATT.
RIGHT HERE. [ LAUGHS ]
IS THAT A ROCK?
Narrator: BUT HANK...
NO.
NO WAY.
THAT'S A PIECE OF GOLD.
NO WAY.
THAT'S A FREAKIN'
BIG PIECE OF GOLD, BOSS.
THAT'S NOT GOLD.
THAT'S GOLD.
OH, BUT IT'S TOO DIRTY.
Narrator: ...IS KNOCKING IT
OUT OF THE PARK.
THAT'S GOLD? I'VE NEVER
SEEN NOTHING LIKE THAT.
YOU GOTTA BE [BLEEP] ME.
THAT'S GOLD?
THAT'S GOLD.
THAT'S GOLD?!
I'M TELLING YOU THAT'S...
THE NUGGET GOT THIS PAID OFF!
LET'S GO LOOK AT THAT --
I WANNA LOOK AT THAT NUGGET
IN THE LIGHT.
THAT IS GOLD.
HOLY [BLEEP].
YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME.
HUH?
THAT'S A CHUNK OF GOLD.
WHOO-HOO-HOO!
I WONDER HOW MUCH IT WEIGHS.
COUPLE OUNCES.
I'D SAY.
MAYBE MORE? DIRTY.
WOW.
THAT'S A NICE CHUNK.
Narrator: WITH A $7,000 NUGGET
IN THE PAN,
HANK IS ITCHING TO GET BACK
TO WORK.
Hank: I'M JUST GONNA KEEP
FILLING MY BOX.
THAT'S GOOD GROUND THERE, MAYBE.
[ RATTLING ]
WE'RE IN THE GOLD! I LOVE IT!
I DEFINITELY GOT MORE GOLD
THAN SHAWN TODAY.
I GUARANTEE YOU THAT.
[ LAUGHS ]
BEAUTIFUL DAY.
[ CLANK ]
OH, [BLEEP].
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
[ POWERS DOWN ]
Narrator: DIGGING THROUGH
THE ROCKS AND BOULDERS
BLEW A HYDRAULIC HOSE
POWERING THE EXCAVATOR ARM.
GOD DANG IT.
GOLD GODS ARE PISSED OFF
AS US.
WE SHUT THE HOE OFF,
AND EVERYTHING KIND OF STOPPED.
Narrator: IN GOLD MINING...
THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO
TO TOWN AND GO GET A HOSE.
Narrator:
...WHATEVER CAN GO WRONG
WILL GO WRONG.
WE GOT A BREAK.
Narrator:
OFF THE COAST OF NOME...
ON THE TOMCOD CLAIM...
THERE'S TIME LOST. I'M JUST --
I'M JUST A LITTLE FED UP
WITH, UH, YOU KNOW,
GETTING -- GETTING THE [BLEEP]
BIG SHAFT
ON THE -- ON THIS END, YOU KNOW?
Narrator: AFTER BLOWING
A HYDRAULIC LINE
TO HIS EXCAVATOR,
CAPTAIN HANK SCHIMSCHAT
IS BEING FORCED
TO ABANDON HIS HONEY HOLE.
MY TIME IS SHORT, SO I JUST --
RIGHT NOW I'M GONNA GO TO TOWN.
I'M GONNA FIX WHAT I NEED
TO FIX.
I'M GONNA GET OUT HERE.
I'M GONNA MINE,
SO THAT'S WHERE I STAND.
Narrator:
MAKING MATTERS WORSE...
HOW'S IT GOING OVER THERE,
HANK?
GOLD GODS ARE PISSED OFF.
Narrator:
HE'S LEAVING THE SPOT WIDE OPEN
FOR THE CHRISTINE ROSE.
[ RADIO STATIC CRACKLING ]
YEAH. 10-4.
TELL YOU, THE LAST TWO WEEKS
WERE PRETTY GOOD
RIGHT IN THIS LITTLE SPOT.
ALL RIGHT.
WE GOT -- WE GOTTA --
I GUESS WE GOTTA
SAY GOODBYE NOW.
OKAY, THANKS.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
Narrator:
AND AS THE OLD SAYING GOES...
HE SAYS HE ON GOOD GROUND.
WE MIGHT HAVE TO GO TAKE A LOOK
AND SEE WHAT HE'S REALLY ON.
Narrator: WHILE THE CAT'S AWAY,
MR. GOLD'S GONNA TAKE YOUR GOLD.
HANK'S GOT A LOT TO LEARN.
HE AIN'T GONNA COME OUT HERE
AFTER ONLY MINING FOR TWO YEARS
AND THINK YOU'RE GONNA BEAT ME.
HE'S GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME
KEEPING UP.
YOU READY BACK THERE?
DO YOU WANT ME
TO START TRYING?
YEAH, USUALLY I'LL DRIVE
TO GET US SET IN THE PLACE.
NAIL HER DOWN. COOL HER OFF.
SHUT HER DOWN.
Narrator:
SHAWN CHECKS OUT THE GROUND
HANK WAS ON JUST MINUTES AGO.
GO AHEAD. GRAB THE PANNING TUB
AND, UH, PAN.
MAYBE HE FOUND A HOT SPOT.
YOU NEVER KNOW.
YOU AIN'T OUT HERE,
YOU AIN'T GONNA GET NO GOLD.
IN PIECES RIGHT THERE.
WHOA. THERE WE GO.
I CAN SEE 20, 30 PIECES
RIGHT HERE IN THIS AREA.
OH, IT'S LOADED.
WHOO!
YEAH!
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SOME MONEY.
THAT'S GONNA MAKE THAT BOX
LIGHT RIGHT UP.
WE BETTER GET SET UP AND NOT
WASTE ANY OF THIS GROUND.
I'M MARKING THAT ONE "MR. GOLD."
I THINK WE JUST KNOCKED IT
RIGHT OUT OF THE PARK.
[ LOUD RATTLING ]
[ Loudly ] THAT'S THE SOUND
OF MONEY, BABY!
MUSIC TO MY EARS.
[ CLICKS TEETH ]
WHOO! MR. GOLD DOING IT,
AND HE'S DOING IT BIG.
I CAN'T WALK OR CHEW GUM
AT THE SAME TIME,
BUT I CAN GOLD MINE LIKE
A MOTHER[BLEEP].
BY THE TIME HANK FIGURES IT OUT,
I'LL HAVE ALL THE GOLD.
Narrator: WHILE SHAWN IS PACKING
THE SLUICE BOX WITH GOLD...
IN THE CENTER OF NOME...
SO I'VE HEARD
YOU'RE QUITTING?
YEAH, I GUESS SO.
LEAVING TOMORROW.
Narrator: DEAD BROKE AFTER
ANOTHER BAD CLEANUP,
EMILY'S GREENHORN
IS PACKING HIS BAGS.
OKAY.
'CAUSE I'M NOT LIKE --
I'M NOT, LIKE, QUITTING
LIKE I'M DONE WITH --
BUT I MEAN--
YOU'RE NOT, LIKE, QUITTING,
LIKE WHAT? WHAT? LEAVING
TOMORROW ISN'T QUITTING?
NO, I JUST MEAN, I'M NOT
TRYING TO BE LIKE THAT, THOUGH.
'CAUSE YOU'RE A GOOD BOSS.
TRYING TO BE LIKE WHAT?
WHAT, BUYING A TICKET
AND GIVING ME 24-HOUR NOTICE?
LIKE...
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?
THERE'S NOTHING TO -- THERE IS
NOTHING FOR YOU TO SAY.
THAT'S RIGHT. EXACTLY.
WELL, I WANT YOU
OUT OF MY HOUSE,
AND YOU'LL GET PAID
WHEN YOU GET PAID.
I GET IT 100%. YOU HAVE
EVERY REASON TO BE MAD.
AND I-I'M SORRY.
THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT
THAT YOU'RE LEAVING MID-SEASON.
I-I KNOW.
THAT DOESN'T DO [BLEEP]
FOR ME.
YOUR GUILT, YOUR APOL--
I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR APOLOGY!
THEY DON'T MEAN [BLEEP]
TO ME.
I DON'T CARE! I DON'T EVEN
WANNA LOOK AT YOU. GET OUT!
GET OUT. YOU'LL GET PAID.
NO, I'M NOT DOING --
I'M NOT DOING THAT.
YOU'LL GET PAID.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
IF YOU WON'T [BLEEP] GET OUT,
I'M GONNA GO [BLEEP] WORK
ON THE BOAT...
I DIDN'T SAY
I'M NOT DOING THAT,
BUT I THINK ANY ONE
THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE
IF YOU'RE GONNA KICK ME
OUT OF THE HOUSE...
YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'LL GET PAID
WHEN WE DIVIDE THE GOLD.
AND YOU KNOW --
LET'S DO IT RIGHT NOW.
DIVIDE IT RIGHT NOW.
NO, NO. NO, NO. YOU KNOW WHAT?
WHY? WHY? BECAUSE YOU JUST
DON'T WANT ME TO GET MY MONEY...
NO.
...FOR SOME REASON.
NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS.
WELL, LET'S DO IT THEN.
THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS.
THEN WHAT IS IT?
I, UNLIKE YOU,
COMMIT TO PEOPLE
AND GIVE THEM WHAT THEY DESERVE.
I -- YOU'LL GET PAID
BEFORE YOU LEAVE, BUT RIGHT NOW,
I'M GONNA GO WORK
ON MY [BLEEP] BOAT.
YOU [BLEEP] MY OPERATION
BY LEAVING.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING,
AND YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT,
DON'T YOU?
BECAUSE I'M GOING HOME.
YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT,
DON'T YOU?
NO, NO, I DON'T.
KEEP ON FEELING GOOD. [BLEEP]
I MEAN,
I FEEL BAD APOLOGIZING.
HAVE FUN IN LIFE
FEELING GOOD ABOUT IT.
I APOLOGIZED. THAT'S WHY I DON'T
FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT, EMILY.
[ SCOFFS ]
TO ME, TONS IS JUST ANOTHER
BAD INVESTMENT IN CHARACTER,
[ SIGHS ]
TONS CLEANED THE BOAT. I MEAN,
HE'S NOT REALLY THAT GOOD
OF A GOLD MINER, SO [BLEEP] IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU LOSE SOME AND YOU WIN SOME.
I LET HIM GO. HE'S GONE.
MOVING ON.
Narrator: AS ANOTHER DAY
ARRIVES IN NOME...
[ DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE ]
[ BABY CRYING ]
AT THE KELLY HOUSE...
HEY, SOCKS.
IT'S OUT WITH THE OLD...
I JUST WANNA GET MY [BLEEP]
AND GET THE [BLEEP] OUT OF HERE.
Narrator:
...AND IN THE WITH THE NEW.
LOOK AT HER.
OH, SHE GIVES ME THE SIGNAL.
SEE, THAT'S THE SIGN.
"GIVE ME SOME FOOD."
YOU WANT SOME FOOD?
[ Baby voice ]
"YES, I REALLY WANT SOME FOOD."
Kris: THIS IS REALLY NOT A GOOD
PLACE FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH,
LET ME TELL YOU.
Narrator: TO MAKE ROOM
FOR THE NEW BABY,
KRIS HAS BEEN KICKED OUT
OF HIS DAD'S HOUSE.
Kris: AS SOON AS I MOVE OUT,
EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE AWESOME.
I'LL BE HAPPIER.
EVERYTHING'S BEEN A LOT BETTER
SINCE MY BROTHER CAME BACK,
ANYWAYS.
YOU WANT KRIS TO BABYSIT YOU?
YOUR BIG BROTHER KRIS?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
I'M GONNA PROBABLY GO
STAY OVER AT DAN'S HOUSE.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS HATE
TO BE KICKED OUT.
I PREFER TO LEAVE.
WE'VE HELPED DAD
OUR WHOLE LIVES,
AND LOOK WHERE IT GOT US.
NO, I KNOW. I'M SICK OF IT, TOO.
LAST BAG.
GET THE [BLEEP] OUT OF HERE.
WON'T BE BACK FOR A LONG TIME.
THE JOKE OF IT
IS I GOTTA COME BACK HERE
TO DO MY [BLEEP] CLEANUPS,
AND WE GOTTA PRETEND LIKE
WE'RE STILL FRIENDS.
[ TRUCK DOOR CLOSES ]
SEE YOU LATER.
HOPEFULLY ON TO BIGGER
AND BETTER THINGS.
Narrator: WHILE KRIS LOOKS
FOR A NEW PLACE TO CRASH,
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF NOME...
AT ZEKE TENHOFF'S COMPOUND...
LET ME SEE. OH, YEAH, DUDE.
THAT'S BANGIN'.
SEE, THOSE THINGS
ARE ALL LOADED WITH GOLD.
Narrator: THANKS TO
THE VIGILANCE OF HIS SWEETHEART,
ZEKE IS TALLYING UP HIS GOLD.
[ CHUCKLES ]
I'M THINKING THAT'S GONNA BE
AT LEAST 7, 8 OUNCES.
COOK IT UP.
LET'S GO WEIGH IT.
Sarah: OKAY.
2.2...
OKAY, 3.8, 4.8...
OH, OH, 6.1.
6.3, 6.4., 5, 6, 7.
COME ON, COME ON, COME ON.
10.4 OUNCES.
I'M HAPPY.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
ALL RIGHT.
Narrator: 10.4 OUNCES --
THAT'S WORTH
12 1/2 THOUSAND DOLLARS.
DUDE, THAT'S [BLEEP] GOOD.
WE, LIKE, GOT THAT MONEY
IN THE OCEAN.
THAT'S WHAT'S EXCITING
ABOUT THIS TO ME.
YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T COME
FROM SOME MAGIC MONEY PLACE
WHERE PEOPLE WRITE YOU
A CHECK.
IT'S LIKE WE ACTUALLY,
LIKE, GOT THIS MONEY
FROM UNDER ROCKS
WITH OUR LABOR,
AND IT'S RIGHT HERE.
Narrator: BACK IN THE HARBOR...
AH, YOU GOTTA REMEMBER
THE SWITCH IN THE BACK
THAT TURNS EVERYTHING ON,
AND THERE'S ANOTHER SWITCH
ON THE BURNER BEHIND THE SEAT
THAT'S GOTTA BE ON.
Narrator: AFTER REPLACING
THE HYDRAULIC HOSE
TO THE EXCAVATOR ARM,
HANK IS SENDING DECK HANDS
MATT PECKENPAUGH
AND STAN MILLER
BACK OUT TO THE DIGGING GROUNDS.
I GOTTA GET SOME GOLD
IN THE POT,
AND MATT'S GOOD ENOUGH
TO WHERE I CAN TRUST HIM
TO RUN THE BOAT.
Narrator: AFTER BEING FORCED
OFF HIS HOT SPOT,
HANK IS ANXIOUS TO RECLAIM
HIS TURF.
THIS IS ACTUALLY MY FIRST TIME
SOLO OUT OF THE HARBOR.
I'M GONNA GIVE TOMCOD
ANOTHER TRY, I GUESS.
MATT AND I WORK REALLY WELL
TOGETHER, SO...
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE GOOD HERE.
BEING CAPTAIN MAKES YOU
A LITTLE NERVOUS,
BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL GET OUT HERE
AND WE'LL GET SOME MINING DONE
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL PUT
SOME GOLD IN THE BOX.
[ CLANK ]
WHOA!
WHAT HAPPENED?
I LOST ALL THRUST.
Narrator: WITHOUT WARNING,
THE DREDGE HAS STALLED
ON THE OPEN SEA.
MATT! YOU WANNA PULL IT UP
AND SEE IF THERE'S
ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT?
SEEMED TO HAVE LOST OUR THRUST.
THE PROPELLER'S NOT SPINNING.
LET ME SEE WHAT HE NEEDS.
[ CLICK ]
STEERING ALL THE WAY
AT ONE SIDE RIGHT NOW?
IS THAT HOW YOU HAVE IT?
THAT'S IT.
Narrator: WITH NO STEERING
OR PROPULSION,
THE BARGE IS HELPLESSLY ADRIFT.
UH, WE'VE LOST STEERING
ON THE THRUST MASTER,
SO I'M GONNA PADDLE IT OVER
A LITTLE CLOSER TO SHORE,
PUT THE SPUD DOWN.
[ CELL PHONE RINGS ]
HEY, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM HERE.
UH, WE HAVE NO THRUSTER RIGHT --
WE HAVE NO THRUSTER RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE -- WE'RE DEAD IN
THE WATER. WE DON'T KNOW.
WE WERE JUST ABOUT AT THE CLAIM,
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, UH,
WE STOPPED MOVING AND WE STARTED
DRIFTING OUT TOWARD RUSSIA.
IT'S GETTING PRETTY NASTY
OUT HERE.
THE WIND'S REALLY PICKED UP,
AND WE'RE JUST GETTING BLOWN
ALL OVER THE PLACE HERE.
Narrator:
IN THE CENTER OF TOWN...
TONS, IN MY OPINION,
YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS.
I ALMOST DOCKED YOU
HALF AN OUNCE.
YOU'RE COSTING THEM MONEY,
'CAUSE IF WE WENT OUT AND MINED
AND WE WERE IN A GOOD SPOT,
WE ONLY HAVE TWO DIVERS,
AND WITHOUT ANOTHER SHIFT,
WE'RE LOSING MONEY.
I ALMOST TOOK THAT GOLD
AWAY FROM YOU,
BUT I DIDN'T DO IT,
EVEN THOUGH
I REALLY FEEL LIKE
I SHOULD.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
THERE'S NO HONOR IN THIS.
TAKE YOUR MONEY
AND GET OUT OF MY HOUSE.
THAT'S IT.
ALL RIGHT.
[ DOOR CLOSES ]
Tons: I DO FEEL BAD,
UH, FOR -- FOR LEAVING,
BUT I'VE GOTTA LOOK OUT FOR ME,
AND NO ONE'S GONNA DO IT FOR ME.
SO I MEAN, I GOT TO A LINE,
AND I JUST DON'T WANNA --
I JUST DON'T HAVE IT IN ME
ANYMORE.
Narrator:
OFF THE COAST OF NOME...
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW HE CAN'T
REACH BOTTOM,
SO WE CAN'T HOLD OURSELVES
IN ONE SPOT.
Narrator:
WITH THE WEATHER WORSENING,
THE 80-FOOT GOLD GRABBER
HAS LOST STEERING
AND PROPULSION AND IS NOW
ADRIFT ON THE BERING SEA.
THIS IS A HUGE BARGE,
AND IT'S LIKE A BIG SAIL,
AND IT'S TAKING US WHERE
WE DON'T WANNA GO RIGHT NOW,
SO HOPEFULLY, WE FIGURE OUT
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
IT COULD BE A LITTLE SCARY HERE
IN A LITTLE BIT.
OKAY.
Narrator: AFTER PADDLING
TO SHALLOW WATER...
THE CREW LOWERS STABILIZING SPUD
TO KEEP FROM DRIFTING.
[ CREAKING AND CLANKING ]
THE SPUD DOWN
AND THE BARGE LOCKED IN PLACE...
HELP ME PULL IT FORWARD,
STAN.
Narrator: THE SKIPPER ARRIVES
TO HELP DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM.
STEERING AND THRUST.
SAME TIME.
YEAH, IT'S GETTING [BLEEP].
IT'S BUILDING QUICKLY.
SO WE NEED TO GET A SCREWDRIVER
TO TAKE 'EM OFF, CLEAN 'EM OFF,
PUT SOME GREASE ON 'EM.
FIND OUT THE PROBLEM
ONE AT A TIME HERE.
I'M GONNA GET A SCREWDRIVER
TO PULL THIS OFF,
AND I THINK IT'S DOWN THERE.
OH, YEAH.
BUT I MEAN, WE GOT --
WE GOT PROBLEMS.
I MEAN, I DON'T...
WELL, YOUR SWITCH IS OFF.
YEAH, THE SWITCH IS OFF.
SEE, THAT NEEDLE JUMPED
FROM ONE POINT.
SEE, WE GOT A PROBLEM.
SO IT'S ONLY ONE THING.
IT'S THE STEERING.
Narrator: THE PROPELLER
STILL HAS POWER,
BUT STEERING IS A NO-GO.
WE NEED TO SPIN THIS MOTOR
AROUND MANUALLY,
AND THEN, UH,
AND THEN LOG IT IN.
Narrator: TO GET OUT OF DANGER,
HANK NEEDS TO LOCK THE PROPELLER
IN PLACE
AND STEER THE BARGE
WITH THE EXCAVATOR.
[ CLANKING ]
WHEW, GOT THE MOTOR CHAINED DOWN
ON EACH SIDE
SO IT CAN'T SPIN ON ITS OWN.
Narrator: FOR THE SECOND TIME
IN 24 HOURS,
HANK IS FORCED TO HEAD
BACK IN FOR REPAIRS.
AT THIS POINT, REALLY,
YOU DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.
THE GOLD GODS HAVE BEEN
PISSED OFF AT ME ALL YEAR.
EVERYTHING'S WORKING FINE,
THE GOLD'S GREAT,
AND THEN IT'S LIKE WHY?
WE GOT IT TO WHERE
WE CAN TRAVEL,
AND THAT'S THE MAIN PART
RIGHT NOW, SO...
READY TO ROLL?
[ WHIRRING ]
WE'RE PULLING THE SPUD. WE'RE
GETTING OUT OF THIS WEATHER.
[ CLANK ]
WE PROBABLY MADE A BAD CHOICE
TRYING TO COME OUT AND MINE.
THERE'S NO SENSE IN TRYING
TO COME OUT MINING
IF THIS KIND OF STUFF
[BLEEP] HAPPENS TO BREAK.
JUST WANNA GET BACK HOME,
GET SOME THINGS FIXED,
AND GO OUT AND MINE GOLD.
Narrator: WHILE HANK
IS OUT OF LUCK AGAIN,
BACK IN NOME,
AT THE POMRENKE CLEANUP SHACK...
WE'RE KICKING ASS.
Narrator: SHAWN HAS HIT
THE JACKPOT ON HANK'S OLD SPOT.
KINDA FEEL BAD FOR HANK,
BUT NOT REALLY.
YOU WANT PILES OF GOLD
LIKE THIS,
YOU GOTTA ACTUALLY WORK FOR IT.
Narrator: TO HELP HIM
RUN THE MATERIAL...
GOOD MORNING.
HEY, DAD.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON.
YEAH.
Narrator: HE'S EVEN CALLED IN
THE OLD MAN.
GONNA BE 50 OUNCES
IN THAT HEADER?
OH, YEAH.
I'M THINKING FOR 50.
DAD AND I HAVE MINED HERE
FOR 25 YEARS,
SO WHEN GOLD MINING COMES
TO ANYBODY'S MIND,
THE POMRENKES FOLLOWS THAT
RIGHT ALONG WITH IT.
I'VE PAVED THE WAY FOR HANK
AND ALL THE REST OF THESE GUYS
THAT ARE FOLLOWING MY LEAD.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE
A LITTLE CONTEST
ON WHOEVER GETS CLOSEST
ON HOW MUCH THE CLEANUP IS,
FOR THE BIGGEST NUGGET
ON THE DREDGE.
OH, GOOD.
THAT'S A GOOD CONTEST.
OH, THIS IS LIKE [BLEEP]
"PRICE IS RIGHT" NOW, IS IT?
OOH, THAT'S A GOOD PILE
OF GOLD.
NOW WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD
AND ROLL THIS STUFF UP,
GET IT OUT OF HERE,
PUT IT IN THE NEW WHEEL.
THIS IS WHERE YOU GET TO SEE
THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR.
ALL RIGHT. WE GOT SOME GOLD.
[ BUCKET CLATTERS ]
OOH. OH, LOOK AT THAT.
NOT LOOKING TOO SHABBY.
AIN'T GONNA MAKE ANY GUESSES
JUST QUITE YET.
THOSE GUYS ARE STILL PANNING
THE COARSE OFF.
Narrator: TOO BUSY PANNING.
Shawn: I'M WAITING.
Narrator: STEVE AND JESSE
MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE HANK DID.
NEVER TURN YOUR BACK
ON MR. GOLD.
I WAS JUST -- I WAS --
I WAS JUST TESTING IT,
TRYING TO GET AN IDEA
WHERE I WAS AT.
I'M DONE.
THE BIGGEST NUGGET...
WHAT? WHAT'S THE --
WHAT'S THE GUESS?
YOU READY?
JESSE, WHAT'S YOUR GUESS?
I'M -- I'M LOOKING HERE.
46...
42.5.
I'M GONNA SAY 44.
THIS IS ANYBODY'S GAME.
I'LL WEIGH IT UP.
30, 34.
[ TAPPING ]
42, 43...
Jesse: DAMN IT.
YEAH, BUT THE FUNNELS
ON THERE YET. MAN.
YEAH. WATCH THIS. THAT ONE'S
GONNA BE RIGHT ON.
32, 34, 5, 6, 7.
OH, OH,
42...43...
44.8.
AH! HA HA! I GOT IT.
[ LAUGHING ]
YOU SNEAKY...
YOU WEIGHED IT BEFORE,
YOU SNEAKY BASTARD.
YEAH! [ LAUGHING ]
YOU WEIGHED IT BEFORE.
YOU CHEATED.
Narrator: 44.8 OUNCES
IS WORTH ALMOST $54,000...
NOW YOU GOT A BONUS.
Narrator: ...MINUS, OF COURSE,
ONE ILL-GOTTEN NUGGET.
AH.
THAT --
GIVE ME THAT THING.
[ LAUGHING ]
YOU GOTTA GET UP
EARLY IN THE MORNING
TO BEAT MR. GOLD.
Narrator:
WHILE ANOTHER 10 OUNCES
HAS ZEKE GAINING GROUND,
EMILY RIEDEL IS LOSING CREW.
FULL SPEED AHEAD!
FIRE AWAY.
LOSE 'EM, JACOB!
[ GROANS ]
I'M COMING TO GET
YOUR FAT ASS, ZEKE!
[BLEEP] THAT'S SOME OF THE BEST
GOLD I'VE EVER SEEN, BUDDY.
[ SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY ]
THERE IT GOES!
[ CRASH ]
PEOPLE WHO LIKE THE ACTION.
PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY'RE GONNA
GET RICH QUICK.
[ LAUGHS ] YEAH!
THAT IS GOLD. WHOO-HOO-HOO!
Man: GOLD. AWESOME.
THEY FIND OUT PRETTY QUICKLY
IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.
NO! THE ANCHOR JUST WENT OVER.
EVERY DAY IS AN EXERCISE IN
FIXING BROKEN DOWN EQUIPMENT.
OH, [BLEEP].
GOLD GODS ARE PISSED OFF
AT US.
WHAT THE [BLEEP] DO I DO?!
AAH!
THIS SHOULD BE CALLED
"BROKEDOWN CITY,"
BECAUSE IF YOU GOT EQUIPMENT,
HEY, GUESS WHAT.
IT'S GONNA BREAK DOWN.
♪ 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: NOME, ALASKA.
[ DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE ]
Emily: WE'RE HALFWAY
THROUGH THE SEASON,
AND IT'S NOT GOING WELL.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER
IT'S THE GROUND
OR THE DIVER OR WHAT THE [BLEEP]
IS GOING ON,
BUT, YOU KNOW,
SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE.
Narrator:
THE SUMMER DREDGING SEASON
IS HALFWAY OVER,
AND THE FLEET IS FEELING
THE PINCH.
800 BUCKS A DAY
TO 1,000 BUCKS A DAY
JUST TO COME OUT HERE, YOU KNOW?
AND, UH, IF YOU DON'T FIND GOLD,
YOU'RE NOT GONNA --
YOU CAN'T SURVIVE.
Narrator: MINERS HAVE SUNK
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
INTO THEIR RIGS JUST
TO KEEP THEM UP AND RUNNING.
800 BUCKS WORTH FOR THEM
TWO LITTLE DINK PARTS.
DON'T DROP 'EM.
GO MAKE SOME DAMN GOLD, THEN.
SEE YA, DAD.
Narrator: BUT THERE'S STILL
TIME LEFT TO TURN A PROFIT.
BOAT IS GOOD.
THE SLUICE BOX IS GOOD.
ALL WE NEED TO DO NOW IS JUST
GET UP AND GET GOING.
FINGERS CROSSED, MAYBE WE CAN
FINISH THE SEASON
OUT WITH A BANG.
Narrator: NOW HITTING PAY DIRT
IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER...
[ BABY CRYING ]
...ESPECIALLY IF YOU NEED
MONEY FOR DIAPERS.
YOU READY?
I'M READY, BABE.
I'VE BEEN WAITING
FOR DAYS.
Narrator: IN THE CENTER OF NOME,
BRAD KELLY GETS
HIS FIRST CHANCE TO HOLD
HIS DAUGHTER, THE GOLDEN CHILD,
LITTLE BABY NIA.
TRUST ME. I'LL HANDLE HER
WITH KID GLOVES.
OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.
CAREFUL, CAREFUL, CAREFUL.
CAREFUL, CAREFUL.
[ Baby voice ]
ARE YOU LITTLE NIA?
MY LITTLE BABY.
[ Normal voice ]
DAMN, SHE'S SO SMALL.
SHE'D FIT UP A SUCTION HOSE.
HEY, YOUR BROTHERS
ARE A LITTLE ROUGH,
BUT THEY'RE GONNA
LOVE YOU.
Narrator: THREE DAYS AGO...
[ CRYING ] I DON'T KNOW --
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S GONNA
MAKE IT, YOU KNOW?
I REALLY DON'T. I'M REALLY UPSET
OVER THIS [BLEEP].
Narrator: AFTER HEMORRHAGING
BADLY DURING CHILDBIRTH,
BRAD KELLY'S GIRLFRIEND COURTNEY
WAS MEDEVACKED TO ANCHORAGE
TO SAVE HER LIFE.
I JUST WANT MY BABY
AND MY GIRL TO BE HEALTHY.
THAT'S ALL I GIVE A [BLEEP]
ABOUT.
COURTNEY, YOU SCARED
THE HELL OUT OF ME, BABE.
I WAS REALLY SCARED.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE DYING.
I WASN'T GONNA SEE YOU
AGAIN.
I THANK GOD YOU'RE HERE,
AND I'M GONNA WORK THE HARDEST
I'VE EVER WORKED
TO KEEP GOLD FOR YOU
AND THE BABY, OKAY?
[ BABY FUSSES ]
MY LITTLE PUMPKIN HEAD.
YOU GET OLDER, YOU SEE THE JOY
IN HAVING THIS LITTLE BABY.
IT'S A GREAT LITTLE THING,
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I GOTTA GET OUT THERE
AND MAKE A LOT OF GOLD NOW.
I WANT THIS BABY TO GO
TO SCHOOL HERE.
I WANT HER TO GO TO COLLEGE.
[ Baby voice ] EDUCATION. YEAH.
[ Normal voice ] OH, AND I KNOW
HOW TO RAISE KIDS NOW.
I LEARNED ALONG THE WAY.
I MADE MISTAKES WITH MY BOYS.
I'M NOT GONNA MAKE MISTAKES
WITH THIS ONE.
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,
WHEN I HAD MY KIDS,
I WAS YOUNG. I WAS 17 YEARS OLD.
YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW
HOW TO RAISE A FAMILY.
I WAS KINDA SHUNNED
FROM MY FAMILY.
NOW THAT I HAVE A NEW FAMILY,
I KNOW A DIFFERENT PATH
TO GO DOWN.
NOW YOU'RE GONNA SEE
A DIFFERENT BRAD.
I GOTTA TAKE CARE OF MY BABY
AT ANY COST.
I THINK SHE'S HUNGRY
AND WANTS A SECOND [BLEEP]
OR SOMETHING.
LOOK AT HER.
[ SNIFFS ]
NO, THAT WAS BAD.
DADDY'S GONNA QUIT SWEARING,
TOO.
DADDY'S NOT GONNA USE
NO MORE BAD WORDS. NOPE.
Narrator: WHILE THE NEWEST KELLY
SETTLES IN,
OVER IN NOME HARBOR...
GO AHEAD AND START
PUSHING AWAY.
Narrator: WITH 606 OUNCES,
WORTH 727 GRAND COLLECTED
ON THE SEASON,
SHAWN POMRENKE
AND THE 80-FOOT CHRISTINE ROSE
ARE FIRING UP TO HEAD
FOR THE TOMCOD CLAIM.
I'M A VERY,
VERY COMPETITIVE GUY.
I DON'T LIKE TO LOSE.
SO COMING IN FIRST
IN THE GOLD COUNT
IS PRETTY IMPORTANT TO ME.
I DON'T LIKE TO BE BEAT.
I DON'T LIKE ANYBODY BEATING ME
AT ANYTHING.
I LIKE BEING THE NUMBER ONE.
THAT'S THE BOAT I WANNA BUY
AT THE END OF THIS.
MAYBE I'LL FIND
THAT PILE OF GOLD TODAY,
SO I CAN BUY MY BIG BOAT.
[ HORN BLOWS ]
THE CHRISTINE ROSE
MIGHT BE LITTLE,
BUT IT'S EFFICIENT,
AND IT'S GOT
ONE HELL OF AN OPERATOR.
Narrator: SHAWN IS LESS
THAN 400 OUNCES AWAY
FROM BREAKING
THE 1,000-OUNCE BARRIER
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
YOU GET 1,000 OUNCES,
I MEAN, PEOPLE RESPECT THAT.
THAT SHOWS YOU KNOW WHAT
YOU'RE DOING.
AND WE NEED TO GET 25, 30 OUNCES
IN THE BOX TODAY,
OR WE'RE GONNA FALL BEHIND.
OH, [BLEEP].
THE ANCHOR JUST WENT OVER.
HEY, JAKE...
YOU GOT A 1,000-POUND ANCHOR
HANGING OFF THE END OF IT.
IF THAT CATCHES SOMETHING
ON THE BOTTOM,
IT'S GONNA RIP THAT WHOLE WINCH
AND EVERYTHING RIGHT OFF.
Narrator: AS THE HALF-TON ANCHOR
FELL OVERBOARD,
IT RIPPED THE TRAILING
STEEL BUOY ACROSS THE DECK
INTO THE GUARD RAIL,
NEARLY TEARING IT OFF THE BOAT.
I'M GONNA FLIP THE BALL
OUT OF THERE
AND TRY GRABBING THAT ANCHOR.
HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T SINK.
Narrator: TO GET HIS ANCHOR BACK
AND KEEP THE HULL INTACT,
SHAWN NEEDS TO CAREFULLY
RAISE THE LINE
WITH HIS EXCAVATOR.
HERE WE GO. I'M GONNA TRY IT.
OH, OH. OH, MAYBE I CAN JUST
FINESSE IT.
OH, NO, IT MIGHT WANNA COME OFF
THAT TOOTH.
IT'S HANGING ON A THREAD.
[ CLANK ]
Narrator: THE BUCKET ARM
IS AS HIGH AS IT CAN LIFT.
NOW IT'S A MATTER OF GENTLY
HOOKING THE ANCHOR
BACK ON THE GUARD RAIL.
NO!
MORE?
MORE.
Narrator: WITH THE ANCHOR
AND BUOY OVERBOARD,
IT'S NOW A RACE TO ATTACH
A CHAIN TO IT
BEFORE THEY'RE LOST COMPLETELY.
THINKING ON HIS FEET,
SHAWN SECURES THE CHAIN
TO THE MIDPOINT
OF THE ANCHOR LINE,
HOPING TO REDUCE THE DISTANCE
THE BUCKET ARM NEEDS TO LIFT.
GOT IT.
JUST GOT THE CHAIN HOOKED UP.
NOW I GOTTA GET THIS ONBOARD.
WHOA! WE GOT EVERYTHING ONBOARD!
Narrator: THE ANCHOR AND BUOY
SAFELY SECURED ON DECK,
IT'S NOW FULL SPEED AHEAD
FOR THE DIGGING GROUNDS.
YEAH, FORWARD, FORWARD.
THAT WAS SCARY.
KEEP PUSHING.
DO WHATEVER IT TAKES
TO GET THE GOLD.
Narrator: 4 MILES TO THE WEST,
ON THE ROCK WALL CLAIM...
WE'RE ALL SYSTEMS GO.
JUST GONNA LET THE ENGINE RUN
FOR A WHILE,
GET MY HOT WATER
ALL WARMED UP.
MY LEAST FAVORITE PART
OF DREDGING
IS PUTTING ON A COLD, WET
WET SUIT.
I REALLY HATE IT.
[ CHUCKLES ]
Narrator: DIVER ZEKE TENHOFF
AND HIS GIRLFRIEND SARAH DUNN
ARE PREPPING FOR ANOTHER DAY
AT WORK.
I WANNA FIND ONE OF THOSE
REAL HOT SPOTS
AND HOPEFULLY PUT A COUPLE
OUNCES IN HERE TODAY.
Narrator: 10 DAYS AGO...
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY, BLEEP ]
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: ZEKE BROUGHT ON
HIS BABY BROTHER GABE
AS A TENDER AND SECOND DIVER.
12 OUNCES.
THAT'S NOT BAD.
NOT BAD AT ALL.
Narrator:
AND THE PAIR BROUGHT IN
A $15,000 SCORE.
NOW, AFTER LITTLE BRO
HEADED HOME...
HEY, OUR GENERATOR
STOPPED WORKING,
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS OUT OF GAS.
WHAT'S THAT?
Narrator: ZEKE IS ONCE AGAIN
DIVING SOLO
WITH A GREENHORN TENDER.
ARE THERE ANY HOLES
IN ANY OF THESE THINGS?
THE BONES OF THE TENDERING JOB
ARE NOT -- NOT VERY HARD.
THERE'S NOT VERY MANY THINGS
YOU HAVE TO DO.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE
A GENIUS TO DO THAT STUFF.
YOU NEED SOME HELP?
[ BREATHING DEEPLY ]
Sarah: HE'S JUST IN.
NO GOODBYES OR ANYTHING.
HE'S ANXIOUS.
[ BREATHING DEEPLY ]
THE CURRENT
IS REALLY STRONG,
AND IT'S SWINGING
EVERYTHING AROUND.
I JUST GOTTA MOVE THE ANCHOR.
ARE YOU PULLING US?
[ GRUNTS ]
THIS IS -- THIS IS BOLD.
OKAY.
JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE I LEFT OFF.
I'M A LITTLE BIT DISORIENTED.
OKAY, BUT YOU'RE NOT PUTTING ANY
GOLD IN THE SLUICE BOX, THEN.
I KNOW. I'M JUST ASKING.
I'M JUST...
I'M NOT ASKING IF YOU GOT
A SECOND OUNCE OF GOLD ALREADY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT,
BUT I'M JUST ASKING
IF YOU ARE HITTING ANY GOLD.
THAT WAS MY WAY OF ASKING YOU
ARE YOU HITTING ANY GOLD
WHILE YOU'RE DOWN THERE.
NEVER MIND.
ONE OF THE REASONS
ZEKE GOT STUCK
WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND TENDING
IS BECAUSE THERE ARE
SO FEW PEOPLE THAT YOU WANNA
WORK WITH HERE.
NEVER THOUGHT I'D EVEN GO
ON A BOAT
BECAUSE I WAS ON A BOAT TWICE
BEFORE I CAME OUT HERE,
AND EVERY TIME, I GOT REALLY
SICK OUT ON THE BOAT.
BUT I LOVE BEING HIS TENDER.
IT CAN BE REALLY BORING,
BUT, YOU KNOW, I-I LOVE STARING
OFF INTO SPACE.
[ LAUGHS ]
[ BREATHING DEEPLY ]
OH, YEAH, RIGHT HERE
IS WHERE I LEFT OFF DREDGING.
THIS IS SUPER HOT.
OH, RIGHT OVER THERE,
IT'S STARTING
TO GET REALLY GOOD.
[ SARAH SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
YEAH, THERE'S BEEN A BUNCH
OF REALLY FINE GOLD
IN THIS -- IN BETWEEN
THESE ROCKS.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE
THESE BIGGER ROCKS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FINE GOLD
IN THESE LITTLE CRACKS.
YOU BETTER STOCK THAT GOLD UP
LIKE YOU MEAN IT.
IT'S KINDA GROUTED IN HERE,
YOU KNOW?
SQUEEZE, BABY.
OH, IT'S JUST
REALLY EASY STUFF.
[ CLANK, WHIRRING STOPS ]
SOMETHING JUST QUIT.
HOLD UP.
[ WHIRRING ]
[ BLEEP ]
[ BLEEP ] [ BLEEP ]
OH, NO!
WHAT THE [BLEEP] DO I DO?!
Narrator: OFF THE COAST OF NOME,
ON THE CLARK...
[ WHIRRING ]
[ BLEEP ]
[ BLEEP ] [ BLEEP ]
OH, NO!
WHAT THE [BLEEP] DO I DO?!
Narrator:
JUST MINUTES INTO ZEKE'S DIVE,
THE TINY DREDGE BURSTS
A FUEL LINE,
LEAKING DIESEL
ONTO A RED-HOT EXHAUST PIPE.
HEY, WE GOT A --
WE GOT A GAS LEAK...
OKAY, I'LL BE RIGHT UP.
[ WHIRRING ]
OH, OKAY.
[ ENGINE TURNS OFF ]
[ HISSING ]
CAN YOU JUST HOLD THIS THERE
SO IT DOESN'T DRIP DOWN?
AND I'LL UNSTRAP THESE --
YEAH, LIKE, IF I HOLD IT
JUST RIGHT,
IT DOESN'T COME OUT.
OKAY. AND THEN...
YEAH. OKAY.
I REALLY DON'T MIND
PUTTING MY HAND...
I'M GONNA UNSTRAP THIS
SO WE CAN TILT IT UP.
I HAVE MY FUEL TANK RIGHT NEXT
TO MY EXHAUST SYSTEM,
SO THAT'S ALREADY
KIND OF DICEY.
IT'S NOT A VERY GOOD IDEA.
UM...
BUT I HAD, LIKE, EVERYTHING
KINDA CLAMPED TOGETHER,
SO EVERYTHING FIT TOGETHER
JUST RIGHT.
OH, MY GOD. COME HERE. I DON'T
CARE IF IT HAS DIESEL ON IT.
WIPE YOUR FACE.
[ BLOWS NOSE ]
OH, MY GOD.
I'M SORRY.
THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY.
THERE'S DIESEL DRIPPING
ALL OVER OUR PUMP,
AND IT'S HOT AS [BLEEP].
Narrator: LUCKY FOR ZEKE...
YOU CAUGHT THAT, LIKE,
AT THE RIGHT TIME.
Narrator: HIS GIRLFRIEND,
THE GREENHORN TENDER,
NOTICED THE LEAK IN TIME.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE
BOTH THESE FUEL TANKS
WOULD HAVE [BLEEP]
EXPLODED, DUDE,
AND EVERYTHING WOULD
HAVE BEEN [BLEEP] [BLEEP].
RIGHT IN MY FACE.
AND, LIKE, EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE
CAUGHT ON FIRE AND [BLEEP].
CRISIS AVERTED.
Zeke: IT'S STARTING TO CLICK
WITH SARAH A LITTLE BIT.
SARAH'S GETTING BETTER AT,
YOU KNOW,
ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS
THAT GO INTO, YOU KNOW,
THE TENDERING JOB.
Narrator: AFTER SHUTTING DOWN
AND INSTALLING A NEW FUEL LINE,
ZEKE CAN GET BACK
AFTER THE GOLD.
Sarah:
GET YOUR ASS BACK DOWN THERE.
Narrator:
AS ZEKE RESUMES HIS DIVE,
5 MILES TO THE EAST...
AND THE CENTER OF NOME...
AT CAPTAIN EMILY RIEDEL'S
GARAGE...
Emily: THIS IS GONNA BE
AN INTERESTING CLEANUP.
THE BOYS WERE OUT.
THEY WERE OUT IN
SOME REALLY FANTASTIC GOLD.
Narrator:
THE SKIPPER AND HER CREW
ARE CLEANING GOLD
FROM A 4-DAY RUN.
MY GOAL IS 400 OUNCES
FOR THIS SUMMER SEASON.
I'M HOPING FOR AT LEAST
20 OUNCES OUT OF THIS CLEANOUT,
BECAUSE THAT WOULD MEAN THAT
WE'RE AVERAGING
ABOUT A HALF AN OUNCE,
A LITTLE BIT LESS
BUT 20 OUNCES WOULD BE
[BLEEP] FANTASTIC AT THIS POINT.
DOESN'T LOOK TO BE MUCH,
BUT IT'S REALLY GOT
A LOT OF WEIGHT
FOR SOMETHING SO SMALL.
Narrator:
EMILY'S NOT THE ONLY ONE
HOPING FOR A BIG PAYDAY.
I NEED SOME MONEY...FOR SURE.
Narrator:
AFTER THREE MONTHS IN NOME,
GREENHORN DIVER TONS RUPPE
IS FEELING THE BURN.
I CAME UP HERE WITH A SAVINGS --
PRETTY GOOD SIZE SAVINGS,
AND MORE THAN I THOUGHT
THAT I WOULD NEED,
AND I UNDERESTIMATED IT
JUST A LITTLE BIT.
THIS IS A PAYCHECK
FOR ALL THE BOYS,
BUT FOR TONS ESPECIALLY.
TONS IS PRETTY BAD OFF
IN A FINANCIAL WAY.
HE GETS PRETTY EXCITED
AND ANXIOUS DURING CLEANOUTS.
LIKE, I KNOW THAT THE GOLD
IS BASICALLY
HIS SOLE SOURCE OF INCOME
RIGHT NOW,
SO, YEAH, IT NEEDS
TO WORK OUT FOR HIM.
ALL RIGHT, WHAT'S THE DAMAGE?
IT'S 29.5 HOURS,
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GOLD.
THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH.
TIME TO COOL.
UNLIKE WITH EGGS, THIS GOLD
DID NOT FLUFF WHEN HEATED.
DON'T FLICK IT EVERYWHERE.
THERE YOU GO.
OH, WOW.
Emily: 5 OUNCES. UGH.
THAT'S TERRIBLE.
I'M FLUMMOXED.
I'M AT A LOSS, REALLY.
I'M A TOTAL LOSS.
Narrator: 4.9 OUNCES
IS WORTH JUST 5,800 BUCKS.
THAT'S TERRIBLE.
UH, YEAH, NO.
THAT, YOU KNOW, [BLEEP] SUCKS.
LIKE, WHAT THE [BLEEP]
AM I GONNA DO ABOUT IT, THOUGH?
[ CLATTER ]
I'M SORRY TO THROW A KNIFE
AND, LIKE, POTENTIALLY
HIT YOU, BUT... [BLEEP]
THAT [BLEEP] SUCKS.
[ CHUCKLES ] WHAT AM I SUPPOSED
TO [BLEEP] SAY ABOUT IT?
CAN'T DO ANYTHING
TO [BLEEP] CHANGE IT.
OKAY.
[ SCOFFS ]
WHAT CAN I [BLEEP] DO?
[ DRAWERS BANGING, CLATTERING ]
Narrator: WHILE THINGS ARE
LOOKING BLEAK FOR EMILY'S CREW,
7 MILES TO THE WEST...
ON THE TOMCOD CLAIM...
[BLEEP] DAMN IT, ROCKY.
Narrator: IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY
FOR CAPTAIN HANK SCHIMSCHAT
AND THE 80-FOOT AU GRABBER.
IT'S MY SECRET HONEY HOLE
RIGHT HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF GOLD.
WE JUST GOTTA GET IT.
Narrator: THIS SEASON,
HANK IS STUCK LIKE GLUE
TO A 2-ACRE AREA OF THE CLAIM
JUST OFFSHORE
OF AN ANCIENT CREEK BED.
I DON'T KNOW WHY GOD MADE IT
THAT WAY, BUT HE DID.
HE PUT THE GOLD RIGHT UNDER ALL
THESE BIG HARD [BLEEP] ROCKS.
I MIGHT BE A SECOND-YEAR ROOKIE
WITH MINING, BUT I KNOW DIRT.
WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH
THE SEASON RIGHT NOW,
AND WE'RE AT 104 OUNCES FOR
THE TOTAL FOR THE YEAR SO FAR.
I'VE BEEN ON ONE SPOT
ALL SUMMER,
AND IT'S BEEN REAL GOOD FOR ME.
I FOUND SOME REALLY GOOD GOLD
IN FRONT OF A CREEK.
YEAH, I GOT SOMETHING
TO PROVE TO MYSELF --
PROVE TO MYSELF
THAT I'D MADE THE RIGHT DECISION
TO GO GOLD MINING.
Narrator: AFTER DROPPING
A MILLION BUCKS
BUILDING HIS RIG,
HANK NEEDS THIS HONEY HOLE
TO HELP HIM OUT OF THE RED.
OH, I'LL GET A COUPLE OF
HUNDRED OUNCES OUT OF HERE
IF I PLAY MY CARDS RIGHT.
Narrator:
BUT ON THE BERING SEA...
...NO SECRET HOT SPOT
IS EVER REALLY SECRET.
THAT'S THE CLOSEST IT'S EVER
GOTTEN UP ON ME.
Narrator: JUST 200 YARDS AWAY...
GIVE ME SOME ROOM
SO I CAN BREATHE!
Narrator: LATE TO THE PARTY,
AFTER BEING WAYLAID
BY HIS ANCHOR LINE,
IS HANK'S BIGGEST RIVAL,
SHAWN POMRENKE,
AND THE CHRISTINE ROSE.
YEAH, AT SEA, WE'RE COMING BY
HANK RIGHT HERE.
THAT'S -- THAT'S A GOOD AREA.
WHY LET THEM GET IT?
I PULL UP NEXT TO HIM,
START DIGGING.
GIVE HIM A LITTLE TASTE
OF HIS OWN MEDICINE.
Narrator: LAST SUMMER...
Shawn:
THERE AIN'T NO STINKING WAY.
LOOKS LIKE HANK DECIDED TO MOVE
RIGHT IN ON US.
Narrator: HANK CHASED SHAWN
AND THE CHRISTINE ROSE
ALL OVER THE CLAIM.
Shawn: HE'D END UP GETTING SHOT
BACK IN THE OLD DAYS FOR IT.
Narrator: TODAY...
MR. GOLD IS RETURNING THE FAVOR.
THE WAY I LOOK AT IT,
I PAID ALMOST $2 MILLION
TO MINE ON THAT CLAIM.
DO I THINK I GOT A LITTLE BIT
MORE RIGHT TO IT THAN HANK?
DEFINITELY.
I MEAN, I'VE PAID MY DUES.
I'VE BEEN OUT THERE.
I'VE DONE IT.
SHAWN'S TRYING TO STEAL MY GOLD.
HE'S RUNNING OUT OF GROUND
OUT HERE. THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
SHAWN'S RUNNING OUT OF GROUND,
THE GUY THAT OWNS IT --
HE'S LEASING IT.
HE'S LETTING EVERYBODY
AND THEIR MOTHER COME OUT HERE.
COUPLE YEARS,
THIS WILL ALL BE GONE.
JUST MOVE ON.
FIND ANOTHER PLACE TO DIG.
WE'RE GONNA STOP
AND TAKE A PAN.
LOOKS LIKE
IT'S BEEN DREDGED.
IT'S JUST CLEAN-LOOKING.
THERE'S A --
A LOT OF THE HEAVIES ARE GONE.
Narrator:
WITH OVER 2 DOZEN DREDGES
WORKING THE CLAIM,
SHAWN HAS TO FIND A RARE SPOT
THAT HASN'T ALREADY
BEEN PICKED OVER.
Shawn: I WANNA MAKE SURE
WE'RE MOVING DIRT
THAT HAS A LOT OF GOLD IN IT,
NOT JUST HALF OUNCE AN HOUR,
A QUARTER OUNCE AN HOUR.
WE'RE LOOKING
FOR AN OUNCE AN HOUR-PLUS.
I'M GONNA PAN AND PAN
UNTIL I SEE WHAT I LIKE.
Narrator:
SHAWN MAY BE STRIKING OUT...
LOOK AT THIS, MATT.
RIGHT HERE. [ LAUGHS ]
IS THAT A ROCK?
Narrator: BUT HANK...
NO.
NO WAY.
THAT'S A PIECE OF GOLD.
NO WAY.
THAT'S A FREAKIN'
BIG PIECE OF GOLD, BOSS.
THAT'S NOT GOLD.
THAT'S GOLD.
OH, BUT IT'S TOO DIRTY.
Narrator: ...IS KNOCKING IT
OUT OF THE PARK.
THAT'S GOLD? I'VE NEVER
SEEN NOTHING LIKE THAT.
YOU GOTTA BE [BLEEP] ME.
THAT'S GOLD?
THAT'S GOLD.
THAT'S GOLD?!
I'M TELLING YOU THAT'S...
THE NUGGET GOT THIS PAID OFF!
LET'S GO LOOK AT THAT --
I WANNA LOOK AT THAT NUGGET
IN THE LIGHT.
THAT IS GOLD.
HOLY [BLEEP].
YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME.
HUH?
THAT'S A CHUNK OF GOLD.
WHOO-HOO-HOO!
I WONDER HOW MUCH IT WEIGHS.
COUPLE OUNCES.
I'D SAY.
MAYBE MORE? DIRTY.
WOW.
THAT'S A NICE CHUNK.
Narrator: WITH A $7,000 NUGGET
IN THE PAN,
HANK IS ITCHING TO GET BACK
TO WORK.
Hank: I'M JUST GONNA KEEP
FILLING MY BOX.
THAT'S GOOD GROUND THERE, MAYBE.
[ RATTLING ]
WE'RE IN THE GOLD! I LOVE IT!
I DEFINITELY GOT MORE GOLD
THAN SHAWN TODAY.
I GUARANTEE YOU THAT.
[ LAUGHS ]
BEAUTIFUL DAY.
[ CLANK ]
OH, [BLEEP].
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
[ POWERS DOWN ]
Narrator: DIGGING THROUGH
THE ROCKS AND BOULDERS
BLEW A HYDRAULIC HOSE
POWERING THE EXCAVATOR ARM.
GOD DANG IT.
GOLD GODS ARE PISSED OFF
AS US.
WE SHUT THE HOE OFF,
AND EVERYTHING KIND OF STOPPED.
Narrator: IN GOLD MINING...
THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO
TO TOWN AND GO GET A HOSE.
Narrator:
...WHATEVER CAN GO WRONG
WILL GO WRONG.
WE GOT A BREAK.
Narrator:
OFF THE COAST OF NOME...
ON THE TOMCOD CLAIM...
THERE'S TIME LOST. I'M JUST --
I'M JUST A LITTLE FED UP
WITH, UH, YOU KNOW,
GETTING -- GETTING THE [BLEEP]
BIG SHAFT
ON THE -- ON THIS END, YOU KNOW?
Narrator: AFTER BLOWING
A HYDRAULIC LINE
TO HIS EXCAVATOR,
CAPTAIN HANK SCHIMSCHAT
IS BEING FORCED
TO ABANDON HIS HONEY HOLE.
MY TIME IS SHORT, SO I JUST --
RIGHT NOW I'M GONNA GO TO TOWN.
I'M GONNA FIX WHAT I NEED
TO FIX.
I'M GONNA GET OUT HERE.
I'M GONNA MINE,
SO THAT'S WHERE I STAND.
Narrator:
MAKING MATTERS WORSE...
HOW'S IT GOING OVER THERE,
HANK?
GOLD GODS ARE PISSED OFF.
Narrator:
HE'S LEAVING THE SPOT WIDE OPEN
FOR THE CHRISTINE ROSE.
[ RADIO STATIC CRACKLING ]
YEAH. 10-4.
TELL YOU, THE LAST TWO WEEKS
WERE PRETTY GOOD
RIGHT IN THIS LITTLE SPOT.
ALL RIGHT.
WE GOT -- WE GOTTA --
I GUESS WE GOTTA
SAY GOODBYE NOW.
OKAY, THANKS.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
Narrator:
AND AS THE OLD SAYING GOES...
HE SAYS HE ON GOOD GROUND.
WE MIGHT HAVE TO GO TAKE A LOOK
AND SEE WHAT HE'S REALLY ON.
Narrator: WHILE THE CAT'S AWAY,
MR. GOLD'S GONNA TAKE YOUR GOLD.
HANK'S GOT A LOT TO LEARN.
HE AIN'T GONNA COME OUT HERE
AFTER ONLY MINING FOR TWO YEARS
AND THINK YOU'RE GONNA BEAT ME.
HE'S GONNA HAVE A HARD TIME
KEEPING UP.
YOU READY BACK THERE?
DO YOU WANT ME
TO START TRYING?
YEAH, USUALLY I'LL DRIVE
TO GET US SET IN THE PLACE.
NAIL HER DOWN. COOL HER OFF.
SHUT HER DOWN.
Narrator:
SHAWN CHECKS OUT THE GROUND
HANK WAS ON JUST MINUTES AGO.
GO AHEAD. GRAB THE PANNING TUB
AND, UH, PAN.
MAYBE HE FOUND A HOT SPOT.
YOU NEVER KNOW.
YOU AIN'T OUT HERE,
YOU AIN'T GONNA GET NO GOLD.
IN PIECES RIGHT THERE.
WHOA. THERE WE GO.
I CAN SEE 20, 30 PIECES
RIGHT HERE IN THIS AREA.
OH, IT'S LOADED.
WHOO!
YEAH!
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SOME MONEY.
THAT'S GONNA MAKE THAT BOX
LIGHT RIGHT UP.
WE BETTER GET SET UP AND NOT
WASTE ANY OF THIS GROUND.
I'M MARKING THAT ONE "MR. GOLD."
I THINK WE JUST KNOCKED IT
RIGHT OUT OF THE PARK.
[ LOUD RATTLING ]
[ Loudly ] THAT'S THE SOUND
OF MONEY, BABY!
MUSIC TO MY EARS.
[ CLICKS TEETH ]
WHOO! MR. GOLD DOING IT,
AND HE'S DOING IT BIG.
I CAN'T WALK OR CHEW GUM
AT THE SAME TIME,
BUT I CAN GOLD MINE LIKE
A MOTHER[BLEEP].
BY THE TIME HANK FIGURES IT OUT,
I'LL HAVE ALL THE GOLD.
Narrator: WHILE SHAWN IS PACKING
THE SLUICE BOX WITH GOLD...
IN THE CENTER OF NOME...
SO I'VE HEARD
YOU'RE QUITTING?
YEAH, I GUESS SO.
LEAVING TOMORROW.
Narrator: DEAD BROKE AFTER
ANOTHER BAD CLEANUP,
EMILY'S GREENHORN
IS PACKING HIS BAGS.
OKAY.
'CAUSE I'M NOT LIKE --
I'M NOT, LIKE, QUITTING
LIKE I'M DONE WITH --
BUT I MEAN--
YOU'RE NOT, LIKE, QUITTING,
LIKE WHAT? WHAT? LEAVING
TOMORROW ISN'T QUITTING?
NO, I JUST MEAN, I'M NOT
TRYING TO BE LIKE THAT, THOUGH.
'CAUSE YOU'RE A GOOD BOSS.
TRYING TO BE LIKE WHAT?
WHAT, BUYING A TICKET
AND GIVING ME 24-HOUR NOTICE?
LIKE...
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?
THERE'S NOTHING TO -- THERE IS
NOTHING FOR YOU TO SAY.
THAT'S RIGHT. EXACTLY.
WELL, I WANT YOU
OUT OF MY HOUSE,
AND YOU'LL GET PAID
WHEN YOU GET PAID.
I GET IT 100%. YOU HAVE
EVERY REASON TO BE MAD.
AND I-I'M SORRY.
THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT
THAT YOU'RE LEAVING MID-SEASON.
I-I KNOW.
THAT DOESN'T DO [BLEEP]
FOR ME.
YOUR GUILT, YOUR APOL--
I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR APOLOGY!
THEY DON'T MEAN [BLEEP]
TO ME.
I DON'T CARE! I DON'T EVEN
WANNA LOOK AT YOU. GET OUT!
GET OUT. YOU'LL GET PAID.
NO, I'M NOT DOING --
I'M NOT DOING THAT.
YOU'LL GET PAID.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
IF YOU WON'T [BLEEP] GET OUT,
I'M GONNA GO [BLEEP] WORK
ON THE BOAT...
I DIDN'T SAY
I'M NOT DOING THAT,
BUT I THINK ANY ONE
THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE
IF YOU'RE GONNA KICK ME
OUT OF THE HOUSE...
YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'LL GET PAID
WHEN WE DIVIDE THE GOLD.
AND YOU KNOW --
LET'S DO IT RIGHT NOW.
DIVIDE IT RIGHT NOW.
NO, NO. NO, NO. YOU KNOW WHAT?
WHY? WHY? BECAUSE YOU JUST
DON'T WANT ME TO GET MY MONEY...
NO.
...FOR SOME REASON.
NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS.
WELL, LET'S DO IT THEN.
THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS.
THEN WHAT IS IT?
I, UNLIKE YOU,
COMMIT TO PEOPLE
AND GIVE THEM WHAT THEY DESERVE.
I -- YOU'LL GET PAID
BEFORE YOU LEAVE, BUT RIGHT NOW,
I'M GONNA GO WORK
ON MY [BLEEP] BOAT.
YOU [BLEEP] MY OPERATION
BY LEAVING.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING,
AND YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT,
DON'T YOU?
BECAUSE I'M GOING HOME.
YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT,
DON'T YOU?
NO, NO, I DON'T.
KEEP ON FEELING GOOD. [BLEEP]
I MEAN,
I FEEL BAD APOLOGIZING.
HAVE FUN IN LIFE
FEELING GOOD ABOUT IT.
I APOLOGIZED. THAT'S WHY I DON'T
FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT, EMILY.
[ SCOFFS ]
TO ME, TONS IS JUST ANOTHER
BAD INVESTMENT IN CHARACTER,
[ SIGHS ]
TONS CLEANED THE BOAT. I MEAN,
HE'S NOT REALLY THAT GOOD
OF A GOLD MINER, SO [BLEEP] IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU LOSE SOME AND YOU WIN SOME.
I LET HIM GO. HE'S GONE.
MOVING ON.
Narrator: AS ANOTHER DAY
ARRIVES IN NOME...
[ DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE ]
[ BABY CRYING ]
AT THE KELLY HOUSE...
HEY, SOCKS.
IT'S OUT WITH THE OLD...
I JUST WANNA GET MY [BLEEP]
AND GET THE [BLEEP] OUT OF HERE.
Narrator:
...AND IN THE WITH THE NEW.
LOOK AT HER.
OH, SHE GIVES ME THE SIGNAL.
SEE, THAT'S THE SIGN.
"GIVE ME SOME FOOD."
YOU WANT SOME FOOD?
[ Baby voice ]
"YES, I REALLY WANT SOME FOOD."
Kris: THIS IS REALLY NOT A GOOD
PLACE FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH,
LET ME TELL YOU.
Narrator: TO MAKE ROOM
FOR THE NEW BABY,
KRIS HAS BEEN KICKED OUT
OF HIS DAD'S HOUSE.
Kris: AS SOON AS I MOVE OUT,
EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE AWESOME.
I'LL BE HAPPIER.
EVERYTHING'S BEEN A LOT BETTER
SINCE MY BROTHER CAME BACK,
ANYWAYS.
YOU WANT KRIS TO BABYSIT YOU?
YOUR BIG BROTHER KRIS?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
I'M GONNA PROBABLY GO
STAY OVER AT DAN'S HOUSE.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS HATE
TO BE KICKED OUT.
I PREFER TO LEAVE.
WE'VE HELPED DAD
OUR WHOLE LIVES,
AND LOOK WHERE IT GOT US.
NO, I KNOW. I'M SICK OF IT, TOO.
LAST BAG.
GET THE [BLEEP] OUT OF HERE.
WON'T BE BACK FOR A LONG TIME.
THE JOKE OF IT
IS I GOTTA COME BACK HERE
TO DO MY [BLEEP] CLEANUPS,
AND WE GOTTA PRETEND LIKE
WE'RE STILL FRIENDS.
[ TRUCK DOOR CLOSES ]
SEE YOU LATER.
HOPEFULLY ON TO BIGGER
AND BETTER THINGS.
Narrator: WHILE KRIS LOOKS
FOR A NEW PLACE TO CRASH,
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF NOME...
AT ZEKE TENHOFF'S COMPOUND...
LET ME SEE. OH, YEAH, DUDE.
THAT'S BANGIN'.
SEE, THOSE THINGS
ARE ALL LOADED WITH GOLD.
Narrator: THANKS TO
THE VIGILANCE OF HIS SWEETHEART,
ZEKE IS TALLYING UP HIS GOLD.
[ CHUCKLES ]
I'M THINKING THAT'S GONNA BE
AT LEAST 7, 8 OUNCES.
COOK IT UP.
LET'S GO WEIGH IT.
Sarah: OKAY.
2.2...
OKAY, 3.8, 4.8...
OH, OH, 6.1.
6.3, 6.4., 5, 6, 7.
COME ON, COME ON, COME ON.
10.4 OUNCES.
I'M HAPPY.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
ALL RIGHT.
Narrator: 10.4 OUNCES --
THAT'S WORTH
12 1/2 THOUSAND DOLLARS.
DUDE, THAT'S [BLEEP] GOOD.
WE, LIKE, GOT THAT MONEY
IN THE OCEAN.
THAT'S WHAT'S EXCITING
ABOUT THIS TO ME.
YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T COME
FROM SOME MAGIC MONEY PLACE
WHERE PEOPLE WRITE YOU
A CHECK.
IT'S LIKE WE ACTUALLY,
LIKE, GOT THIS MONEY
FROM UNDER ROCKS
WITH OUR LABOR,
AND IT'S RIGHT HERE.
Narrator: BACK IN THE HARBOR...
AH, YOU GOTTA REMEMBER
THE SWITCH IN THE BACK
THAT TURNS EVERYTHING ON,
AND THERE'S ANOTHER SWITCH
ON THE BURNER BEHIND THE SEAT
THAT'S GOTTA BE ON.
Narrator: AFTER REPLACING
THE HYDRAULIC HOSE
TO THE EXCAVATOR ARM,
HANK IS SENDING DECK HANDS
MATT PECKENPAUGH
AND STAN MILLER
BACK OUT TO THE DIGGING GROUNDS.
I GOTTA GET SOME GOLD
IN THE POT,
AND MATT'S GOOD ENOUGH
TO WHERE I CAN TRUST HIM
TO RUN THE BOAT.
Narrator: AFTER BEING FORCED
OFF HIS HOT SPOT,
HANK IS ANXIOUS TO RECLAIM
HIS TURF.
THIS IS ACTUALLY MY FIRST TIME
SOLO OUT OF THE HARBOR.
I'M GONNA GIVE TOMCOD
ANOTHER TRY, I GUESS.
MATT AND I WORK REALLY WELL
TOGETHER, SO...
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE GOOD HERE.
BEING CAPTAIN MAKES YOU
A LITTLE NERVOUS,
BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL GET OUT HERE
AND WE'LL GET SOME MINING DONE
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL PUT
SOME GOLD IN THE BOX.
[ CLANK ]
WHOA!
WHAT HAPPENED?
I LOST ALL THRUST.
Narrator: WITHOUT WARNING,
THE DREDGE HAS STALLED
ON THE OPEN SEA.
MATT! YOU WANNA PULL IT UP
AND SEE IF THERE'S
ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT?
SEEMED TO HAVE LOST OUR THRUST.
THE PROPELLER'S NOT SPINNING.
LET ME SEE WHAT HE NEEDS.
[ CLICK ]
STEERING ALL THE WAY
AT ONE SIDE RIGHT NOW?
IS THAT HOW YOU HAVE IT?
THAT'S IT.
Narrator: WITH NO STEERING
OR PROPULSION,
THE BARGE IS HELPLESSLY ADRIFT.
UH, WE'VE LOST STEERING
ON THE THRUST MASTER,
SO I'M GONNA PADDLE IT OVER
A LITTLE CLOSER TO SHORE,
PUT THE SPUD DOWN.
[ CELL PHONE RINGS ]
HEY, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM HERE.
UH, WE HAVE NO THRUSTER RIGHT --
WE HAVE NO THRUSTER RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE -- WE'RE DEAD IN
THE WATER. WE DON'T KNOW.
WE WERE JUST ABOUT AT THE CLAIM,
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, UH,
WE STOPPED MOVING AND WE STARTED
DRIFTING OUT TOWARD RUSSIA.
IT'S GETTING PRETTY NASTY
OUT HERE.
THE WIND'S REALLY PICKED UP,
AND WE'RE JUST GETTING BLOWN
ALL OVER THE PLACE HERE.
Narrator:
IN THE CENTER OF TOWN...
TONS, IN MY OPINION,
YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS.
I ALMOST DOCKED YOU
HALF AN OUNCE.
YOU'RE COSTING THEM MONEY,
'CAUSE IF WE WENT OUT AND MINED
AND WE WERE IN A GOOD SPOT,
WE ONLY HAVE TWO DIVERS,
AND WITHOUT ANOTHER SHIFT,
WE'RE LOSING MONEY.
I ALMOST TOOK THAT GOLD
AWAY FROM YOU,
BUT I DIDN'T DO IT,
EVEN THOUGH
I REALLY FEEL LIKE
I SHOULD.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
THERE'S NO HONOR IN THIS.
TAKE YOUR MONEY
AND GET OUT OF MY HOUSE.
THAT'S IT.
ALL RIGHT.
[ DOOR CLOSES ]
Tons: I DO FEEL BAD,
UH, FOR -- FOR LEAVING,
BUT I'VE GOTTA LOOK OUT FOR ME,
AND NO ONE'S GONNA DO IT FOR ME.
SO I MEAN, I GOT TO A LINE,
AND I JUST DON'T WANNA --
I JUST DON'T HAVE IT IN ME
ANYMORE.
Narrator:
OFF THE COAST OF NOME...
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW HE CAN'T
REACH BOTTOM,
SO WE CAN'T HOLD OURSELVES
IN ONE SPOT.
Narrator:
WITH THE WEATHER WORSENING,
THE 80-FOOT GOLD GRABBER
HAS LOST STEERING
AND PROPULSION AND IS NOW
ADRIFT ON THE BERING SEA.
THIS IS A HUGE BARGE,
AND IT'S LIKE A BIG SAIL,
AND IT'S TAKING US WHERE
WE DON'T WANNA GO RIGHT NOW,
SO HOPEFULLY, WE FIGURE OUT
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
IT COULD BE A LITTLE SCARY HERE
IN A LITTLE BIT.
OKAY.
Narrator: AFTER PADDLING
TO SHALLOW WATER...
THE CREW LOWERS STABILIZING SPUD
TO KEEP FROM DRIFTING.
[ CREAKING AND CLANKING ]
THE SPUD DOWN
AND THE BARGE LOCKED IN PLACE...
HELP ME PULL IT FORWARD,
STAN.
Narrator: THE SKIPPER ARRIVES
TO HELP DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM.
STEERING AND THRUST.
SAME TIME.
YEAH, IT'S GETTING [BLEEP].
IT'S BUILDING QUICKLY.
SO WE NEED TO GET A SCREWDRIVER
TO TAKE 'EM OFF, CLEAN 'EM OFF,
PUT SOME GREASE ON 'EM.
FIND OUT THE PROBLEM
ONE AT A TIME HERE.
I'M GONNA GET A SCREWDRIVER
TO PULL THIS OFF,
AND I THINK IT'S DOWN THERE.
OH, YEAH.
BUT I MEAN, WE GOT --
WE GOT PROBLEMS.
I MEAN, I DON'T...
WELL, YOUR SWITCH IS OFF.
YEAH, THE SWITCH IS OFF.
SEE, THAT NEEDLE JUMPED
FROM ONE POINT.
SEE, WE GOT A PROBLEM.
SO IT'S ONLY ONE THING.
IT'S THE STEERING.
Narrator: THE PROPELLER
STILL HAS POWER,
BUT STEERING IS A NO-GO.
WE NEED TO SPIN THIS MOTOR
AROUND MANUALLY,
AND THEN, UH,
AND THEN LOG IT IN.
Narrator: TO GET OUT OF DANGER,
HANK NEEDS TO LOCK THE PROPELLER
IN PLACE
AND STEER THE BARGE
WITH THE EXCAVATOR.
[ CLANKING ]
WHEW, GOT THE MOTOR CHAINED DOWN
ON EACH SIDE
SO IT CAN'T SPIN ON ITS OWN.
Narrator: FOR THE SECOND TIME
IN 24 HOURS,
HANK IS FORCED TO HEAD
BACK IN FOR REPAIRS.
AT THIS POINT, REALLY,
YOU DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.
THE GOLD GODS HAVE BEEN
PISSED OFF AT ME ALL YEAR.
EVERYTHING'S WORKING FINE,
THE GOLD'S GREAT,
AND THEN IT'S LIKE WHY?
WE GOT IT TO WHERE
WE CAN TRAVEL,
AND THAT'S THE MAIN PART
RIGHT NOW, SO...
READY TO ROLL?
[ WHIRRING ]
WE'RE PULLING THE SPUD. WE'RE
GETTING OUT OF THIS WEATHER.
[ CLANK ]
WE PROBABLY MADE A BAD CHOICE
TRYING TO COME OUT AND MINE.
THERE'S NO SENSE IN TRYING
TO COME OUT MINING
IF THIS KIND OF STUFF
[BLEEP] HAPPENS TO BREAK.
JUST WANNA GET BACK HOME,
GET SOME THINGS FIXED,
AND GO OUT AND MINE GOLD.
Narrator: WHILE HANK
IS OUT OF LUCK AGAIN,
BACK IN NOME,
AT THE POMRENKE CLEANUP SHACK...
WE'RE KICKING ASS.
Narrator: SHAWN HAS HIT
THE JACKPOT ON HANK'S OLD SPOT.
KINDA FEEL BAD FOR HANK,
BUT NOT REALLY.
YOU WANT PILES OF GOLD
LIKE THIS,
YOU GOTTA ACTUALLY WORK FOR IT.
Narrator: TO HELP HIM
RUN THE MATERIAL...
GOOD MORNING.
HEY, DAD.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON.
YEAH.
Narrator: HE'S EVEN CALLED IN
THE OLD MAN.
GONNA BE 50 OUNCES
IN THAT HEADER?
OH, YEAH.
I'M THINKING FOR 50.
DAD AND I HAVE MINED HERE
FOR 25 YEARS,
SO WHEN GOLD MINING COMES
TO ANYBODY'S MIND,
THE POMRENKES FOLLOWS THAT
RIGHT ALONG WITH IT.
I'VE PAVED THE WAY FOR HANK
AND ALL THE REST OF THESE GUYS
THAT ARE FOLLOWING MY LEAD.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE
A LITTLE CONTEST
ON WHOEVER GETS CLOSEST
ON HOW MUCH THE CLEANUP IS,
FOR THE BIGGEST NUGGET
ON THE DREDGE.
OH, GOOD.
THAT'S A GOOD CONTEST.
OH, THIS IS LIKE [BLEEP]
"PRICE IS RIGHT" NOW, IS IT?
OOH, THAT'S A GOOD PILE
OF GOLD.
NOW WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD
AND ROLL THIS STUFF UP,
GET IT OUT OF HERE,
PUT IT IN THE NEW WHEEL.
THIS IS WHERE YOU GET TO SEE
THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR.
ALL RIGHT. WE GOT SOME GOLD.
[ BUCKET CLATTERS ]
OOH. OH, LOOK AT THAT.
NOT LOOKING TOO SHABBY.
AIN'T GONNA MAKE ANY GUESSES
JUST QUITE YET.
THOSE GUYS ARE STILL PANNING
THE COARSE OFF.
Narrator: TOO BUSY PANNING.
Shawn: I'M WAITING.
Narrator: STEVE AND JESSE
MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE HANK DID.
NEVER TURN YOUR BACK
ON MR. GOLD.
I WAS JUST -- I WAS --
I WAS JUST TESTING IT,
TRYING TO GET AN IDEA
WHERE I WAS AT.
I'M DONE.
THE BIGGEST NUGGET...
WHAT? WHAT'S THE --
WHAT'S THE GUESS?
YOU READY?
JESSE, WHAT'S YOUR GUESS?
I'M -- I'M LOOKING HERE.
46...
42.5.
I'M GONNA SAY 44.
THIS IS ANYBODY'S GAME.
I'LL WEIGH IT UP.
30, 34.
[ TAPPING ]
42, 43...
Jesse: DAMN IT.
YEAH, BUT THE FUNNELS
ON THERE YET. MAN.
YEAH. WATCH THIS. THAT ONE'S
GONNA BE RIGHT ON.
32, 34, 5, 6, 7.
OH, OH,
42...43...
44.8.
AH! HA HA! I GOT IT.
[ LAUGHING ]
YOU SNEAKY...
YOU WEIGHED IT BEFORE,
YOU SNEAKY BASTARD.
YEAH! [ LAUGHING ]
YOU WEIGHED IT BEFORE.
YOU CHEATED.
Narrator: 44.8 OUNCES
IS WORTH ALMOST $54,000...
NOW YOU GOT A BONUS.
Narrator: ...MINUS, OF COURSE,
ONE ILL-GOTTEN NUGGET.
AH.
THAT --
GIVE ME THAT THING.
[ LAUGHING ]
YOU GOTTA GET UP
EARLY IN THE MORNING
TO BEAT MR. GOLD.
Narrator:
WHILE ANOTHER 10 OUNCES
HAS ZEKE GAINING GROUND,
EMILY RIEDEL IS LOSING CREW.
FULL SPEED AHEAD!
FIRE AWAY.
LOSE 'EM, JACOB!
[ GROANS ]
I'M COMING TO GET
YOUR FAT ASS, ZEKE!
[BLEEP] THAT'S SOME OF THE BEST
GOLD I'VE EVER SEEN, BUDDY.
[ SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY ]
THERE IT GOES!
[ CRASH ]