Deadliest Catch (2005–…): Season 4, Episode 1 - Get 'Em Back Safe! - full transcript
The Red King Crab 2007 season begins on the Bering Sea.
[ INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER ]
MAN:
Gale warning tonight.
[ Echoing ]
Tonight, northwest...
[ CRASH ]
[ ALARM RINGING ]
WE GOT A WAVE?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
WE JUST TOOK A GIANT WAVE!
TAKING ON WATER.
WHAT'S GOING ON
DOWN HERE?
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?
THAT'S THE HOLE
RIGHT HERE?
YOU NEED TO GET
YOUR RAIN GEAR ON.
WE GOT GEAR
FLYING AROUND OUTSIDE.
HANG ON!
[ MID-TEMPO ROCK MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
AFTER A TWO-WEEK JOURNEY
FROM PORTS ACROSS THE LOWER 48,
THE 74-VESSEL
CRAB-FISHING FLEET ARRIVES
FOR THIS YEAR'S $86-MILLION
KING CRAB HARVEST.
WELCOME BACK
TO DUTCH HARBOR, ALASKA.
ON THE NORTHWESTERN,
BLOODLINES ARE REINFORCED
WITH THE ADDITION
OF A NEW FAMILY CREST.
Sig:
THAT'S THE NEW HANSEN SHIELD.
LIKE MY DAD, YOU KNOW,
HE'S GOT THE CREST
ON THE FRONT OF THE BOAT
WITH THE "S.H."
WE WANT TO KEEP THAT.
THAT'S NEVER GOING ANYWHERE
AS LONG AS I'M ALIVE.
SO, THIS IS FOR ME
AND MY BROTHERS.
THIS IS OUR EMBLEM.
Narrator: ON THE TIME BANDIT,
CAPTAIN JOHNATHAN
KEEPS THE HILLSTRAND FAMILY
TRADITION ALIVE WITH A NEW HIRE,
HIS 25-YEAR-OLD SON, SCOTT.
MY SON SCOTT --
HE'S BEEN ON THE BOAT BEFORE.
HE WANTED TO TAKE OVER
THE SHOW
WHEN HE WAS
A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER
WHEN HE WAS 20.
I DON'T KNOW --
EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID,
I'VE BEEN OUT HERE FISHING
AND HANGING OUT
AND BEING PART OF THE BOYS.
Andy: I JUST WOULD LOVE
TO SEE HIM STEP UP,
'CAUSE THERE'S REALLY
NO HILLSTRAND BOYS BELOW US
THAT ARE --
NEIL'S GOT TWO BOYS
THAT HAVE
NO INTEREST IN IT.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
ABOARD THE CORNELIA MARIE,
CAPTAIN PHIL HARRIS TESTS HIS
CREW WITH A SURVIVAL-SUIT DRILL.
EVERYBODY HAS TO GET THEM
OUT OF THE BAG AND ON.
1, 2, 3, GO.
Man: GET IT ON!
COME ON, MARK.
LET'S GO, BUDDY.
LET'S GO!
YEAH!
HEY,
PULL YOUR FLAP.
36 SECONDS.
HOPEFULLY, GOD WILLING,
THIS NEVER DOES HAPPEN.
Narrator: THE WIZARD IS ALREADY
IN REPAIR MODE.
DURING THE JOURNEY NORTH,
A 40-FOOT ROGUE WAVE TORE A
6-INCH HOLE IN THE STEEL HULL.
Man: I THINK THERE'S
JUST A SPLIT SEAM DOWN HERE
RIGHT ON THE WELD.
BUT FOR NOW, WE'LL JUST
PATCH IT UP WITH THIS.
THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX,
WITHOUT QUESTION.
IT'S JUST TO KIND OF
MILK US ALONG HERE
UNTIL WE CAN GET TO THE YARD
AND DO SOME MAJOR STEEL WORK.
[ SEA GULL CALLING ]
COMING DOWN.
Narrator: IN JUST 48 HOURS,
THE BATTLE
FOR THE 20-MILLION-POUND
KING CRAB HARVEST BEGINS.
CREWS SCRAMBLE TO LOAD
POTS, BAIT, AND SUPPLIES
ONTO THEIR VESSELS.
YEAH, DROP IT.
THEY'RE PUTTING THE LAST CHAIN
ON HERE IN PORT.
THE STACK'S BOUND DOWN.
IT'S IDEAL.
IT'S SAFE.
IT'S EASY.
Narrator: THE TIME BANDIT'S
POT STACK IS TOPPED OFF.
BUT THE BOYS HAVE ONE LAST HUNK
OF METAL TO STRAP DOWN --
A DUTCH HARBOR MEMENTO
FOR CAPTAIN PHIL
ON THE CORNELIA MARIE.
WELL, PHIL WAS TALKING ABOUT
HOW HE NEEDED A NEW TRUCK.
SO WE FOUND HIM ONE.
IT'S GONNA NEED
A LITTLE BIT OF WORK,
BUT I THINK HE'LL APPRECIATE IT.
THEY'RE GONNA [BLEEP] WHEN THEY
PULL THAT OVER THE RAIL.
Narrator: WITH CREWS BUSY DOING
ALL THE DIRTY WORK,
CAPTAINS GATHER
AT THE LOCAL WATERING HOLE.
Johnathan: YOU'RE GONNA
QUIT SMOKING? WHEN?
I THINK JANUARY 1st.
LET'S WORK ON ONE OF OUR OTHER
HORRIBLE VICES --
ROUND OF DRINKS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
Narrator: BEFORE BUSINESS,
A TRADITIONAL ROUND OF DUTCH
HARBOR DUCK FARTS IS ORDERED,
A MIXTURE OF CROWN ROYAL,
BAILEY'S, AND KAHLúA.
Johnathan: SO, I THINK
WE'RE GONNA BE IN STORE
FOR SOME WEATHER
THIS YEAR.
THE LAST THREE WEEKS,
YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE STORMS?
THEY'VE ALL TRACKED RIGHT
THROUGH THE BRISTOL BAY.
SO, YOU GUYS GOT THE [BLEEP]
KICKED OUT OF YOU
COMING UP HERE.
THE BOAT GOT HAMMERED.
FIVE DAYS AGO, MONTE COLBURN,
CAPTAIN KEITH'S BROTHER,
WAS AT THE HELM
WHEN THE WIZARD WAS SLAMMED
BY A 40-FOOT ROGUE WAVE
ON HER 2,000-MILE JOURNEY
FROM SEATTLE TO DUTCH HARBOR.
WHAT'S GOING ON
DOWN HERE?
Lekanoff:
WATER'S COMING IN MY STATEROOM.
WE NEED TO CHANGE CORDS
OR SOMETHING.
SEE, THE POTS ARE TWISTED
AND CONTORTED AND EVERYTHING.
THEY'RE BENT OUT OF SHAPE.
LET'S GO!
Monte: WE WENT OVER A WAVE
IN THE NIGHT.
THE STERN --
DAVE WAS IN THE GALLEY.
HE HIT HIS HEAD
ON THE CEILING.
SO, YOU HAD ONE POT THAT WAS
IN THE FRONT,
AND IT TOOK
FIVE OTHER POTS OUT?
NO, THERE WAS LIKE 14.
14 POTS? WOW.
ALL OF US HAVE DONE
THAT CROSSING, AND IT'S A BITCH.
OH, YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THE SEASON
HASN'T EVEN STARTED.
[ LAUGHTER ]
Narrator:
DESPITE THEIR LAUGHTER,
EACH CAPTAIN UNDERSTANDS
THE COLD TRUTH
OF FISHING THE BERING SEA.
MAN OVERBOARD! MAN OVERBOARD!
[ LAUGHTER ]
NOT EVERYONE RETURNS ALIVE.
MAN: They were abandoning ship
and getting in a life raft.
Keith:
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE MAYBE
IT'S KIND OF DESENSITIZING ME.
MAN: The basket's
inside the aircraft.
Hoist complete.
Narrator: THESE MEN
NOT ONLY GAMBLE THEIR LIVES
ON THE BERING SEA,
BUT THEY ALSO ENJOY PLACING
WAGERS FOR BRAGGING RIGHTS.
Johnathan: WHAT KIND OF BET
ARE WE GONNA HAVE THIS YEAR?
I WAS THINKING MAYBE LIKE
A HIGH POT OF THE DAY.
NO, 'CAUSE YOU'RE FISHING 8-BYs.
DON'T [BLEEP]
[ LAUGHTER ]
Andy: THEY'RE 7x8s.
I GOT 7x8s!
HE WANTS SOAK TIME
'CAUSE HE'S PLANNING ON LEAVING
THEM SIT THERE FOR THREE WEEKS.
Sig: HOW ABOUT JUST THE BEST
STRING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
YOU HAVE TO SAY THE STRING
BEFORE YOU DROP THAT POT.
DESIGNATE THAT STRING
BEFORE YOU HAUL IT.
THAT'S THE STRING
YOU'RE GONNA USE.
ALL RIGHT,
IS THAT THE BET, THEN?
WE CALL IT
BEFORE WE HAUL IT?
25-POT?
HEY, HOW MUCH DOUGH
WE STICKING ON THIS?
100 BUCKS A WEEK. WE'LL MEET
BACK HERE AFTER IT'S OVER.
YEAH.
THE MAIN THING IS EVERYONE
COME HOME SAFE AND DRY.
BRING 'EM ALL BACK.
EVERYONE, COME HOME SAFE.
Narrator: EACH WEEK,
THE CAPTAINS WILL SET
A 25-POT STRING.
WHOEVER HAULS IN THE HIGHEST
AVERAGE WINS THE WEEK.
Phil: YEAH!
[ CHEERING ]
Narrator:
THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS.
KING CRAB SEASON IS
LESS THAN 24 HOURS AWAY.
CREWS RACE TO READY THEIR
VESSELS FOR OPENING DAY.
OVER ON THE WIZARD,
CAPTAIN KEITH COLBURN DECIDES
TO MAKE A MAJOR GAMBLE.
NOT ONLY WILL HE BE SKIPPERING
A VESSEL WITH A SPLIT SEAM,
HE'LL ROLL THE DICE WITH NOT ONE
BUT TWO GREENHORNS.
I'M GLAD WE'RE GETTING
THE HELL OUT TO GO AND DO IT.
Keith:
OH, YEAH. I KNOW.
THAT'S A LOT OF WORK TO GET
READY TO GO FISH, ISN'T IT?
SIX FRICKIN' WEEKS OF --
I MEAN, I'M NOT GONNA SAY
IT WAS [BLEEP]
NO, THERE'S A LOT
OF PREP WORK INVOLVED
WITH TRYING TO GET THE BOAT
READY TO GO FISH.
IT'S TRAINING CAMP.
YEAH.
YEAH.
BUT TRAINING CAMP AND GAME DAY
ARE TWO DIFFERENT BALLS OF WAX.
Moilanen: BASICALLY, I QUIT
MY JOB, TOOK MY LAST PAYCHECK,
USED THAT TO GET ME
THROUGH TO NOW,
RUN MYSELF DOWN TO ABOUT $40
LEFT IN MY WALLET.
I CAN'T GO BACK TO THAT JOB.
AND THIS IS A HUGE CHANCE
I'M TAKING.
IF I GOT FIRED TODAY,
I'D BE OUT ON THE STREET.
Narrator:
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LADDER
IS 21-YEAR-OLD GREENHORN
LYNN GITARD.
AND FOR THE MOMENT,
THE OLD SALTS QUESTION
THE GREENHORN'S WORK ETHIC.
LYNN IS THE ONE
I AM WORRIED ABOUT
BECAUSE HE JUST HAS THIS
LITTLE LOOK ON HIS FACE.
HE'S JUST -- HE WANTS TO DO IT.
I CAN TELL.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO FILE
ON THAT STEP, TOO. TRY THAT.
NO, FLAT,
THE OTHER WAY.
NO, JUST FLIP IT OVER.
WATCH IT.
DOESN'T HAVE ANY IDEA YET
WHAT HE'S GETTING INTO.
GO GRAB ME SOME OF THEM BOXES
OUT HERE, THOSE EMPTY BOXES.
HE'S THE KIND OF GUY
YOU HAVE TO POINT AND TELL
WHAT TO DO ALL THE TIME.
YOU WANT THEM BOXES THAT WERE UP
ON THE DOCK OR THE FOOD BOXES?
THE FOOD BOXES.
Narrator:
WITH 15 HOURS TO GO,
VESSELS CLOSE IN
ON THEIR PREPARATIONS.
BUT THE NORTHWESTERN
IS DEAD IN THE WATER.
ENGINEER EDGAR HANSEN
ASSESSES THE DAMAGE
TO HIS PROPELLER SHAFT.
Edgar:
WELL, YOU GOT A BAD BEARING,
YOU GOT A BENT SHAFT,
AND THEN A BAD CUTLASS BEARING.
SO, I KNOW THAT I DON'T WANT HER
GOING BAD WHEN I'M OUT THERE.
Narrator: THE PROPELLER SHAFT
MUST BE STRAIGHTENED.
IF THE DAMAGED COMPONENT
WENT UNREPAIRED,
IT COULD CONTINUE
TO CAUSE VIBRATION,
LEADING TO CATASTROPHIC
MECHANICAL FAILURE.
THE SINGLE-PROP NORTHWESTERN
WOULD BE POWERLESS
AND AT THE COMPLETE MERCY
OF THE BERING SEA.
OUR DIVERS ONLY GOT THINGS
HALFWAY WELDED DOWN.
I DON'T WANT TO RUSH THEM.
Sig:
WHEN'S HE GONNA BE DONE?
AS SOON AS HE'S DONE.
I JUST WANT TO GO FISHING
RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S ALL I WANT TO DO.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
I MEAN, EVERY MINUTE
THE CLOCK TICKS,
THE MORE YOU'RE STRESSING
OVER IT.
IT'S TIME.
TIME IS WHAT MAKES US MONEY.
Narrator:
THIS YEAR'S KING CRAB SEASON
MAY START WITHOUT THE HANSENS
AND THE NORTHWESTERN.
WITH EIGHT HOURS LEFT,
THE CORNELIA MARIE
IS IN "GO" MODE.
WE JUST NEED TO STACK IT
DOWN HERE, GUYS.
YEAH, HERE WE GO, FREDDIE.
BUT 21-YEAR-OLD JAKE HARRIS
IS ON A PERSONAL MISSION.
THE CAPTAIN'S YOUNGEST SON
HAS DECIDED TO ENTERTAIN HIMSELF
AT HIS FATHER'S EXPENSE.
WHILE THE CREW
OF THE CORNELIA MARIE
LOADS THE FINAL POTS,
JAKE CONSTRUCTS A MOUNT
FOR HIS NEW TELEVISION.
I BOUGHT A FLAT SCREEN.
HOW BIG?
IT'S 24-INCH WIDTH.
24-INCH?
HOW'D YOU PAY FOR THAT?
YEAH, IT WAS KIND OF A CHARGE
ON THE OLD MAN'S BILL THERE.
Narrator:
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME
THE HARRIS BOYS HAVE TAKEN
A FEW LIBERTIES
WITH THEIR FATHER'S CREDIT CARD.
GOING OUT SPENDING
$1,000, $1,500,
CHARGE, CHARGE, CHARGE --
HE DON'T EVEN ASK.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'M THE [BLEEP] BANK HERE.
BUT I DIDN'T HAVE
ANY GEAR --
DON'T TALK!
ZERO!
THAT'S WHY WE GOT
TO GET THIS INSTALLED,
'CAUSE I'M SURE HE'S NOT GONNA
LET ME TAKE IT BACK.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
AW, JAKE.
I OUGHT TO FIRE
YOUR [BLEEP] RIGHT NOW.
WELL, YOU CAN GET
YOUR SORRY [BLEEP] RIGHT BACK
TO THE [BLEEP] HARDWARE.
HOW MUCH WAS THIS?
HOW MUCH?
ARE YOU SERIOUS?
WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING?
WHAT ARE YOU DRINKING?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
I DON'T KNOW, DUDE.
I WAS JUST --
"DUDE"?
SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME,
I'M GONNA POP YOU ONE
RIGHT IN THE FACE.
NO WONDER
I GOT BLOOD-PRESSURE PROBLEMS.
I'M SHAKING.
I COULD JUST THROTTLE HIS ASS.
[ SIGHS ]
OH, YEAH.
YEAH, I CAN SEE IT.
I SHOULD FIRE HIS ASS.
GOD, THAT KID.
NOW YOU KNOW
WHY LIONS EAT THEIR YOUNG.
Narrator:
FIVE HOURS AND COUNTING --
THE CRAB-FISHING FLEET BEGINS
TO MAKE THEIR WAY OUT TO SEA.
BUT BEFORE
THE TIME BANDIT LEAVES,
THE HILLSTRANDS MAKE THEIR
RITUAL PRE-TRIP TELEPHONE CALL
TO THEIR MOTHER.
HELLO?
IT'S HARD TO GET ALL FOUR
OF US TOGETHER IN ONE SPOT.
BUT ME AND SCOTT
WILL HAVE LOTS OF TIME.
WE NEVER GET TO SEE EACH OTHER
THIS MUCH.
IT'S PRETTY GOOD
THAT WE GET
TO SPEND
THIS MUCH TIME TOGETHER.
WE SURE MISS YOU GUYS.
SO, YEAH,
I LOVE YOU GUYS, TOO.
BUT MOTHER HILLSTRAND
TELLS THE BOYS OF A PREMONITION
THAT TRAGEDY WILL STRIKE
THE TIME BANDIT THIS SEASON.
AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME
SHE HAS PREDICTED THE FUTURE.
Andy: MY MOM'S ALWAYS HAD, LIKE,
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THEM.
SHE'S BEEN REALLY RELIGIOUS
HER WHOLE LIFE.
LAST YEAR, SHE HAD A FEELING
THAT WE WERE GONNA SAVE A GUY
OUT OF THE WATER.
SHE HAD A DREAM WE WERE GONNA
RESCUE A GUY OUT OF THE WATER.
Narrator: DURING LAST YEAR'S
KING CRAB SEASON,
THE TIME BANDIT DEFIED ALL ODDS
WHEN THEY PLUCKED
A DOOMED FISHERMAN
FROM THE ICY GRIP
OF THE BERING SEA.
MAN OVERBOARD! MAN OVERBOARD!
RIGHT HERE, BUDDY.
Andy: OKAY, HELP HIM
IN HERE, GUYS.
Johnathan: HE'S WARM?
HE'S IN SHOCK,
I'M PRETTY SURE.
BUT HE'S CONSCIOUS
AND TALKING.
I SAW YOU DISAPPEAR.
YOU SAVED MY LIFE, MAN.
YOU SAVED MY LIFE.
YOU SAVED MY LIFE.
I JUST WANT
TO TELL YOU I LOVE YOU.
BUT SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN DOING THAT
FOR 26 YEARS OF OUR LIFE,
HATED THE FACT
THAT WE FISH.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF TAKE
IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME TO GO,
IT'S YOUR TIME TO GO.
AND SO, IF I DIE FISHING,
I DIE DOING WHAT I LOVE TO DO.
ON BEHALF
OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY
OF DUTCH HARBOR AND ALASKA,
WHO WISH YOU A SAFE AND
PROSPEROUS FISHING SEASON...
PLEASE STAND BY AS PASTORAL
LEADER HENRIETTA CALLEWAERT
DELIVERS THE BLESSING
OF THE FLEET.
Callewaert:
GOD OF BOUNDLESS LOVE,
BLESS THESE BOATS,
THEIR EQUIPMENT,
AND ALL WHO USE THEM.
PROTECT THEM FROM THE DANGERS
OF WIND AND RAIN
AND ALL THE PERILS OF THE DEEP.
MAY CHRIST,
WHO CALMED THE STORM
AND FILLED THE NETS
OF HIS DISCIPLES...
[ STATIC CRACKLING ]
Man: I HATE THAT.
Man #2: THEY GONNA PLAY
THAT AGAIN OR WHAT?
Johnathan:
I GUESS WE'RE CUT OFF.
IT STOPPED.
THAT'S NOT A GOOD START.
I HOPE
THAT'S NOT AN OMEN.
YEAH.
EVERYONE BE SAFE, MAN.
LET'S WATCH EACH OTHER'S BACKS.
THEY'LL BE FINE.
[ STATIC CRACKLING ]
[ SEA GULL CALLS ]
GETTING READY FOR KING CRAB,
GET THIS THING STARTED.
HEY, DAVE,
YOU WANT TO GRAB THESE?
Andy: WE'RE GOING FISHING,
RUSS!
IT'S ABOUT TIME.
YEAH. THE MINIMUM PRICE
IS $4.20 A POUND.
300,000 POUNDS --
$1.2 MILLION.
1, 2.
[ HORN BLOWS ]
Moilanen: WE'RE FINALLY GONNA
GO MAKE SOME MONEY
AFTER A MONTH AND A HALF
OF SCREWING AROUND
RIGGING POTS,
GETTING BAIT ON BOARD,
ALL THE LITTLE STUFF THAT GOES
ALONG WITH THIS JOB, I GUESS.
FINALLY, WE GET TO GO
ACTUALLY DO IT.
Keith: DID WE LOSE SOMETHING,
FELLAS?
ROGER!
Leveen: END OF THE DAY,
THE SUN IS SETTING, AND OUR
SEASON'S ABOUT TO BEGIN.
IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD ONE.
EVERYBODY'S PRETTY JAMMIN'.
Narrator: THE MEN HAVE WAITED
ALL YEAR FOR THIS MOMENT.
AND NOW
THERE'S NO TURNING BACK.
WITH 24 HOURS UNTIL BOATS
REACH THE FISHING GROUNDS,
CREWS SLEEP SOUNDLY
IN THE RACKS.
BUT FOR THE CAPTAINS,
THE MENTAL TORMENT BEGINS.
Phil: THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON
GETTING THESE BOATS OUT OF TOWN.
I HAVE TO GET IN THE ZONE.
I HAVE TO GET IN MY RIGHT FRAME
OF MIND FOR THIS.
AND I'M NOT THERE YET.
Narrator: AS THE BOATS MAKE
THEIR WAY OUT INTO THE UNKNOWN,
CAPTAINS AND CREWS COUNT THEIR
BLESSINGS AND LOOK FOR SIGNS.
WIZARD BASE, WIZARD.
WIZARD BASE, WIZARD.
WE GOT A WHALE ON THE STARBOARD
SIDE RIGHT UP HERE.
Man: IS THAT GOOD LUCK
OR WHAT?
I THINK WHALES ARE GOOD LUCK.
MOUSE, HELP ME ON THIS ONE.
Monte: WHALES ARE
DEFINITELY GOOD LUCK.
RIGHT ON. WE'LL TAKE WHALES
ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.
OH, MAN.
THEY'RE SPOUTING OFF BIG-TIME.
Narrator: EARLY REPORTS
INDICATE FAVORABLE WEATHER
FOR THE TIME BEING.
BUT CONDITIONS OUT HERE
CAN CHANGE AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE.
Johnathan: THIS FEELS GOOD
TO BE BACK OUT HERE, MAN.
LOOK AT THIS.
THIS WEATHER'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.
THIS WEATHER JUST AIN'T RIGHT.
WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE
TO PAY FOR THIS.
KNOCK ON WOOD.
SO KNOCK ON WOOD AGAIN.
Narrator:
NEXT ON "DEADLIEST CATCH,"
THE FIRST POTS ARE SPLASHED.
232!
BUT SUPERSTITION
KEEPS THE WIZARD AT BAY.
Keith:
BASICALLY, I WON'T SET GEAR
WITHOUT A CUP OF NOODLES CUP
UP HERE TO USE FOR MY SPITTOON.
IT IS INSANE.
Narrator:
225 MILES FROM DUTCH HARBOR,
THE TIME BANDIT
APPROACHES HER FISHING GROUNDS.
CAPTAIN JOHNATHAN
AND YOUNGER BROTHER ANDY
BEGIN PLOTTING OUT
THEIR KING CRAB STRATEGY.
Andy: WHAT WE'RE HEARING
RIGHT NOW
IS THERE AIN'T
VERY MANY CRAB OUT HERE
IN A LOT
OF TRADITIONAL SPOTS.
SO WE'RE HOPING THEY'RE UP
SHALLOW, OR WE'RE SCREWED.
THIS YEAR'S
FISH-AND-GAME SURVEY
SUGGESTS THAT
THE KING CRAB POPULATION
IS SPREAD
THROUGHOUT THE BERING SEA
AND NOT CONCENTRATED IN SMALLER
POCKETS AS IN PAST SEASONS.
Johnathan: I DON'T HAVE A REAL
GOOD FEELING ABOUT SETTING HERE.
THAT'S TYPICALLY HOW WE
START OUT EVERY SEASON.
HE HAS A SURVEY.
HE LOOKS AT IT.
WE GO, "PLAN 'A,' UP HERE.
NO, PLAN 'B.'"
AND WE ALWAYS SHOULD HAVE GONE
WITH PLAN "A."
SO, WE WERE HEADED NORTH.
NOW WE'RE HEADED DUE EAST.
THEN EVERY CUP OF COFFEE YOU
DRINK, YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND.
HYAH!
YEAH!
Scott: WE GOT 100 POTS
ON THE BOAT RIGHT NOW.
WE USUALLY PUT TWO JARS
IN A POT
AND TWO TO THREE COD,
DEPENDING ON THE SIZE.
Narrator:
SCOTTY, THE YOUNGEST HILLSTRAND,
HAS ALREADY BEGUN MAKING RIFTS
WITH SOME OF THE CREW.
HE CAME ON THE BOAT
GIVING ORDERS,
AND I NEVER MET HIM BEFORE.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
HE WAS JOHNATHAN'S SON
WHEN I FIRST MET HIM.
I DON'T KNOW
HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE
WITH THE BOAT AND EVERYTHING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN YOU DO?
THAT'S LIFE.
HE'S FAMILY, AND I'M NOT.
I'M EXPENDABLE.
Narrator: SCOTT'S PERFORMANCE
WILL NOT GO UNCHECKED,
EVEN IF HE IS A HILLSTRAND.
WE'LL SEE WHAT HE CAN DO
AND HOW HE HANDLES HIMSELF.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE TURNS,
AND WE'RE GONNA ROTATE ON DECK,
AND SCOTTY'S GONNA HAVE
TO STEP UP
AND DO ALL THE SAME JOBS
THAT THE REST OF US
ARE GONNA HAVE TO DO.
Narrator: IT'S MIDNIGHT,
AND THIS YEAR'S KING CRAB SEASON
IS OFFICIALLY OPEN.
WE'RE READY TO ROLL RIGHT NOW.
FIRST CRAB POT
OF THE SEASON!
Man: WHOO!
YEAH, WE'RE JUST SLOWING DOWN.
I GOT TO MOVE THAT TRUCK
AND WORK AROUND IT.
Man:
IT'S IN OUR WAY.
NORMALLY, I WOULD WALK THROUGH
THE ALLEYWAY,
BUT I HAVE A TRUCK IN THE WAY.
Narrator:
BUT BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN PUT
THEIR FIRST POT IN THE WATER,
THE PRACTICAL JOKE INTENDED
FOR THE CORNELIA MARIE
RAPIDLY DETERIORATES
INTO A COMEDY OF ERRORS.
Man: THAT'S PERFECT RIGHT THERE
IF YOU WANT ME TO SET IT THERE.
MAN, WATCH MY TRUCK,
DAMN IT.
I JUST GOT THAT PAINT JOB.
[ LAUGHTER ]
FIRST CRAB-POT STRING.
ROCK 'N' ROLL.
140 GOING OUT!
[ CHEERING ]
232!
THE CRAB POT'S IN. YOO-HOO!
[ WARBLING ]
Man: 159!
Narrator: AFTER 25 POTS
SPLASH OVER THE RAIL,
THE TIME BANDIT
HITS HER FULL STRIDE.
BUT ONCE AGAIN,
THE MACHINE COMES
TO A GRINDING HALT...
[ LAUGHTER ]
...AS PHIL'S TRUCK
MUST BE RE-PARKED.
Andy: YEAH!
Man: DAMN!
HOLY [BLEEP]
PERFECT.
THAT WAS, UH...
SOME KIND OF PARALLEL PARKING.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS,
80 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST,
CAPTAIN KEITH DRIVES THE WIZARD
WITHIN A FEW MILES
OF HER FISHING GROUNDS.
EVERY CAPTAIN
HAS HIS OWN ROUTINE.
BUT KEITH COLBURN TAKES
HIS RITUALS SERIOUSLY.
HE BELIEVES THAT IT'S BAD LUCK
FOR THE CAPTAIN TO PREPARE
THE CAPTAIN'S LOG.
A COUPLE ODDITIES
THAT I DON'T DO --
BASICALLY, IN OUR PAPERWORK,
BOOK WORK,
I WON'T PUT THE LINES IN.
I HAVEN'T DONE IT SINCE 1996.
Monte: THIS IS HOW WE KEEP TRACK
OF THE GEAR,
THE POSITIONS, AND THE COUNTS,
THE BUOY NUMBERS.
A HANDFUL OF TIMES I'VE DONE IT
IN THE LAST 10 OR 15 YEARS,
AND EVERY TIME, IT SEEMS LIKE
THE SET COMES BACK CRAPPY.
MONTE'S NOT NEARLY
AS QUIRKY AS I AM, BUT --
WAS IT QUIRKY OR CREEPY?
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
AS THEY PREPARE TO DROP
THEIR FIRST POTS OF THE SEASON,
THEIR SUPERSTITIOUS CAPTAIN
REALIZES
THAT THERE IS ONE GOOD-LUCK
RITUAL THAT HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED.
BASICALLY, I WON'T SET GEAR --
UNLESS I'M FORCED TO --
WITHOUT A CUP OF NOODLES CUP
UP HERE TO USE FOR MY SPITTOON.
AS SOON AS CROSBY'S
GOT THAT CHAIN DEALT WITH,
CAN YOU GET A COUPLE GUYS
WORKING ON THE CUP OF NOODLES
SITUATION?
Soper: WE HAD SOME
WHEN WE LEFT SEATTLE,
AND WE CAN'T FIND THEM NOW.
I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
IT IS DEFINITELY
A SUPERSTITIOUS ISSUE.
IT'S WORKED IN THE PAST,
AND WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE IT.
IF HE WANTS ME TO FIND IT,
WELL, WE HAVE TO TRY.
EVERYTHING WAS GROOVING,
EVERYTHING WAS LOOKING
GOOD, AND NOW I GOT THIS.
Narrator:
CROSBY, LAST YEAR'S GREENHORN,
OFFERS A SOLUTION.
HEY, KEITH.
YEAH?
I GOT A PEACE OFFERING
FROM THE CREW.
WHAT DO YOU GOT?
I GOT THIS.
YOU CAN SPIT INTO THIS.
IT'S STAINLESS.
IT'LL CLEAN UP NICELY.
DON'T WORRY.
YOU GUYS JUST -- DON'T SWEAT IT.
AS EXPECTED, IT WAS
THOUGHTFULLY TURNED DOWN.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE BERING SEA
NOT DOING WHAT WE SHOULD BE
DOING, WHICH IS CRAB FISHING --
SEARCHING FOR A STYROFOAM CUP
OF NOODLES.
IT IS INSANE.
NOW HE THINKS
I'M CRAZY AS HELL NOW.
I THINK WE'RE OUT OF LUCK.
DARN IT.
DID YOU COMPLETELY
TEAR APART
THOSE SHELVES
IN THE SECOND HEAD?
AND WE DON'T HAVE ONE [BLEEP]
ONE OF THOSE ON THE BOAT?
NOT ONE?
SOPER: No. Unh-unh.
ALL RIGHT, SOPER, YOU WANT
TO GO FISH LIKE THAT,
THAT'S YOUR CALL, OKAY?
BUT I'M NOT REAL COMFORTABLE
WITH IT.
Narrator: CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND
HIS CONTROL FORCE KEITH'S HAND.
I MEAN, IF IT AIN'T HAPPENING,
IT AIN'T HAPPENING, BUT...
Narrator:
THE WIZARD WILL DROP POTS
WITHOUT KEITH'S
LUCKY TALISMAN IN PLACE.
IF THIS IS OUR BIGGEST DISASTER
OF THE SEASON,
I'LL BE A HAPPY MAN.
ALL RIGHT, GUYS,
LET HER GO.
HERE WE GO!
YEP!
WHOO-HOO!
Man: WE'RE MAKING MONEY
RIGHT THERE.
Man #2: RIGHT ON.
IT MIGHT JUST BE SUPERSTITIONS,
BUT LAST THING YOU NEED
IS SOMETHING WEIRD
FLOATING AROUND
INSIDE YOUR HEAD OUT HERE.
I MEAN, GOD ONLY KNOWS
WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE
GOING THROUGH HERE.
Narrator: CAPTAIN KEITH'S
SUPERSTITIOUS ARSENAL
SURROUNDS HIM.
HE'LL TAKE ANY MEASURE
TO PREVENT THE BERING SEA
FROM RISING UP
AND BARING HER TEETH.
MAN: They were abandoning ship
and getting in a life raft.
THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR'S
KING CRAB SEASON
WAS MARRED BY THE SINKING
OF THE FISHING VESSEL
OCEAN CHALLENGER.
We have a survivor
at 2:00.
I see something orange around
2:00, about 300 yards out.
I got a Drysuit at 3:00.
It's empty.
MAN: I don't see a survivor
with it.
THE FISHING BOAT
WENT DOWN IN HEAVY SEAS...
He's over here.
He's holding on to debris.
...SPARING THE LIFE OF ONLY ONE
OF THE FOUR MEN ON BOARD.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES
THE MEASURE OF A GOOD SEASON
IS JUST GETTING BACK TO TOWN
WITH EVERYBODY SAFE.
Narrator:
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
OF KING CRAB'S OPENING DAY,
CAPTAIN SIG IS STILL
IN THE HARBOR,
TESTING REPAIRS MADE TO THE
NORTHWESTERN'S PROPELLER SHAFT.
Sig: THE GUYS THAT ARE LOOKING
AT THE ENGINE, THE MECHANICS --
THEY TELL ME
SHE'S GOOD ENOUGH TO GO.
AND SO WE'LL GO.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TIME
TO MONKEY WITH IT ANYWAY.
Narrator: UNDER THE GUN,
SIG DECIDES TO DIG DEEP
INTO THE NORTHWESTERN'S
ARCHIVES.
Sig: THERE'S SOME OLD BOOKS
IN THERE, SOME OLD LOG BOOKS.
TO MOST GUYS,
IT'S JUST JUNK AND PAPER.
BUT TO ME, IT'S A GOLD MINE.
Narrator: THESE RECORDS
HAVE BEEN HANDED DOWN
THROUGH THE HANSEN
FISHING DYNASTY.
YOU CAN TELL THEY'RE OLD.
YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR,
IF YOU LOOK AT THE OLD CHART
AND KIND OF WHERE WE WERE
UP ABOVE HERE,
I WAS THINKING TO KIND OF SWITCH
IT UP AND DO THE OPPOSITE.
AND I WAS THINKING TO TRY
TO START WAY DOWN SOUTH
A LITTLE DEEPER THIS YEAR.
GO DEEPER?
THAT'S WHAT
I WAS THINKING.
GUYS AROUND TOWN --
IT DOESN'T SOUND
LIKE THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE
IS STARTING.
I THINK A LOT OF GUYS ARE GONNA
JUMP RIGHT OVER CRAB.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO GO
AND FOLLOW A BUNCH OF SHEEP.
WE'VE HAD SEASONS DOWN THERE
IN THE PAST
WHERE WE'VE DONE
REALLY WELL.
AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY
YEAR. MAYBE THIS IS ONE OF THEM.
AS THE CREW HUSTLES
TO GET THE POTS ON BOARD,
LAST YEAR'S GREENHORN,
JAKE ANDERSON,
HAS HIS SIGHTS SET
MUCH HIGHER THIS YEAR.
WELL, THIS SEASON, I'M GONNA TRY
TO BE PUT IN THE ROTATION.
I DON'T SEE IT AS A PROBLEM,
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU GOT TO BE
ABLE TO DO THE WORK
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE FULL SHARE.
Narrator:
JAKE'S SALARY WILL QUADRUPLE
IF HE PROVES HE HAS
ENOUGH KNOW-HOW
TO HANDLE ANYTHING
THE BERING SEA OR HIS CREW
CAN THROW AT HIM.
Sig: IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CAN
JUST GO INTO THIS TRANSITION
FROM BEING A GREENHORN
AND THEN A FULL SHARE.
AND THERE'S NO MOMENT THAT SAYS,
"THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED."
IT TAKES TIME.
AND IT'S LIKE YOU'RE TRYING
TO GAIN RESPECT
FROM YOUR CREW MEMBERS.
THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT
PART OF IT.
Narrator: BUT IN ORDER TO PROVE
HE'S WORTHY OF A FULL SHARE,
HE MUST FIRST SHAKE
HIS LINGERING GREENHORN STATUS.
JUST FALL ON IT.
Bradley: WHAT DO YOU WEIGH
RIGHT NOW, JAKE?
120?
I AM ABOUT
TO WALK AWAY.
I ASKED YOU
A NICE, SIMPLE QUESTION.
I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE
GOING WITH IT.
[BLEEP] YOU.
I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE
GONNA GO WITH IT.
I WENT NOWHERE WITH IT.
COME ON, JAKE.
GIVE ME SOME HELP,
DUDE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
Sig: ONE THING IS FOR SURE.
EVERYBODY HAS A BREAKING POINT,
AND EVERYBODY HAS A LIMIT.
[BLEEP] YOU GUYS.
I ALREADY HATE YOU GUYS.
NO, JAKE, DON'T CRY.
[ LAUGHTER ]
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING
TO GET OUT OF THIS?
HE'S JUST TRYING TO GET
A LITTLE ANIMOSITY.
AND IT'S ALREADY THERE,
SO WE'LL JUST FUEL THE FIRE,
A LITTLE STARTING FLUID ON IT.
Sig: THEY ACTUALLY FIND
ENJOYMENT AND FUN
IN FINDING THAT BUTTON.
[ SNICKERING ]
GET BACK HERE, JAKE.
Narrator: WITH REPAIRS COMPLETED
AND POTS AND BAIT LOADED,
THE NORTHWESTERN
IS FINALLY READY
TO BEGIN
THEIR KING CRAB SEASON.
BUT GREENHORN JAKE
IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
WHERE'S THE KID?
MATT!
JUNIOR!
WHERE'S THE KID?
I DON'T KNOW WHERE ANYBODY'S
AT RIGHT NOW.
Narrator:
THE CLOCK IS TICKING.
A DAY BEHIND, A MAN DOWN,
SIG PULLS THE NORTHWESTERN
AWAY FROM THE DOCK.
WITH ALL BOATS YET TO HAUL POTS,
THE YELLOW BOOK CRAB COUNT
STANDS AT ZERO.
Narrator: BACK AT THE DOCK,
CAPTAIN SIG IS
READY TO PUSH OFF,
AND GREENHORN JAKE
IS STILL MISSING.
IF HE'S GOT TO GO, HE GOES.
Narrator: JUST AS SIG
PULLS THE NORTHWESTERN AWAY
FROM THE DOCK,
GREENHORN JAKE APPEARS.
ONE MORE MINUTE, I WOULD HAVE
NOT TURNED AROUND!
THAT KID JUST ABOUT MISSED
THE BOAT.
I ALMOST LOST MY JOB.
I'M NOT EVEN GONNA ASK.
WHERE WERE YOU?
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
AN EXPENSIVE PIECE OF [BLEEP]
THAT'S A NORMAL THING
THAT HAPPENS
TO DUTCH HARBOR DECKHANDS --
LINES GET THROWN,
CAPTAIN LEAVES,
THE BOAT DON'T WAIT FOR YOU.
Narrator: AS THE NORTHWESTERN
DRIVES INTO THE NIGHT,
CAPTAIN SIG HANSEN IS RELIEVED
TO FINALLY BE OUT TO SEA.
Sig: WE'RE NOT ON SCHEDULE
BY ANY MEANS.
WOULD I HAVE LIKED
TO HAVE LEFT EARLIER?
ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, WE WAITED LONG ENOUGH.
I SURE IN THE HELL
WASN'T GONNA WAIT
FOR LOVER BOY
TO GET OFF THE PHONE.
IT'S FRICKIN' 3:00
IN THE MORNING.
Narrator: 240 MILES NORTHWEST
OF DUTCH HARBOR,
THE CORNELIA MARIE APPROACHES
AN EIGHT-POT PROSPECT STRING.
FOR CAPTAIN PHIL HARRIS, THESE
ARE PROVEN MONEYMAKING GROUNDS.
Phil:
IT'S ABOUT 5:00 IN THE MORNING.
WE'RE JUST GETTING TO THE FIRST
POT WE SET YESTERDAY.
WE HAVE EIGHT POTS,
AND WE'RE JUST GETTING BACK
TO HAUL THEM RIGHT NOW.
OKAY, YOU GUYS.
THE FIRST POT OF THE DAY --
HOPEFULLY
THERE'S SOMETHING IN IT.
YEAH, WAIT.
Man:
ALL THE WAY ON, GUYS.
Josh:
COMING UP A LITTLE BIT.
OKAY.
Phil: I THINK THERE WAS
THREE CRABS IN THAT ONE.
BIG CATCH.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE LAST THING
I EXPECTED TO SEE
ON OPENING DAY OF KING CRAB.
LOOK AT THAT --
JUST BLANK AS BLANK CAN BE.
Man: NOT EVEN A COD.
OH, YEAH.
DAMN.
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
THE LAST 20 YEARS,
THERE'S BEEN CRAB HERE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
I'VE EVER HEARD
OF THERE NOT BEING CRAB HERE.
Narrator: THE 8-POT STRING,
12-HOUR SOAK YIELDED 7 CRAB.
THIS YEAR, PHIL'S HONEY HOLE
IS A BARREN WASTELAND.
THIS REALLY IS STRANGE.
I DON'T HAVE A CLUE
ON WHAT'S GOING ON,
BUT SOMETHING DEFINITELY IS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN IT WHERE IT'S
JUST ABSOLUTELY BLANK.
IF THERE WAS SOME CRAB THERE,
YOU'D SEE SOMETHING --
10s, 15s --
NOT ONES AND TWOS
AND A BULLHEAD.
Narrator:
THEIR HOPES RISE WITH THE SUN
AS THEY APPROACH
ANOTHER PROSPECT STRING.
MAYBE!
THERE'S LIFE!
HOLD ON.
HOLD ON. HOLD ON.
YEAH.
FOUR.
UNBELIEVABLE.
THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANTED TO SEE
THE FIRST DAY.
WE'RE GONNA BE HERE
FOR A WHILE.
I MEAN, URGENCY IS GONNA START
BEING A KEY FACTOR HERE.
Narrator:
FOR THE CORNELIA MARIE AND THE
REST OF THE CRAB-FISHING FLEET,
THIS IS THE START
OF THE LONG HAUL.
[ JON HEINTZ'S
"THE SOUND OF MY VOICE" PLAYS ]
THESE BRAVE MEN
WILL SPEND THE NEXT SIX MONTHS
BATTLING THE ELEMENTS.
♪ SEEMS SO FAR AWAY ♪
♪ THEN IT SEEMS SO CLOSE TO ME ♪
♪ AND THE FUTURE'S
RIGHT THERE IN THE AIR ♪
♪ IT'S CLEARER ♪
WHOA!
♪ MAYBE THAT IT'S
SUPPOSED TO BE ♪
♪ THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ♪
DON'T QUIT YOUR DAY JOBS
AND COME DO THIS [BLEEP]
♪ IT SEEMS SO HARD TO TAKE ♪
Narrator: THEY'LL WAGE WAR
WITH EACH OTHER...
HOLD THE [BLEEP]
WHAT THE [BLEEP]
♪ WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME? ♪
TOUCH MY GEAR AGAIN,
IT'S GAME ON, PAL.
♪ POKE MYSELF IN THE EYE ♪
I WANT THE CRAB COUNT,
AND I WANT IT SET,
AND I WANT IT NOW!
♪ BABY, I'M WONDERING ♪
Man:
COME ON, SWING THE POT!
I'LL SPLIT
YOUR [BLEEP] HEAD [BLEEP]
♪ IT'S ALL WE HAVE ♪
DO YOUR [BLEEP] JOB,
AND SHUT YOUR [BLEEP] MOUTH!
NO, I DON'T WANT TO [BLEEP]
ASK ANYBODY ANYTHING!
♪ WHEN I'M OLD, IF I'M LUCKY ♪
♪ AND THE YEARS HAVE GONE BY ♪
Narrator: THEY'LL PUSH
THEMSELVES TO THE EDGE...
♪ I CAN LOOK BACK AND SMILE ♪
♪ I CAN LOOK BACK AND SMILE ♪
OHH!
HE'S BEEN THROUGH
56 RED BULLS IN 5 DAYS.
DO THE MATH.
WHOA!
♪ AND MAYBE I'M WONDERING ♪
Narrator:
...AND ALL FOR THE CHANCE
TO HAUL IN THE DEADLIEST CATCH.
♪ AND I FOLLOW THE SOUND
OF MY VOICE ♪
♪ AND I LIVE IN A WORLD
OF MY CHOICE ♪
YEAH!
[ CHEERING ]
KICK ASS!
YEAH, BABY.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
OOH, YEAH. OOH, YEAH.
♪ WHEN I'M OLD, IF I'M LUCKY ♪
♪ AND THE YEARS HAVE GONE BY ♪
♪ I CAN LOOK BACK AND SMILE ♪
MAN:
Gale warning tonight.
[ Echoing ]
Tonight, northwest...
[ CRASH ]
[ ALARM RINGING ]
WE GOT A WAVE?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
WE JUST TOOK A GIANT WAVE!
TAKING ON WATER.
WHAT'S GOING ON
DOWN HERE?
ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?
THAT'S THE HOLE
RIGHT HERE?
YOU NEED TO GET
YOUR RAIN GEAR ON.
WE GOT GEAR
FLYING AROUND OUTSIDE.
HANG ON!
[ MID-TEMPO ROCK MUSIC PLAYS ]
Narrator:
AFTER A TWO-WEEK JOURNEY
FROM PORTS ACROSS THE LOWER 48,
THE 74-VESSEL
CRAB-FISHING FLEET ARRIVES
FOR THIS YEAR'S $86-MILLION
KING CRAB HARVEST.
WELCOME BACK
TO DUTCH HARBOR, ALASKA.
ON THE NORTHWESTERN,
BLOODLINES ARE REINFORCED
WITH THE ADDITION
OF A NEW FAMILY CREST.
Sig:
THAT'S THE NEW HANSEN SHIELD.
LIKE MY DAD, YOU KNOW,
HE'S GOT THE CREST
ON THE FRONT OF THE BOAT
WITH THE "S.H."
WE WANT TO KEEP THAT.
THAT'S NEVER GOING ANYWHERE
AS LONG AS I'M ALIVE.
SO, THIS IS FOR ME
AND MY BROTHERS.
THIS IS OUR EMBLEM.
Narrator: ON THE TIME BANDIT,
CAPTAIN JOHNATHAN
KEEPS THE HILLSTRAND FAMILY
TRADITION ALIVE WITH A NEW HIRE,
HIS 25-YEAR-OLD SON, SCOTT.
MY SON SCOTT --
HE'S BEEN ON THE BOAT BEFORE.
HE WANTED TO TAKE OVER
THE SHOW
WHEN HE WAS
A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER
WHEN HE WAS 20.
I DON'T KNOW --
EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID,
I'VE BEEN OUT HERE FISHING
AND HANGING OUT
AND BEING PART OF THE BOYS.
Andy: I JUST WOULD LOVE
TO SEE HIM STEP UP,
'CAUSE THERE'S REALLY
NO HILLSTRAND BOYS BELOW US
THAT ARE --
NEIL'S GOT TWO BOYS
THAT HAVE
NO INTEREST IN IT.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
ABOARD THE CORNELIA MARIE,
CAPTAIN PHIL HARRIS TESTS HIS
CREW WITH A SURVIVAL-SUIT DRILL.
EVERYBODY HAS TO GET THEM
OUT OF THE BAG AND ON.
1, 2, 3, GO.
Man: GET IT ON!
COME ON, MARK.
LET'S GO, BUDDY.
LET'S GO!
YEAH!
HEY,
PULL YOUR FLAP.
36 SECONDS.
HOPEFULLY, GOD WILLING,
THIS NEVER DOES HAPPEN.
Narrator: THE WIZARD IS ALREADY
IN REPAIR MODE.
DURING THE JOURNEY NORTH,
A 40-FOOT ROGUE WAVE TORE A
6-INCH HOLE IN THE STEEL HULL.
Man: I THINK THERE'S
JUST A SPLIT SEAM DOWN HERE
RIGHT ON THE WELD.
BUT FOR NOW, WE'LL JUST
PATCH IT UP WITH THIS.
THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX,
WITHOUT QUESTION.
IT'S JUST TO KIND OF
MILK US ALONG HERE
UNTIL WE CAN GET TO THE YARD
AND DO SOME MAJOR STEEL WORK.
[ SEA GULL CALLING ]
COMING DOWN.
Narrator: IN JUST 48 HOURS,
THE BATTLE
FOR THE 20-MILLION-POUND
KING CRAB HARVEST BEGINS.
CREWS SCRAMBLE TO LOAD
POTS, BAIT, AND SUPPLIES
ONTO THEIR VESSELS.
YEAH, DROP IT.
THEY'RE PUTTING THE LAST CHAIN
ON HERE IN PORT.
THE STACK'S BOUND DOWN.
IT'S IDEAL.
IT'S SAFE.
IT'S EASY.
Narrator: THE TIME BANDIT'S
POT STACK IS TOPPED OFF.
BUT THE BOYS HAVE ONE LAST HUNK
OF METAL TO STRAP DOWN --
A DUTCH HARBOR MEMENTO
FOR CAPTAIN PHIL
ON THE CORNELIA MARIE.
WELL, PHIL WAS TALKING ABOUT
HOW HE NEEDED A NEW TRUCK.
SO WE FOUND HIM ONE.
IT'S GONNA NEED
A LITTLE BIT OF WORK,
BUT I THINK HE'LL APPRECIATE IT.
THEY'RE GONNA [BLEEP] WHEN THEY
PULL THAT OVER THE RAIL.
Narrator: WITH CREWS BUSY DOING
ALL THE DIRTY WORK,
CAPTAINS GATHER
AT THE LOCAL WATERING HOLE.
Johnathan: YOU'RE GONNA
QUIT SMOKING? WHEN?
I THINK JANUARY 1st.
LET'S WORK ON ONE OF OUR OTHER
HORRIBLE VICES --
ROUND OF DRINKS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
Narrator: BEFORE BUSINESS,
A TRADITIONAL ROUND OF DUTCH
HARBOR DUCK FARTS IS ORDERED,
A MIXTURE OF CROWN ROYAL,
BAILEY'S, AND KAHLúA.
Johnathan: SO, I THINK
WE'RE GONNA BE IN STORE
FOR SOME WEATHER
THIS YEAR.
THE LAST THREE WEEKS,
YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE STORMS?
THEY'VE ALL TRACKED RIGHT
THROUGH THE BRISTOL BAY.
SO, YOU GUYS GOT THE [BLEEP]
KICKED OUT OF YOU
COMING UP HERE.
THE BOAT GOT HAMMERED.
FIVE DAYS AGO, MONTE COLBURN,
CAPTAIN KEITH'S BROTHER,
WAS AT THE HELM
WHEN THE WIZARD WAS SLAMMED
BY A 40-FOOT ROGUE WAVE
ON HER 2,000-MILE JOURNEY
FROM SEATTLE TO DUTCH HARBOR.
WHAT'S GOING ON
DOWN HERE?
Lekanoff:
WATER'S COMING IN MY STATEROOM.
WE NEED TO CHANGE CORDS
OR SOMETHING.
SEE, THE POTS ARE TWISTED
AND CONTORTED AND EVERYTHING.
THEY'RE BENT OUT OF SHAPE.
LET'S GO!
Monte: WE WENT OVER A WAVE
IN THE NIGHT.
THE STERN --
DAVE WAS IN THE GALLEY.
HE HIT HIS HEAD
ON THE CEILING.
SO, YOU HAD ONE POT THAT WAS
IN THE FRONT,
AND IT TOOK
FIVE OTHER POTS OUT?
NO, THERE WAS LIKE 14.
14 POTS? WOW.
ALL OF US HAVE DONE
THAT CROSSING, AND IT'S A BITCH.
OH, YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THE SEASON
HASN'T EVEN STARTED.
[ LAUGHTER ]
Narrator:
DESPITE THEIR LAUGHTER,
EACH CAPTAIN UNDERSTANDS
THE COLD TRUTH
OF FISHING THE BERING SEA.
MAN OVERBOARD! MAN OVERBOARD!
[ LAUGHTER ]
NOT EVERYONE RETURNS ALIVE.
MAN: They were abandoning ship
and getting in a life raft.
Keith:
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE MAYBE
IT'S KIND OF DESENSITIZING ME.
MAN: The basket's
inside the aircraft.
Hoist complete.
Narrator: THESE MEN
NOT ONLY GAMBLE THEIR LIVES
ON THE BERING SEA,
BUT THEY ALSO ENJOY PLACING
WAGERS FOR BRAGGING RIGHTS.
Johnathan: WHAT KIND OF BET
ARE WE GONNA HAVE THIS YEAR?
I WAS THINKING MAYBE LIKE
A HIGH POT OF THE DAY.
NO, 'CAUSE YOU'RE FISHING 8-BYs.
DON'T [BLEEP]
[ LAUGHTER ]
Andy: THEY'RE 7x8s.
I GOT 7x8s!
HE WANTS SOAK TIME
'CAUSE HE'S PLANNING ON LEAVING
THEM SIT THERE FOR THREE WEEKS.
Sig: HOW ABOUT JUST THE BEST
STRING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
YOU HAVE TO SAY THE STRING
BEFORE YOU DROP THAT POT.
DESIGNATE THAT STRING
BEFORE YOU HAUL IT.
THAT'S THE STRING
YOU'RE GONNA USE.
ALL RIGHT,
IS THAT THE BET, THEN?
WE CALL IT
BEFORE WE HAUL IT?
25-POT?
HEY, HOW MUCH DOUGH
WE STICKING ON THIS?
100 BUCKS A WEEK. WE'LL MEET
BACK HERE AFTER IT'S OVER.
YEAH.
THE MAIN THING IS EVERYONE
COME HOME SAFE AND DRY.
BRING 'EM ALL BACK.
EVERYONE, COME HOME SAFE.
Narrator: EACH WEEK,
THE CAPTAINS WILL SET
A 25-POT STRING.
WHOEVER HAULS IN THE HIGHEST
AVERAGE WINS THE WEEK.
Phil: YEAH!
[ CHEERING ]
Narrator:
THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS.
KING CRAB SEASON IS
LESS THAN 24 HOURS AWAY.
CREWS RACE TO READY THEIR
VESSELS FOR OPENING DAY.
OVER ON THE WIZARD,
CAPTAIN KEITH COLBURN DECIDES
TO MAKE A MAJOR GAMBLE.
NOT ONLY WILL HE BE SKIPPERING
A VESSEL WITH A SPLIT SEAM,
HE'LL ROLL THE DICE WITH NOT ONE
BUT TWO GREENHORNS.
I'M GLAD WE'RE GETTING
THE HELL OUT TO GO AND DO IT.
Keith:
OH, YEAH. I KNOW.
THAT'S A LOT OF WORK TO GET
READY TO GO FISH, ISN'T IT?
SIX FRICKIN' WEEKS OF --
I MEAN, I'M NOT GONNA SAY
IT WAS [BLEEP]
NO, THERE'S A LOT
OF PREP WORK INVOLVED
WITH TRYING TO GET THE BOAT
READY TO GO FISH.
IT'S TRAINING CAMP.
YEAH.
YEAH.
BUT TRAINING CAMP AND GAME DAY
ARE TWO DIFFERENT BALLS OF WAX.
Moilanen: BASICALLY, I QUIT
MY JOB, TOOK MY LAST PAYCHECK,
USED THAT TO GET ME
THROUGH TO NOW,
RUN MYSELF DOWN TO ABOUT $40
LEFT IN MY WALLET.
I CAN'T GO BACK TO THAT JOB.
AND THIS IS A HUGE CHANCE
I'M TAKING.
IF I GOT FIRED TODAY,
I'D BE OUT ON THE STREET.
Narrator:
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LADDER
IS 21-YEAR-OLD GREENHORN
LYNN GITARD.
AND FOR THE MOMENT,
THE OLD SALTS QUESTION
THE GREENHORN'S WORK ETHIC.
LYNN IS THE ONE
I AM WORRIED ABOUT
BECAUSE HE JUST HAS THIS
LITTLE LOOK ON HIS FACE.
HE'S JUST -- HE WANTS TO DO IT.
I CAN TELL.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO FILE
ON THAT STEP, TOO. TRY THAT.
NO, FLAT,
THE OTHER WAY.
NO, JUST FLIP IT OVER.
WATCH IT.
DOESN'T HAVE ANY IDEA YET
WHAT HE'S GETTING INTO.
GO GRAB ME SOME OF THEM BOXES
OUT HERE, THOSE EMPTY BOXES.
HE'S THE KIND OF GUY
YOU HAVE TO POINT AND TELL
WHAT TO DO ALL THE TIME.
YOU WANT THEM BOXES THAT WERE UP
ON THE DOCK OR THE FOOD BOXES?
THE FOOD BOXES.
Narrator:
WITH 15 HOURS TO GO,
VESSELS CLOSE IN
ON THEIR PREPARATIONS.
BUT THE NORTHWESTERN
IS DEAD IN THE WATER.
ENGINEER EDGAR HANSEN
ASSESSES THE DAMAGE
TO HIS PROPELLER SHAFT.
Edgar:
WELL, YOU GOT A BAD BEARING,
YOU GOT A BENT SHAFT,
AND THEN A BAD CUTLASS BEARING.
SO, I KNOW THAT I DON'T WANT HER
GOING BAD WHEN I'M OUT THERE.
Narrator: THE PROPELLER SHAFT
MUST BE STRAIGHTENED.
IF THE DAMAGED COMPONENT
WENT UNREPAIRED,
IT COULD CONTINUE
TO CAUSE VIBRATION,
LEADING TO CATASTROPHIC
MECHANICAL FAILURE.
THE SINGLE-PROP NORTHWESTERN
WOULD BE POWERLESS
AND AT THE COMPLETE MERCY
OF THE BERING SEA.
OUR DIVERS ONLY GOT THINGS
HALFWAY WELDED DOWN.
I DON'T WANT TO RUSH THEM.
Sig:
WHEN'S HE GONNA BE DONE?
AS SOON AS HE'S DONE.
I JUST WANT TO GO FISHING
RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S ALL I WANT TO DO.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
I MEAN, EVERY MINUTE
THE CLOCK TICKS,
THE MORE YOU'RE STRESSING
OVER IT.
IT'S TIME.
TIME IS WHAT MAKES US MONEY.
Narrator:
THIS YEAR'S KING CRAB SEASON
MAY START WITHOUT THE HANSENS
AND THE NORTHWESTERN.
WITH EIGHT HOURS LEFT,
THE CORNELIA MARIE
IS IN "GO" MODE.
WE JUST NEED TO STACK IT
DOWN HERE, GUYS.
YEAH, HERE WE GO, FREDDIE.
BUT 21-YEAR-OLD JAKE HARRIS
IS ON A PERSONAL MISSION.
THE CAPTAIN'S YOUNGEST SON
HAS DECIDED TO ENTERTAIN HIMSELF
AT HIS FATHER'S EXPENSE.
WHILE THE CREW
OF THE CORNELIA MARIE
LOADS THE FINAL POTS,
JAKE CONSTRUCTS A MOUNT
FOR HIS NEW TELEVISION.
I BOUGHT A FLAT SCREEN.
HOW BIG?
IT'S 24-INCH WIDTH.
24-INCH?
HOW'D YOU PAY FOR THAT?
YEAH, IT WAS KIND OF A CHARGE
ON THE OLD MAN'S BILL THERE.
Narrator:
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME
THE HARRIS BOYS HAVE TAKEN
A FEW LIBERTIES
WITH THEIR FATHER'S CREDIT CARD.
GOING OUT SPENDING
$1,000, $1,500,
CHARGE, CHARGE, CHARGE --
HE DON'T EVEN ASK.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'M THE [BLEEP] BANK HERE.
BUT I DIDN'T HAVE
ANY GEAR --
DON'T TALK!
ZERO!
THAT'S WHY WE GOT
TO GET THIS INSTALLED,
'CAUSE I'M SURE HE'S NOT GONNA
LET ME TAKE IT BACK.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
AW, JAKE.
I OUGHT TO FIRE
YOUR [BLEEP] RIGHT NOW.
WELL, YOU CAN GET
YOUR SORRY [BLEEP] RIGHT BACK
TO THE [BLEEP] HARDWARE.
HOW MUCH WAS THIS?
HOW MUCH?
ARE YOU SERIOUS?
WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING?
WHAT ARE YOU DRINKING?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
I DON'T KNOW, DUDE.
I WAS JUST --
"DUDE"?
SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME,
I'M GONNA POP YOU ONE
RIGHT IN THE FACE.
NO WONDER
I GOT BLOOD-PRESSURE PROBLEMS.
I'M SHAKING.
I COULD JUST THROTTLE HIS ASS.
[ SIGHS ]
OH, YEAH.
YEAH, I CAN SEE IT.
I SHOULD FIRE HIS ASS.
GOD, THAT KID.
NOW YOU KNOW
WHY LIONS EAT THEIR YOUNG.
Narrator:
FIVE HOURS AND COUNTING --
THE CRAB-FISHING FLEET BEGINS
TO MAKE THEIR WAY OUT TO SEA.
BUT BEFORE
THE TIME BANDIT LEAVES,
THE HILLSTRANDS MAKE THEIR
RITUAL PRE-TRIP TELEPHONE CALL
TO THEIR MOTHER.
HELLO?
IT'S HARD TO GET ALL FOUR
OF US TOGETHER IN ONE SPOT.
BUT ME AND SCOTT
WILL HAVE LOTS OF TIME.
WE NEVER GET TO SEE EACH OTHER
THIS MUCH.
IT'S PRETTY GOOD
THAT WE GET
TO SPEND
THIS MUCH TIME TOGETHER.
WE SURE MISS YOU GUYS.
SO, YEAH,
I LOVE YOU GUYS, TOO.
BUT MOTHER HILLSTRAND
TELLS THE BOYS OF A PREMONITION
THAT TRAGEDY WILL STRIKE
THE TIME BANDIT THIS SEASON.
AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME
SHE HAS PREDICTED THE FUTURE.
Andy: MY MOM'S ALWAYS HAD, LIKE,
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THEM.
SHE'S BEEN REALLY RELIGIOUS
HER WHOLE LIFE.
LAST YEAR, SHE HAD A FEELING
THAT WE WERE GONNA SAVE A GUY
OUT OF THE WATER.
SHE HAD A DREAM WE WERE GONNA
RESCUE A GUY OUT OF THE WATER.
Narrator: DURING LAST YEAR'S
KING CRAB SEASON,
THE TIME BANDIT DEFIED ALL ODDS
WHEN THEY PLUCKED
A DOOMED FISHERMAN
FROM THE ICY GRIP
OF THE BERING SEA.
MAN OVERBOARD! MAN OVERBOARD!
RIGHT HERE, BUDDY.
Andy: OKAY, HELP HIM
IN HERE, GUYS.
Johnathan: HE'S WARM?
HE'S IN SHOCK,
I'M PRETTY SURE.
BUT HE'S CONSCIOUS
AND TALKING.
I SAW YOU DISAPPEAR.
YOU SAVED MY LIFE, MAN.
YOU SAVED MY LIFE.
YOU SAVED MY LIFE.
I JUST WANT
TO TELL YOU I LOVE YOU.
BUT SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN DOING THAT
FOR 26 YEARS OF OUR LIFE,
HATED THE FACT
THAT WE FISH.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF TAKE
IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME TO GO,
IT'S YOUR TIME TO GO.
AND SO, IF I DIE FISHING,
I DIE DOING WHAT I LOVE TO DO.
ON BEHALF
OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY
OF DUTCH HARBOR AND ALASKA,
WHO WISH YOU A SAFE AND
PROSPEROUS FISHING SEASON...
PLEASE STAND BY AS PASTORAL
LEADER HENRIETTA CALLEWAERT
DELIVERS THE BLESSING
OF THE FLEET.
Callewaert:
GOD OF BOUNDLESS LOVE,
BLESS THESE BOATS,
THEIR EQUIPMENT,
AND ALL WHO USE THEM.
PROTECT THEM FROM THE DANGERS
OF WIND AND RAIN
AND ALL THE PERILS OF THE DEEP.
MAY CHRIST,
WHO CALMED THE STORM
AND FILLED THE NETS
OF HIS DISCIPLES...
[ STATIC CRACKLING ]
Man: I HATE THAT.
Man #2: THEY GONNA PLAY
THAT AGAIN OR WHAT?
Johnathan:
I GUESS WE'RE CUT OFF.
IT STOPPED.
THAT'S NOT A GOOD START.
I HOPE
THAT'S NOT AN OMEN.
YEAH.
EVERYONE BE SAFE, MAN.
LET'S WATCH EACH OTHER'S BACKS.
THEY'LL BE FINE.
[ STATIC CRACKLING ]
[ SEA GULL CALLS ]
GETTING READY FOR KING CRAB,
GET THIS THING STARTED.
HEY, DAVE,
YOU WANT TO GRAB THESE?
Andy: WE'RE GOING FISHING,
RUSS!
IT'S ABOUT TIME.
YEAH. THE MINIMUM PRICE
IS $4.20 A POUND.
300,000 POUNDS --
$1.2 MILLION.
1, 2.
[ HORN BLOWS ]
Moilanen: WE'RE FINALLY GONNA
GO MAKE SOME MONEY
AFTER A MONTH AND A HALF
OF SCREWING AROUND
RIGGING POTS,
GETTING BAIT ON BOARD,
ALL THE LITTLE STUFF THAT GOES
ALONG WITH THIS JOB, I GUESS.
FINALLY, WE GET TO GO
ACTUALLY DO IT.
Keith: DID WE LOSE SOMETHING,
FELLAS?
ROGER!
Leveen: END OF THE DAY,
THE SUN IS SETTING, AND OUR
SEASON'S ABOUT TO BEGIN.
IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD ONE.
EVERYBODY'S PRETTY JAMMIN'.
Narrator: THE MEN HAVE WAITED
ALL YEAR FOR THIS MOMENT.
AND NOW
THERE'S NO TURNING BACK.
WITH 24 HOURS UNTIL BOATS
REACH THE FISHING GROUNDS,
CREWS SLEEP SOUNDLY
IN THE RACKS.
BUT FOR THE CAPTAINS,
THE MENTAL TORMENT BEGINS.
Phil: THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON
GETTING THESE BOATS OUT OF TOWN.
I HAVE TO GET IN THE ZONE.
I HAVE TO GET IN MY RIGHT FRAME
OF MIND FOR THIS.
AND I'M NOT THERE YET.
Narrator: AS THE BOATS MAKE
THEIR WAY OUT INTO THE UNKNOWN,
CAPTAINS AND CREWS COUNT THEIR
BLESSINGS AND LOOK FOR SIGNS.
WIZARD BASE, WIZARD.
WIZARD BASE, WIZARD.
WE GOT A WHALE ON THE STARBOARD
SIDE RIGHT UP HERE.
Man: IS THAT GOOD LUCK
OR WHAT?
I THINK WHALES ARE GOOD LUCK.
MOUSE, HELP ME ON THIS ONE.
Monte: WHALES ARE
DEFINITELY GOOD LUCK.
RIGHT ON. WE'LL TAKE WHALES
ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.
OH, MAN.
THEY'RE SPOUTING OFF BIG-TIME.
Narrator: EARLY REPORTS
INDICATE FAVORABLE WEATHER
FOR THE TIME BEING.
BUT CONDITIONS OUT HERE
CAN CHANGE AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE.
Johnathan: THIS FEELS GOOD
TO BE BACK OUT HERE, MAN.
LOOK AT THIS.
THIS WEATHER'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.
THIS WEATHER JUST AIN'T RIGHT.
WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE
TO PAY FOR THIS.
KNOCK ON WOOD.
SO KNOCK ON WOOD AGAIN.
Narrator:
NEXT ON "DEADLIEST CATCH,"
THE FIRST POTS ARE SPLASHED.
232!
BUT SUPERSTITION
KEEPS THE WIZARD AT BAY.
Keith:
BASICALLY, I WON'T SET GEAR
WITHOUT A CUP OF NOODLES CUP
UP HERE TO USE FOR MY SPITTOON.
IT IS INSANE.
Narrator:
225 MILES FROM DUTCH HARBOR,
THE TIME BANDIT
APPROACHES HER FISHING GROUNDS.
CAPTAIN JOHNATHAN
AND YOUNGER BROTHER ANDY
BEGIN PLOTTING OUT
THEIR KING CRAB STRATEGY.
Andy: WHAT WE'RE HEARING
RIGHT NOW
IS THERE AIN'T
VERY MANY CRAB OUT HERE
IN A LOT
OF TRADITIONAL SPOTS.
SO WE'RE HOPING THEY'RE UP
SHALLOW, OR WE'RE SCREWED.
THIS YEAR'S
FISH-AND-GAME SURVEY
SUGGESTS THAT
THE KING CRAB POPULATION
IS SPREAD
THROUGHOUT THE BERING SEA
AND NOT CONCENTRATED IN SMALLER
POCKETS AS IN PAST SEASONS.
Johnathan: I DON'T HAVE A REAL
GOOD FEELING ABOUT SETTING HERE.
THAT'S TYPICALLY HOW WE
START OUT EVERY SEASON.
HE HAS A SURVEY.
HE LOOKS AT IT.
WE GO, "PLAN 'A,' UP HERE.
NO, PLAN 'B.'"
AND WE ALWAYS SHOULD HAVE GONE
WITH PLAN "A."
SO, WE WERE HEADED NORTH.
NOW WE'RE HEADED DUE EAST.
THEN EVERY CUP OF COFFEE YOU
DRINK, YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND.
HYAH!
YEAH!
Scott: WE GOT 100 POTS
ON THE BOAT RIGHT NOW.
WE USUALLY PUT TWO JARS
IN A POT
AND TWO TO THREE COD,
DEPENDING ON THE SIZE.
Narrator:
SCOTTY, THE YOUNGEST HILLSTRAND,
HAS ALREADY BEGUN MAKING RIFTS
WITH SOME OF THE CREW.
HE CAME ON THE BOAT
GIVING ORDERS,
AND I NEVER MET HIM BEFORE.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
HE WAS JOHNATHAN'S SON
WHEN I FIRST MET HIM.
I DON'T KNOW
HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE
WITH THE BOAT AND EVERYTHING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN YOU DO?
THAT'S LIFE.
HE'S FAMILY, AND I'M NOT.
I'M EXPENDABLE.
Narrator: SCOTT'S PERFORMANCE
WILL NOT GO UNCHECKED,
EVEN IF HE IS A HILLSTRAND.
WE'LL SEE WHAT HE CAN DO
AND HOW HE HANDLES HIMSELF.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE TURNS,
AND WE'RE GONNA ROTATE ON DECK,
AND SCOTTY'S GONNA HAVE
TO STEP UP
AND DO ALL THE SAME JOBS
THAT THE REST OF US
ARE GONNA HAVE TO DO.
Narrator: IT'S MIDNIGHT,
AND THIS YEAR'S KING CRAB SEASON
IS OFFICIALLY OPEN.
WE'RE READY TO ROLL RIGHT NOW.
FIRST CRAB POT
OF THE SEASON!
Man: WHOO!
YEAH, WE'RE JUST SLOWING DOWN.
I GOT TO MOVE THAT TRUCK
AND WORK AROUND IT.
Man:
IT'S IN OUR WAY.
NORMALLY, I WOULD WALK THROUGH
THE ALLEYWAY,
BUT I HAVE A TRUCK IN THE WAY.
Narrator:
BUT BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN PUT
THEIR FIRST POT IN THE WATER,
THE PRACTICAL JOKE INTENDED
FOR THE CORNELIA MARIE
RAPIDLY DETERIORATES
INTO A COMEDY OF ERRORS.
Man: THAT'S PERFECT RIGHT THERE
IF YOU WANT ME TO SET IT THERE.
MAN, WATCH MY TRUCK,
DAMN IT.
I JUST GOT THAT PAINT JOB.
[ LAUGHTER ]
FIRST CRAB-POT STRING.
ROCK 'N' ROLL.
140 GOING OUT!
[ CHEERING ]
232!
THE CRAB POT'S IN. YOO-HOO!
[ WARBLING ]
Man: 159!
Narrator: AFTER 25 POTS
SPLASH OVER THE RAIL,
THE TIME BANDIT
HITS HER FULL STRIDE.
BUT ONCE AGAIN,
THE MACHINE COMES
TO A GRINDING HALT...
[ LAUGHTER ]
...AS PHIL'S TRUCK
MUST BE RE-PARKED.
Andy: YEAH!
Man: DAMN!
HOLY [BLEEP]
PERFECT.
THAT WAS, UH...
SOME KIND OF PARALLEL PARKING.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS,
80 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST,
CAPTAIN KEITH DRIVES THE WIZARD
WITHIN A FEW MILES
OF HER FISHING GROUNDS.
EVERY CAPTAIN
HAS HIS OWN ROUTINE.
BUT KEITH COLBURN TAKES
HIS RITUALS SERIOUSLY.
HE BELIEVES THAT IT'S BAD LUCK
FOR THE CAPTAIN TO PREPARE
THE CAPTAIN'S LOG.
A COUPLE ODDITIES
THAT I DON'T DO --
BASICALLY, IN OUR PAPERWORK,
BOOK WORK,
I WON'T PUT THE LINES IN.
I HAVEN'T DONE IT SINCE 1996.
Monte: THIS IS HOW WE KEEP TRACK
OF THE GEAR,
THE POSITIONS, AND THE COUNTS,
THE BUOY NUMBERS.
A HANDFUL OF TIMES I'VE DONE IT
IN THE LAST 10 OR 15 YEARS,
AND EVERY TIME, IT SEEMS LIKE
THE SET COMES BACK CRAPPY.
MONTE'S NOT NEARLY
AS QUIRKY AS I AM, BUT --
WAS IT QUIRKY OR CREEPY?
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator:
AS THEY PREPARE TO DROP
THEIR FIRST POTS OF THE SEASON,
THEIR SUPERSTITIOUS CAPTAIN
REALIZES
THAT THERE IS ONE GOOD-LUCK
RITUAL THAT HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED.
BASICALLY, I WON'T SET GEAR --
UNLESS I'M FORCED TO --
WITHOUT A CUP OF NOODLES CUP
UP HERE TO USE FOR MY SPITTOON.
AS SOON AS CROSBY'S
GOT THAT CHAIN DEALT WITH,
CAN YOU GET A COUPLE GUYS
WORKING ON THE CUP OF NOODLES
SITUATION?
Soper: WE HAD SOME
WHEN WE LEFT SEATTLE,
AND WE CAN'T FIND THEM NOW.
I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
IT IS DEFINITELY
A SUPERSTITIOUS ISSUE.
IT'S WORKED IN THE PAST,
AND WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE IT.
IF HE WANTS ME TO FIND IT,
WELL, WE HAVE TO TRY.
EVERYTHING WAS GROOVING,
EVERYTHING WAS LOOKING
GOOD, AND NOW I GOT THIS.
Narrator:
CROSBY, LAST YEAR'S GREENHORN,
OFFERS A SOLUTION.
HEY, KEITH.
YEAH?
I GOT A PEACE OFFERING
FROM THE CREW.
WHAT DO YOU GOT?
I GOT THIS.
YOU CAN SPIT INTO THIS.
IT'S STAINLESS.
IT'LL CLEAN UP NICELY.
DON'T WORRY.
YOU GUYS JUST -- DON'T SWEAT IT.
AS EXPECTED, IT WAS
THOUGHTFULLY TURNED DOWN.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE BERING SEA
NOT DOING WHAT WE SHOULD BE
DOING, WHICH IS CRAB FISHING --
SEARCHING FOR A STYROFOAM CUP
OF NOODLES.
IT IS INSANE.
NOW HE THINKS
I'M CRAZY AS HELL NOW.
I THINK WE'RE OUT OF LUCK.
DARN IT.
DID YOU COMPLETELY
TEAR APART
THOSE SHELVES
IN THE SECOND HEAD?
AND WE DON'T HAVE ONE [BLEEP]
ONE OF THOSE ON THE BOAT?
NOT ONE?
SOPER: No. Unh-unh.
ALL RIGHT, SOPER, YOU WANT
TO GO FISH LIKE THAT,
THAT'S YOUR CALL, OKAY?
BUT I'M NOT REAL COMFORTABLE
WITH IT.
Narrator: CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND
HIS CONTROL FORCE KEITH'S HAND.
I MEAN, IF IT AIN'T HAPPENING,
IT AIN'T HAPPENING, BUT...
Narrator:
THE WIZARD WILL DROP POTS
WITHOUT KEITH'S
LUCKY TALISMAN IN PLACE.
IF THIS IS OUR BIGGEST DISASTER
OF THE SEASON,
I'LL BE A HAPPY MAN.
ALL RIGHT, GUYS,
LET HER GO.
HERE WE GO!
YEP!
WHOO-HOO!
Man: WE'RE MAKING MONEY
RIGHT THERE.
Man #2: RIGHT ON.
IT MIGHT JUST BE SUPERSTITIONS,
BUT LAST THING YOU NEED
IS SOMETHING WEIRD
FLOATING AROUND
INSIDE YOUR HEAD OUT HERE.
I MEAN, GOD ONLY KNOWS
WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE
GOING THROUGH HERE.
Narrator: CAPTAIN KEITH'S
SUPERSTITIOUS ARSENAL
SURROUNDS HIM.
HE'LL TAKE ANY MEASURE
TO PREVENT THE BERING SEA
FROM RISING UP
AND BARING HER TEETH.
MAN: They were abandoning ship
and getting in a life raft.
THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR'S
KING CRAB SEASON
WAS MARRED BY THE SINKING
OF THE FISHING VESSEL
OCEAN CHALLENGER.
We have a survivor
at 2:00.
I see something orange around
2:00, about 300 yards out.
I got a Drysuit at 3:00.
It's empty.
MAN: I don't see a survivor
with it.
THE FISHING BOAT
WENT DOWN IN HEAVY SEAS...
He's over here.
He's holding on to debris.
...SPARING THE LIFE OF ONLY ONE
OF THE FOUR MEN ON BOARD.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES
THE MEASURE OF A GOOD SEASON
IS JUST GETTING BACK TO TOWN
WITH EVERYBODY SAFE.
Narrator:
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
OF KING CRAB'S OPENING DAY,
CAPTAIN SIG IS STILL
IN THE HARBOR,
TESTING REPAIRS MADE TO THE
NORTHWESTERN'S PROPELLER SHAFT.
Sig: THE GUYS THAT ARE LOOKING
AT THE ENGINE, THE MECHANICS --
THEY TELL ME
SHE'S GOOD ENOUGH TO GO.
AND SO WE'LL GO.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TIME
TO MONKEY WITH IT ANYWAY.
Narrator: UNDER THE GUN,
SIG DECIDES TO DIG DEEP
INTO THE NORTHWESTERN'S
ARCHIVES.
Sig: THERE'S SOME OLD BOOKS
IN THERE, SOME OLD LOG BOOKS.
TO MOST GUYS,
IT'S JUST JUNK AND PAPER.
BUT TO ME, IT'S A GOLD MINE.
Narrator: THESE RECORDS
HAVE BEEN HANDED DOWN
THROUGH THE HANSEN
FISHING DYNASTY.
YOU CAN TELL THEY'RE OLD.
YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR,
IF YOU LOOK AT THE OLD CHART
AND KIND OF WHERE WE WERE
UP ABOVE HERE,
I WAS THINKING TO KIND OF SWITCH
IT UP AND DO THE OPPOSITE.
AND I WAS THINKING TO TRY
TO START WAY DOWN SOUTH
A LITTLE DEEPER THIS YEAR.
GO DEEPER?
THAT'S WHAT
I WAS THINKING.
GUYS AROUND TOWN --
IT DOESN'T SOUND
LIKE THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE
IS STARTING.
I THINK A LOT OF GUYS ARE GONNA
JUMP RIGHT OVER CRAB.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO GO
AND FOLLOW A BUNCH OF SHEEP.
WE'VE HAD SEASONS DOWN THERE
IN THE PAST
WHERE WE'VE DONE
REALLY WELL.
AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY
YEAR. MAYBE THIS IS ONE OF THEM.
AS THE CREW HUSTLES
TO GET THE POTS ON BOARD,
LAST YEAR'S GREENHORN,
JAKE ANDERSON,
HAS HIS SIGHTS SET
MUCH HIGHER THIS YEAR.
WELL, THIS SEASON, I'M GONNA TRY
TO BE PUT IN THE ROTATION.
I DON'T SEE IT AS A PROBLEM,
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU GOT TO BE
ABLE TO DO THE WORK
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE FULL SHARE.
Narrator:
JAKE'S SALARY WILL QUADRUPLE
IF HE PROVES HE HAS
ENOUGH KNOW-HOW
TO HANDLE ANYTHING
THE BERING SEA OR HIS CREW
CAN THROW AT HIM.
Sig: IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CAN
JUST GO INTO THIS TRANSITION
FROM BEING A GREENHORN
AND THEN A FULL SHARE.
AND THERE'S NO MOMENT THAT SAYS,
"THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED."
IT TAKES TIME.
AND IT'S LIKE YOU'RE TRYING
TO GAIN RESPECT
FROM YOUR CREW MEMBERS.
THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT
PART OF IT.
Narrator: BUT IN ORDER TO PROVE
HE'S WORTHY OF A FULL SHARE,
HE MUST FIRST SHAKE
HIS LINGERING GREENHORN STATUS.
JUST FALL ON IT.
Bradley: WHAT DO YOU WEIGH
RIGHT NOW, JAKE?
120?
I AM ABOUT
TO WALK AWAY.
I ASKED YOU
A NICE, SIMPLE QUESTION.
I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE
GOING WITH IT.
[BLEEP] YOU.
I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE
GONNA GO WITH IT.
I WENT NOWHERE WITH IT.
COME ON, JAKE.
GIVE ME SOME HELP,
DUDE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
Sig: ONE THING IS FOR SURE.
EVERYBODY HAS A BREAKING POINT,
AND EVERYBODY HAS A LIMIT.
[BLEEP] YOU GUYS.
I ALREADY HATE YOU GUYS.
NO, JAKE, DON'T CRY.
[ LAUGHTER ]
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING
TO GET OUT OF THIS?
HE'S JUST TRYING TO GET
A LITTLE ANIMOSITY.
AND IT'S ALREADY THERE,
SO WE'LL JUST FUEL THE FIRE,
A LITTLE STARTING FLUID ON IT.
Sig: THEY ACTUALLY FIND
ENJOYMENT AND FUN
IN FINDING THAT BUTTON.
[ SNICKERING ]
GET BACK HERE, JAKE.
Narrator: WITH REPAIRS COMPLETED
AND POTS AND BAIT LOADED,
THE NORTHWESTERN
IS FINALLY READY
TO BEGIN
THEIR KING CRAB SEASON.
BUT GREENHORN JAKE
IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
WHERE'S THE KID?
MATT!
JUNIOR!
WHERE'S THE KID?
I DON'T KNOW WHERE ANYBODY'S
AT RIGHT NOW.
Narrator:
THE CLOCK IS TICKING.
A DAY BEHIND, A MAN DOWN,
SIG PULLS THE NORTHWESTERN
AWAY FROM THE DOCK.
WITH ALL BOATS YET TO HAUL POTS,
THE YELLOW BOOK CRAB COUNT
STANDS AT ZERO.
Narrator: BACK AT THE DOCK,
CAPTAIN SIG IS
READY TO PUSH OFF,
AND GREENHORN JAKE
IS STILL MISSING.
IF HE'S GOT TO GO, HE GOES.
Narrator: JUST AS SIG
PULLS THE NORTHWESTERN AWAY
FROM THE DOCK,
GREENHORN JAKE APPEARS.
ONE MORE MINUTE, I WOULD HAVE
NOT TURNED AROUND!
THAT KID JUST ABOUT MISSED
THE BOAT.
I ALMOST LOST MY JOB.
I'M NOT EVEN GONNA ASK.
WHERE WERE YOU?
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
AN EXPENSIVE PIECE OF [BLEEP]
THAT'S A NORMAL THING
THAT HAPPENS
TO DUTCH HARBOR DECKHANDS --
LINES GET THROWN,
CAPTAIN LEAVES,
THE BOAT DON'T WAIT FOR YOU.
Narrator: AS THE NORTHWESTERN
DRIVES INTO THE NIGHT,
CAPTAIN SIG HANSEN IS RELIEVED
TO FINALLY BE OUT TO SEA.
Sig: WE'RE NOT ON SCHEDULE
BY ANY MEANS.
WOULD I HAVE LIKED
TO HAVE LEFT EARLIER?
ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, WE WAITED LONG ENOUGH.
I SURE IN THE HELL
WASN'T GONNA WAIT
FOR LOVER BOY
TO GET OFF THE PHONE.
IT'S FRICKIN' 3:00
IN THE MORNING.
Narrator: 240 MILES NORTHWEST
OF DUTCH HARBOR,
THE CORNELIA MARIE APPROACHES
AN EIGHT-POT PROSPECT STRING.
FOR CAPTAIN PHIL HARRIS, THESE
ARE PROVEN MONEYMAKING GROUNDS.
Phil:
IT'S ABOUT 5:00 IN THE MORNING.
WE'RE JUST GETTING TO THE FIRST
POT WE SET YESTERDAY.
WE HAVE EIGHT POTS,
AND WE'RE JUST GETTING BACK
TO HAUL THEM RIGHT NOW.
OKAY, YOU GUYS.
THE FIRST POT OF THE DAY --
HOPEFULLY
THERE'S SOMETHING IN IT.
YEAH, WAIT.
Man:
ALL THE WAY ON, GUYS.
Josh:
COMING UP A LITTLE BIT.
OKAY.
Phil: I THINK THERE WAS
THREE CRABS IN THAT ONE.
BIG CATCH.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE LAST THING
I EXPECTED TO SEE
ON OPENING DAY OF KING CRAB.
LOOK AT THAT --
JUST BLANK AS BLANK CAN BE.
Man: NOT EVEN A COD.
OH, YEAH.
DAMN.
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
THE LAST 20 YEARS,
THERE'S BEEN CRAB HERE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
I'VE EVER HEARD
OF THERE NOT BEING CRAB HERE.
Narrator: THE 8-POT STRING,
12-HOUR SOAK YIELDED 7 CRAB.
THIS YEAR, PHIL'S HONEY HOLE
IS A BARREN WASTELAND.
THIS REALLY IS STRANGE.
I DON'T HAVE A CLUE
ON WHAT'S GOING ON,
BUT SOMETHING DEFINITELY IS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN IT WHERE IT'S
JUST ABSOLUTELY BLANK.
IF THERE WAS SOME CRAB THERE,
YOU'D SEE SOMETHING --
10s, 15s --
NOT ONES AND TWOS
AND A BULLHEAD.
Narrator:
THEIR HOPES RISE WITH THE SUN
AS THEY APPROACH
ANOTHER PROSPECT STRING.
MAYBE!
THERE'S LIFE!
HOLD ON.
HOLD ON. HOLD ON.
YEAH.
FOUR.
UNBELIEVABLE.
THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANTED TO SEE
THE FIRST DAY.
WE'RE GONNA BE HERE
FOR A WHILE.
I MEAN, URGENCY IS GONNA START
BEING A KEY FACTOR HERE.
Narrator:
FOR THE CORNELIA MARIE AND THE
REST OF THE CRAB-FISHING FLEET,
THIS IS THE START
OF THE LONG HAUL.
[ JON HEINTZ'S
"THE SOUND OF MY VOICE" PLAYS ]
THESE BRAVE MEN
WILL SPEND THE NEXT SIX MONTHS
BATTLING THE ELEMENTS.
♪ SEEMS SO FAR AWAY ♪
♪ THEN IT SEEMS SO CLOSE TO ME ♪
♪ AND THE FUTURE'S
RIGHT THERE IN THE AIR ♪
♪ IT'S CLEARER ♪
WHOA!
♪ MAYBE THAT IT'S
SUPPOSED TO BE ♪
♪ THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ♪
DON'T QUIT YOUR DAY JOBS
AND COME DO THIS [BLEEP]
♪ IT SEEMS SO HARD TO TAKE ♪
Narrator: THEY'LL WAGE WAR
WITH EACH OTHER...
HOLD THE [BLEEP]
WHAT THE [BLEEP]
♪ WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME? ♪
TOUCH MY GEAR AGAIN,
IT'S GAME ON, PAL.
♪ POKE MYSELF IN THE EYE ♪
I WANT THE CRAB COUNT,
AND I WANT IT SET,
AND I WANT IT NOW!
♪ BABY, I'M WONDERING ♪
Man:
COME ON, SWING THE POT!
I'LL SPLIT
YOUR [BLEEP] HEAD [BLEEP]
♪ IT'S ALL WE HAVE ♪
DO YOUR [BLEEP] JOB,
AND SHUT YOUR [BLEEP] MOUTH!
NO, I DON'T WANT TO [BLEEP]
ASK ANYBODY ANYTHING!
♪ WHEN I'M OLD, IF I'M LUCKY ♪
♪ AND THE YEARS HAVE GONE BY ♪
Narrator: THEY'LL PUSH
THEMSELVES TO THE EDGE...
♪ I CAN LOOK BACK AND SMILE ♪
♪ I CAN LOOK BACK AND SMILE ♪
OHH!
HE'S BEEN THROUGH
56 RED BULLS IN 5 DAYS.
DO THE MATH.
WHOA!
♪ AND MAYBE I'M WONDERING ♪
Narrator:
...AND ALL FOR THE CHANCE
TO HAUL IN THE DEADLIEST CATCH.
♪ AND I FOLLOW THE SOUND
OF MY VOICE ♪
♪ AND I LIVE IN A WORLD
OF MY CHOICE ♪
YEAH!
[ CHEERING ]
KICK ASS!
YEAH, BABY.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
OOH, YEAH. OOH, YEAH.
♪ WHEN I'M OLD, IF I'M LUCKY ♪
♪ AND THE YEARS HAVE GONE BY ♪
♪ I CAN LOOK BACK AND SMILE ♪