Ice Lake Rebels (2014–…): Season 1, Episode 7 - Sink or Swim - full transcript
Tensions rise as one of the most deadly times of the year approaches- the thaw. As the ice softens, Brian falls through.
ON THE SUBARCTIC
SHORES OF GREAT SLAVE LAKE...
42 REBELS
HAVE LAID CLAIM TO FREEDOM,
LIVING OFFSHORE, BEYOND
THE REACH OF GOVERNMENT CONTROL.
THOSE OF US WHO LIVE ON THE BAY,
WE JUST LIKE BEING ON OUR OWN
AND JUST BEING FREE.
I WOULDN'T TRADE
THIS WAY OF LIFE FOR ANYTHING.
I LOVE IT.
FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS,
THE LAKE HAS BEEN BURIED
UNDER SIX FEET OF ICE.
LIVING ON A HOUSEBOAT
AND THE LAKE'S FROZEN SOLID
IS KIND OF A CONVENIENT THING
BECAUSE YOU CAN DRIVE
RIGHT UP TO YOUR HOUSEBOAT.
BUT NOW, AS TEMPERATURES RISE,
THE FROZEN SURFACE
BENEATH THEIR FEET IS CHANGING.
HEY, STEPH.
I WAS HEARING CRACKING.
THE ICE IS GETTING PRETTY BAD
ALL THE WAY THROUGH
THE BAY, HERE.
WE'VE PROBABLY ONLY GOT
24 HOURS,
AND IT'S GONNA START
GETTING UNSAFE.
HOUSEBOATERS MUST TAKE
EXTREME CAUTION,
OR THEIR NEXT STEP
COULD BE THEIR LAST.
AAH!
WHEN IT COMES TO BREAK-UP,
YOU HAVE TO BE READY
TO PAY THE PRICE.
ON A HOUSEBOAT, THERE ARE
SO MANY THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG.
MISTAKES CAN COST YOU YOUR LIFE.
GEEZ!
EARLY SPRING'S RISING
TEMPERATURES AND CHANGING ICE
SIGNAL THE MOST DANGEROUS
TIME OF THE YEAR
FOR THE HOUSEBOATERS
OF YELLOWKNIFE BAY.
GREAT SLAVE LAKE IS
IN THE EARLY STAGES OF BREAK-UP.
HOUSEBOATERS ARE STILL CROSSING
THE ICE ON FOOT AND SNOWMOBILE,
BUT THE WINDOW FOR SAFE PASSAGE
IS RAPIDLY CLOSING.
THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME.
IF YOU'RE NOT SMART,
AND YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL,
AND YOU DON'T RESPECT THE LAKE,
YOU'RE IN A DANGEROUS POSITION,
MY FRIEND, AND YOU COULD DIE.
THERE'S SOMETHING UNSETTLING
ABOUT KNOWING
THAT THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
COULD COLLAPSE TO POTENTIAL
DEATH AT ANY MOMENT.
PREPARATION IS
CRUCIAL, AND TIME'S RUNNING OUT
AS THE REBELS GET READY
FOR THE BIG THAW.
WE'RE PREPARING.
YOU GOT STUFF TO TAKE CARE OF.
IT'S DANGEROUS, BUT
IT'S PART OF LIVING ON THE LAKE.
YOU HAVE TO EMBRACE IT,
AND I LOVE IT.
IT'S THE PRICE YOU PAY
TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY
THE SUMMER COMING.
I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FIRST TIME
THAT THE CANOE CAN
GO IN THE WATER AND MOVE.
AND BREAK-UP IS JUST
ONE STEP UNTIL THEN.
AS THE FOUNDING FATHER
OF THE HOUSEBOATERS,
GARY VAILLANCOURT
TAKES THE SAFETY
OF HIS NEIGHBORS SERIOUSLY.
WITH TEMPERATURES RISING AND
THE ICE CHANGING BY THE HOUR,
IT'S TIME TO DISCUSS
PREPARATIONS
FOR SURVIVING BREAK-UP.
SPRING HERE HAS BEEN VERY SLOW.
WE'VE GOT THICK, THICK ICE HERE
IN PLACES.
OTHER PLACES,
WE'VE GOT NO ICE AT ALL.
I'VE NEVER QUITE SEEN IT
LIKE THIS.
HI, EVERYBODY.
I'M GLAD YOU COULD ALL MAKE IT.
I THOUGHT,
BECAUSE THE ICE CONDITIONS
WERE SO WEIRD THIS YEAR
AND BREAK-UP WAS NOT LIKE ANY
BREAK-UP I'VE SEEN IN A WHILE,
THAT WE'D ALL GET TOGETHER
AND KIND OF TALK ABOUT
THE CONDITION OF THE ICE.
IT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR,
SO WE SHOULD MAYBE BE
A LITTLE EXTRA CAREFUL.
SO, WHAT'S THE ICE LIKE
AROUND YOUR HOUSE, MIKE?
THE WAY IT LOOKS,
IF CONDITIONS STAY THE SAME,
I FIGURE I'M FLOATING
IN THREE DAYS.
I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED
ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
A BIG SOUTH WIND
BLOWING IN ICE.
AND THAT'S
A REALLY VALID CONCERN.
ONE THING ABOUT THE ICE IS
WHEN IT DOES PUSH IN HERE,
IT WILL BEND STEEL.
THERE WAS THAT ONE HUGE PAN
OF ICE IN BACK BAY,
AND IT CAME LOOSE,
AND IT ABSOLUTELY TWISTED
THE FRAME ON MY BOAT
AND JUST PUSHED THE FLOATS
RIGHT UNDERNEATH.
AND, YOU KNOW,
IT DIDN'T SINK THE BOAT,
BUT IT DAMAGED IT
PRETTY BAD.
I HEARD A LOUD BANG,
AND I COULD FEEL IT VIBRATE
THROUGH THE FRAME.
AND I WENT OUTSIDE,
AND I LOOKED,
AND I REALIZED
WHAT WAS GOING ON,
AND THERE WASN'T A HELL OF A LOT
I COULD DO ABOUT IT, EITHER.
IT WAS LIKE WATCHING A CAR WRECK
IN SLOW MOTION.
LAST NIGHT WHEN I WAS
COMING HOME, ALLYCE SAID,
"DO NOT USE
THE PATIO-DOOR ENTRANCE.
IT IS OUT OF COMMISSION."
SO, WE HAVE
THESE TWO RANDOM HOLES
BETWEEN US
AND THE FAR SHORE.
IT'S ALREADY
GETTING SKETCHY BETWEEN THEM,
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH
THE LENGTH OF OUR HOUSE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE
THAT AREA
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REALLY
WATCH OUT FOR THIS YEAR.
THE LAKE IS ALWAYS ALIVE.
EVEN WHEN THERE'S
SIX FEET OF ICE,
THERE'S STILL A BIT OF WATER AT
THE BOTTOM THAT'S ALWAYS MOVING.
IT'S ALWAYS CHANGING.
AND WHEN IT GETS TO BREAK-UP,
IT REALLY BECOMES NOTICEABLE.
WHEN IT STARTS
GETTING DARK ALL OVER,
NOW WE'RE GETTING TO THAT POINT
WHERE YOU GOT TO
REALLY BE CAREFUL.
THIN ICE APPEARS BLACK
AS THE WEAKENED PATCHES
REFLECT LESS LIGHT
THAN THICK ICE.
A MISPLACED FOOT CAN SEND YOU
INTO THE FRIGID WATER BELOW.
IT WAS TERRIFYING
COMING HOME LAST NIGHT.
IT WAS SO SLIPPERY
AND SO RAINY AND WET.
AND I'M THINKING, LIKE,
WHEN YOU'RE GOING AROUND
BY MATTHEW'S HOUSE,
WHERE THE CHANNEL IS,
KIND OF LIKE,
"IS THE ICE GONNA GIVE OUT?
AND, IF SO, IF I SCREAM,
NOBODY'S GONNA HEAR ME."
I WOULD HEAR YOU.
IT SOUNDS LIKE
WE'VE ALL GOT LONG LISTS
AND NOT A LOT OF TIME
TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.
SO, I MEAN, IF WE CAN
HELP EACH OTHER OUT, WHY NOT?
WE HAVE A GOOD COMMUNITY
OF HOUSEBOATERS OUT HERE.
WE WILL ALL HELP EACH OTHER OUT,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES
TO FREEZE-UP AND BREAK-UP.
IF YOU NEED SOMETHING,
SOMEONE WILL HELP YOU.
THIS IS MOLLY MacKINNON'S
FIRST BREAK-UP ON THE LAKE
SINCE CHILDHOOD.
NOW FATHER GARY SHARES
HIS 30 YEARS' EXPERIENCE
IN READING
THE ICE'S WARNING SIGNS.
SEE ALL THE PATTERNS
IN THERE?
YEAH.
THAT'S ALL THE BEGINNING
OF THE ICE CANDLES
THAT, FOR SOME REASON,
IT FREEZES IN A CERTAIN WAY
AND IN THE SPRING IT'S NOT ALL
PURE ICE CRYSTAL.
THERE'S LINES IN IT.
SO WHEN THE SNOW MELTS
AND THERE'S WATER,
IT FLOWS INTO
THESE LITTLE CRACKS.
AND THE WATER GOES DOWN,
AND AFTER A WHILE IT'LL MELT
RIGHT THROUGH AND MAKE CANDLES.
SO THIS IS THE BEGINNING
OF A CANDLING OF ICE.
I'M RE-LEARNING
HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE NORTH,
AND I FEEL LIKE
IT'S AN ON-GOING LEARNING CURVE.
WHEN YOU WALK ON THEM
AND HEAR THEM GO
I DON'T WANT THEM
TO DO THAT.
AND WHEN YOU HEAR,
YOU SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
WITH BREAK-UP FAST APPROACHING,
FISH PLANT CO-OWNER
BRIAN ABBOTT
MUST HAUL IN
AS MANY FISH AS HE CAN
BEFORE THE LAKE BREAKS APART
IN ICY SHEETS TOO TREACHEROUS
TO WALK, DRIVE, OR SAIL ON.
TODAY, I'M GONNA
PULL THE NETS OUT.
THIS'LL BE THE LAST DAY.
OOH.
THE ICE IS GETTING PRETTY BAD
ALL THE WAY
THROUGH THE BAY, HERE.
THAT'S THE END OF OUR ICE.
IT'S RIGHT THROUGH HERE.
SO WHAT HAVE I GOT LEFT?
THREE FEET OF CANDLE ICE.
WE'VE PROBABLY ONLY GOT
24, 36 HOURS,
AND IT'S GONNA
START GETTING UNSAFE.
I'M HOPING THIS'LL BE
A BIG HAUL,
'CAUSE THIS IS THE LAST RUN
FOR THE SEASON.
WE NEED MORE FISH
IN THE FREEZERS.
IN WINTER, THE ICE ON
THE OPEN LAKE IS SIX FEET THICK,
CAPABLE OF BEARING THE WEIGHT
OF A 68-TON MILITARY TANK.
NOW, BRIAN MAKES
A 30-MILE SNOWMOBILE JOURNEY
ACROSS UNPREDICTABLE ICE TO PULL
HIS FINAL NET OF THE WINTER.
AND WHILE BRIAN NORMALLY WORKS
WITH A PARTNER,
HE PREFERS TO TAKE THE RISK OF
BEING ON A THAWING LAKE ALONE.
GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL
ON MY WAY OUT TO THE NET LINE.
IF I HAPPEN
TO BREAK THROUGH THE ICE,
THERE'S NOBODY OUT THERE
TO SAVE ME.
SO, THE LAST FEW DAYS,
I DON'T TAKE ANYBODY OUT
BECAUSE I THINK
IT'S JUST TOO DANGEROUS
TO BE BRINGING
SOMEBODY ELSE WITH ME.
I'LL BE PRAYING
THAT I DON'T END UP UNDERWATER.
ON THE WESTERN SHORES
OF YELLOWKNIFE BAY...
IT'S GO TIME, BABY.
LET'S GO.
...TODAY STEPHAN ENLISTS HIS
BEST FRIEND, RYAN,
TO HELP MAKE A NEW MOORING,
OR ANCHOR,
FOR HIS HOUSEBOAT AFTER HIS
WAS CRUSHED BY ICE LAST YEAR.
LOOK AT THAT
FRICKING RAIN, BUD.
HERE'S MOORING 101...
MOORING IS A LINE
TIED TO YOUR VESSEL,
AND AN ANCHOR TIED TO THAT LINE
ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.
IT'S WHAT HOLDS YOU IN PLACE.
IT IS YOUR LIFELINE.
THEY'RE USING
RE-PURPOSED GRATER BLADES
THAT MUST BE HAULED
ACROSS THE LAKE TODAY,
BEFORE THE ICE BECOMES TOO WEAK
TO BEAR
THEIR 1,200-POUND WEIGHT.
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
YOU THINK THEY'RE
100 POUNDS OR 75 POUNDS EACH?
ABOUT 100 POUNDS.
ABOUT 100 POUNDS?
YEP.
OKAY, THEN I DON'T WANT TO TAKE
MORE THAN MAYBE FOUR.
YEAH, WE'LL DO FOUR.
THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING
IT AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR
IS BECAUSE WE CAN GET IT
POSITIONED PROPERLY.
IF WE DID THIS IN THE SUMMER,
IT'D BE A LOT GRATER CHALLENGE.
YOU WOULD NEED BOATS WITH PLANKS
IN BETWEEN THEM,
AND YOU'D BE BUILDING IT
ON THOSE PLANKS.
AND THAT IS A LOT MORE DANGEROUS
THAN THIS.
I GET HIT EVERY SPRING
BY THE ICE COMING IN IN
MEGA-SHEETS, HUNDREDS OF TONS.
TWO YEARS AGO, MY HOUSEBOAT WAS
MOVED BY ABOUT 15 TO 20 YARDS.
I ENDED UP
ON MY NEIGHBOR'S DOORSTEP.
FOUR BLADES, 400 POUNDS.
150, 150.
THAT'S 600 POUNDS
WE'RE MOVING ON THIS ICE.
THAT'S 700.
700 POUNDS WE'RE MOVING
ON THIS ICE.
YEAH,
THAT'S THE MAX LOAD.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE
ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT.
EVEN THEN I'M...
MAYBE PUSHING IT A BIT.
THERE'S NO WAY I'M TAKING
1,200 POUNDS IN A CANOE,
ON TOP OF ME AND RYAN'S
BODY WEIGHT, ACROSS.
THAT WOULDN'T BE SAFE.
RYAN, JUST
FOR SAFETY REASONS,
I SUGGEST I'LL WALK
A COUPLE OF METERS
IN FRONT OF THE BOAT,
YOU WALK A COUPLE OF METERS
BEHIND THE BOAT.
SO WE'RE SPREADING
THAT 700 POUNDS ON THE ICE
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA COLLAPSE.
WELL, LET'S GET YOU
SOME MOMENTUM FIRST.
10-4. LET'S DO IT.
HOLD ON.
SO, WE DECIDED
THAT SAFEST PATH
WAS TO BREAK THIS INTO THREE,
700-POUNDS AT A TIME
INCLUDING OUR BODY WEIGHT.
THIS IS SKETCHY ICE.
IT'S AMAZING TO THINK
THAT A SHORT TIME AGO
PEOPLE WERE DRIVING TRUCKS
AND CARS ALL OVER THIS LAKE,
AND TODAY WE CAN'T EVEN
CARRY 400 POUNDS ON THE ICE
WITHOUT BEING DANGEROUS.
SEE HOW THAT ALL OPENED UP
OVERNIGHT, RYAN?
YEAH, I SEE THAT, MAN.
WHEN YOU'RE WALKING ON THE
ICE AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR,
YOU GOT TO WATCH YOUR STEP
BECAUSE YOU STEP
IN A SNAKE HOLE.
A SNAKE HOLE...
BASICALLY A HOLE THAT'S BEEN
FORMED BY A SWIRL OR CURRENT
BECAUSE THE LAKE NEVER CEASES TO
MOVE UNDERNEATH THAT SOLID ICE.
IT MELTS
ONE PERFECT LITTLE HOLE,
JUST ENOUGH FOR YOUR LEG
TO FALL THROUGH.
I HEARD SOME CRACKS
AS WE WERE COMING ACROSS THERE.
YEAH, THERE'S A COUPLE.
THINK WE SHOULD TAKE
ANOTHER PATH THE NEXT TIME?
YEAH, IT'S DANGEROUS
OUT HERE, MAN.
THAT RAIN CHANGED EVERYTHING
OVERNIGHT.
THAT WOULD BE
A SAFE THING TO DO.
THE SUN'S BREAKING FREE.
THAT MEANS WE GOT LESS TIME.
LET'S GET ON THIS.
WISH YOU WERE BETTER AT MATH.
YEAH, WELL,
THAT'S WHY I GOT YOU?
YOU'RE THE BRAINS
OF THIS OPERATION.
I'LL JUST BE... WHOA!
SNAKE HOLE. RIGHT HERE.
ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?
THIS IS GONNA MELT FAST.
YEAH.
WELL, LET'S
GET A MOVE ON, MAN.
WE GOT TO GET THIS TOGETHER
BEFORE IT MELTS THROUGH.
ON YOUR MARK.
SO, THE FIRST TIME
WE CAME OVER TO THE HOUSEBOAT
WITH ALL THAT WEIGHT,
RYAN HEARD THE CRACKING
AND SO DID I.
SO WE KNEW WE HAD TO TAKE
A DIFFERENT PATH EVERY TIME.
YOU GOOD, RYAN?
RYAN? CAREFUL.
HEY, STEPH,
I WAS HEARING CRACKING.
HEY, STEPH...
IN YELLOWKNIFE BAY,
GREAT SLAVE LAKE
IS IN THE BEGINNING PHASES
OF AWAKENING
FROM A LONG WINTER SLUMBER.
- READY?
- YEAH.
ON YOUR MARK.
AND STEPHAN MUST SECURE
HIS HOUSEBOAT
WITH A NEW MOORING
BEFORE BREAK-UP.
YOU GOOD, RYAN?
THE LAKE IS MELTING
FROM SHORE TO SHORE.
THE CANDLE ICE BEGINS
ON THE TOP.
IT'S WET, IT'S SLOPPY,
AND IT'S DANGEROUS.
RYAN? CAREFUL.
I CAN HEAR THE ICE
CRACKING BENEATH US.
BUT CARRYING 600 POUNDS OF METAL
ACROSS UNSTABLE ICE
IS RISKY BUSINESS.
HEY, STEPH.
YEAH?
YOU SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE
A NEW ROUTE?
I WAS HEARING CRACKING.
THAT'S PROBABLY
A GOOD IDEA.
SO NOW YOU'RE
LITERALLY WALKING ON GLASS.
THE SOLID GROUND THAT WAS
UNDER YOUR FEET FOR SEVEN MONTHS
IS NOW BECOMING PERILOUS.
OKAY.
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
GO AROUND.
GO THIS WAY HERE?
YEAH.
10-4.
THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME
OF THE YEAR.
THERE'S NO ICE YOU CAN TRUST.
THE THRILL
OF LIVING ON A HOUSEBOAT
IS A BALANCE BETWEEN
THE GOOD TIMES
AND THE DANGEROUS TIMES.
WE DID IT.
LET'S LOAD.
NOW THE REAL WORK BEGINS.
SON. YEAH.
RYAN'S RIGHT ON IT.
HE'S GONNA LINE THEM ALL UP
WHILE I START CUTTING SPACERS
OUT OF A.B.S. PLASTIC.
ONCE STEPHAN AND RYAN
CONNECT THE GRATER BLADES
INTO A SOLID UNIT,
THEY'LL CONNECT IT
TO THE HOUSEBOAT
WITH A 20-FOOT METAL CHAIN,
GIVING STEPHAN
A 1,200-POUND ANCHOR
TO SECURE HIS HOME
FROM THE ONSLAUGHT OF
BREAK-UP'S RUNAWAY ICE SHEETS.
BEAUTIFUL. GOOD JOB, MAN.
THANKS, DUDE.
SO, WE'VE GOT 12 GRATER BLADES
AND 3 REDI-RODS
AT A 3-FOOT LENGTH.
LET'S PUT
THAT REDI-ROD THROUGH.
SPACERS.
ROCK 'N' ROLL, BOY.
WE STAND UP THE MOORING...
ON THREE.
ONE, TWO, THREE.
HOLY ****
...BECAUSE WE GOT TO PULL
THAT REDI-ROD NICE AND TIGHT
SO THAT WE CAN TIGHTEN IT UP
WITH THE NUTS...
YOU KNOW, SHE'S A LITTLE DIRTY.
YOU SHOULD WASH HER.
...SO WE HAVE
A SECURE MOORING.
SO, NOW WE'VE GOT TO LAY
THIS 1,200-POUND MOORING DOWN.
JUST WANT TO LET IT DROP?
YEAH, LET'S...
LET'S JUST
LET IT GO, MAN.
LET'S DROP THIS.
NO.
THIS IS 1,200 POUNDS.
IF WE CAN EASE IT
AS FAR AS WE CAN HANDLE IT
THEN LET IT GO,
THAT'D BE BETTER.
OKAY.
IF IT BREAKS THROUGH THE ICE,
WE GO THAT WAY,
'CAUSE I KNOW
THAT ICE IS SAFER.
'CAUSE WE'RE SENDING
ALL THE WEIGHT THAT WAY,
WE'RE GOING
THE OPPOSITE WAY.
IT'S SCIENCE.
THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PART
OF THE WHOLE...
IT IS.
YOU COUNT IT DOWN, BUD.
IT'S ON THREE, SO I'M GONNA GO,
"ONE, TWO, DROP."
NOT, "ONE, TWO, THREE, GO."
OKAY.
LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DIED
NOT KNOWING THESE THINGS.
READY? ON THREE.
ONE, TWO, THREE.
DROP IT NOW.
WE'RE GOOD. SAFE.
WHAT NOW?
GOOD JOB. LET'S GO GET
THE CHAIN AND THE ROPE.
SO, NOW WE GOT TO SECURE
THE CHAIN TO THE MOORING...
...PUT A CLASP
ON THAT CHAIN,
THEN RUN
OUR 3/4-INCH NYLON ROPE
ALL THE WAY TO THE CLEAT
ON THE HOUSEBOAT
TO SECURE THIS MOORING.
NOW ALL WE GOT TO DO
IS WAIT FOR THAT MOORING
TO MELT THROUGH THE ICE,
AND THAT COULD HAPPEN
AT ANY TIME.
WE GOT
1,200 POUNDS OF MOORING HERE.
ALLYCE IS GONNA BE
PROUD OF US, MAN.
IN EARLY SPRING,
ICE MELTS MOST QUICKLY
ALONG THE SHORELINES
OF YELLOWKNIFE BAY,
LEAVING RANDY SIBBESTON'S HOME
ALREADY PARTIALLY SUBMERGED.
WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING
INTO THE HIGH TEENS,
RANDY HAS ONLY DAYS
TO MAKE SURE HIS HOUSEBOAT
WILL STAY AFLOAT
WHEN THE ICE
FINALLY BREAKS APART.
IF YOU'RE MAINTENANCE
IS NOT DONE, YOU KNOW,
YOUR FLOATS AREN'T PUMPED OUT
AND YOU'RE
NOT TIED UP PROPERLY,
YOU'RE JUST ASKING
FOR TROUBLE.
DURING BREAK-UP,
RANDY'S FLOATS ARE
THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
AGAINST THE LAKE'S
CRUSHING ICE.
LAST YEAR, I HAD
SOME PRETTY SEVERE ICE DAMAGE,
AND I HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE
ON THIS FLOAT NOW.
THIS IS THE CRACK
THAT IT DEVELOPED LAST WINTER.
SEE IT'S A PRETTY
SEVERE CRACK, HERE.
IT GOES RIGHT DOWN.
IT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM,
BUT IT JUST GOES
JUST BELOW THE WATERLINE.
YOU CAN SEE THE WATER.
THE WATERLINE'S RIGHT HERE...
AND IF YOU FOLLOW IT ALONG,
THE END OF THIS CRACK IS
JUST UNDERNEATH THE WATERLINE.
THE BRUTAL WINTER THAT WE HAD,
IT WAS SO COLD OUT,
AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT,
YOU KNOW,
THE PLASTIC GETS BRITTLE
IN THOSE TEMPERATURES.
SO I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED
ABOUT THOSE CRACKS SPREADING
AND GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER.
IF THAT HAPPENS,
THEN THIS PONTOON IS JUST GONNA
KEEP FILLING UP WITH WATER.
SINCE PONTOONS ARE
A HOUSEBOAT'S FOUNDATION,
A SINKING ONE WILL MEAN
A DISASTROUS END
TO HIS FAMILY'S HOME.
I'M GONNA TRY TO BUILD
A SET OF FLOATS
THAT IS GONNA BE
COST-EFFECTIVE, DURABLE,
AND JUST CAREFULLY DESIGNED
SO THAT IT CAN STAND UP
TO THE CONDITIONS IN THE BAY.
WITHIN DAYS,
THE WEAK, CANDLING ICE
WILL BECOME TOO THIN
TO CROSS SAFELY ON FOOT,
YET NOT MELTED ENOUGH
FOR CANOE PASSAGE.
THE HOUSE BOATERS
MUST BE PREPARED
WITH ALL THE SUPPLIES THEY NEED
TO SURVIVE SEVERAL WEEKS
STUCK INSIDE.
AND MOLLY, OWNER
OF THE LAKE'S ONLY BISTRO BOAT,
IS NEARLY OUT OF FISH.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE,
I'M COMPLETELY OUT OF FISH,
AND I HAVE TO STOCK UP
FOR THE RESTAURANT.
I GOT TO GO WALK ACROSS
THAT ICE,
AND I'M REALLY NERVOUS ABOUT IT.
SHE MUST MAKE THE TREK
ACROSS THE SEMI-FROZEN BAY
TO THE FISH PLANT NOW
IN ORDER TO STOCK HER FREEZERS.
THE OTHER DAY, THERE WAS SOMEONE
WHO HAD FALLEN THROUGH
IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE,
AND MY DAD RAN OUT WITH A PLANK
TO, LIKE, SAVE HIM.
AND HE WAS REALLY LUCKY, 'CAUSE
NO ONE'S GONNA SAVE YOU
IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT LAKE.
I'M BRINGING MY CANOE
TO GET OVER TO THE FISH PLANT,
AND I'M GONNA TRY
SOME CANOE BREAK-UP TECHNIQUES.
I'M GONNA PUSH THE CANOE
AND KIND OF LIKE
RUN BEHIND IT A LITTLE BIT
AND PUT MY WEIGHT
ON THE BACK OF IT
SO THAT IF GO THROUGH,
I CAN JUST PUT MY FEET
IN THE CANOE,
AND I'M NOT GONNA BE
IN THE WATER.
IN CHOOSING
THE SAFEST ROUTE ACROSS THE BAY,
MOLLY MUST LOOK FOR WHITE
PATCHES INDICATING SOLID ICE
AND STEER CLEAR
OF DARK OR CANDLED SPOTS
WHICH COULD SEND HER
INTO THE ICY WATERS BELOW.
- HEY.
- HI.
I WAS HOPING
TO GET SOME FISH TODAY,
IF YOU HAD ANYTHING.
HOW MUCH WOULD YOU NEED?
UM, I WAS THINKING,
LIKE, 17 FILLETS.
WHEN I SHOWED UP
TO GET SOME FISH,
HENRY WAS SURPRISED
TO SEE ME ON THAT ICE.
HOW DID YOU MANAGE
TO GET OVER HERE?
DID YOU WALK ON THE ICE,
OR DID YOU COME ACROSS
THE ISLAND?
I WENT ON THE ICE.
I TOOK THE CANOE.
I WON'T DO THAT.
AND THAT MADE ME
REALLY NERVOUS TO GO BACK.
THE ICE GETS SOFT AND THEN
YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO THROUGH IT.
ONCE THE ICE CANDELIZES,
IT'S EASY TO GO THROUGH.
NOT A GOOD FEELING,
GOING THROUGH.
SO, ANYHOW, I'M GLAD I WAS ABLE
TO HELP YOU WITH THE FISH.
AND IF YOU NEED ANY MORE,
YOU SHOULD COME BY AND SEE ME.
THANK YOU.
AND IN THE MEANTIME,
THAT ICE IS... PRETTY SCARY.
I DON'T KNOW
IF I'D BE GOING BACK
ON THAT ICE ANYMORE
AFTER TODAY.
THIS WILL DEFINITELY BE
THE LAST TRIP.
I'M GLAD I COULD FILL
MY FREEZER. THANK YOU.
OKAY, THAT'S GOOD.
YOU HAVE YOURSELF A NICE DAY.
I'M GLAD I WAS ABLE
TO HELP YOU.
THE ICE STARTED
GIVING OUT UNDER MY FEET.
I DON'T THINK I PICKED AS GOOD A
ROUTE AS I HAD ON THE WAY THERE.
I STARTED FALLING THROUGH
THE ICE A LITTLE BIT.
MY FEET STARTED SINKING IN, AND
I JUST HAD TO, LIKE, BOOK IT.
I WAS GOING IN
IF I DIDN'T KEEP ON MOVING.
THAT IS MY TECHNIQUE...
TO MOVE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE,
AND I DEFINITELY HIT MYSELF
ON THE CANOE SO MANY TIMES.
I'M JUST COVERED IN BRUISES.
IT WAS NOT A GOOD TECHNIQUE.
WHEN I GOT BACK FROM THE
FISH PLANT, I MADE UP MY MIND...
I AM NOT GOING BACK ON THAT ICE.
SO, LIKE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY
BREAKING THROUGH IT?
LIKE, MY WHOLE LEG'S
GOING IN ON EITHER SIDE.
IT'S REALLY UNSETTLING.
AS CONDITIONS ON THE BAY
CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE
UNDER THE HOT SUN,
FISHERMAN BRIAN RISKS
A 35-MILE SNOWMOBILE TREK ALONE
ACROSS UNPREDICTABLE ICE
IN ORDER TO BRING IN
THE LAST NETS OF THE SEASON
AND KEEP HIS CUSTOMERS FED
THROUGH BREAK-UP.
IT'S A LITTLE SCARY BECAUSE
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO HELP ME
IF I HAVE A PROBLEM.
BUT I'M PRETTY SELF-SUFFICIENT,
SO I THINK I CAN MANAGE.
BE MY LAST DAY HERE.
TIME TO START PULLING THEM OUT.
GONNA HURT.
I NEED MORE FISH,
BUT... IT IS WHAT IT IS.
I GUESS I CAN'T COMPLAIN.
THE SEASON'S LASTED LONGER
THIS YEAR THAN USUAL, SO.
WE GOT FISH ON.
IT'S QUITE DANGEROUS
THIS TIME OF YEAR
IF YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO PART OF BEING SAFE OUT HERE
IS KNOWING THE ICE.
SO, I GOT LOTS OF WATER
AROUND THE HOLES,
OF COURSE
GETTING THE ICE ALL WET
AND MELTING IT AROUND THE HOLE
MUCH QUICKER.
WHOA!
ACROSS
CANADA'S GREAT SLAVE LAKE,
WHERE SPRING'S THAW WILL SOON
MELT 10,000 SQUARE MILES OF ICE,
PROFESSIONAL FISHERMAN
BRIAN ABBOTT
PULLS HIS FINAL NET
OF THE SEASON ALONE.
WHOA!
YOU'RE OUT THERE,
YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.
THERE'S NOBODY COMING TO GET YOU
UNTIL YOU LET THEM KNOW
THAT YOU'RE STUCK.
MOST OF THE TIME
YOU'RE OUT OF PHONE SERVICE.
I'M HOPING THIS WILL BE
A BIG HAUL
'CAUSE THIS IS THE LAST RUN
FOR THE SEASON.
OUR FREEZERS ARE NOT FULL
LIKE I'D HOPED.
WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE THEM
FULL OF WHITEFISH.
NAH.
WE HAVE NO WHITEFISH.
THIS BEING MY LAST LOAD,
IT'S GONNA BE THE LAST FISH I
BRING IN FOR THREE TO SIX WEEKS.
IT'S GONNA BE THAT LONG
BEFORE I FEEL SAFE GOING OUT
ON THE LAKE WITH THE BOAT AGAIN.
WELL, THE ONE THING OUT HERE,
IT'S PEACEFUL AND QUIET.
I GOT LOTS OF COMPANY WITH THE
SEAGULLS AND THE FISH OUT HERE,
BUT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE
TO TALK TO.
SO I FIND MYSELF TALKING
TO THE BIRDS AND THE FISH.
WHY AM I DOING THIS
AND NOBODY ELSE IS?
I'M NOT SURE. MAYBE I AM NUTS.
WHAT THE ICE DOES
IS IT MELTS AWAY FROM THE SHORE,
AND THE MAIN SHEET OF ICE ON THE
LAKE LASTS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
BUT THE ICE BECOMES
REALLY UNSAFE.
I SURE HOPE
WE GOT ENOUGH FISH IN STOCK
TO GET US THROUGH THE THAW.
WHILE BRIAN RACES THE SUNSET
ON HIS THREE-HOUR JOURNEY HOME
TO THE FISH PLANT...
...NEAR THE SHORES
OF YELLOWKNIFE BAY,
RANDY SEARCHES THE LOCAL DUMP
FOR METAL DRUMS THAT HE CAN
RE-PURPOSE AS PONTOONS
TO REPLACE
HIS DAMAGED PLASTIC FLOATS.
HE STARTS BY COMBING THROUGH
THE DISCARDED EQUIPMENT
LEFT BEHIND AT THE YELLOWKNIFE
WASTE MANAGEMENT CENTER.
ALL I'M SEEING HERE
ARE REALLY DAMAGED TANKS
AND TANKS THAT ARE CUT IN HALF.
JUST GO TAKE A QUICK LOOK.
THESE 45-GALLON DRUMS,
THEY FLOAT,
BUT THIS METAL'S
A LITTLE BIT THIN
AND THEY RUST OUT
PRETTY QUICKLY.
SO, A LOT OF PEOPLE
HAVE TRIED USING THEM
OVER THE YEARS
FOR FLOTATION,
BUT THEY JUST DON'T LAST.
LOOK AT THIS.
IT'S A BEAUTY.
NO DENTS, NO RUST.
IT'S IN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC
CONDITION.
THIS IS JUST
A GOOD, SOLID STEEL TANK.
THESE ARE 250-GALLON FUEL TANKS,
AND THEY'RE GONNA GO TO WASTE
SITTING AT THE DUMP.
I'M GONNA JUST CHECK AND SEE
IF THERE'S ANY FUEL
LEFT IN THIS TANK.
THE ONLY THING YOU GOT TO
WATCH OUT FOR
WHEN YOU'RE RECYCLING
THESE FUEL TANKS
IS THAT THEY'RE
ABSOLUTELY EMPTY AND CLEAN
WHEN YOU REPURPOSE THEM.
YOU DON'T WANT ANY FUEL OR FUEL
RESIDUE TO GET INTO THE LAKE.
THIS TANK, AT HALFWAY, WILL
DISPLACE 125 GALLONS OF WATER.
AND WATER'S
ABOUT EIGHT POUNDS A GALLON,
SO IT'S ABOUT MAYBE
1,000 POUNDS.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THESE AS WELL
IS THAT THEY HAVE A ROUND SIDE.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT
SUNK TOO FAR DOWN,
I'M HOPING THAT THE ICE
WILL SLIDE RIGHT UNDERNEATH.
NOW THAT I'VE GOT THE FUEL TANK,
I'M GOING TO
START TO BUILD MY FLOATS.
AS THE SUN RISES
ON THE SECOND UNSEASONABLY WARM
DAY IN A ROW,
IN YELLOWKNIFE BAY,
WHERE THE ICE IS MELTING
EVEN FASTER IN THE SHALLOWS,
GARY VAILLANCOURT PREPARES
DAUGHTER MOLLY
FOR A KEY LESSON ALL
HOUSEBOATERS MUST MASTER
BEFORE BREAK-UP ARRIVES.
EVERYBODY AROUND HERE HAS
FALLEN THROUGH THE ICE, RIGHT?
YOU HAVEN'T YET.
I'M NERVOUS TO.
IT'S AN EXPERIENCE.
SO WHAT I THOUGHT
WE COULD DO IS,
WE'RE GONNA GET DRESSED
IN ALL THESE DRY SUITS,
AND WE'RE GONNA GO OUT
AND WALK ON THE ICE.
MOST OF THE TIME
WHEN WE'RE WALKING,
WE STAY AWAY FROM TROUBLE,
BUT NOW WE'RE GONNA GO
LOOK FOR IT.
GOODY.
SO, ARE YOU NERVOUS?
I'M FREAKING OUT.
I'VE NOTICED,
SINCE MOLLY'S COME BACK,
SHE'S A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED
ABOUT WATER
AND FALLING THROUGH THE ICE.
MOST PEOPLE ARE
JUSTIFIABLY AFRAID.
I WOULD LIKE HER TO BE
COMFORTABLE ON THE ICE.
SO THE WAY TO DO THAT
IS TO GO PLAY ON THE ICE.
WELL, YOU'VE BEEN IN COLD WATER
BEFORE, BUT NOT THIS COLD.
NOT LIKE THIS.
AND NOT WHERE THE ICE,
LIKE, GIVES AWAY UNDER YOU.
THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER PARTY.
THERE'S NO SAFETY HERE.
FALLING IN'S A BIG DEAL.
YOU FALL INTO THAT WATER,
YOU GOT A PROBLEM.
WHAT OTHER PARTS KIND OF
MAKE YOU NERVOUS?
MOSTLY JUST NOT HAVING
ANY ICE UNDERNEATH MY FEET,
IT ALL, LIKE, GOING AWAY AND NOT
BEING ABLE TO GET OUT AND DIE.
BUT JUST THE DYING THING.
WE'LL TIE A ROPE ON YOU
SO THAT,
YOU KNOW, IF YOU FLOAT AWAY,
I CAN PULL YOU BACK.
ARE YOU GONNA HAVE
THE OTHER END OF THE ROPE?
I'M GONNA HAVE
THE OTHER END OF THE ROPE,
AND I'M GONNA HAVE A SUIT ON
SO I CAN JUMP IN AND GET YOU.
WITH THE LAKE'S WATER
TEMPERATURE NEAR FREEZING,
GARY AND MOLLY
MUST PERFORM THIS TEST
WEARING INSULATED DRY SUITS
OR RISK SUCCUMBING TO
HYPOTHERMIA IN MINUTES.
I'VE BEEN IN THE WATER
AT THAT TEMPERATURE,
AND IT JUST SHOCKS YOU.
YOU'RE LIKE, "GET ME OUT."
AND IT'S OFTEN HARD
TO FIND A WAY TO GET OUT.
THAT'S JUST TERRIFYING.
OKAY.
LET'S GET OUT OF HERE
AND GET ON.
THE IDEA OF NOT HAVING ANYTHING
UNDERNEATH YOU
AND THE ICE
ALL COLLAPSING AROUND YOU,
THIS IS SCARY.
IN SUBARCTIC CANADA,
BREAK-UP, A PROCESS WHICH CAN
TAKE WEEKS TO COMPLETE,
HAS BEGUN,
AND WARMER TEMPERATURES
ARE RAPIDLY MELTING THE LAKE.
NOW STEPHAN AND ALLYCE MUST REEL
IN ALL THEIR BELONGINGS
LEFT ON THE ICE DURING WINTER
BEFORE THEY SINK
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.
YOU WANT TO START
WITH THE BARBECUE?
YEAH.
TODAY IS THE FIRST
DAY OF BREAK-UP FOR US.
WE'VE WAITED AS LONG AS WE CAN.
THE ICE STARTING TO
TURN TO WATER BEHIND OUR HOUSE.
COME ON, BETSY.
AND NOW IT'S OUR CHANCE
TO MOVE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE,
THAT WE'VE STOWED ON THE ICE
FOR THE WINTER, ON THE BOAT.
AND YOU WONDER WHY
I WANT A NEW BARBECUE.
ANYTHING THAT'S ON THE LAKE HAS
GOT TO COME OFF THE LAKE TODAY
BECAUSE SHE'S THAWING FAST.
DORA'S GONNA MISS
HER LITTLE HOUSE.
SHE LOVES IT
OUT HERE ON THE ICE.
IT'S HER OWN SPACE.
THERE WE GO.
NOW WE GOT TO
LIFT IT OVER...
HOLD ON.
IT'S VERY, VERY SLIPPERY.
STEPH AND I, ON OUR OWN,
CAN'T LIFT THAT DOGHOUSE
TO GET IT UP ON THE ROOF.
AAH!
SORRY.
AAH, MY FOOT!
SO FOR NOW, WE'RE MOVING IT FROM
THE UNSAFE ICE ONTO THICKER ICE,
WHICH WILL BUY US
JUST ANOTHER DAY OR TWO.
AND THEN, WHEN WE GET
A LITTLE BIT MORE MAN POWER,
WE CAN GET IT UP ON THE ROOF.
THIS TIME OF YEAR,
THE ICE JUST GETS CRAZY SHARP.
AND POOR DORA,
WALKING AROUND ON IT,
IT JUST SLICES UP HER FEET.
COME HERE.
GOT TO PUT THIS ON YOU.
SO THIS YEAR, WE DECIDED TO
GET HER SOME BOOTIES.
GOT ANOTHER PAW FOR YOU.
DORA DOESN'T LIKE THIS RIGHT
NOW,
BUT RIGHT WHEN
THEY'RE ALL ON HER
AND SHE REALIZES SHE CAN RUN,
SHE LOVES IT.
ONCE THOSE BOOTIES ARE ON,
SHE'S GONE.
BE CAREFUL.
THE ICE STILL ISN'T SAFE.
LOOK AT YOU, HERCULES.
THIS GIRL IS 100% NORTHERN-BORN,
NORTHERN-BRED, NORTHERN-STRONG.
HERE WE ARE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO
LIFT THESE EMPTY PROPANE TANKS.
ONE, TWO...
I'M THINKING I'LL GRAB ONE END,
SHE'LL GRAB THE OTHER END. NO.
GO, HERCULES.
YOU NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME,
MY LOVE.
I TEND TO DO THE HEAVY WORK,
'CAUSE STEPH IS...
WELL, HE'S STEPH.
THIS IS ALL WE NEED OFF.
I'LL BRING
THE MOTOR UPSTAIRS,
I'LL BRING
THE GAS AUGER UPSTAIRS,
AND WE'RE DONE.
FOR ME, THE FOUR SEASONS,
THE TRANSITIONS OF WEATHER
AND THE TRANSITIONS
OF CONDITIONS ON THIS LAKE
IS WHAT MAKES IT
REALLY WELL WORTH LIVING FOR.
JUST OFF THE LAKE,
SINCE RANDY'S CURRENT FLOATS
ARE TAKING ON WATER
AND MAY NOT WITHSTAND BREAK-UP,
RANDY MUST NOW BUILD
NEW PONTOONS FOR HIS HOUSEBOAT.
HE'S HOPING THE RE-PURPOSED FUEL
TANKS
WILL PROVIDE A HIGHER LEVEL
OF PROTECTION FOR HIS FAMILY.
WHEN THAT ENTIRE SHEET
OF ICE STARTS MOVING,
THE MOMENTUM
IS ABSOLUTELY UNSTOPPABLE.
ALL OF THE PLANNING THAT I'VE
DONE FOR THIS RAFT
HAS BEEN, REALLY,
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
TO BUILD A RAFT STRONG ENOUGH
TO WITHSTAND THE ICE CONDITIONS
IN THE SPRINGTIME.
THIS WOULD BE THE WEAK SPOT
OF THE STRUCTURE, REALLY.
SO, IT'S MY CHALLENGE TO BE ABLE
TO STIFFEN THIS JOINT UP
AND TO STRENGTHEN THE STRUCTURE
LENGTH-WISE, THIS WAY.
THE LAST THING I NEED TO BE
WORRYING ABOUT IS
WHETHER OR NOT
MY FLOATS ARE HOLDING WATER,
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE ICE STARTS
MOVING AROUND.
THAT'S JUST A BAD COMBINATION
OF THINGS TO BE THINKING ABOUT
AT THE SAME TIME.
PUT THESE ABOUT AN INCH AWAY
OVER HERE.
I'D SAY THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO
IS THAT
THE ICE WILL, BASICALLY,
COME INTO THIS BAY
IN BIG, HARD SHEETS
AND JUST PUSH RIGHT OVER
THE ROCKS
AND PUSH MY BOAT RIGHT UP
ONTO THE ROCKS,
WHICH WOULD NOT BE GOOD FOR IT.
SO IN THAT SITUATION,
I THINK, REALLY,
ALL THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO
IS JUST, BASICALLY, PRAY.
SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THIS THING
FIT THE WAY
IT DOESN'T WANT TO FIT.
THIS IS THE REAL TEST.
THERE WE GO.
I'M JUST
KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED
AND PRAYING THAT
THIS DESIGN'S GONNA HOLD UP.
PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT
I'LL BE ABLE TO GET THESE FLOATS
IN THE WATER BEFORE BREAK-UP.
IF IT DOESN'T, THEN I'M BACK TO
THE OLD DRAWING BOARD, I GUESS.
JUST OFF SHORE...
WELL, YOU NERVOUS?
YES.
DON'T BE NERVOUS.
...GARY AND MOLLY
SEARCH THE BAY FOR WEAKENING ICE
TO CONDUCT THEIR SURVIVAL TEST.
SO, TO PRACTICE
GETTING OUT OF THE WATER...
MOLLY'S NOT FAMILIAR
WITH THE ICE.
SHE'S NERVOUS ABOUT IT.
AND IF YOU'RE GONNA LIVE
OUT ON THE LAKE,
YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO
GET COMFORTABLE ON THE ICE.
ANYTHING NOT TO DO
THAT I SHOULD KNOW?
THE ICE THAT WE'RE STANDING ON
RIGHT NOW IS SOLID.
IT'LL HOLD OUR WEIGHT.
AND AS YOU GET CLOSER TO THE
EDGE, IT GETS WEAKER AND WEAKER.
AND I WANT TO SHOW HER WHAT THE
ICE FEELS LIKE
WHEN YOU'RE WALKING ON IT
AND WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
YOU'RE WALKING ALONG.
ALL OF A SUDDEN,
ONE OF YOUR FEET GOES DOWN.
YOU GO,
"NO, I'M GOING IN."
YOU TAKE ANOTHER STEP,
IT'S GOING IN.
GET DOWN.
THE TRICK IS,
WHEN YOU'RE GOING INTO THE ICE,
SPREAD YOUR WEIGHT OUT.
BECAUSE ALL OF YOUR FORCE
IS THERE,
IF YOU MOVE IT OUT
OVER A BIGGER AREA,
IT'LL HOLD YOU UP
TILL YOU CAN GET BACK
TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM.
WALKING OUT TO WHERE
I WAS GONNA GET IN THE WATER,
I WAS DEFINITELY FEELING SCARED.
LIKE, THIS IS REAL,
THIS IS HAPPENING,
AND THIS WATER'S COLD.
I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING.
I DON'T ABOUT THIS ONE.
THIS IS LIKE
THROWING YOURSELF...
MY GOD!
IN YELLOWKNIFE BAY,
BREAK-UP IS STARTING.
SPRING'S THAW IS RAPIDLY TURNING
FROZEN GREAT SLAVE LAKE
BACK INTO WATER.
I'M GONNA TIE YOU OFF
OVER HERE.
GARY USES HIS 30
YEARS' EXPERIENCE ON THE LAKE
TO TEACH MOLLY HOW TO SURVIVE
EVERY HOUSEBOATER'S NIGHTMARE.
I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING.
I DON'T KNOW
ABOUT THIS ONE.
THIS IS LIKE
THROWING YOURSELF...
MY GOD!
THAT'S HOW QUICK
IT HAPPENS.
AND NOW I'M THERE,
FREAKING OUT.
LIKE A PRO!
AND THEN GO GET DRY.
THIS YEAR, THE ICE WAS A LITTLE
DIFFERENT THAN IT NORMALLY IS.
USUALLY WHEN YOU'RE WALKING ON
CANDLED OR WEAK ICE,
IT MAKES A NOISE.
IT HISSES AS IT'S GIVING AWAY.
THIS YEAR,
THE ICE JUST SEEMS TO LET GO...
NO WARNING, NO NOISE.
AND IT CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE.
I WASN'T EXPECTING IT.
NOW, REMEMBER,
PRACTICE YOUR DROPPING.
THERE YOU GO.
AAH!
FIRST THING YOU GOT TO
WORRY ABOUT IS PANIC, ALL RIGHT?
WELL DONE.
THAT'S AWESOME.
I WAS SCARED WHEN
I FIRST POPPED THROUGH THAT ICE.
LIKE, IT WAS REAL.
AND THE SHOCK KIND OF HITS YOU
RIGHT AT ONCE,
AND IT'S JUST...
IT BECOMES A REALITY,
AND IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG,
I COULD BE IN SERIOUS DANGER.
TRYING TO GET UP
ON CANDLED ICE,
WHEN IT'S ALL
PACKED TOGETHER,
IT SORT OF HOLDS YOU UP.
BUT ONCE IT STARTS
BREAKING OFF THE EDGE LIKE THAT,
THERE'S NOT A LOT TO HOLD IT
AND YOU CAN KIND OF
TEAR THE EDGES OFF, SEE?
IT MADE ME MORE NERVOUS SEEING
THE DIFFERENT-COLORED ICE
AND WHERE YOU SHOULD WALK
AND WHERE NOT TO WALK,
AND IT'S KIND OF FREAKY.
YOU KIND OF NEVER KNOW
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT'S ALL MOVING
UNDERNEATH ME, TOO.
AAH!
ON A HOUSEBOAT,
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS
THAT CAN GO WRONG.
AND OUT HERE,
MISTAKES CAN COST YOU YOUR LIFE.
NOW THAT MOLLY'S EXPERIENCED
GOING THROUGH THE ICE,
YEAH, I'M GONNA SLEEP BETTER.
ALONG THE NORTHERN SHORE,
RANDY FINISHED BUILDING A
STRONGER, METAL FLOATATION RAFT
FOR HIS HOUSEBOAT.
NOW HE SCOUTS THE BEST LOCATION
TO TEST ITS METTLE.
I NEED TO GET THESE
FLOATS OUT INTO THE BAY
SO THAT I CAN WATCH THEM
TO SEE HOW THEY BEHAVE
IN REAL-WORLD CONDITIONS.
I'M JUST HEADING OVER TO
BAKER CREEK.
IT'S BEEN NICE AND WARM OUT.
WARM AND WINDY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE ICE HAS GOT
TO BE DISAPPEARING FAST.
I'M JUST HOPING THAT THINGS
ARE GONNA HAVE CHANGED OUT HERE
AND SEE SOME OPEN WATER.
RANDY HOPES TO LAUNCH
HIS FLOATATION RAFT FROM BAKER BAY
AND FLOAT IT
OVER TO HIS HOUSEBOAT
ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF YELLOWKNIFE BAY.
IT'S A SHORT DISTANCE,
BUT HE'LL NEED AN OPEN-WATER
ROUTE WITH ENOUGH MELTED ICE.
I SEE ICE PILED UP ON THE SHORE.
THAT'S YELLOWKNIFE BAY
OVER THERE.
THAT'S WHERE MY HOUSEBOAT
IS MOORED RIGHT NOW.
IT'S GONNA BE A WHILE
BEFORE THIS BIG ICE SHEET HERE
WINDS UP BREAKING ITSELF UP
ON ALL OF THE ROCKS
AND, YOU KNOW, WEAKENING
AND MELTING,
UNTIL IT WILL ALLOW
FOR NAVIGATION
ACROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE BAY, THERE.
THIS TWO-TON ICE
SHEET, SEVERAL FEET DEEP,
WOULD BE CAPABLE OF CRUSHING
EVEN HIS METAL FLOATS.
HE'LL NEED TO WAIT FOR THIS TO
MELT OR MOVE OUT OF THE WAY
BEFORE DEPLOYING
HIS FLOATATION RAFT.
BACK IN THE BAY,
OVER AT THE FISH PLANT,
FISHERMEN BRIAN AND HENRY
KEEP AN EYE ON
THE CHANGING CONDITIONS.
GEEZ. I JUST LOOKED OUT
THE WINDOW, THERE.
MAN, THAT ICE IS MELTING
REALLY FAST.
YEAH,
THAT'S NOT GOOD, IS IT?
THAT'S NOT GOOD AT ALL.
IT'S MOVED BACK LIKE THREE FEET
IN THE LAST COUPLE HOURS.
YEAH.
DON'T LOOK GOOD, DOES IT?
NO. NO,
IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.
THE DISAPPEARING ICE CONVINCES
THEM THE TIME IS NOW
TO PULL THEIR SNOWMOBILE
OFF THE LAKE.
OKAY.
IN BUSINESS?
YEAH.
YOU READY?
OKAY. I'M READY, MAN.
THE ICE IS STARTING TO
BREAK DOWN.
IT'S A BRAND-NEW MACHINE
LAST YEAR,
AND I DON'T REALLY WANT TO BE
DIGGING IT OFF
OF THE BOTTOM HERE, SO...
WE KEEP OURSELVES
TO OUR LITTLE BRIDGE HERE
SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DRIVE IT
RIGHT IN THE FRONT DOOR.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'LL PARK IT
FOR THE SEASON.
WITH THE SNOWMOBILE
SAFELY ABOARD,
BRIAN HAS TO PULL UP
THE REMAINING SECTIONS
OF THE WOODEN BRIDGE.
AND THE TEAM'S PREPARATION
FOR BREAK-UP IS COMPLETE.
GEEZ!
HOLY JESUS!
ON GREAT SLAVE LAKE,
WHERE RAPIDLY MELTING ICE
SIGNALS THE COMING OF
THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME OF YEAR,
FISHERMAN BRIAN
GETS IN OVER HIS HEAD.
GEEZ!
HOLY JESUS! THAT'S COLD!
WOW.
MY FREAKING BOOTS
FEEL LIKE ABOUT 500 POUNDS.
LET'S GET INSIDE
IN THE WARMTH.
I LOST MY BALANCE, THERE.
I HAD TO STEP BACK.
THE 30-DEGREE
TEMPERATURES ON GREAT SLAVE LAKE
CAN CAUSE HYPOTHERMIA
IN MINUTES.
OOH, OOH.
HOLY JESUS, THAT'S COLD.
BRIAN MUST QUICKLY
GET OUT OF HIS WET CLOTHES
AND IN FRONT OF A HEATER.
****
IT'S WARM IN HERE.
I BETTER
GET THIS STUFF OFF.
KIND OF... MY TOE OR SOMETHING
HOOKED INTO THE PALETTE
OR SOMETHING.
I LOST MY BALANCE THERE A BIT,
HAD TO STEP BACK.
MAN.
YEAH, THAT'S WET.
YOU GET THAT ONE?
YEAH.
THIS ONE?
YEAH.
THANK YOU.
THE COLD WATER KIND OF
TAKES YOUR BREATH RIGHT AWAY.
AS SOON AS YOU HIT THAT WATER,
MAN, IT'S
PEOPLE DROWN.
HENRY DOESN'T SWIM.
SHEILA DOESN'T SWIM.
IN FACT, I DON'T KNOW A SINGLE
FISHERMAN ON THE LAKE HERE
THAT ACTUALLY SWIMS.
SWIMMING ISN'T GONNA DO YOU
TOO MUCH GOOD
BECAUSE THE WATER'S SO COLD,
YOU'RE GONNA DIE OF HYPOTHERMIA
BEFORE YOU EVER
GET ANYWHERE ANYWAYS.
THIS IS A VERY, VERY COLD LAKE.
WELL, I BET YOU'LL BE
A LITTLE MORE CAREFUL
THE NEXT TIME WE TRY IT.
I HAVEN'T FALLEN INTO ICE WATER
SINCE I WAS A KID.
BROUGHT BACK
A LOT OF OLD MEMORIES, THEN.
WE SHOULD HAVE HAD
THAT STUFF OFF THERE YESTERDAY,
BUT IT WAS GETTING LATE
AND I HADN'T GOT ANY SLEEP
FROM DOING ALL THE PAPERWORK
ALL NIGHT, SO...
BUT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET BACK
OUT THERE AND GET THESE PALETTES OFF
BECAUSE THAT ICE IS DISAPPEARING
AS WE SPEAK.
I TOOK A WALK TO SHORE TODAY
AND THAT'LL BE THE LAST WALK
THAT I TAKE THERE.
YOU COULD FEEL
THE ICE STARTING TO SHIFT,
YOU COULD HEAR IT MOVING.
SO IT'S RIGHT
ABOUT TO BREAK APART.
SO MY NEXT TRIP TO SHORE,
I'LL BE TAKING A CANOE WITH ME
LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES.
AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR,
I ALWAYS KEEP A ROPE
RIGHT BY THE DOOR
JUST IN CASE THAT HAPPENS.
BY MORNING,
THE MASSIVE ICE SHEETS ONCE
SPANNING THE LAKE ARE SHATTERED,
MAKING TRAVEL ACROSS THE SURFACE
TREACHEROUS...
...AND SIGNALING THE ARRIVAL
OF ONE OF THE DEADLIEST TIMES
OF THE YEAR.
BREAK-UP IS UPON US,
AND IT'S SERIOUS BUSINESS.
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF
"ICE LAKE REBELS"...
****
YOU OKAY?
DORA, YOU OKAY?
ARE YOU OKAY?
THE SUN IS BEATING
THE CRAP OUT OF THIS ICE.
THE ICE IS GONNA DETERIORATE
MORE
AND BREAK INTO SMALLER PIECES
AND PILE UP ALONG THE ISLAND AND
WHERE ALL THE HOUSEBOATS ARE.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
WHOA.
THAT WHOLE PIECE, I THINK,
JUST BROKE OFF.
DOWN IN THE BAY, HERE,
I SENSED ANOTHER
COUPLE OF CHUNKS COMING THERE.
IF YOU WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE
FOR EVERYTHING,
YOU'RE REALLY NOT GONNA LIKE IT.
EVERY YEAR,
IT'S A **** HASSLE.
YOU COULD GO TO SLEEP AT
NIGHT ALL TIED UP ON THE SHORE
AND WAKE UP IN THE MORNING
AND YOU ARE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
YOU KNOW, THE ICE HAS JUST
PUSHED YOU RIGHT OFF
INTO THE BLUE YONDER.
SHORES OF GREAT SLAVE LAKE...
42 REBELS
HAVE LAID CLAIM TO FREEDOM,
LIVING OFFSHORE, BEYOND
THE REACH OF GOVERNMENT CONTROL.
THOSE OF US WHO LIVE ON THE BAY,
WE JUST LIKE BEING ON OUR OWN
AND JUST BEING FREE.
I WOULDN'T TRADE
THIS WAY OF LIFE FOR ANYTHING.
I LOVE IT.
FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS,
THE LAKE HAS BEEN BURIED
UNDER SIX FEET OF ICE.
LIVING ON A HOUSEBOAT
AND THE LAKE'S FROZEN SOLID
IS KIND OF A CONVENIENT THING
BECAUSE YOU CAN DRIVE
RIGHT UP TO YOUR HOUSEBOAT.
BUT NOW, AS TEMPERATURES RISE,
THE FROZEN SURFACE
BENEATH THEIR FEET IS CHANGING.
HEY, STEPH.
I WAS HEARING CRACKING.
THE ICE IS GETTING PRETTY BAD
ALL THE WAY THROUGH
THE BAY, HERE.
WE'VE PROBABLY ONLY GOT
24 HOURS,
AND IT'S GONNA START
GETTING UNSAFE.
HOUSEBOATERS MUST TAKE
EXTREME CAUTION,
OR THEIR NEXT STEP
COULD BE THEIR LAST.
AAH!
WHEN IT COMES TO BREAK-UP,
YOU HAVE TO BE READY
TO PAY THE PRICE.
ON A HOUSEBOAT, THERE ARE
SO MANY THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG.
MISTAKES CAN COST YOU YOUR LIFE.
GEEZ!
EARLY SPRING'S RISING
TEMPERATURES AND CHANGING ICE
SIGNAL THE MOST DANGEROUS
TIME OF THE YEAR
FOR THE HOUSEBOATERS
OF YELLOWKNIFE BAY.
GREAT SLAVE LAKE IS
IN THE EARLY STAGES OF BREAK-UP.
HOUSEBOATERS ARE STILL CROSSING
THE ICE ON FOOT AND SNOWMOBILE,
BUT THE WINDOW FOR SAFE PASSAGE
IS RAPIDLY CLOSING.
THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME.
IF YOU'RE NOT SMART,
AND YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL,
AND YOU DON'T RESPECT THE LAKE,
YOU'RE IN A DANGEROUS POSITION,
MY FRIEND, AND YOU COULD DIE.
THERE'S SOMETHING UNSETTLING
ABOUT KNOWING
THAT THE GROUND UNDERNEATH YOU
COULD COLLAPSE TO POTENTIAL
DEATH AT ANY MOMENT.
PREPARATION IS
CRUCIAL, AND TIME'S RUNNING OUT
AS THE REBELS GET READY
FOR THE BIG THAW.
WE'RE PREPARING.
YOU GOT STUFF TO TAKE CARE OF.
IT'S DANGEROUS, BUT
IT'S PART OF LIVING ON THE LAKE.
YOU HAVE TO EMBRACE IT,
AND I LOVE IT.
IT'S THE PRICE YOU PAY
TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY
THE SUMMER COMING.
I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FIRST TIME
THAT THE CANOE CAN
GO IN THE WATER AND MOVE.
AND BREAK-UP IS JUST
ONE STEP UNTIL THEN.
AS THE FOUNDING FATHER
OF THE HOUSEBOATERS,
GARY VAILLANCOURT
TAKES THE SAFETY
OF HIS NEIGHBORS SERIOUSLY.
WITH TEMPERATURES RISING AND
THE ICE CHANGING BY THE HOUR,
IT'S TIME TO DISCUSS
PREPARATIONS
FOR SURVIVING BREAK-UP.
SPRING HERE HAS BEEN VERY SLOW.
WE'VE GOT THICK, THICK ICE HERE
IN PLACES.
OTHER PLACES,
WE'VE GOT NO ICE AT ALL.
I'VE NEVER QUITE SEEN IT
LIKE THIS.
HI, EVERYBODY.
I'M GLAD YOU COULD ALL MAKE IT.
I THOUGHT,
BECAUSE THE ICE CONDITIONS
WERE SO WEIRD THIS YEAR
AND BREAK-UP WAS NOT LIKE ANY
BREAK-UP I'VE SEEN IN A WHILE,
THAT WE'D ALL GET TOGETHER
AND KIND OF TALK ABOUT
THE CONDITION OF THE ICE.
IT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR,
SO WE SHOULD MAYBE BE
A LITTLE EXTRA CAREFUL.
SO, WHAT'S THE ICE LIKE
AROUND YOUR HOUSE, MIKE?
THE WAY IT LOOKS,
IF CONDITIONS STAY THE SAME,
I FIGURE I'M FLOATING
IN THREE DAYS.
I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED
ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
A BIG SOUTH WIND
BLOWING IN ICE.
AND THAT'S
A REALLY VALID CONCERN.
ONE THING ABOUT THE ICE IS
WHEN IT DOES PUSH IN HERE,
IT WILL BEND STEEL.
THERE WAS THAT ONE HUGE PAN
OF ICE IN BACK BAY,
AND IT CAME LOOSE,
AND IT ABSOLUTELY TWISTED
THE FRAME ON MY BOAT
AND JUST PUSHED THE FLOATS
RIGHT UNDERNEATH.
AND, YOU KNOW,
IT DIDN'T SINK THE BOAT,
BUT IT DAMAGED IT
PRETTY BAD.
I HEARD A LOUD BANG,
AND I COULD FEEL IT VIBRATE
THROUGH THE FRAME.
AND I WENT OUTSIDE,
AND I LOOKED,
AND I REALIZED
WHAT WAS GOING ON,
AND THERE WASN'T A HELL OF A LOT
I COULD DO ABOUT IT, EITHER.
IT WAS LIKE WATCHING A CAR WRECK
IN SLOW MOTION.
LAST NIGHT WHEN I WAS
COMING HOME, ALLYCE SAID,
"DO NOT USE
THE PATIO-DOOR ENTRANCE.
IT IS OUT OF COMMISSION."
SO, WE HAVE
THESE TWO RANDOM HOLES
BETWEEN US
AND THE FAR SHORE.
IT'S ALREADY
GETTING SKETCHY BETWEEN THEM,
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH
THE LENGTH OF OUR HOUSE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE
THAT AREA
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REALLY
WATCH OUT FOR THIS YEAR.
THE LAKE IS ALWAYS ALIVE.
EVEN WHEN THERE'S
SIX FEET OF ICE,
THERE'S STILL A BIT OF WATER AT
THE BOTTOM THAT'S ALWAYS MOVING.
IT'S ALWAYS CHANGING.
AND WHEN IT GETS TO BREAK-UP,
IT REALLY BECOMES NOTICEABLE.
WHEN IT STARTS
GETTING DARK ALL OVER,
NOW WE'RE GETTING TO THAT POINT
WHERE YOU GOT TO
REALLY BE CAREFUL.
THIN ICE APPEARS BLACK
AS THE WEAKENED PATCHES
REFLECT LESS LIGHT
THAN THICK ICE.
A MISPLACED FOOT CAN SEND YOU
INTO THE FRIGID WATER BELOW.
IT WAS TERRIFYING
COMING HOME LAST NIGHT.
IT WAS SO SLIPPERY
AND SO RAINY AND WET.
AND I'M THINKING, LIKE,
WHEN YOU'RE GOING AROUND
BY MATTHEW'S HOUSE,
WHERE THE CHANNEL IS,
KIND OF LIKE,
"IS THE ICE GONNA GIVE OUT?
AND, IF SO, IF I SCREAM,
NOBODY'S GONNA HEAR ME."
I WOULD HEAR YOU.
IT SOUNDS LIKE
WE'VE ALL GOT LONG LISTS
AND NOT A LOT OF TIME
TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.
SO, I MEAN, IF WE CAN
HELP EACH OTHER OUT, WHY NOT?
WE HAVE A GOOD COMMUNITY
OF HOUSEBOATERS OUT HERE.
WE WILL ALL HELP EACH OTHER OUT,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES
TO FREEZE-UP AND BREAK-UP.
IF YOU NEED SOMETHING,
SOMEONE WILL HELP YOU.
THIS IS MOLLY MacKINNON'S
FIRST BREAK-UP ON THE LAKE
SINCE CHILDHOOD.
NOW FATHER GARY SHARES
HIS 30 YEARS' EXPERIENCE
IN READING
THE ICE'S WARNING SIGNS.
SEE ALL THE PATTERNS
IN THERE?
YEAH.
THAT'S ALL THE BEGINNING
OF THE ICE CANDLES
THAT, FOR SOME REASON,
IT FREEZES IN A CERTAIN WAY
AND IN THE SPRING IT'S NOT ALL
PURE ICE CRYSTAL.
THERE'S LINES IN IT.
SO WHEN THE SNOW MELTS
AND THERE'S WATER,
IT FLOWS INTO
THESE LITTLE CRACKS.
AND THE WATER GOES DOWN,
AND AFTER A WHILE IT'LL MELT
RIGHT THROUGH AND MAKE CANDLES.
SO THIS IS THE BEGINNING
OF A CANDLING OF ICE.
I'M RE-LEARNING
HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE NORTH,
AND I FEEL LIKE
IT'S AN ON-GOING LEARNING CURVE.
WHEN YOU WALK ON THEM
AND HEAR THEM GO
I DON'T WANT THEM
TO DO THAT.
AND WHEN YOU HEAR,
YOU SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
WITH BREAK-UP FAST APPROACHING,
FISH PLANT CO-OWNER
BRIAN ABBOTT
MUST HAUL IN
AS MANY FISH AS HE CAN
BEFORE THE LAKE BREAKS APART
IN ICY SHEETS TOO TREACHEROUS
TO WALK, DRIVE, OR SAIL ON.
TODAY, I'M GONNA
PULL THE NETS OUT.
THIS'LL BE THE LAST DAY.
OOH.
THE ICE IS GETTING PRETTY BAD
ALL THE WAY
THROUGH THE BAY, HERE.
THAT'S THE END OF OUR ICE.
IT'S RIGHT THROUGH HERE.
SO WHAT HAVE I GOT LEFT?
THREE FEET OF CANDLE ICE.
WE'VE PROBABLY ONLY GOT
24, 36 HOURS,
AND IT'S GONNA
START GETTING UNSAFE.
I'M HOPING THIS'LL BE
A BIG HAUL,
'CAUSE THIS IS THE LAST RUN
FOR THE SEASON.
WE NEED MORE FISH
IN THE FREEZERS.
IN WINTER, THE ICE ON
THE OPEN LAKE IS SIX FEET THICK,
CAPABLE OF BEARING THE WEIGHT
OF A 68-TON MILITARY TANK.
NOW, BRIAN MAKES
A 30-MILE SNOWMOBILE JOURNEY
ACROSS UNPREDICTABLE ICE TO PULL
HIS FINAL NET OF THE WINTER.
AND WHILE BRIAN NORMALLY WORKS
WITH A PARTNER,
HE PREFERS TO TAKE THE RISK OF
BEING ON A THAWING LAKE ALONE.
GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL
ON MY WAY OUT TO THE NET LINE.
IF I HAPPEN
TO BREAK THROUGH THE ICE,
THERE'S NOBODY OUT THERE
TO SAVE ME.
SO, THE LAST FEW DAYS,
I DON'T TAKE ANYBODY OUT
BECAUSE I THINK
IT'S JUST TOO DANGEROUS
TO BE BRINGING
SOMEBODY ELSE WITH ME.
I'LL BE PRAYING
THAT I DON'T END UP UNDERWATER.
ON THE WESTERN SHORES
OF YELLOWKNIFE BAY...
IT'S GO TIME, BABY.
LET'S GO.
...TODAY STEPHAN ENLISTS HIS
BEST FRIEND, RYAN,
TO HELP MAKE A NEW MOORING,
OR ANCHOR,
FOR HIS HOUSEBOAT AFTER HIS
WAS CRUSHED BY ICE LAST YEAR.
LOOK AT THAT
FRICKING RAIN, BUD.
HERE'S MOORING 101...
MOORING IS A LINE
TIED TO YOUR VESSEL,
AND AN ANCHOR TIED TO THAT LINE
ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.
IT'S WHAT HOLDS YOU IN PLACE.
IT IS YOUR LIFELINE.
THEY'RE USING
RE-PURPOSED GRATER BLADES
THAT MUST BE HAULED
ACROSS THE LAKE TODAY,
BEFORE THE ICE BECOMES TOO WEAK
TO BEAR
THEIR 1,200-POUND WEIGHT.
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
YOU THINK THEY'RE
100 POUNDS OR 75 POUNDS EACH?
ABOUT 100 POUNDS.
ABOUT 100 POUNDS?
YEP.
OKAY, THEN I DON'T WANT TO TAKE
MORE THAN MAYBE FOUR.
YEAH, WE'LL DO FOUR.
THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING
IT AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR
IS BECAUSE WE CAN GET IT
POSITIONED PROPERLY.
IF WE DID THIS IN THE SUMMER,
IT'D BE A LOT GRATER CHALLENGE.
YOU WOULD NEED BOATS WITH PLANKS
IN BETWEEN THEM,
AND YOU'D BE BUILDING IT
ON THOSE PLANKS.
AND THAT IS A LOT MORE DANGEROUS
THAN THIS.
I GET HIT EVERY SPRING
BY THE ICE COMING IN IN
MEGA-SHEETS, HUNDREDS OF TONS.
TWO YEARS AGO, MY HOUSEBOAT WAS
MOVED BY ABOUT 15 TO 20 YARDS.
I ENDED UP
ON MY NEIGHBOR'S DOORSTEP.
FOUR BLADES, 400 POUNDS.
150, 150.
THAT'S 600 POUNDS
WE'RE MOVING ON THIS ICE.
THAT'S 700.
700 POUNDS WE'RE MOVING
ON THIS ICE.
YEAH,
THAT'S THE MAX LOAD.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE
ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT.
EVEN THEN I'M...
MAYBE PUSHING IT A BIT.
THERE'S NO WAY I'M TAKING
1,200 POUNDS IN A CANOE,
ON TOP OF ME AND RYAN'S
BODY WEIGHT, ACROSS.
THAT WOULDN'T BE SAFE.
RYAN, JUST
FOR SAFETY REASONS,
I SUGGEST I'LL WALK
A COUPLE OF METERS
IN FRONT OF THE BOAT,
YOU WALK A COUPLE OF METERS
BEHIND THE BOAT.
SO WE'RE SPREADING
THAT 700 POUNDS ON THE ICE
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA COLLAPSE.
WELL, LET'S GET YOU
SOME MOMENTUM FIRST.
10-4. LET'S DO IT.
HOLD ON.
SO, WE DECIDED
THAT SAFEST PATH
WAS TO BREAK THIS INTO THREE,
700-POUNDS AT A TIME
INCLUDING OUR BODY WEIGHT.
THIS IS SKETCHY ICE.
IT'S AMAZING TO THINK
THAT A SHORT TIME AGO
PEOPLE WERE DRIVING TRUCKS
AND CARS ALL OVER THIS LAKE,
AND TODAY WE CAN'T EVEN
CARRY 400 POUNDS ON THE ICE
WITHOUT BEING DANGEROUS.
SEE HOW THAT ALL OPENED UP
OVERNIGHT, RYAN?
YEAH, I SEE THAT, MAN.
WHEN YOU'RE WALKING ON THE
ICE AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR,
YOU GOT TO WATCH YOUR STEP
BECAUSE YOU STEP
IN A SNAKE HOLE.
A SNAKE HOLE...
BASICALLY A HOLE THAT'S BEEN
FORMED BY A SWIRL OR CURRENT
BECAUSE THE LAKE NEVER CEASES TO
MOVE UNDERNEATH THAT SOLID ICE.
IT MELTS
ONE PERFECT LITTLE HOLE,
JUST ENOUGH FOR YOUR LEG
TO FALL THROUGH.
I HEARD SOME CRACKS
AS WE WERE COMING ACROSS THERE.
YEAH, THERE'S A COUPLE.
THINK WE SHOULD TAKE
ANOTHER PATH THE NEXT TIME?
YEAH, IT'S DANGEROUS
OUT HERE, MAN.
THAT RAIN CHANGED EVERYTHING
OVERNIGHT.
THAT WOULD BE
A SAFE THING TO DO.
THE SUN'S BREAKING FREE.
THAT MEANS WE GOT LESS TIME.
LET'S GET ON THIS.
WISH YOU WERE BETTER AT MATH.
YEAH, WELL,
THAT'S WHY I GOT YOU?
YOU'RE THE BRAINS
OF THIS OPERATION.
I'LL JUST BE... WHOA!
SNAKE HOLE. RIGHT HERE.
ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?
THIS IS GONNA MELT FAST.
YEAH.
WELL, LET'S
GET A MOVE ON, MAN.
WE GOT TO GET THIS TOGETHER
BEFORE IT MELTS THROUGH.
ON YOUR MARK.
SO, THE FIRST TIME
WE CAME OVER TO THE HOUSEBOAT
WITH ALL THAT WEIGHT,
RYAN HEARD THE CRACKING
AND SO DID I.
SO WE KNEW WE HAD TO TAKE
A DIFFERENT PATH EVERY TIME.
YOU GOOD, RYAN?
RYAN? CAREFUL.
HEY, STEPH,
I WAS HEARING CRACKING.
HEY, STEPH...
IN YELLOWKNIFE BAY,
GREAT SLAVE LAKE
IS IN THE BEGINNING PHASES
OF AWAKENING
FROM A LONG WINTER SLUMBER.
- READY?
- YEAH.
ON YOUR MARK.
AND STEPHAN MUST SECURE
HIS HOUSEBOAT
WITH A NEW MOORING
BEFORE BREAK-UP.
YOU GOOD, RYAN?
THE LAKE IS MELTING
FROM SHORE TO SHORE.
THE CANDLE ICE BEGINS
ON THE TOP.
IT'S WET, IT'S SLOPPY,
AND IT'S DANGEROUS.
RYAN? CAREFUL.
I CAN HEAR THE ICE
CRACKING BENEATH US.
BUT CARRYING 600 POUNDS OF METAL
ACROSS UNSTABLE ICE
IS RISKY BUSINESS.
HEY, STEPH.
YEAH?
YOU SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE
A NEW ROUTE?
I WAS HEARING CRACKING.
THAT'S PROBABLY
A GOOD IDEA.
SO NOW YOU'RE
LITERALLY WALKING ON GLASS.
THE SOLID GROUND THAT WAS
UNDER YOUR FEET FOR SEVEN MONTHS
IS NOW BECOMING PERILOUS.
OKAY.
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
GO AROUND.
GO THIS WAY HERE?
YEAH.
10-4.
THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME
OF THE YEAR.
THERE'S NO ICE YOU CAN TRUST.
THE THRILL
OF LIVING ON A HOUSEBOAT
IS A BALANCE BETWEEN
THE GOOD TIMES
AND THE DANGEROUS TIMES.
WE DID IT.
LET'S LOAD.
NOW THE REAL WORK BEGINS.
SON. YEAH.
RYAN'S RIGHT ON IT.
HE'S GONNA LINE THEM ALL UP
WHILE I START CUTTING SPACERS
OUT OF A.B.S. PLASTIC.
ONCE STEPHAN AND RYAN
CONNECT THE GRATER BLADES
INTO A SOLID UNIT,
THEY'LL CONNECT IT
TO THE HOUSEBOAT
WITH A 20-FOOT METAL CHAIN,
GIVING STEPHAN
A 1,200-POUND ANCHOR
TO SECURE HIS HOME
FROM THE ONSLAUGHT OF
BREAK-UP'S RUNAWAY ICE SHEETS.
BEAUTIFUL. GOOD JOB, MAN.
THANKS, DUDE.
SO, WE'VE GOT 12 GRATER BLADES
AND 3 REDI-RODS
AT A 3-FOOT LENGTH.
LET'S PUT
THAT REDI-ROD THROUGH.
SPACERS.
ROCK 'N' ROLL, BOY.
WE STAND UP THE MOORING...
ON THREE.
ONE, TWO, THREE.
HOLY ****
...BECAUSE WE GOT TO PULL
THAT REDI-ROD NICE AND TIGHT
SO THAT WE CAN TIGHTEN IT UP
WITH THE NUTS...
YOU KNOW, SHE'S A LITTLE DIRTY.
YOU SHOULD WASH HER.
...SO WE HAVE
A SECURE MOORING.
SO, NOW WE'VE GOT TO LAY
THIS 1,200-POUND MOORING DOWN.
JUST WANT TO LET IT DROP?
YEAH, LET'S...
LET'S JUST
LET IT GO, MAN.
LET'S DROP THIS.
NO.
THIS IS 1,200 POUNDS.
IF WE CAN EASE IT
AS FAR AS WE CAN HANDLE IT
THEN LET IT GO,
THAT'D BE BETTER.
OKAY.
IF IT BREAKS THROUGH THE ICE,
WE GO THAT WAY,
'CAUSE I KNOW
THAT ICE IS SAFER.
'CAUSE WE'RE SENDING
ALL THE WEIGHT THAT WAY,
WE'RE GOING
THE OPPOSITE WAY.
IT'S SCIENCE.
THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PART
OF THE WHOLE...
IT IS.
YOU COUNT IT DOWN, BUD.
IT'S ON THREE, SO I'M GONNA GO,
"ONE, TWO, DROP."
NOT, "ONE, TWO, THREE, GO."
OKAY.
LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DIED
NOT KNOWING THESE THINGS.
READY? ON THREE.
ONE, TWO, THREE.
DROP IT NOW.
WE'RE GOOD. SAFE.
WHAT NOW?
GOOD JOB. LET'S GO GET
THE CHAIN AND THE ROPE.
SO, NOW WE GOT TO SECURE
THE CHAIN TO THE MOORING...
...PUT A CLASP
ON THAT CHAIN,
THEN RUN
OUR 3/4-INCH NYLON ROPE
ALL THE WAY TO THE CLEAT
ON THE HOUSEBOAT
TO SECURE THIS MOORING.
NOW ALL WE GOT TO DO
IS WAIT FOR THAT MOORING
TO MELT THROUGH THE ICE,
AND THAT COULD HAPPEN
AT ANY TIME.
WE GOT
1,200 POUNDS OF MOORING HERE.
ALLYCE IS GONNA BE
PROUD OF US, MAN.
IN EARLY SPRING,
ICE MELTS MOST QUICKLY
ALONG THE SHORELINES
OF YELLOWKNIFE BAY,
LEAVING RANDY SIBBESTON'S HOME
ALREADY PARTIALLY SUBMERGED.
WITH TEMPERATURES WARMING
INTO THE HIGH TEENS,
RANDY HAS ONLY DAYS
TO MAKE SURE HIS HOUSEBOAT
WILL STAY AFLOAT
WHEN THE ICE
FINALLY BREAKS APART.
IF YOU'RE MAINTENANCE
IS NOT DONE, YOU KNOW,
YOUR FLOATS AREN'T PUMPED OUT
AND YOU'RE
NOT TIED UP PROPERLY,
YOU'RE JUST ASKING
FOR TROUBLE.
DURING BREAK-UP,
RANDY'S FLOATS ARE
THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
AGAINST THE LAKE'S
CRUSHING ICE.
LAST YEAR, I HAD
SOME PRETTY SEVERE ICE DAMAGE,
AND I HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE
ON THIS FLOAT NOW.
THIS IS THE CRACK
THAT IT DEVELOPED LAST WINTER.
SEE IT'S A PRETTY
SEVERE CRACK, HERE.
IT GOES RIGHT DOWN.
IT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM,
BUT IT JUST GOES
JUST BELOW THE WATERLINE.
YOU CAN SEE THE WATER.
THE WATERLINE'S RIGHT HERE...
AND IF YOU FOLLOW IT ALONG,
THE END OF THIS CRACK IS
JUST UNDERNEATH THE WATERLINE.
THE BRUTAL WINTER THAT WE HAD,
IT WAS SO COLD OUT,
AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT,
YOU KNOW,
THE PLASTIC GETS BRITTLE
IN THOSE TEMPERATURES.
SO I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED
ABOUT THOSE CRACKS SPREADING
AND GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER.
IF THAT HAPPENS,
THEN THIS PONTOON IS JUST GONNA
KEEP FILLING UP WITH WATER.
SINCE PONTOONS ARE
A HOUSEBOAT'S FOUNDATION,
A SINKING ONE WILL MEAN
A DISASTROUS END
TO HIS FAMILY'S HOME.
I'M GONNA TRY TO BUILD
A SET OF FLOATS
THAT IS GONNA BE
COST-EFFECTIVE, DURABLE,
AND JUST CAREFULLY DESIGNED
SO THAT IT CAN STAND UP
TO THE CONDITIONS IN THE BAY.
WITHIN DAYS,
THE WEAK, CANDLING ICE
WILL BECOME TOO THIN
TO CROSS SAFELY ON FOOT,
YET NOT MELTED ENOUGH
FOR CANOE PASSAGE.
THE HOUSE BOATERS
MUST BE PREPARED
WITH ALL THE SUPPLIES THEY NEED
TO SURVIVE SEVERAL WEEKS
STUCK INSIDE.
AND MOLLY, OWNER
OF THE LAKE'S ONLY BISTRO BOAT,
IS NEARLY OUT OF FISH.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE,
I'M COMPLETELY OUT OF FISH,
AND I HAVE TO STOCK UP
FOR THE RESTAURANT.
I GOT TO GO WALK ACROSS
THAT ICE,
AND I'M REALLY NERVOUS ABOUT IT.
SHE MUST MAKE THE TREK
ACROSS THE SEMI-FROZEN BAY
TO THE FISH PLANT NOW
IN ORDER TO STOCK HER FREEZERS.
THE OTHER DAY, THERE WAS SOMEONE
WHO HAD FALLEN THROUGH
IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE,
AND MY DAD RAN OUT WITH A PLANK
TO, LIKE, SAVE HIM.
AND HE WAS REALLY LUCKY, 'CAUSE
NO ONE'S GONNA SAVE YOU
IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT LAKE.
I'M BRINGING MY CANOE
TO GET OVER TO THE FISH PLANT,
AND I'M GONNA TRY
SOME CANOE BREAK-UP TECHNIQUES.
I'M GONNA PUSH THE CANOE
AND KIND OF LIKE
RUN BEHIND IT A LITTLE BIT
AND PUT MY WEIGHT
ON THE BACK OF IT
SO THAT IF GO THROUGH,
I CAN JUST PUT MY FEET
IN THE CANOE,
AND I'M NOT GONNA BE
IN THE WATER.
IN CHOOSING
THE SAFEST ROUTE ACROSS THE BAY,
MOLLY MUST LOOK FOR WHITE
PATCHES INDICATING SOLID ICE
AND STEER CLEAR
OF DARK OR CANDLED SPOTS
WHICH COULD SEND HER
INTO THE ICY WATERS BELOW.
- HEY.
- HI.
I WAS HOPING
TO GET SOME FISH TODAY,
IF YOU HAD ANYTHING.
HOW MUCH WOULD YOU NEED?
UM, I WAS THINKING,
LIKE, 17 FILLETS.
WHEN I SHOWED UP
TO GET SOME FISH,
HENRY WAS SURPRISED
TO SEE ME ON THAT ICE.
HOW DID YOU MANAGE
TO GET OVER HERE?
DID YOU WALK ON THE ICE,
OR DID YOU COME ACROSS
THE ISLAND?
I WENT ON THE ICE.
I TOOK THE CANOE.
I WON'T DO THAT.
AND THAT MADE ME
REALLY NERVOUS TO GO BACK.
THE ICE GETS SOFT AND THEN
YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO THROUGH IT.
ONCE THE ICE CANDELIZES,
IT'S EASY TO GO THROUGH.
NOT A GOOD FEELING,
GOING THROUGH.
SO, ANYHOW, I'M GLAD I WAS ABLE
TO HELP YOU WITH THE FISH.
AND IF YOU NEED ANY MORE,
YOU SHOULD COME BY AND SEE ME.
THANK YOU.
AND IN THE MEANTIME,
THAT ICE IS... PRETTY SCARY.
I DON'T KNOW
IF I'D BE GOING BACK
ON THAT ICE ANYMORE
AFTER TODAY.
THIS WILL DEFINITELY BE
THE LAST TRIP.
I'M GLAD I COULD FILL
MY FREEZER. THANK YOU.
OKAY, THAT'S GOOD.
YOU HAVE YOURSELF A NICE DAY.
I'M GLAD I WAS ABLE
TO HELP YOU.
THE ICE STARTED
GIVING OUT UNDER MY FEET.
I DON'T THINK I PICKED AS GOOD A
ROUTE AS I HAD ON THE WAY THERE.
I STARTED FALLING THROUGH
THE ICE A LITTLE BIT.
MY FEET STARTED SINKING IN, AND
I JUST HAD TO, LIKE, BOOK IT.
I WAS GOING IN
IF I DIDN'T KEEP ON MOVING.
THAT IS MY TECHNIQUE...
TO MOVE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE,
AND I DEFINITELY HIT MYSELF
ON THE CANOE SO MANY TIMES.
I'M JUST COVERED IN BRUISES.
IT WAS NOT A GOOD TECHNIQUE.
WHEN I GOT BACK FROM THE
FISH PLANT, I MADE UP MY MIND...
I AM NOT GOING BACK ON THAT ICE.
SO, LIKE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY
BREAKING THROUGH IT?
LIKE, MY WHOLE LEG'S
GOING IN ON EITHER SIDE.
IT'S REALLY UNSETTLING.
AS CONDITIONS ON THE BAY
CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE
UNDER THE HOT SUN,
FISHERMAN BRIAN RISKS
A 35-MILE SNOWMOBILE TREK ALONE
ACROSS UNPREDICTABLE ICE
IN ORDER TO BRING IN
THE LAST NETS OF THE SEASON
AND KEEP HIS CUSTOMERS FED
THROUGH BREAK-UP.
IT'S A LITTLE SCARY BECAUSE
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO HELP ME
IF I HAVE A PROBLEM.
BUT I'M PRETTY SELF-SUFFICIENT,
SO I THINK I CAN MANAGE.
BE MY LAST DAY HERE.
TIME TO START PULLING THEM OUT.
GONNA HURT.
I NEED MORE FISH,
BUT... IT IS WHAT IT IS.
I GUESS I CAN'T COMPLAIN.
THE SEASON'S LASTED LONGER
THIS YEAR THAN USUAL, SO.
WE GOT FISH ON.
IT'S QUITE DANGEROUS
THIS TIME OF YEAR
IF YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO PART OF BEING SAFE OUT HERE
IS KNOWING THE ICE.
SO, I GOT LOTS OF WATER
AROUND THE HOLES,
OF COURSE
GETTING THE ICE ALL WET
AND MELTING IT AROUND THE HOLE
MUCH QUICKER.
WHOA!
ACROSS
CANADA'S GREAT SLAVE LAKE,
WHERE SPRING'S THAW WILL SOON
MELT 10,000 SQUARE MILES OF ICE,
PROFESSIONAL FISHERMAN
BRIAN ABBOTT
PULLS HIS FINAL NET
OF THE SEASON ALONE.
WHOA!
YOU'RE OUT THERE,
YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.
THERE'S NOBODY COMING TO GET YOU
UNTIL YOU LET THEM KNOW
THAT YOU'RE STUCK.
MOST OF THE TIME
YOU'RE OUT OF PHONE SERVICE.
I'M HOPING THIS WILL BE
A BIG HAUL
'CAUSE THIS IS THE LAST RUN
FOR THE SEASON.
OUR FREEZERS ARE NOT FULL
LIKE I'D HOPED.
WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE THEM
FULL OF WHITEFISH.
NAH.
WE HAVE NO WHITEFISH.
THIS BEING MY LAST LOAD,
IT'S GONNA BE THE LAST FISH I
BRING IN FOR THREE TO SIX WEEKS.
IT'S GONNA BE THAT LONG
BEFORE I FEEL SAFE GOING OUT
ON THE LAKE WITH THE BOAT AGAIN.
WELL, THE ONE THING OUT HERE,
IT'S PEACEFUL AND QUIET.
I GOT LOTS OF COMPANY WITH THE
SEAGULLS AND THE FISH OUT HERE,
BUT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE
TO TALK TO.
SO I FIND MYSELF TALKING
TO THE BIRDS AND THE FISH.
WHY AM I DOING THIS
AND NOBODY ELSE IS?
I'M NOT SURE. MAYBE I AM NUTS.
WHAT THE ICE DOES
IS IT MELTS AWAY FROM THE SHORE,
AND THE MAIN SHEET OF ICE ON THE
LAKE LASTS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
BUT THE ICE BECOMES
REALLY UNSAFE.
I SURE HOPE
WE GOT ENOUGH FISH IN STOCK
TO GET US THROUGH THE THAW.
WHILE BRIAN RACES THE SUNSET
ON HIS THREE-HOUR JOURNEY HOME
TO THE FISH PLANT...
...NEAR THE SHORES
OF YELLOWKNIFE BAY,
RANDY SEARCHES THE LOCAL DUMP
FOR METAL DRUMS THAT HE CAN
RE-PURPOSE AS PONTOONS
TO REPLACE
HIS DAMAGED PLASTIC FLOATS.
HE STARTS BY COMBING THROUGH
THE DISCARDED EQUIPMENT
LEFT BEHIND AT THE YELLOWKNIFE
WASTE MANAGEMENT CENTER.
ALL I'M SEEING HERE
ARE REALLY DAMAGED TANKS
AND TANKS THAT ARE CUT IN HALF.
JUST GO TAKE A QUICK LOOK.
THESE 45-GALLON DRUMS,
THEY FLOAT,
BUT THIS METAL'S
A LITTLE BIT THIN
AND THEY RUST OUT
PRETTY QUICKLY.
SO, A LOT OF PEOPLE
HAVE TRIED USING THEM
OVER THE YEARS
FOR FLOTATION,
BUT THEY JUST DON'T LAST.
LOOK AT THIS.
IT'S A BEAUTY.
NO DENTS, NO RUST.
IT'S IN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC
CONDITION.
THIS IS JUST
A GOOD, SOLID STEEL TANK.
THESE ARE 250-GALLON FUEL TANKS,
AND THEY'RE GONNA GO TO WASTE
SITTING AT THE DUMP.
I'M GONNA JUST CHECK AND SEE
IF THERE'S ANY FUEL
LEFT IN THIS TANK.
THE ONLY THING YOU GOT TO
WATCH OUT FOR
WHEN YOU'RE RECYCLING
THESE FUEL TANKS
IS THAT THEY'RE
ABSOLUTELY EMPTY AND CLEAN
WHEN YOU REPURPOSE THEM.
YOU DON'T WANT ANY FUEL OR FUEL
RESIDUE TO GET INTO THE LAKE.
THIS TANK, AT HALFWAY, WILL
DISPLACE 125 GALLONS OF WATER.
AND WATER'S
ABOUT EIGHT POUNDS A GALLON,
SO IT'S ABOUT MAYBE
1,000 POUNDS.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THESE AS WELL
IS THAT THEY HAVE A ROUND SIDE.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT
SUNK TOO FAR DOWN,
I'M HOPING THAT THE ICE
WILL SLIDE RIGHT UNDERNEATH.
NOW THAT I'VE GOT THE FUEL TANK,
I'M GOING TO
START TO BUILD MY FLOATS.
AS THE SUN RISES
ON THE SECOND UNSEASONABLY WARM
DAY IN A ROW,
IN YELLOWKNIFE BAY,
WHERE THE ICE IS MELTING
EVEN FASTER IN THE SHALLOWS,
GARY VAILLANCOURT PREPARES
DAUGHTER MOLLY
FOR A KEY LESSON ALL
HOUSEBOATERS MUST MASTER
BEFORE BREAK-UP ARRIVES.
EVERYBODY AROUND HERE HAS
FALLEN THROUGH THE ICE, RIGHT?
YOU HAVEN'T YET.
I'M NERVOUS TO.
IT'S AN EXPERIENCE.
SO WHAT I THOUGHT
WE COULD DO IS,
WE'RE GONNA GET DRESSED
IN ALL THESE DRY SUITS,
AND WE'RE GONNA GO OUT
AND WALK ON THE ICE.
MOST OF THE TIME
WHEN WE'RE WALKING,
WE STAY AWAY FROM TROUBLE,
BUT NOW WE'RE GONNA GO
LOOK FOR IT.
GOODY.
SO, ARE YOU NERVOUS?
I'M FREAKING OUT.
I'VE NOTICED,
SINCE MOLLY'S COME BACK,
SHE'S A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED
ABOUT WATER
AND FALLING THROUGH THE ICE.
MOST PEOPLE ARE
JUSTIFIABLY AFRAID.
I WOULD LIKE HER TO BE
COMFORTABLE ON THE ICE.
SO THE WAY TO DO THAT
IS TO GO PLAY ON THE ICE.
WELL, YOU'VE BEEN IN COLD WATER
BEFORE, BUT NOT THIS COLD.
NOT LIKE THIS.
AND NOT WHERE THE ICE,
LIKE, GIVES AWAY UNDER YOU.
THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER PARTY.
THERE'S NO SAFETY HERE.
FALLING IN'S A BIG DEAL.
YOU FALL INTO THAT WATER,
YOU GOT A PROBLEM.
WHAT OTHER PARTS KIND OF
MAKE YOU NERVOUS?
MOSTLY JUST NOT HAVING
ANY ICE UNDERNEATH MY FEET,
IT ALL, LIKE, GOING AWAY AND NOT
BEING ABLE TO GET OUT AND DIE.
BUT JUST THE DYING THING.
WE'LL TIE A ROPE ON YOU
SO THAT,
YOU KNOW, IF YOU FLOAT AWAY,
I CAN PULL YOU BACK.
ARE YOU GONNA HAVE
THE OTHER END OF THE ROPE?
I'M GONNA HAVE
THE OTHER END OF THE ROPE,
AND I'M GONNA HAVE A SUIT ON
SO I CAN JUMP IN AND GET YOU.
WITH THE LAKE'S WATER
TEMPERATURE NEAR FREEZING,
GARY AND MOLLY
MUST PERFORM THIS TEST
WEARING INSULATED DRY SUITS
OR RISK SUCCUMBING TO
HYPOTHERMIA IN MINUTES.
I'VE BEEN IN THE WATER
AT THAT TEMPERATURE,
AND IT JUST SHOCKS YOU.
YOU'RE LIKE, "GET ME OUT."
AND IT'S OFTEN HARD
TO FIND A WAY TO GET OUT.
THAT'S JUST TERRIFYING.
OKAY.
LET'S GET OUT OF HERE
AND GET ON.
THE IDEA OF NOT HAVING ANYTHING
UNDERNEATH YOU
AND THE ICE
ALL COLLAPSING AROUND YOU,
THIS IS SCARY.
IN SUBARCTIC CANADA,
BREAK-UP, A PROCESS WHICH CAN
TAKE WEEKS TO COMPLETE,
HAS BEGUN,
AND WARMER TEMPERATURES
ARE RAPIDLY MELTING THE LAKE.
NOW STEPHAN AND ALLYCE MUST REEL
IN ALL THEIR BELONGINGS
LEFT ON THE ICE DURING WINTER
BEFORE THEY SINK
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.
YOU WANT TO START
WITH THE BARBECUE?
YEAH.
TODAY IS THE FIRST
DAY OF BREAK-UP FOR US.
WE'VE WAITED AS LONG AS WE CAN.
THE ICE STARTING TO
TURN TO WATER BEHIND OUR HOUSE.
COME ON, BETSY.
AND NOW IT'S OUR CHANCE
TO MOVE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE,
THAT WE'VE STOWED ON THE ICE
FOR THE WINTER, ON THE BOAT.
AND YOU WONDER WHY
I WANT A NEW BARBECUE.
ANYTHING THAT'S ON THE LAKE HAS
GOT TO COME OFF THE LAKE TODAY
BECAUSE SHE'S THAWING FAST.
DORA'S GONNA MISS
HER LITTLE HOUSE.
SHE LOVES IT
OUT HERE ON THE ICE.
IT'S HER OWN SPACE.
THERE WE GO.
NOW WE GOT TO
LIFT IT OVER...
HOLD ON.
IT'S VERY, VERY SLIPPERY.
STEPH AND I, ON OUR OWN,
CAN'T LIFT THAT DOGHOUSE
TO GET IT UP ON THE ROOF.
AAH!
SORRY.
AAH, MY FOOT!
SO FOR NOW, WE'RE MOVING IT FROM
THE UNSAFE ICE ONTO THICKER ICE,
WHICH WILL BUY US
JUST ANOTHER DAY OR TWO.
AND THEN, WHEN WE GET
A LITTLE BIT MORE MAN POWER,
WE CAN GET IT UP ON THE ROOF.
THIS TIME OF YEAR,
THE ICE JUST GETS CRAZY SHARP.
AND POOR DORA,
WALKING AROUND ON IT,
IT JUST SLICES UP HER FEET.
COME HERE.
GOT TO PUT THIS ON YOU.
SO THIS YEAR, WE DECIDED TO
GET HER SOME BOOTIES.
GOT ANOTHER PAW FOR YOU.
DORA DOESN'T LIKE THIS RIGHT
NOW,
BUT RIGHT WHEN
THEY'RE ALL ON HER
AND SHE REALIZES SHE CAN RUN,
SHE LOVES IT.
ONCE THOSE BOOTIES ARE ON,
SHE'S GONE.
BE CAREFUL.
THE ICE STILL ISN'T SAFE.
LOOK AT YOU, HERCULES.
THIS GIRL IS 100% NORTHERN-BORN,
NORTHERN-BRED, NORTHERN-STRONG.
HERE WE ARE, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO
LIFT THESE EMPTY PROPANE TANKS.
ONE, TWO...
I'M THINKING I'LL GRAB ONE END,
SHE'LL GRAB THE OTHER END. NO.
GO, HERCULES.
YOU NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME,
MY LOVE.
I TEND TO DO THE HEAVY WORK,
'CAUSE STEPH IS...
WELL, HE'S STEPH.
THIS IS ALL WE NEED OFF.
I'LL BRING
THE MOTOR UPSTAIRS,
I'LL BRING
THE GAS AUGER UPSTAIRS,
AND WE'RE DONE.
FOR ME, THE FOUR SEASONS,
THE TRANSITIONS OF WEATHER
AND THE TRANSITIONS
OF CONDITIONS ON THIS LAKE
IS WHAT MAKES IT
REALLY WELL WORTH LIVING FOR.
JUST OFF THE LAKE,
SINCE RANDY'S CURRENT FLOATS
ARE TAKING ON WATER
AND MAY NOT WITHSTAND BREAK-UP,
RANDY MUST NOW BUILD
NEW PONTOONS FOR HIS HOUSEBOAT.
HE'S HOPING THE RE-PURPOSED FUEL
TANKS
WILL PROVIDE A HIGHER LEVEL
OF PROTECTION FOR HIS FAMILY.
WHEN THAT ENTIRE SHEET
OF ICE STARTS MOVING,
THE MOMENTUM
IS ABSOLUTELY UNSTOPPABLE.
ALL OF THE PLANNING THAT I'VE
DONE FOR THIS RAFT
HAS BEEN, REALLY,
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
TO BUILD A RAFT STRONG ENOUGH
TO WITHSTAND THE ICE CONDITIONS
IN THE SPRINGTIME.
THIS WOULD BE THE WEAK SPOT
OF THE STRUCTURE, REALLY.
SO, IT'S MY CHALLENGE TO BE ABLE
TO STIFFEN THIS JOINT UP
AND TO STRENGTHEN THE STRUCTURE
LENGTH-WISE, THIS WAY.
THE LAST THING I NEED TO BE
WORRYING ABOUT IS
WHETHER OR NOT
MY FLOATS ARE HOLDING WATER,
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE ICE STARTS
MOVING AROUND.
THAT'S JUST A BAD COMBINATION
OF THINGS TO BE THINKING ABOUT
AT THE SAME TIME.
PUT THESE ABOUT AN INCH AWAY
OVER HERE.
I'D SAY THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO
IS THAT
THE ICE WILL, BASICALLY,
COME INTO THIS BAY
IN BIG, HARD SHEETS
AND JUST PUSH RIGHT OVER
THE ROCKS
AND PUSH MY BOAT RIGHT UP
ONTO THE ROCKS,
WHICH WOULD NOT BE GOOD FOR IT.
SO IN THAT SITUATION,
I THINK, REALLY,
ALL THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO
IS JUST, BASICALLY, PRAY.
SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THIS THING
FIT THE WAY
IT DOESN'T WANT TO FIT.
THIS IS THE REAL TEST.
THERE WE GO.
I'M JUST
KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED
AND PRAYING THAT
THIS DESIGN'S GONNA HOLD UP.
PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT
I'LL BE ABLE TO GET THESE FLOATS
IN THE WATER BEFORE BREAK-UP.
IF IT DOESN'T, THEN I'M BACK TO
THE OLD DRAWING BOARD, I GUESS.
JUST OFF SHORE...
WELL, YOU NERVOUS?
YES.
DON'T BE NERVOUS.
...GARY AND MOLLY
SEARCH THE BAY FOR WEAKENING ICE
TO CONDUCT THEIR SURVIVAL TEST.
SO, TO PRACTICE
GETTING OUT OF THE WATER...
MOLLY'S NOT FAMILIAR
WITH THE ICE.
SHE'S NERVOUS ABOUT IT.
AND IF YOU'RE GONNA LIVE
OUT ON THE LAKE,
YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO
GET COMFORTABLE ON THE ICE.
ANYTHING NOT TO DO
THAT I SHOULD KNOW?
THE ICE THAT WE'RE STANDING ON
RIGHT NOW IS SOLID.
IT'LL HOLD OUR WEIGHT.
AND AS YOU GET CLOSER TO THE
EDGE, IT GETS WEAKER AND WEAKER.
AND I WANT TO SHOW HER WHAT THE
ICE FEELS LIKE
WHEN YOU'RE WALKING ON IT
AND WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
YOU'RE WALKING ALONG.
ALL OF A SUDDEN,
ONE OF YOUR FEET GOES DOWN.
YOU GO,
"NO, I'M GOING IN."
YOU TAKE ANOTHER STEP,
IT'S GOING IN.
GET DOWN.
THE TRICK IS,
WHEN YOU'RE GOING INTO THE ICE,
SPREAD YOUR WEIGHT OUT.
BECAUSE ALL OF YOUR FORCE
IS THERE,
IF YOU MOVE IT OUT
OVER A BIGGER AREA,
IT'LL HOLD YOU UP
TILL YOU CAN GET BACK
TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM.
WALKING OUT TO WHERE
I WAS GONNA GET IN THE WATER,
I WAS DEFINITELY FEELING SCARED.
LIKE, THIS IS REAL,
THIS IS HAPPENING,
AND THIS WATER'S COLD.
I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING.
I DON'T ABOUT THIS ONE.
THIS IS LIKE
THROWING YOURSELF...
MY GOD!
IN YELLOWKNIFE BAY,
BREAK-UP IS STARTING.
SPRING'S THAW IS RAPIDLY TURNING
FROZEN GREAT SLAVE LAKE
BACK INTO WATER.
I'M GONNA TIE YOU OFF
OVER HERE.
GARY USES HIS 30
YEARS' EXPERIENCE ON THE LAKE
TO TEACH MOLLY HOW TO SURVIVE
EVERY HOUSEBOATER'S NIGHTMARE.
I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING.
I DON'T KNOW
ABOUT THIS ONE.
THIS IS LIKE
THROWING YOURSELF...
MY GOD!
THAT'S HOW QUICK
IT HAPPENS.
AND NOW I'M THERE,
FREAKING OUT.
LIKE A PRO!
AND THEN GO GET DRY.
THIS YEAR, THE ICE WAS A LITTLE
DIFFERENT THAN IT NORMALLY IS.
USUALLY WHEN YOU'RE WALKING ON
CANDLED OR WEAK ICE,
IT MAKES A NOISE.
IT HISSES AS IT'S GIVING AWAY.
THIS YEAR,
THE ICE JUST SEEMS TO LET GO...
NO WARNING, NO NOISE.
AND IT CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE.
I WASN'T EXPECTING IT.
NOW, REMEMBER,
PRACTICE YOUR DROPPING.
THERE YOU GO.
AAH!
FIRST THING YOU GOT TO
WORRY ABOUT IS PANIC, ALL RIGHT?
WELL DONE.
THAT'S AWESOME.
I WAS SCARED WHEN
I FIRST POPPED THROUGH THAT ICE.
LIKE, IT WAS REAL.
AND THE SHOCK KIND OF HITS YOU
RIGHT AT ONCE,
AND IT'S JUST...
IT BECOMES A REALITY,
AND IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG,
I COULD BE IN SERIOUS DANGER.
TRYING TO GET UP
ON CANDLED ICE,
WHEN IT'S ALL
PACKED TOGETHER,
IT SORT OF HOLDS YOU UP.
BUT ONCE IT STARTS
BREAKING OFF THE EDGE LIKE THAT,
THERE'S NOT A LOT TO HOLD IT
AND YOU CAN KIND OF
TEAR THE EDGES OFF, SEE?
IT MADE ME MORE NERVOUS SEEING
THE DIFFERENT-COLORED ICE
AND WHERE YOU SHOULD WALK
AND WHERE NOT TO WALK,
AND IT'S KIND OF FREAKY.
YOU KIND OF NEVER KNOW
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT'S ALL MOVING
UNDERNEATH ME, TOO.
AAH!
ON A HOUSEBOAT,
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS
THAT CAN GO WRONG.
AND OUT HERE,
MISTAKES CAN COST YOU YOUR LIFE.
NOW THAT MOLLY'S EXPERIENCED
GOING THROUGH THE ICE,
YEAH, I'M GONNA SLEEP BETTER.
ALONG THE NORTHERN SHORE,
RANDY FINISHED BUILDING A
STRONGER, METAL FLOATATION RAFT
FOR HIS HOUSEBOAT.
NOW HE SCOUTS THE BEST LOCATION
TO TEST ITS METTLE.
I NEED TO GET THESE
FLOATS OUT INTO THE BAY
SO THAT I CAN WATCH THEM
TO SEE HOW THEY BEHAVE
IN REAL-WORLD CONDITIONS.
I'M JUST HEADING OVER TO
BAKER CREEK.
IT'S BEEN NICE AND WARM OUT.
WARM AND WINDY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE ICE HAS GOT
TO BE DISAPPEARING FAST.
I'M JUST HOPING THAT THINGS
ARE GONNA HAVE CHANGED OUT HERE
AND SEE SOME OPEN WATER.
RANDY HOPES TO LAUNCH
HIS FLOATATION RAFT FROM BAKER BAY
AND FLOAT IT
OVER TO HIS HOUSEBOAT
ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF YELLOWKNIFE BAY.
IT'S A SHORT DISTANCE,
BUT HE'LL NEED AN OPEN-WATER
ROUTE WITH ENOUGH MELTED ICE.
I SEE ICE PILED UP ON THE SHORE.
THAT'S YELLOWKNIFE BAY
OVER THERE.
THAT'S WHERE MY HOUSEBOAT
IS MOORED RIGHT NOW.
IT'S GONNA BE A WHILE
BEFORE THIS BIG ICE SHEET HERE
WINDS UP BREAKING ITSELF UP
ON ALL OF THE ROCKS
AND, YOU KNOW, WEAKENING
AND MELTING,
UNTIL IT WILL ALLOW
FOR NAVIGATION
ACROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE BAY, THERE.
THIS TWO-TON ICE
SHEET, SEVERAL FEET DEEP,
WOULD BE CAPABLE OF CRUSHING
EVEN HIS METAL FLOATS.
HE'LL NEED TO WAIT FOR THIS TO
MELT OR MOVE OUT OF THE WAY
BEFORE DEPLOYING
HIS FLOATATION RAFT.
BACK IN THE BAY,
OVER AT THE FISH PLANT,
FISHERMEN BRIAN AND HENRY
KEEP AN EYE ON
THE CHANGING CONDITIONS.
GEEZ. I JUST LOOKED OUT
THE WINDOW, THERE.
MAN, THAT ICE IS MELTING
REALLY FAST.
YEAH,
THAT'S NOT GOOD, IS IT?
THAT'S NOT GOOD AT ALL.
IT'S MOVED BACK LIKE THREE FEET
IN THE LAST COUPLE HOURS.
YEAH.
DON'T LOOK GOOD, DOES IT?
NO. NO,
IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.
THE DISAPPEARING ICE CONVINCES
THEM THE TIME IS NOW
TO PULL THEIR SNOWMOBILE
OFF THE LAKE.
OKAY.
IN BUSINESS?
YEAH.
YOU READY?
OKAY. I'M READY, MAN.
THE ICE IS STARTING TO
BREAK DOWN.
IT'S A BRAND-NEW MACHINE
LAST YEAR,
AND I DON'T REALLY WANT TO BE
DIGGING IT OFF
OF THE BOTTOM HERE, SO...
WE KEEP OURSELVES
TO OUR LITTLE BRIDGE HERE
SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DRIVE IT
RIGHT IN THE FRONT DOOR.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'LL PARK IT
FOR THE SEASON.
WITH THE SNOWMOBILE
SAFELY ABOARD,
BRIAN HAS TO PULL UP
THE REMAINING SECTIONS
OF THE WOODEN BRIDGE.
AND THE TEAM'S PREPARATION
FOR BREAK-UP IS COMPLETE.
GEEZ!
HOLY JESUS!
ON GREAT SLAVE LAKE,
WHERE RAPIDLY MELTING ICE
SIGNALS THE COMING OF
THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME OF YEAR,
FISHERMAN BRIAN
GETS IN OVER HIS HEAD.
GEEZ!
HOLY JESUS! THAT'S COLD!
WOW.
MY FREAKING BOOTS
FEEL LIKE ABOUT 500 POUNDS.
LET'S GET INSIDE
IN THE WARMTH.
I LOST MY BALANCE, THERE.
I HAD TO STEP BACK.
THE 30-DEGREE
TEMPERATURES ON GREAT SLAVE LAKE
CAN CAUSE HYPOTHERMIA
IN MINUTES.
OOH, OOH.
HOLY JESUS, THAT'S COLD.
BRIAN MUST QUICKLY
GET OUT OF HIS WET CLOTHES
AND IN FRONT OF A HEATER.
****
IT'S WARM IN HERE.
I BETTER
GET THIS STUFF OFF.
KIND OF... MY TOE OR SOMETHING
HOOKED INTO THE PALETTE
OR SOMETHING.
I LOST MY BALANCE THERE A BIT,
HAD TO STEP BACK.
MAN.
YEAH, THAT'S WET.
YOU GET THAT ONE?
YEAH.
THIS ONE?
YEAH.
THANK YOU.
THE COLD WATER KIND OF
TAKES YOUR BREATH RIGHT AWAY.
AS SOON AS YOU HIT THAT WATER,
MAN, IT'S
PEOPLE DROWN.
HENRY DOESN'T SWIM.
SHEILA DOESN'T SWIM.
IN FACT, I DON'T KNOW A SINGLE
FISHERMAN ON THE LAKE HERE
THAT ACTUALLY SWIMS.
SWIMMING ISN'T GONNA DO YOU
TOO MUCH GOOD
BECAUSE THE WATER'S SO COLD,
YOU'RE GONNA DIE OF HYPOTHERMIA
BEFORE YOU EVER
GET ANYWHERE ANYWAYS.
THIS IS A VERY, VERY COLD LAKE.
WELL, I BET YOU'LL BE
A LITTLE MORE CAREFUL
THE NEXT TIME WE TRY IT.
I HAVEN'T FALLEN INTO ICE WATER
SINCE I WAS A KID.
BROUGHT BACK
A LOT OF OLD MEMORIES, THEN.
WE SHOULD HAVE HAD
THAT STUFF OFF THERE YESTERDAY,
BUT IT WAS GETTING LATE
AND I HADN'T GOT ANY SLEEP
FROM DOING ALL THE PAPERWORK
ALL NIGHT, SO...
BUT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET BACK
OUT THERE AND GET THESE PALETTES OFF
BECAUSE THAT ICE IS DISAPPEARING
AS WE SPEAK.
I TOOK A WALK TO SHORE TODAY
AND THAT'LL BE THE LAST WALK
THAT I TAKE THERE.
YOU COULD FEEL
THE ICE STARTING TO SHIFT,
YOU COULD HEAR IT MOVING.
SO IT'S RIGHT
ABOUT TO BREAK APART.
SO MY NEXT TRIP TO SHORE,
I'LL BE TAKING A CANOE WITH ME
LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES.
AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR,
I ALWAYS KEEP A ROPE
RIGHT BY THE DOOR
JUST IN CASE THAT HAPPENS.
BY MORNING,
THE MASSIVE ICE SHEETS ONCE
SPANNING THE LAKE ARE SHATTERED,
MAKING TRAVEL ACROSS THE SURFACE
TREACHEROUS...
...AND SIGNALING THE ARRIVAL
OF ONE OF THE DEADLIEST TIMES
OF THE YEAR.
BREAK-UP IS UPON US,
AND IT'S SERIOUS BUSINESS.
ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF
"ICE LAKE REBELS"...
****
YOU OKAY?
DORA, YOU OKAY?
ARE YOU OKAY?
THE SUN IS BEATING
THE CRAP OUT OF THIS ICE.
THE ICE IS GONNA DETERIORATE
MORE
AND BREAK INTO SMALLER PIECES
AND PILE UP ALONG THE ISLAND AND
WHERE ALL THE HOUSEBOATS ARE.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
WHOA.
THAT WHOLE PIECE, I THINK,
JUST BROKE OFF.
DOWN IN THE BAY, HERE,
I SENSED ANOTHER
COUPLE OF CHUNKS COMING THERE.
IF YOU WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE
FOR EVERYTHING,
YOU'RE REALLY NOT GONNA LIKE IT.
EVERY YEAR,
IT'S A **** HASSLE.
YOU COULD GO TO SLEEP AT
NIGHT ALL TIED UP ON THE SHORE
AND WAKE UP IN THE MORNING
AND YOU ARE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
YOU KNOW, THE ICE HAS JUST
PUSHED YOU RIGHT OFF
INTO THE BLUE YONDER.