Original subtitles

[ WAVES CRASHING ]

♪♪

Small craft advisory.

Southeast wind -- 55 knots.

Seas -- 31 feet.

♪♪

Sig: THERE'S A STORM COMING.

ELSA.

THEY'RE NAMING A STORM, YOU KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A STORM.

TEMPERATURES ARE GONNA START DROPPING PRETTY QUICK HERE.

THAT'S GONNA BE A ROUGH RIDE.

OH, NO!

Josh: IT'S COMING.

NOWHERE TO HIDE. NOBODY TO SAVE YOU.

BIG TIDE.

Bill: BIG SEAS.

TELLS YOU WHO THE TOUGH GUYS ARE.

-WHAT THE... -WATCH OUT, GUYS!

WATCH, WATCH, WATCH, WATCH, WATCH, WATCH!

-HOLD ON! -WHOO!

OHH, BIG ONE!

WHOO!

Harley: LET'S GET OVER THERE AND CHECK ON THE CASES

RIGHT BEFORE THE STORM HITS.

Bill: SOME GUYS WANTED TO WORK,

THINKING IT'LL BE BETTER THAN WHAT THE HELL

WE'RE GONNA FIND DOWN HERE.

-YEAH! -WHOA!

[ LAUGHS ]THAT IS AS BIG AS IT GETS! BOOM!

Hey, we're getting a bunch of smoke in the engine room.

GO! GO!

WE WANT TO BEAT THIS STORM IN BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

THIS IS WHERE WE FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE REALLY MADE OF.

♪♪

[ HARLEY LAUGHS ]

--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

♪♪

Narrator: JANUARY, ON THE VAST BERING SEA.

Harley: NORTHEAST BLOW.

ELSA.

OPILIO SEASON HEATS UP,

AND THE WINTER WEATHER TAKES A TURN FOR THE WICKED.

FOR THE NEXT FIVE OR SIX DAYS, WE HAVE NORTHEAST 40, 45.

Narrator: A MASSIVE, 500-MILE-WIDE ARCTIC STORM,

THE BIGGEST OF THE SEASON,

BEARS DOWN ON THE OPILIO GROUNDS.

Bill: WHICH ENDS UP BEING THE COLDEST OF THE WINDS

BECAUSE IT'S COMING ACROSS THE LAND,

WHICH IS ALWAYS FROZEN.

Narrator: THE COUNTDOWN UNDERWAY.

THE FLEET RACES TO STUFF THEIR TANKS

BEFORE THE FISHING GROUNDS TAKE ALL OF ELSA'S ICY FURY.

Josh: BIG WAVES, BIG WIND, LOTS OF ICE.

ELSA SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE NICE

AND A DISNEY CREATURE, BUT, OH, NO.

SHE AIN'T NO PRINCESS.

♪♪

♪♪

YOU WANT TO THROW ME ONE OF THOSE LINES THERE?

Narrator: ON THE WIZARD...

JUST DROP IT.

RIGHT ON.

Keith: WELL, THE GAME PLAN IS TO PUT TWO GUYS

INTO A LITTLE, TINY SKIFF IN ST. PAUL HARBOR

IN 30-DEGREE WATER.

AND THEN WELD RIGHT ABOVE THE RUB RAIL DOWN THERE,

WHERE WE'VE GOT THE LEAK IN THE BOAT.

Narrator: CAPTAIN KEITH COLBURN RACES TO REPAIR

HIS DAMAGED VESSEL AND HIT THE FISHING GROUNDS

BEFORE ELSA STRIKES.

Roger: ALL RIGHT. LET HER RIP.

WE MAY HAVE A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF OUR BOAT,

BUT THAT CAN'T COMPARE TO THE HOLE

THAT'S INSIDE KEITH AND MONTE'S HEART RIGHT NOW

AFTER LOSING THEIR OLD MAN.

Narrator: JUST 11 HOURS AGO,

AMID THE CHAOS OF A BREACHED HULL...

-HOW'S IT LOOK, FREDDIE? -THAT'S HOW IT IS, BOSS.

WOW. NICE. HERE, BRING IT IN HERE.

...CAPTAIN KEITH LEARNED

THAT HIS 81-YEAR-OLD FATHER, GARY, HAD SUCCUMBED TO CANCER.

ALL RIGHT, DAD.

TRY AND AVOID ANY MORE WATER COMING IN, WOULD YOU, POPS?

ALL RIGHT, GET HER ON THERE.

RIGHT ON, FREDDIE.

Narrator: NOW THE VETERAN SKIPPER

COUNTS ON A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS OLD MAN

TO TURN HIS LUCK AROUND.

I THINK THAT'LL DO HER.

THE OLD GARY COLBURN MEMORIAL BOAT PATCH.

ALL RIGHT, GUYS, LET'S GET EVERYTHING ONBOARD

AND GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE.

-ROGER THAT. -THANK YOU, BOSS.

COME HERE. COME HERE. PULL.

Narrator: WITH $3.6 MILLION OF OPILIO QUOTA ON THE LINE...

Keith: WE NEED TO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE.

OUR WEATHER WINDOW'S GETTING TIGHTER,

WITH A NORTHEASTERLY 35, 45, AND HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY.

...THE BOAT'S NEWLY PATCHED HULL IS AS READY AS IT'LL EVER BE

FOR ELSA'S ICY RAGE.

Keith: WE JUST NEED TO RAM THIS STUFF ON HERE

AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: 266 MILES SOUTHEAST...

♪♪

...ON THE NORTHWESTERN.

HE WANTS TO GO FORWARD?

Sig: WELL, WE'VE JUST GOT TO DUTCH HARBOR. THE CRANE'S HERE.

[ MAN SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY ]

OKAY. IT'S OKAY NOW.

I HAD MY LAST STRAW OUT HERE ON THIS LAST TRIP.

I MEAN, THE ROTOR FINALLY WENT OUT.

WHOA!

Narrator: IN A SEASON OF FALSE STARTS

AND UNRELENTING BREAKDOWNS...

GOOD NEWS -- WE GOT THE CRANE. YAY. THAT'S ONE HURDLE.

...CAPTAIN SIG HANSEN'S LONG-AWAITED NEW CRANE

IS INSTALLED AT LAST.

Man: YEP, START LOADING BOLTS IN.

THIS NEW ONE -- NUMBER ONE, IT'S LIGHTER,

AND THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR STABILITY.

NUMBER TWO, IT'S STRONGER.

AND IT ALSO LIFTS MORE WEIGHT THAN THE OLD ONE.

THING'S $250,000.

IT AIN'T CHEAP.

LOOK AT THAT BAD BOY!

LOOKS SKINNIER THAN THE OTHER ONE.

Sig: WE'VE GOT WEATHER COMING DOWN HERE.

IT'S BEEN BLOWING ABOUT 40 OUT THERE.

Narrator: ELSA -- JUST DAYS AWAY

FROM CLOBBERING THE FISHING GROUNDS...

BOTTOM LINE IS, IT'S TIME TO GO.

...AND THE CAPTAIN'S READY TO THROW LINES.

-HEY! -OHH!

WHOO!

Narrator: RETURNING JUST IN TIME FOR LUNCH --

SIG'S BROTHER NORMAN...

-DO I GET A HUG? -[ LAUGHS ]

...AND DAUGHTER MANDY.

Good to have you guys. What up, Mandy?

Mandy: Hey!

IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO BE OUT ON THE SEA.

DON'T LIKE HOSPITALS. [ LAUGHS ]

Man: ...HAD A SEIZURE.

Narrator: 16 DAYS AFTER SUFFERING A HEAD INJURY

AND A SEIZURE IN THE ENGINE ROOM...

-HEY, LOOK WHO WE GOT! -WHOA! LOOK AT THIS GUY!

...NORMAN IS BACK TO WORK.

YEAH. GOOD. GOOD TO SEE YOU.

Sig: AWESOME. LET'S GO.

Narrator: AND THE NORTHWESTERN CAN FACE THE STORM

AT FULL STRENGTH.

Man: LET'S GO!

-Mandy: WHOO! -Sig: WHOO!

ALL RIGHT, FINALLY, WE CAN GET OUT OF HERE.

WE GOT OUR FULL CREW.

WE'VE GOT MANDY AND NORMAN WITH US.

WE WANT TO HIT THAT WINDOW BEFORE THE STORM COMES.

IF THE TIMING HITS RIGHT, WE SHOULD BE OKAY.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: 500 MILES NORTH,

ON THE FAR REACHES OF THE FISHING GROUNDS,

NEAR THE RUSSIAN LINE...

...THE CORNELIA MARIEAPPROACHES THE HEAD OF A 30-POT STRING.

Josh: I'M THE ONLY BOAT OUT HERE.

WE'RE CLOSER TO RUSSIA THAN WE ARE THE UNITED STATES.

UP NORTH HERE, IT'S A GAMBLE.

WHEN THAT STORM APPROACHES, OOH, IT'S GONNA TURN NASTY.

NOWHERE TO HIDE. NOBODY TO SAVE YOU.

IT'S COMING.

[ BIRD CALLS ]

GOD HELP US.

Narrator: WITH ARCTIC STORM ELSA RAGING

JUST 200 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST AND CLOSING IN FAST,

THE THREAT OF THE SEASON'S BIGGEST STORM

ISN'T KEEPING CAPTAINS JOSH AND CASEY

FROM DOUBLING DOWN ON THE COLD, NUTRIENT-RICH NORTHERN WATERS.

BOYS ABOUT READY OVER THERE?

First bag's coming up.

-WHOO! -YEAH, BABY!

♪♪

...IT WASN'T A FLUKE.

Narrator: NOW, WITH A MILLION BUCKS WORTH

OF ADDITIONAL QUOTA WITHIN THEIR GRASP,

THEY NEED THIS ONE-HIT WONDER TO GO PLATINUM.

♪♪

YEAH! YEAH!

WHOO!

OH, [BLEEP] YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD ONE.

-[ CASEY LAUGHING ] -WHOA, BABY!

-WOW! -WHOA!

YEAH!

-WOW! -[BLEEP], YEAH!

WHOO! WHOO!

YEAH! BOOM!

THAT WAS RIDICULOUS, D.J.

NOW WE'RE GONNA EXPECT THIS EVERY YEAR.

-YEAH! -[ LAUGHS ] BABY!

DUDE, THAT IS AWESOME!

Josh: THAT'S [BLEEP] AMAZING IS WHAT THAT IS.

[ LAUGHS ] WOW!

Man: [ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]

YEAH! THAT'S WHAT WE WANT!

780 RIGHT THERE.

THIS IS THE TYPE OF NUMBERS I'D SEE IN MY DAD'S BOOK --

ONES JUST LIKE THIS.

Narrator: A GOOD OPI POT HAS AT LEAST 200 CRAB.

THEIR FIRST HAUL NETS NEARLY QUADRUPLE THAT NUMBER.

-OHH! -HOLY [BLEEP] YEAH!

HOLY [BLEEP]! -ARE YOU [BLEEP] KIDDING ME?!

YEAH!

[BLEEP], YEAH! [BLEEP], YEAH!

THIS IS 1,000! THIS IS 1,000 RIGHT HERE!

YEAH!

Josh: HEY! THEY DON'T GET ANY BIGGER THAN THAT!

[ LAUGHING ]Josh: THAT IS AS BIG AS IT GETS!

WOW!

[BLEEP] BE RUNNIN'!

WOW! OHH!

LOOK AT THAT. HEY! -YEAH!

[ BOTH LAUGHING ]

MAKIN' IT RAIN, BABY!

WHOO!

THIS IS THE BEST OPI FISHING I'VE SEEN IN MY CAREER

AS A CAPTAIN, EVER.

LIKE, I KEEP LOOKING AT THAT PICTURE,

AND HE KEEPS LOOKING BACK AT ME

AND HE'D PROBABLY GIVE ME AN "ATTABOY" AND BE LIKE,

"WAY TO GO, KID. WAY TO GO."

ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.

[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY, BLEEP]

NO, NO, NO.

-Casey: WHOO! -HE WANTS TO SET BACK.

NO, WE'RE GONNA DEFINITELY LACE THE AREA, BUT...

YOU DON'T WANT TO SET RIGHT BACK DOWN WHERE YOU JUST WERE.

WE'RE GONNA TRY TO CONSOLIDATE THE GEAR

BEFORE THE BLOW AND GET IT LAID OUT

SO WE CAN STILL PICK IT UP IN PRETTY HEAVY WEATHER.

Narrator: RATHER THAN SENDING THEIR POTS BACK INTO BATTLE,

THE CAPTAINS RE-ORIENT THEIR STRINGS

FOR ELSA'S BARRAGE OF WIND AND WAVES.

[ LOUD CLANK ]

Casey: IF YOU LAY YOUR GEAR RIGHT AND YOU PROTECT THE CREW

AND YOU GO SLOW, YOU CAN USUALLY FISH

SOME PRETTY GNARLY STUFF WITH THIS BOAT.

NO GUARANTEES,

BUT WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT A DAMN GOOD SHOT.

ELSA'S GONNA COME AND FREEZE OUR ASSES OFF.

WE'RE ALL LAUGHING AND SMILING NOW, BUT IT'S COMING.

AND WHEN IT DOES, IT'S NOT GONNA BE PRETTY.

IT'LL BE AN ICY HELL.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: 326 MILES NORTHWEST OF DUTCH HARBOR...

I'M READY. LET'S DO THE DAMN THING.

...ON THE SUMMER BAY...

Bill: ALL RIGHT, GUYS. FIRST ONE COMING UP HERE.

LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT TO WORK WITH.

♪♪

Man: OH, YEAH.

Bill: OH, HERE WE GO.

PRETTY FAR WEST. WE'RE OUT BY THE PINNACLE.

LAST YEAR, WE TOOK OUR ENTIRE SEASON

OUT OF THIS AREA RIGHT HERE.

BUT I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THESE FAST, YOU KNOW?

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAUL THIS GEAR BEFORE THE STORM HITS.

Narrator: ARCTIC STORM ELSA CLOSES IN FROM THE NORTHEAST.

UNDER THE GUN, CAPTAIN "WILD" BILL WICHROWSKI

HOPES FOR A QUICK WIN

IN A SPOT WHERE HE HIT IT BIG A YEAR AGO.

SOMEWHERE IN THIS FIRST TRIP THROUGH THE 160 POTS,

I NEED TO FIND A WORKABLE NUMBER.

I HOPE THAT THE CRAB GODS GAVE US SOMETHING HERE.

♪♪

♪♪

OHH! UGH!

YEAH, I DON'T SEE [BLEEP] IN IT.

TOTAL?

UGLY.

FIRST POT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.

Bill: PROBABLY ABOUT A 40.

27 in the first pot.

27.

NOT A GOOD SIGN.

♪♪

OHH, EVEN WORSE.

-Man: OHH. -UGH!

NO!

NOT LOOKING GOOD RIGHT NOW.

Bill: OH, NO!

Narrator: BILL'S OLD HOT SPOT IS ICE-COLD.

WHAT AM I GONNA DO?

SOME GUYS WENT ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CORNER, WAY UP NORTH.

Narrator: NOW HE TURNS HIS GAZE TOWARDS THE RUSSIAN LINE...

Bill: LOOKS LIKE THE CORNELIA MIGHT BE UP THERE.

...LOOKING TO DO ANOTHER KIND OF FISHING...

[ DIALING ]

FISHING FOR INFORMATION.

CORNELIA. CORNELIA MARIE.

SUMMER BAY. YOU GUYS GOT ME HERE?

HEY, BILL. HOW YOU DOING, MAN?

ACTUALLY, IT'S WEAK HERE.

THIS HAS BEEN A TOTAL BUST.

YEAH, WE'RE WAY, WAY, WAY UP NORTH.

YOU'RE UP ABOVE THE 59?

YOU'RE, LIKE, WHAT, 59-40?

Does it look like it's holding up?

Narrator: AS A CAPTAIN, SHARING INTEL...

Man: PULL IT OVER!

...EVEN WITH A FRIEND, IS RISKY BUSINESS...

Any chance of a-a locale?

...AND A QUICK WAY TO TURN A PRIVATE HOT SPOT

INTO A PUBLIC FEEDING FRENZY.

I'M NOT GONNA JUMP IN YOUR BACK POCKET,

BUT MAYBE I'LL GET IN THE AREA, AND YOU CAN GIVE ME

A LITTLE BIT OF HOOTENANNY, AND THEN I'LL OWE YOU ONE.

[ MAN SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY ]

-YEAH! -YEAH! WHOO!

♪♪

YEAH, ROGER. ROGER.

RIGHT AROUND 59 -- BETWEEN 59-20

and 59-50, kinda.

YOU KNOW, LIKE, THE POTS ARE COMING UP DAMN NEAR HALF-FULL.

ALL RIGHT, BROTHER.

I THINK IT'LL BE BETTER THAN WHAT THE HELL

WE'RE GONNA FIND DOWN HERE.

ROGER. ROGER.

I JUST HOPE WE DON'T GET [BLEEP] BY WEATHER.

Casey: I JUST HOPE THE FLEET DOESN'T FOLLOW HIM.

YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS

WHILE IT'S HERE AND IT'S OURS.

WHEN YOU GOT CRAB FISHING LIKE THIS, YOU CANNOT SLOW DOWN.

YOU GOTTA GO, GO, GO, GO, GO.

♪♪

Narrator: JUST 5 MILES OFF CASEY'S STERN...

♪♪

Coming up, Munsey.

♪♪

I DO SEE A COUPLE OTHER BOATS IN THE VICINITY.

CASEY AND JOSH ARE UP HERE.

...AN UNINVITED GUEST PROWLS JOSH AND CASEY'S HOT SPOT.

YEAH, LET'S GO AND PICK ONE OF THESE POTS.

LET'S GET OVER THERE AND GO CHECK ONE OF CASEY'S RIGHT NOW.

Narrator: CAPTAIN STEVE "HARLEY" DAVIDSON

APPROACHES THE CORNELIA'SSTRING...

Harley: OH, HERE IT IS.

...LOOKING TO CONFIRM HIS SUSPICION

THAT THESE NORTHERN WATERS HOLD AN UNTAPPED OPILIO BONANZA.

THE INFORMATION IS FREAKING PRETTY VALUABLE, YOU KNOW?

AND I'M RIGHT BY HERE. I NEED THE INFORMATION ALSO.

♪♪

ABOUT TO CHECK A POT OF CASEY'S, SEE IF HE'S CATCHING ANYTHING

BEFORE WE GO SETTIN' THE WHOLE SACK OFF ON NOTHING.

Narrator: CHECKING ANOTHER BOAT'S POT

ISN'T AGAINST THE LAW.

BUT GETTING CAUGHT IN THE ACT?

THEM'S FIGHTING WORDS.

Munsey: YEAH!

YEAH, OPIS, BABY!

I WOULD THINK IT'S A COUPLE HUNDRED,

IF I WERE TO JUST LOOK AT IT RIGHT HERE, BUT...

Narrator: THE CORNELIA MARIE POT SPILLS THE BEANS.

THESE NUTRIENT-RICH NORTHERN WATERS

ARE TEEMING WITH OPILIO.

Harley: THIS IS FREAKING AWESOME STUFF.

[ LAUGHS ]

OKAY, YOU GUYS, LET'S GET THESE POTS IN THE WATER.

Narrator: COVERT INTEL IN HAND...

-READY. -GOING OVER.

...HARLEY WASTES NO TIME CASHING IN.

SO WE'RE IN CRUNCH TIME RIGHT NOW.

WE GOT TO GO, GO, GO AND GET THIS OFF THE BOAT.

Harley: WE GOT WEATHER ON THE HORIZON HERE.

WE GOT TO GET THESE POTS SET BEFORE THE STORM HITS.

♪♪

Narrator: 230 MILES SOUTHEAST,

ON THE SOUTHERN OPILIO GROUNDS...

♪♪

♪♪

Keith: THE WEATHER HAS DEFINITELY INCREASED.

ELSA'S STARTING TO SHOW UP.

SHE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE SHE'S VERY HAPPY.

...CAPTAIN KEITH STEERS THE WIZARD

TO GEAR THAT'S BEEN SOAKING FOR THREE DAYS.

ALL RIGHT, COMING UP, GUYS.

THIS POINT RIGHT NOW, IF I CAN FIND A 200 AVERAGE,

I'M GONNA SET ON IT AND THEN JUST TRY AND WORK THAT

WHILE I'M WAITING FOR THE STORM TO SUBSIDE.

HERE WE GO. FIRST POT. WE'LL SEE IF ANYTHING GIVES.

♪♪

[ SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY ]

ALL RIGHT, FREDDIE.

-[ SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY ] -YEAH, BABY!

-UNH! -WHOO!

ANYTHING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK.

[ WHOOPING ]

GIVE ME SOMETHING.

BIG BOYS. BIG BOYS.

♪♪

WHAT DO WE GOT THERE, GUYS?

WHAT DO WE GOT? DO WE GOT A FEW?

WHAT DO WE GOT?

NOT MUCH.

♪♪

21 CRAB. THAT'S NOT EVEN ENOUGH FOR DINNER.

♪♪

I'M NOT GIVING UP HOPE,

BUT I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS HERE.

[ GROANS ] BOO!

NOT MANY IN THIS ONE.

DOZEN CRAB, MAYBE?

Munsey: 11.

OH, BOY. GETTING WORSE.

JUST PLAN ON STACKING 'EM, OKAY?

OKAY... [ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]

THIS IS LOOKING LIKE IT'S GETTING PRETTY DESPERATE

AROUND HERE.

DAMN IT!

[ GROANS ]

Keith: I GOTTA COME UP WITH SOMETHING.

THIS IS NOT WORKING.

Todd: WEATHER'S PICKING UP QUITE A BIT.

OBVIOUSLY, SINCE WE HAVEN'T FOUND THE CRAB,

WE'VE BEEN STACKING OUR GEAR.

SO, WE'RE GONNA WANT TO FIND A HOME

FOR THESE, ACTUALLY, PRETTY QUICK.

Narrator: WITH ELSA'S INESCAPABLE BITE

JUST 24 HOURS AWAY,

THE WIZARDIS IN A RACE WITH THE STORM TO STACK AND MOVE...

'CAUSE I WANT NO PART OF ELSA WHEN SHE GETS HERE

AND SHE GETS PISSED OFF.

...WHILE THEY STILL CAN.

WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF POWER!

WHAT'S DOWN? WHAT'S DOWN?

[ TONE SOUNDING ]

WHAT THE...

[ ALARM BLARING ]

I GOT A LOT OF SMOKE IN THE ENGINE ROOM.

HEY, WE'RE GETTING A BUNCH OF SMOKE IN THE ENGINE ROOM.

CAN YOU GET DOWN THERE REAL QUICK?

Man: GO, GO!

[ ALARM CONTINUES BLARING ]

GOSH DARN IT. WE DO NOT NEED THIS.

♪♪

[ ALARM CONTINUES BLARING ]

Narrator: ABOARD THE WIZARD...

HEY, WE'RE GETTING A BUNCH OF SMOKE IN THE ENGINE ROOM.

CAN YOU GET DOWN THERE REAL QUICK?

-[BLEEP]. -GO, GO!

GOSH DARN IT. WE DO NOT NEED THIS.

♪♪

-Man: ON IT! -SMELLING BURNING RUBBER?

♪♪

[ SWITCH CLICKING ]

♪♪

♪♪

WE GOT TO GET THIS GEAR OUT,

AND THE LAST THING WE NEED IS PROBLEMS LIKE THIS.

Keith: BASICALLY, THE AIR CLUTCH IS LIKE BRAKE PADS.

AND IF WE DON'T MAINTAIN

A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF AIR PRESSURE,

THOSE BRAKE PADS WILL PRETTY MUCH STAY SEMI-ENGAGED.

AND AS THAT DRUM'S STILL SPINNING,

IT'LL JUST BURN THOSE PADS RIGHT UP.

Narrator: ON THE WIZARD, AN AIR BLADDER CLUTCH INFLATES,

MAKING A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE GENERATOR

AND THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM.

WHEN AIR PRESSURE IS LOST,

THE CLUTCH SPINS IN THE GENERATOR'S DRUM,

CREATING FRICTION AND SMOKE INSTEAD.

NO HYDRAULICS MEANS NO POT LAUNCHER,

NO CRANE TO HAUL OR DROP POTS,

AND NO CRAB PUMPS TO KEEP THE CATCH ALIVE.

DAMN IT.

[ SPITS ]

BOY, WE ARE JUST SNAKE-BIT, MAN.

ME, I'M GETTING A LITTLE WORN OUT ON BREAKDOWNS

AND PATCHING BOATS AND BOATS TAKING ON WATER AND...

[ SIGHS ] FAMILY ISSUES.

Roger: WE'RE GONNA BE DOWN THERE WRENCHING AS FAST AS WE CAN,

GETTING THIS OUT AND BACK TOGETHER.

THE WEATHER DOESN'T MAKE ANYTHING EASIER ON A BOAT,

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH PROJECTS

WORKING ON ENGINES LIKE THIS.

Narrator: WITH ARCTIC STORM ELSA IMMINENT

AND 50 POTS STILL IN THE WATER,

KEITH'S PLAN TO STACK AND MOVE TO BETTER GROUNDS

NOW RESTS IN THE HANDS OF HIS ENGINEERS.

Keith: IT INVOLVES PULLING PIPES OFF AND MOTORS OFF,

PULLING THE OLD BLADDER OUT, INSERTING THE NEW ONE.

IT'S A BIG PROJECT.

I MEAN, WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE

WHILE WE HAVE SOME DECENT WEATHER TO TRAVEL IN.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA BEAT THE STORM OR NOT.

♪♪

[ BIRDS CALLING ]

♪♪

Narrator: 226 MILES NORTHWEST...

...AFTER 48 HOURS OF GROWING DREAD,

BONE-CHILLING BREAKERS AND GALE-FORCE WINDS

ANNOUNCE THE ARRIVAL OF ARCTIC STORM ELSA.

♪♪

ON THE SUMMER BAY...

♪♪

Bill: BIG SEAS. COLD.

IT IS WINTERTIME IN ALASKA.

...CAPTAIN WILD BILL WICHROWSKI

REACHES THE FAR NORTHERN WATERS OF THE RUSSIAN BORDERLINE.

Bill: TOOK A LOT OF FUEL TO GET HERE,

AND A LOT OF TIME.

WE'RE CURRENTLY ALMOST AT THE NORTH POLE. [ CHUCKLES ]

I'VE NEVER FISHED OPIS THIS FAR UP,

SO I'M HOPING THAT WE SEE A BUNCH OF FRESH-LOOKING CRAB.

A LOT RIDING ON THIS.

Narrator: AFTER WORKING SOME KEY INTEL OUT OF CASEY,

BILL'S MADE THE 170-MILE JOURNEY NORTH,

COUNTING ON THESE COLD, NORTHERN WATERS

TO OUTWEIGH THE RISK OF CHARGING HEADLONG

INTO THE TEETH OF THE GALE.

Man: NOT REAL IDEAL SETTING CONDITIONS.

WE ARE A THOUSAND MILES FROM NOWHERE,

SO DO NOT HURT ANYBODY OR BREAK ANYTHING.

LET 'EM GO.

[ MAN SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY ]

♪♪

IT REALLY SUCKS SETTING INTO IT.

I THINK OUR [BLEEP] ALL [BLEEP] UP

AND SCARED [BLEEP]-LESS.

UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE SEEN A MAN GO OVER THE DECK BEFORE.

HE DIDN'T RECOVER. THAT WAS 20 YEARS AGO NEXT MONTH.

Bill: GIGANTIC.

THERE'S SOME BIG SEAS, AND THEY'RE CLOSE TOGETHER.

THEY'RE STACKED UP PRETTY TIGHT. THAT'S THE THING.

THERE'S NOT A BOAT LENGTH IN BETWEEN EACH ONE.

YOU'RE NOT EVEN OVER THE TOP OF THE NEXT ONE,

AND THE NEXT ONE'S COMING ON YOU, SO...

THE SEAS ARE HORRIBLE. THE BERING SEA'S PISSED OFF.

♪♪

-WHOA! -YEAH!

THERE'S A BIG ONE.

THAT'S A BIG ONE.

[ ALARM BUZZES ] WATCH OUT, GUYS!

WATCH, WATCH, WATCH, WATCH, WATCH, WATCH!

♪♪

Narrator: 550 MILES NORTHWEST OF DUTCH HARBOR...

THE SEAS ARE HORRIBLE. THE BERING SEA IS PISSED OFF.

...ARCTIC STORM ELSA HAMMERS THE WATERS

NEAR THE RUSSIAN LINE.

Narrator: ON THE SUMMER BAY...

WHOA!

...CAPTAIN WILD BILL WICHROWSKI NAVIGATES A MINEFIELD

OF TOWERING 30-FOOT WHITECAPS.

Man: YEAH!

THERE'S A BIG ONE.

THAT'S A BIG ONE.

[ ALARM BUZZES ] WATCH OUT, GUYS!

WATCH, WATCH, WATCH, WATCH, WATCH, WATCH!

♪♪

WOW, ARE YOU OKAY?

WE'RE OKAY!

♪♪

LIKE THE BERING SEA WANTS US DEAD.

AH! COME ON!

Narrator: BATTERED BY 15,000 GALLONS OF ICY WATER

BUT STILL STANDING...

IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT IN BETWEEN POTS,

BUT WE'LL GET 'EM OFF.

...WILD BILL AND HIS CREW WILL PRESS ON

INTO THE GNARLED MAW OF THE STORM.

LET IT GO.

Bill: IF YOU CAN BEAT 300s ON 18 HOURS, THAT'D BE HUGE.

MAKE THIS MOVE SEEM WORTHWHILE.

MAKE ME NOT LOOK LIKE SUCH A DUMBASS.

♪♪

Narrator: BACK DOWN SOUTH...

♪♪

...ELSA'S RELENTLESS FURY

UPENDS THE GROUNDS NEAR ST. PAUL.

WINTER IS HERE.

Narrator: ABOARD THE NORTHWESTERN...

OHH, BIG ONE!

IT'S PRETTY BIG SEAS OUT.

THE GUYS GOTTA REALLY BE ON THEIR GAME.

...CAPTAIN SIG APPROACHES HIS STRING.

YOU GUYS READY? -Man: Yeah.

-GOOD. -OHH!

COME ON!

♪♪

YOU KNOW, MY ANXIETY LEVEL IS WAY UP.

WHOA!

WE'VE HAD A REALLYROUGH START WITH THAT FIRST TRIP

AND ALL THE CALAMITY WE WENT THROUGH, BUT TODAY'S A NEW DAY.

WHOA!

WE'VE GOT NORMAN BACK, AND MANDY CAME UP TO HELP OUT,

SO THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

OH, I GUESS I'M HAPPY TO BE BACK.

AND THE GUYS NEED MY HELP ANYWAY, SO...

Narrator: WITH HIS CREW AND BOAT FINALLY BACK AT FULL STRENGTH,

ALL THAT'S LEFT TO DO IS GET ON THE CRAB.

Sig: THIS HAS A WEEK SOAK ON IT RIGHT NOW.

HOPEFULLY, WE PUT 'EM IN THE RIGHT SPOT.

Narrator: AND HE'S PINNED HIS HOPES ON A STRING

HE LEFT SOAKING SEVEN DAYS AGO,

WHEN HIS BUSTED CRANE FORCED HIM BACK TO PORT.

Sig: ALL RIGHT. COME ON, BABY.

-WHOA! [ LAUGHS ] -WHOO!

-YEAH! -WHOO!

WHOO!

-[ LAUGHS ] -YEAH!

[ LAUGHS ]

THERE'S...

A LOT OF LIFE.

OH, YEAH!

-YEAH! -AW, YEAH!

WHOO!

WE GOT A GOOD NUMBER.

-WHOO! -WHOA!

Sig: VERY GOOD SURPRISE FOR JUST TOSSING IT OUT UP HERE.

♪♪

390.

THREE-NINE-ZERO.

-WHOO! -WHOA! WHOA!

OOH!

OOH-HOO-HOO-HOO!

IT'S A LOT OF VOLUME. -IT'S A LOT OF CRAB.

OHH!

Sig: NICE, BIG POTS.

I'M HAPPY. WE'RE FISHING, MAN!

WE'RE DOING IT!

WE'RE [BLEEP] IN IT!

Man: WHOO!

Man: YEAH, BABY!

Sig: YOU KNOW, MANDY --

SHE'S OUT ON DECK, HELPING SORT CRAB,

WHICH IS SO NICE TO HAVE THAT EXTRA SET OF HANDS.

SO WE'RE GETTING THROUGH 'EM. IT'S PHENOMENAL.

WE'RE JUST BURNING THROUGH IT.

♪♪

Narrator: 340 MILES NORTHWEST...

...JUST A STONE'S THROW FROM PUTIN'S BACKYARD...

GONNA BE A WET ONE OUT HERE, BOYS.

IT'S HERE NOW. THE WEATHER IS HERE.

I THOUGHT WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME

BEFORE IT TURNED LIKE THIS, BUT HERE WE ARE.

Narrator: ...SOUTHERN WIND CAPTAIN STEVE "HARLEY" DAVIDSON

GOES TOE-TO-TOE WITH

THE FIRST ARCTIC MEGASTORM OF THE WINTER SEASON.

THIS COLD NORTHEAST PALLETS IS REALLY GONNA...

DO A NUMBER TO THESE GUYS.

♪♪

THIS IS WHERE WE FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE REALLY MADE OF, HUH?

Narrator: GRINDING ON BAD NUMBERS DOWN SOUTH...

Harley: I HAVE ABOUT 30,000 POUNDS CAUGHT,

AND THE TOTAL THAT I NEED IS 250,000.

256,000 OR SOMETHING.

...HARLEY TRAVELED 220 MILES NORTH.

Harley: WE STILL GOT A LITTLE JOURNEY AHEAD OF US.

Narrator: NOW, AFTER POACHING VITAL INTEL

FROM JOSH AND CASEY'S GEAR...

OKAY, HERE IT COMES.

FIRST POT COMING UP, GUYS.

...THE VETERAN SKIPPER LOOKS TO TAKE A BIG BITE

OUT OF THEIR RED-HOT HONEY HOLE.

-ARE YOU READY?! -GOOD!

-HELL, YEAH! -WHOO!

WHOO! YEAH!

OH, MY GOD! OH, MY GOD!

♪♪

COME ON, BUDDY.

♪♪

Narrator: THIS WEEK ON "SALTY TAKES"...

Keith: IT'S AMAZING, THIS MUD, MAN. IT'S REALLY FINE.

I MEAN, I GUARANTEE YOU, THEY COULD USE THIS AT THE SPA.

..."HOW TO KEEP THAT YOUTHFUL COMPLEXION," BY KEITH COLBURN.

MY SKIN FEELS GREAT, MAN.

IT FEELS LIKE -- I'M SERIOUS. I FEEL REFRESHED, REJUVENATED.

I FEEL 10 YEARS YOUNGER.

BERING SEA VOLCANIC ASH MUD.

CRAB LOVE IT...

AAH!

...AND YOU'LL LOVE IT, TOO.

[ LAUGHS ]

Narrator: IF YOU'VE EVER WONDERED

HOW TO CATCH 145,000 POUNDS OF CRAB

AND STILL RETAIN THE SKIN OF A HEALTHY NEWBORN, NOW YOU KNOW.

VOLCANIC OCEAN SILT -- COMING TO A SPA NEAR YOU.

Narrator: 500 MILES NORTHWEST OF DUTCH HARBOR,

ON THE SOUTHERN WIND...

♪♪

Harley: TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A RISK TO RUN UP HERE,

BUT THERE'LL BE SOMETHING.

I HOPE.

COME ON, BUDDY.

♪♪

-OHH! -OHH!

OHH! [ LAUGHS ]

-OH, [BLEEP]! -THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S GOOD.

♪♪

Harley: PRETTY NICE-LOOKING CRAB.

THAT'S GOTTA BE 450, 500s, HUH?

Narrator: ONE POT IN,

ALL SIGNS POINT TO A DOOR-BUSTING HAUL.

WE'D LIKE TO DO THAT AGAIN.

Narrator: BUT ONE POT DOES NOT A STRING MAKE.

Harley: JUST GOTTA SEE IF

WE'RE GONNA GET A LITTLE STRETCH OF THIS.

♪♪

WHOO!

GORGEOUS.

Harley: GOD ALMIGHTY.

THAT'S A NICE POT THERE. HOLY SMOLDERS.

BIG ONES.

570, THAT POT.

THAT'S OUR NEW HIGH POT FOR THIS SEASON.

Man: OHH! [ LAUGHS ]

WHOO!

Narrator: 570 CRAB.

THAT'S OVER 4 GRAND A POT.

Harley: I'M THINKING WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.

KEEP CHUGGING AWAY,

KEEPING THIS BOAT WORKING THROUGH THE STORM.

NOT GONNA BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

WE'RE JUST HERE FOR A GOOD TIME.

♪♪

Narrator: 230 MILES SOUTHEAST...

♪♪

...ON THE WIZARD...

Keith: I WAS HOPING TO BE OUT OF HERE BY MIDNIGHT.

HELL, 50 MORE POTS, IT'S GONNA TAKE US ANOTHER FOUR, FIVE HOURS

TO GET OUT OF HERE.

Narrator: AFTER A DISAPPOINTING START TO HIS WINTER SEASON,

KEITH'S PLAN TO STACK AND MOVE IS ON HOLD,

THANKS TO A BURNED OUT CLUTCH.

[ MACHINERY RUNNING ]

♪♪

♪♪

Keith: OH, HE'S JUST GIVEN ME A THUMBS UP.

RIGHT ON.

WE MAY BE GOOD TO GO.

LET'S CARRY ON. WE GOTTA GET THIS GEAR ON HERE.

AS SOON AS WE GET IT ON,

WE'RE GONNA TRY AND MAKE A RUN UP TO THE RUSSIAN LINE.

RIGHT NOW, I'M KIND OF OUT OF OPTIONS.

NO IDEA WHAT'S GONNA BE UP NEAR THE RUSSIAN BORDER,

BUT WE'RE GONNA GO TAKE A STAB AT IT,

SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THERE.

PUTTING A BIG STACK ON AND HEADING NORTH,

KNOWING THERE'S A HARD NORTHEASTERLY COMING,

IS A GAMBLE.

SO, WE'RE GAMBLING.

THERE'S JUST NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT.

THAT'S WHAT FISHING IS.

FISHING IS JUST HIGH-STAKES GAMBLING.

♪♪

Narrator: KEITH GOES ALL-IN

ON A MOVE TO THE HEART OF THE STORM.

BUT 170 MILES NORTH, THE SUMMER BAYIS ALREADY THERE.

WHOA.

WHOA!

ABOUT TO CHUCK THE LAST POT IN!

Narrator: CAPTAIN WILD BILL FOLDS HIS CARDS

IN THE FACE OF ELSA'S GROWING FURY.

YEAH, SECURE THE DECK REALLY WELL.

WE GOT A [BLEEP] OUT AHEAD OF US.

WHOA!

Bill: THESE ARE NOT FAVORABLE CONDITIONS.

WE'RE GONNA HEAD INTO ST. PAUL.

HOPEFULLY, WE CAN SLIDE INTO THE DOCK.

THAT'LL BE IT. WE'RE DONE.

Narrator: AND ON THE NORTHWESTERN,

WITH FULL TANKS...

I DON'T WANT TO BUST ANY WINDOWS.

DON'T NEED 'EM COMING OVER THE WHEELHOUSE.

...SIG WILL BANK HIS CHIPS

IN THE SAFETY OF ST. PAUL.

Sig: I WANT TO BEAT THIS STORM IN BEFORE, UH,

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Narrator: UP NORTH...

OH, MAN. THE WEATHER HAS JUST BEEN INSANE.

...JOSH AND CASEY ARE HOLDING ACES...

-WHOO! -WHOO!

THAT'S BEAUTIFUL!

-YEAH! -YEAH!

DUMPING THEM IN! [ LAUGHING ]

...CASHING IN ON THE RUSSIAN LINE'S

MASSIVE OPILIO JACKPOT.

FISHING IS HOT!

THIS IS THE MEAT PILE, MAN.

THE JUICE IS WORTH A SQUEEZE.

Narrator: NOW 600 MILES ACROSS AND GETTING MEANER BY THE HOUR,

ELSA PLOTS HER COURSE.

WHOA!

Narrator: WITH THE STORM'S WORST DAYS TO COME...

THROW YOU AROUND LIKE A LITTLE RAG DOLL.

...CAPTAINS WHO REFUSE TO WALK AWAY...

-WHOA! -AAH!

...ARE IN FOR THE FIGHT OF THEIR LIVES.

Man: [BLEEP]!

GET THE LINE! GET THE LINE!

[ THUD ] -HANG ON, GUYS.

HANG ON! HANG ON!

Man: WHOA! -AAH!

-WHOA! -WHOA!