With the production of the fourth and newest season of Deadliest Catch before us, I again find myself flying out to Dutch Harbor. The place is not easy to get to. Many times members of our crew have been turned around mid-flight when the unpredictable Alaskan weather shifted and made landing in Dutch impossible. Almost every member of our crew has a story to tell about the crazy landings that we have had on Dutch’s short runway. Even when the plane is on final approach, landing is still not guaranteed. As the plane flies into the Aleutian islands' canyons and makes its final turn above the Delta Western fuel dock, all eyes onboard are fixated ahead staring at the gyrating view through the turboprop’s windshield. Ten feet off the runway, while the passengers hang on in terror, the pilot makes the final decision whether or not to commit and actually land the plane.
For the crab vessels, the trip to Dutch is even more of a challenge. The Bering Sea is just one of the legendary “pieces of water” on this planet. On their way to Dutch, many of our boats will have to brave the north Pacific and cross the Gulf of Alaska. Eventually they will have to take the narrow and dangerous passes through the Aleutian Island chain. These passes -- False Pass, Unimak Pass, Unalga Pass -- have infamous reputations known to all northern mariners.
Looking down from my window, I am offered a rare view of these particular passes, more like huge rivers than anything else. Two great oceans, each with its own tides and currents, are forced to meet and equalize themselves in these narrow places. The fishermen fear them -- and for good reason! Many boats have been sunk, and even more have been damaged or run aground in these passes. When the tide runs against the current the danger triples, the waves stack up and their faces become nearly vertical, their crests pounding down with ferocity.
Somewhere down there a handful of crab boats have departed from Seattle and are now headed for Dutch. Our newest boat, the boat that I will be on this year, the F/V North American, is down there and so is the F/V Wizard. Aboard the Wizard, for the first time ever, one of our cameramen, David Farkas, is filming this pre-season journey. I smile to myself thinking about him being tossed around down there, already engaging the violent sea. This year we will be sharing this treacherous trip with our viewers. I can’t wait to see what David captures on tape. I will tell you this … hang on! By plane or by boat, if you are headed to Dutch Harbor; it is going to be a wild ride!
More to Catch:
Want to know more about the journey to Dutch? Find out in our video podcasts.
Want to know more about Alaska and Dutch Harbor? Visit the Wiki.
Photos: Corey Arnold/ DCL 2008 |
Hi my name is Bryan West i am 23 years old. I have no idea where else to post this so here goes. I would love the oppertunity to join the alaskan crabbing tradition and become a fisherman. I scoured the websites for a place to apply and came up short. I was in the navy for 3 years so i have survival and ship training. Thank you for your time reding this.
Bryan
tinmantwo84@hotmail.com
Posted by: Bryan West | April 15, 2008 at 10:59 PM
Doug,
After Deadliest Catch Episodes 1 and 2 can David Farkas blog/ retell some highlights of the Wizard damage/trip. Can you enlighten us as to where the trouble occured on the way from Seattle to Dutch please? Thank you for all the thrills tonight and hug your camera and home families that you all made it safe and sound for another wonderful season. Bless you all and wishing you the very best.
Posted by: Carole | April 16, 2008 at 12:46 AM
I never realized just how harrowing the journey TO Dutch could be. Every episode I see gives me an even greater appreciation for the brave people (crabbers AND cameramen) that do this job!
I'm glad everything worked out alright and everyone made it to Dutch safely!
Posted by: Lindsay | April 16, 2008 at 11:13 AM
I awoke over the weekend and started surfing the channels and was thrilled to see a marathon of Deadliest Catch being played, talk about fore play. I lazed around most of Sat, enjoying and recapturing of all the excitement of each season. Then yesterday to my surprise I sat down to watch the start of season 4 and my wife joined me. I have watched religiously for the past 3 years and commend these guys for doing a job that they truely enjoy. The passion each captain shows for all they do is refreshingly genuine. I do my best to honor these guys, by only ordering crab legs that are fished only in Alaska. I personally know a head chef for a locate fine dining restaurant and he assures me that his crab legs are from Alaska. Can't wait for more episodes to come.
Posted by: Brandon | April 16, 2008 at 03:02 PM
like to know more about boats and there history.
Posted by: danny strickland | April 16, 2008 at 08:17 PM
I'm so glad the new season is here! It's been waaaay too long since I've seen DC on the telly. (A few more replays off season would be EXCELLENT.) I love the fact that we're seeing more of the prep work and journey this year. The wave incident on the Wizard (my favorite boat! Awesome Capt. and Crew!!!) was really a harrowing event to watch! I can't imagine what it must have been like to see the boat start to take on water!
I've heard that flight into Dutch is rough...maybe we could see a little of that? Anyway, great stuff and can't wait for more!
Posted by: Elizabeth | April 17, 2008 at 01:16 PM
Welcome BACK!!! How I have missed the show! I enjoyed watching the highlights with the extra footage -- and I would know because I watched the reruns last year what, every time they were on?
God bless all of you brave men, may you have bountiful catches and safe seas.
A special hello to Sig and the crew of the Northwestern.
Posted by: Lucy | April 17, 2008 at 04:40 PM
I am SOOOOOO Glad that Deadliest Catch is back on for another season...I missed you guys! Last season was my first exposure to deadliest catch and I AM HOOKED! As a US Navy veteran, I had the unique opportunity of operating up there on an aircraft carrier, and it was THE MOST challenging work I have ever done. Of course we didn't get tossed about like the 125ft Northwestern does in those seas, but let me tell you...even on a 98,000 ton Aircraft Carrier, you know you're in rough seas! A lot of those shots looking out over the water and seeing those huge swells and white caps with spray sure does bring back those memories of that area of the world. For the Discovery Crews (yes we all love the boats and their crews), the best episode was the end of year show that showed what all the film crews went through to bring us this OUSTANDING documentary. Keep up the excellent work, and please accept a "A Sincere Well Done" for making the BEST Show on TV.
Posted by: Navymustang | April 17, 2008 at 11:47 PM
Yeah Yeah Gnarly Stuff That Sea of ours throws at us every year!!! Kinda beats the status quo of 9-5 with weekends off doesnt it? I've been on the Bering Sea and I feel their pain.. It does make boys in to men.
Posted by: DonI te | April 18, 2008 at 08:58 AM
Greetings from the Jayhawk Nation in Kansas!! I was sick in bed during the marathon showing of this series and watched for the first time. I AM HOOKED!! My husband watched with me and we could not stop! I have now gone out to purchase the first and second season to watch. My husband is ER physician and has entire ER watching now and they use crab fishing lingo in the ER and compare each other to the captains, crew, and greenhorns. Crab fishermen are an amazing breed of men and your film crew is absolutely awesome! Battling the elements and the incredible rescue last season by the Time Bandit... no words. We are psyched to watch Season 4 and will not miss an episode. Thanks for risking your life to give us a glimpse of this life. Our prayers are with everyone fishing the Bering Sea throughout the year.
Posted by: Sue | April 18, 2008 at 03:01 PM
I am officially a Deadliest Catch Junkie, a status proclaimed by my wife last weekend and again Tuesday night. It's sad that these men for whom we have been cheering for the past three TV seasons had such a slow and discouraging start to their King Crab season. Surely things will pick up.
I especially have enjoyed the behind-the-scenes show. It's amazing how the boats are rigged for video, and how waterproof they are not. That two-dozen brand-new HD cameras are trashed with each season is stunning to me - how sad. But hats off to the brave men getting some spectacular footage for us, and of course to the brave men who spend months soaking wet at the rail of a crab boat, hauling-in those yummy crustaceans.
Posted by: VA1A2 | April 19, 2008 at 08:01 PM
I am officially a Deadliest Catch Junkie, a status proclaimed by my wife last weekend and again Tuesday night. It's sad that these men for whom we have been cheering for the past three TV seasons had such a slow and discouraging start to their King Crab season. Surely things will pick up.
I especially have enjoyed the behind-the-scenes show. It's amazing how the boats are rigged for video, and how waterproof they are not. That two-dozen brand-new HD cameras are trashed with each season is stunning to me - how sad. But hats off to the brave men getting some spectacular footage for us, and of course to the brave men who spend months soaking wet at the rail of a crab boat, hauling-in those yummy crustaceans.
Posted by: VA1A2 | April 19, 2008 at 08:02 PM
I started watching Deadliest Catch last weekend and I can't get enough! I lve eating crab and always thought it was expensive, but now I know that I should be paying a lot more. What a job!
Posted by: | April 20, 2008 at 04:31 PM
It is great to have a show that I can actually sit down and watch with the kids. I am so over Hollywood and the million dollar cry baby liberals. Discovery Channel is the best thing on TV, thanks guys. Good luck and God speed to the crews.
Posted by: Steve Mc | April 28, 2008 at 04:03 PM