One of Their Own

Having returned to Dutch Harbor for the upcoming opilio crab season, I sought out the North American and found her at the North Pacific Fuel Dock.  As I stepped aboard, I immediately sensed that something was wrong.  Capt. Sten Skaar and the other crew onboard met me with a straight face and a somber mood.  I caught the sideways glances that passed between them, and since nobody seemed to be forthcoming with information, I had to ask, “So … what’s up?”  Terje Kavinge, our new deckhand and cook, glanced at the captain quizzically, obviously seeking permission to tell me.  Sten shrugged and nodded to him.  Terje took a deep breath and then slowly explained that there had already been a terrible incident in the crab fleet: Davin Nes,  a deckhand on the North American, had just lost one of his brothers, Jeffrey Nes. 

This was grim news for all of us on the North American and for all the fishermen in the fleet.  It was especially painful for the Nes family, one of the legendary fishing families of the Bering Sea.  They had lost one of their own. 

Terje continued explaining what had happened. Jeffrey was working aboard the Sea Warrior, when he fell from a stack of pots, four high. Terje told me that Davin and his other brother Johnny, who was fishing on another vessel, had just flown home to attend services for their brother.

This was not the first time that I have been directly exposed to situations involving loss of life in the Bering Sea.  On my first journey I had been present during the rescue and subsequent loss of Terry Rosendahl, who had fallen overboard on the Shaman.  The next year I happened to be on the Maverick when we became involved in the search for survivors when the Big Valley went down.  That was a particularly dark day in the history of Bering Sea crabbing. Only hours after our search party had located the sole survivor of the Big Valley incident, one of my new crab-fishing friends, a bright and friendly Samoan named Manu Legard, fell off the stack while fishing on the Sultan and perished abruptly in the icy waters.  Each of these incidents affected me greatly, and also provided me with a sense that the danger is very real for every individual in the fleet. 

Looking ahead, I knew that I was now involved in another sensitive situation. On the one hand, I knew that this unfortunate incident would certainly affect Davin during the upcoming season.  As a producer, I knew that I had the responsibility to tell this story.  On the other hand, I also knew that I would have to do so very gently. In my telling of stories, I seek to honor the fishermen and respect all the sacrifices that their families make and suffer.  I do not want to be a bull in a china shop.  I knew that Davin would soon be returning to Dutch Harbor. I knew that when he did, I would have to ask him some difficult and uncomfortable questions.  Faced with this unusual situation, I decided that I would first ask Davin’s permission, and then seek his help in making a fitting tribute to his brother Jeffrey Nes, a seasoned professional deckhand who sought adventure and gain in the Bering Sea.

Image: Davin Nes, North American deckhand

Photo: Marc Carter/DCL

Comments

[Da Goddess]

Your sensitivity is greatly appreciated. In an era of increased sensationalism on TV, it touches me deeply to know there are filmmakers like yourself who put the feelings of those most affected at the fore of your storytelling. You convey the importance and danger of the situation without resorting to the ratings grabbing fare that some channels thrive on.

My heart goes out to all of those who have lost loved ones and to you for having to tread so carefully. Your delicate touch hasn't gone unnoticed. Thank you.

[B.K.]

My deepest sympathies to Davin & the Nes family on the loss of Jeffery Nes. He died on the sea that he loved & he will always be with you on your travels on The Bering Sea. May God be with you & your family & bring you comfort.

[Jeramie Shea]

From the shea family, an irish family with strong roots in industry, we send our best wishes and deepest remorse to the family of Jeffery Ness. Our hearts go out to the family's of the crew's aboard the ships in the great blue.

[The Willson Family]

We are so sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all and especially to the Nes Family and the crew members of their ships. We pray for all the crew members and captains for safety. God bless you all.

[rperkey perkey]

i was very saddened to hear of devin passing.i've been crab fishing for 19 years.after youve been doing this job for many years it's very easy to forget how dangerous it can be.the news of devins passing is very painful.crab fishing is a small fraternity and this news pains us all.doug stanley,if you see this post send me a msg and let me know how your getting along with the new show

[The Tilton Family]

I cried when I saw the episode about Jeffrey Nes. I could see the pain in his older brother, Davin's, face. I too lost my "baby" brother to an accident at sea. You are in my entire families thoughts and prayers at this sad time. God Bless all seamen.

[rohit]

Though i am very far away but i would definately pray for Nes family.God Bless you all and may give you immense power to fight in such dangerous working conditions.Be careful and take care.

[Adrienne in Phoenix]

Thanks for the somber tribute to Jef Nes and for the segment where his brother was able to talk about him. I also thought the Hillstand brothers' tribute to their father was touching.

[Michelle]

Thank you Discovery Channel and Deadliest Catch for making such a wonderful tribute for Jeffrey. I love and miss him so much.

Thank you
Michelle, Jeffrey's Fiance

[josh bollinger]

Jeff was a friend of mine. We actually went through a year long, live-in treatment together and we grew very close. I am sad he died. One of the cool things about him is that he always told the truth...almost to a fault.