The Last Pot

As the last pot comes over the rail, the celebration begins.  The end of "the grind" is a relief to the crew, but for our greenhorn Darrell "D-Bo" LaBay it is salvation.  He knows that this will not only be the last pot of the trip, but it will likely be the last pot of his life.  Caught up in their celebration, none of the other deckhands even look in D-Bo's direction. The only one to take notice was the captain.

As the boys rejoice, Capt. Sten stands above them on the upper deck watching their antics.  He too is smiling, but it is a reserved smile. He knows that his job is far from done. There is still a lot at stake, and he is not yet ready to celebrate.  He is deep in reflection, hoping that the crew has counted every crab that they have put in the hold.  He knows that their miscounts could become his expensive mistake.

Capt. Sten has the difficult responsibility of catching exactly the right amount of crab.  If he brings more to shore than he is allowed to catch, he will receive a stiff fine. It will also work against him if he has not caught enough.   Either way, if he comes in over his quota or under it, there will be a loss of revenue.  For Sten, this issue is quite serious.

Ever since October, when the king crab fishing season began, Sten has thought a lot about his father, the North American's owner, Erling Skaar. He knows that his dad will be evaluating the profit margin this year, trying to determine if he has made the right choice in allowing his sons to fish the North American again.  Now that opilio fishing has ended, it is time to count the chips and see where they fall.  Unsure if they have succeeded in their father’s eyes, Sten and John are unsettled, anxious to prove the viability of the vessel's operations.  Their livelihood and lifestyle depend on it.

On the deck below, the deckhands begin their post-fishing duties.  For the next couple of hours, they will clean the deck and wash the bait jars.  Inside the house, they will carefully clean the galley and staterooms.  It is their intention to be completely done with their duties by the time they hit shore.  That way they can immediately head to town and the bars to celebrate the end of the season in earnest.

Sten watches the crew for a few minutes, then turns and heads back into the wheelhouse.  As I continue to film him, he sits down in his chair, turns the boat toward Dutch Harbor and then stares out the window over the bow.  Throughout all of this he maintains a calm silence.  It is apparent that he is still in deep thought.  Guessing what he is thinking, I frame up the camera in a medium shot and ask him, "Do you think that might have been your last pot, too?"

Comments

[TVDinner]

If we don't see the answer to that question on tonight's episode, I will personally deliver 100 pounds of rotten bait to Original Productions' studios.

[Danski]

I believe It's Not they came to far to turn back now, Let the Prove what there made of! The No drama Boat!

[Da Goddess]

I hope they continue fishing. I was a little sad they didn't get more air time, but that means nothing in the big scheme of things. I'd rather know they get to keep crabbing. Hope you give us a clue soon!

[mike riddle]

what up d-do? You have a lot of fans,please come back for red crab

[Ken Robings]

Doug,
congrats to you and your team for your creative emmy win sat.
cheers, Ken

[Danski]

Doug,
Way to go! your the Best- Sten said you guy would win an Emmy
I'm sure more will come your way Congrats :0)

[Rebecca Michelin]

Doug,
You might not remember me, but I was the observer on the North American for opilio 2008, and then again on the Fierce Allegiance. We shared some good times out there, and I'd like to get in touch again. I don't know if you read these, but if there's any way to contact you, I'd love to hear from you again!
All my best,
Rebecca Michelin