Deadliest CatchEverything on the Line
Original Air Date: April 14, 2009
Jeff P. – Sr. Staff Writer
jeffp@thetwocentscorop.com
One of the best (and true) reality shows kicked off again tonight, as the Deadliest Catch started its 5th season. We will be seeing cold and bad weather just in time for the Spring. Personally, I am ready to watch these brave (and sometimes crazy) fishermen do their thing. From the warmth of my comfy chair, that is.
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Deadliest Catch
ReplyDeleteEverything on the Line
Original Air Date: April 14, 2009
Jeff P. – Sr. Staff Writer
jeffp@thetwocentscorop.com
One of the best (and true) reality shows kicked off again tonight, as the Deadliest Catch started its 5th season. We will be seeing cold and bad weather just in time for the Spring. Personally, I am ready to watch these brave (and sometimes crazy) fishermen do their thing. From the warmth of my comfy chair, that is.
It seems that the fleet that we’ve come to know and love are back, as is Mike Rowe in his voiceover duties. I’m especially pleased to see that Captain Phil Harris is back, who had some health issues revealed last season. The fleet has spent a lot of money in the off-season to repair their vessels so they need to make a lot more to pay the bill. There was a great scene around a “burn barrel’ with the main Captains, a tradition before each season. They talked about life and health. Then who else but Captain Jonathan put fireworks in the barrel afterward.
This years’ Captain’s wager: Whoever gets the most keepers in 5 designated Captain’s pots gets $5000. Each vessel has to pony up $1000.
The Wizard -
Apparently, Captain Harris isn’t the only skipper facing disconcerting health news. Captain Keith Colburn is waiting on results of a biopsy he’d taken in regards to something they found in his mouth that may be cancerous. Later he finds out that he only has Dysplasia of the mouth and will be fine. He tells his wife the good news in an emotional moment, and tells her that he’s going to quit his chewing tobacco habit. Out at sea, Keith drops some pots at the southernmost point of crab territory hoping to get lucky. The next day he gets a call from the wife (and accountant) that they have no money left. Unfortunately, his first prospect pot comes up with nothing. This won’t help with his bank account at all. Later, they lose a pot when a line breaks. Keith believes that there is a jagged edge somewhere that is cutting the lines. Keith decides to dive underwater (which is very dangerous) to try to save a trip home. He makes it underwater and finds the edge to repair. At one scary point, the boat rocks and hits him right in the head. When he’s pulled out of the water, he seems disorientated and his head is bloody.
The Cornelia Marie -
It was very nice to see Captain Harris looking good and getting back to business. The blood clot that passed through his heart last season was a close call, but he was lucky to get through it. And the “as usual” part starts early when his sons Josh and Jake report that they can’t locate the bait sacks. They can’t find them, so that will cost Phil another $5000. During the opening prayer before departure, Phil gets a call that there still may be some blood clots left in his system and it would be safer to stay home. After some thought, he decides it’s not worth risking his life and he stays home and will miss the first king crab season in 33 years. Murray will be the Relief Captain as he did last season when Phil took ill.
The Time Bandit -
The Time Bandit brought back seasoned deckhand Mike Fourtner, who runs the vessel in the summer. Jonathan and Andy had sent him to Seattle to help him with his goal getting a Captain’s license. He hopes to Captain some day, maybe even the Time Bandit. However, Jonathan’s son Scott is waiting in the wings who is a consideration as well. Jonathan lets Mike know who’s boss by having him doused in cold water and powder. When they get out to sea, Jonathan decides to drop some prospect strings. Last season he found some crab in the area and hopes to repeat that early success. The next day hey pull the first pot and it’s loaded, just like last year. 95 in the first pot! This is a good sign for the season ahead.
The Northwestern -
Captain Sig Hansen spent $800,000 on the vessel in the off-season and wants to make it up. The Northwestern splits apart from the rest of the fleet early. They want to do the traditional “bite the head off of the herring” ritual, but nobody volunteers. They draw straws and Sig draws the short one first. He hopes that this doesn’t reflect the luck of this season’s fishing.
The 5th season started off just as strong as last season. There was a nice teaser in the beginning of the season ahead. The good news from Keith and the bad news from Phil certainly was emotional. And ending on a cliffhanger with Keith’s head injury makes you want for more. The two things I always think about watching this show is how much I love to watch it, and how horrible I would be as a crab fisherman. Or any fisherman for that matter! Although. I have been known to heat up some fish sticks that can be tasty. What did YOU think of opening day on the Bering Sea? Your two cents is always appreciated.