Is anyone watching "Deadliest Catch"? What are your thoughts?

[kaiwik]

This show is very difficult for me to watch, and yet I am compelled. My husband is a Bering Sea Crabber.

How heartbreakingly ironic that they show Gary Edwards demonstrating the EPRB, and timing his crew's scramble into the survivor suits.

I was talking to a friend who fishes with my husband, and he told me that I shouldn't watch the show. He is of the opinion, as are many of the fishermen I know, that we family members they leave behind "don't need to know what goes on out there".

The Discovery Channel had a crew here a couple of weeks ago, filming the 10th episode of Deadliest Catch. I am interested in watching that episode, in large part because I love seeing my home on television.

I have enjoyed this series, even if it has put even more fear in my heart for my husband's safety, as well as for the rest of the fleet. I was wondering what people with "normal" jobs are thinking while they are watching this.

[usar_jag]

That show made me thankful that I never answered one of the "earn $10,000 over the summer" ads while I was a college student.

My hat's off to all of the people in the fleet. What a difficult and challenging job they have.

[Oslo Ostragoth]

TDC had a marathon today, and I watched several episodes. As to my thoughts, well, my two least favorite things are cold and wet. I salute your husband and the other guys who tackle this incredibly tough job.

[msmith537]

It does make the crab legs taste so much sweater.

[Astroboy14]

It does make the crab legs taste so much sweater.

I'm not sure if you meant "sweeter" or "sweatier". ;)

I've been watching the show, and I'm in awe of the stamina of those guys! If I go to the bank and the post office both in one day, I'm exhausted. I couldn't do it... heck, farming lettuce is probably physically beyond me.

As much as it sometimes sucks, viva telephone tech. support!

[sj2]

I *love* this show. It makes me cry sometimes, gets me all stressed out a lot, but I really, really like it. Sig is my favorite!

I know some of the Alaska-based fishermen just from a bar I frequent. They are a different breed of human...but in a good way! I'm just a 30 yr old chick who works in computers, BTW. It fascinates me to see how hard these guys can push their limits, the way they interact in such small quarters and how close they all are to losing their lives.

I do wish they would profile the boys a bit more. I'd like to know more about them. It seems that the opilio season seems to lack the info given for the 1st season.

[Genghis Bob]

I watched it for three hours straight this weekend. Didn't mean to - I was just idly flipping channels, looking to fill the odd twenty minutes.

But . . . wow. Utterly compelling stuff. Even with the depiction of the dangers involved, I know that, had I seen this twenty five years ago, I'd have been heading up to Alaska to join the fleet.

[Requiem Jane]

My uncle was a deckhand on one of the Blue King Crab boats that trolled around St. Matthew's Island, and he's given me the opportunity to join him on the rare occasions when I could be used. I can honestly say it's one of the few life-fulfilling jobs I've ever had, and although I'd ended up with a net loss on a few occasions, I wouldn't have missed it for the world; then again, I'm the type of person that relishes physical labour rather than having a boring 9-to-5 job where almost nothing is accomplished. For me, the first several hours are the most depressing and overwhelming of the entire trip, simply because of the desolation of being in the middle of the Bering Sea without the comforts of civilization is disconcerting. It's hard to explain just why the hours of physical pain and mental fatigue are worth it, but I've always thought it had to do with having a purpose.

But I'm glad I've had the chance to experience it while I could, because now the opportunity had dried up. My uncle suffered a life-threatening concussion when one of the pots crashed onto his head, and so now he's unable to work in such draining conditions; or rather, he refuses to on the grounds that he's had enough. Not to mention there's a good chance of crab fishing being a money-sink rather than quick way with money, with demand steadily dropping coupled with the rising price of getting the equipment to go out on the water.

[The Chao Goes Mu]

I love the show. Before seeing it I had no idea how dangerous a job crabbing was. I'll never bitch about the price of crablegs again.

[D_Odds]

Fantastic show. New episode tonight (Tuesday). I never imagined the work to be easy, but not that hard either. I'd have to agree with Genghis Bob; had I known 25ish years ago, I might have gone out there and tried it. Although, one show profiled a greenhorn just a bit older than me. Still, I don't think I'm physically able to hack it any longer. I've grown soft sitting at a desk for far too many years.

[Dahnlor]

I do wish they would profile the boys a bit more. I'd like to know more about them. It seems that the opilio season seems to lack the info given for the 1st season.I agree that there's a lot less profiling than the king crab season, but then again that season was cut pretty short, only allowing the pots to go down and back up once (or maybe twice). That left extra air time to spend on the greenhorns.

There's been a lot more action during opilio, so that's been leaving less time to focus on the crabbers. If it wasn't for that one stressful scene on the Billikin when the hook went flying, I wouldn't have know that we even had greenhorns on board this time around.

When I first saw the promos for Deadliest Catch, I wasn't too excited since I'd already seen a couple shows on crabbing (I think both were also on the Discovery Channel, including The World's Most Dangerous Job) and found them fairly boring, so I couldn't figure how something that made a dull 60 minutes could make an interesting series. When I finally watched an episode (after The Amazing Race ended and looking for something to fill the void), I was hooked. The multiple-episode reality-show format definitely works better than a one-off documentary.


D

[raz]

I think it's one of the best shows on the air right now. I'll gladly stay up until 3 in the morning watching it. The show is very compelling.

I wonder if they are going to release the seasons on DVD sometime. I would definitely have to collect them all.

[GaryM]

As others have said, very compelling. I couldn't do it if my life depended on it. I also didn't realize that they only have a crew of six or so.

Makes me appreciate the product so much more!

[Papermache Prince]

According to the Discovery Channel Store, Deadliest Catch DVD Set (http://shopping.discovery.com/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10000&catalogId=10000&langId=-1&productId=58357&partnumber=728964) has an estimated shipping date of July 21, 2005. Eight hours, 20 minutes on five DVDs.

[hawkeyejo]

That show is absolutely riveting. I have only watched about three full episodes, but it has been quite an eye opener. I know the sort of people that would do something like that at a drop of a hat - and it's a special kind. I ain't one of those for sure.

I hope those crabs make the guys some good money, coz they really earn it. Btw, can anyone tell me what one of those crabs cost on the open market (or are they sold in small pieces) ? And who eats them crabs anyway?

[kaiwik]

If you go to The Discovery Channel and search Deadliest Catch, you will find the dvd's on sale for about $50.00, I am getting the set for my husband, as he has been fishing through the entire series. I will probably send a few sets as gifts to my family in the Lower 48.

The different fisheries seem to meld into each other, but IIRC the opie season closed after just three days, a record. As for the "big money", well, this year my husband made a good crew share, but last year it was a very small settelment, IMHO not worth the risk. He has come back from herring grateful that the skipper paid for his plane ride home, arriving with empthy pockets. Fishing is a huge gamble, and with the price of fuel lately it's often hard for the skipper to break even. The processors pay chicken feed in comparison to the price crab fetches on the market.

The price differential applies to all the fisheries. Right now my husband is out salmon fishing, and the price for reds (sockeye) is .56 cents a pound. The salmon boat he has been on for 11 years regularly catches a million pounds of pinks a summer in order to make a decent settelment, along with as much of the other speicies of salmon as possible. The salmon boat he is on is a regular highliner, which means they are out all season, beating the water for fish when other boats come in and out of town. (www.legaseacharters

It is a comfort to read the reactions to the show. I can tell you there is a lot you aren't seeing or hearing, but it's enough, and it is my hope that this will bring awareness that when Alaska crab (and other seafood) is eaten Outside, it comes at a great risk to these ocean cowboys. Requiem Jane, I am sorry about your uncle, and hope that he has no lingering incapacities from his accident. So far the worst that has happened to my husband was when he was fishing a halibut (longline) opener, and a hook caught his glove liner. It ripped the glove off, thank God, but also ripped a chunk out of the back of his hand, it's a nasty scar. His best friend/deck buddy ripped the muscle tissue in his back, and every time it heals a bit the muscle tissue rips away from the scar tissue again. He is now working as the engineer on the boat.

Any women who are thinking these guys are awesome, which they are, and are thinking about the ratio of men to women, remember our saying, "The odds are good, but the goods are odd"!!!

[kaiwik]

Sorry, I didn't intend to leave a partial link to the salmon boat, it should be www.legaseacharters.com In the off season the skipper takes charters from all over the world. I went on one day trip not too long ago and outfished every man on the boat, including the Germans who had travelled to Alaska just to fish for halibut! (I don't have to pay for my boat rides!)

As far as who eats "them crabs", well, they are found in the better supermarkets either frozen or thawed, as well as in the better restaurants. King (red) crab is known as king crab, opies and bairdis are known as "snow crab". People "in the know" eat them crabs whenever possible!!! Yummy!

[GingerOfTheNorth]

I used to love snow crab, and don't like the little baby crabs we get around here (East Coast US) and won't bother with them. Last time I had snow crab, it just looked too much like a bug to me, so that was the last time.

However, watching 'The Deadliest Catch', I was moved to comment to my husband that he was never, ever allowed to complain about the price of crab ever again.

[Seven]

I've seen a handful of those shows. I only really have a couple of comments.

1) Why the hell did they use that Bon Jovi song as a theme song? "I'm a cowboy. On a steel horse I ride." WTF??

2) I understand it is a living. These guys do this to make money. But when I watch the show I can't get past the fact these guys risk their life to provide a luxury food item. The guys that die doing this job died for what? All you can eat king crab leg night at red lobster? It seems like such a waste of life to me.

[D_Odds]

hawkeyejo, I eat 'them' crabs every chance I get. Watching the show always puts me in the mood for a crab dinner (not that it's difficult to put me in the mood for a crab dinner). I find snow and king crabs in the supermarket or fish monger, pre-cooked (a necessity to preserve freshness) and frozen. Steam them, and dip in some clarified butter for real good eating.

[GingerOfTheNorth]

I've seen a handful of those shows. I only really have a couple of comments.

1) Why the hell did they use that Bon Jovi song as a theme song? "I'm a cowboy. On a steel horse I ride." WTF??
I think it's the "Wanted: Dead or Alive" part.

[Odesio]

When they originally showed their special on crab fisherman many months ago I thought it was really interesting. I always knew it was a hard and dangerous job but actually seeing it was different. After seeing that show I decided that I'd never bitch about the price of crab ever again. As far as a series goes I think crab fishing is far to repetitive to be of any interest. My wife enjoys the show but I can't help but think I've already seen it before.

Marc

[Lennon Lives]

Another huge fan of the program. I watch every episode (and try to catch the reruns when possible).

My question is, do these guys do this work without using “stimulants”? I’m not trying to cast aspersions on them but it seems to me that they couldn’t do this type of work over the long periods (>70 hours) of time they do without a little “help”. The only “stimulants” I’ve ever seen them use is caffeine (not that would show them using anything illegal). IIRC on one show they mentioned that one of the ship captains was on deck something like 68 of 72 hours. I know these guys are in great physical condition but I’ve got to wonder if they do get a little “help" to perform this work.

[ZipperJJ]

2) I understand it is a living. These guys do this to make money. But when I watch the show I can't get past the fact these guys risk their life to provide a luxury food item. The guys that die doing this job died for what? All you can eat king crab leg night at red lobster? It seems like such a waste of life to me.

I second that emotion. I haven't watched the show - had it on in the background the other night. Some dude went overboard and I'm not sure if they found him and all i could think was "all of this, for crab?"

Sad :(

[World Eater]

Crazy show, entertaining as hell. I take my hat off to those people.

[kaiwik]

As far as stimulants, the only thing used on a regular basis is caffeine. Not just coffee, but they take a lot of the No-Doze type of caffeine tablets with them.

The job is too dangerous for street drugs, although a lot of fishermen play as hard as they work when they come home from the fishing grounds, and I have know more than a couple to od and die after a good season. I have worked on fishing boats, as well as on the oil spill cleanup after the Exxon Valdez disaster, and the hours are so long, it is so cold, and it's difficult enough to be safe without adding anything "speedy". In addition to that, the government has a "No Tolerance" policy, and if the boat is boarded and searched and some illegal substance is found, the skipper loses his boat, permits, etc. and so they are strict about that stuff coming on board.

As for the negative comments, well, you would have to know the fishermen to understand why they do it, and even then you still probably wouldn't understand. These men are a different breed than those who live domesticated lives. Alaska, the real Alaska, is not for ordinary men to understand, and the people who live here do extraordinary things as a rule, rather than as an exception. Supply and demand, and these are the men with the guts to do the supplying. Sometimes they come home rich, sometimes not so rich, sometimes broke, and, occasionally, they don't come home. Put them behind a desk, and they would be miserable. At the moment, I don't know how else to explain it.

[Weirddave]

I used to love snow crab, and don't like the little baby crabs we get around here (East Coast US) and won't bother with them.
How can you say that? You've never bothered to even eat them! A table full of blues, steamed with beer and smothered in Old Bay is about 20 times as tasty as Alaskian crabs (Which are tasty in their own way, good, but not a patch on real crabs).

[GingerOfTheNorth]

How can you say that? You've never bothered to even eat them! A table full of blues, steamed with beer and smothered in Old Bay is about 20 times as tasty as Alaskian crabs (Which are tasty in their own way, good, but not a patch on real crabs).
Yes, I have, and still don't like them.

[D_Odds]

How can you say that? You've never bothered to even eat them! A table full of blues, steamed with beer and smothered in Old Bay is about 20 times as tasty as Alaskian crabs (Which are tasty in their own way, good, but not a patch on real crabs).
Unless the blues are alive (which I can occassionally get), I find them equally delectable. An advantage to Alaskan crabs is that I don't have to fight nearly as hard to get to the meat. Blue claws are an adventure to shuck.

[skittles]

My husband and I watch this show regularly. We will be sad after next week's episode as it is the last one. I knew that this type of work was insane and dangerous. I'm glad that there are others that are able to see it as well. Its always good to get an appreciation for things that you may take for granted.


I'd love to meet some of the people who do this type of work. I'll be sure to let you know if I ever get to Alaska for a visit!

[Seven]

As for the negative comments, well, you would have to know the fishermen to understand why they do it, and even then you still probably wouldn't understand. These men are a different breed than those who live domesticated lives. Alaska, the real Alaska, is not for ordinary men to understand, and the people who live here do extraordinary things as a rule, rather than as an exception. Supply and demand, and these are the men with the guts to do the supplying. Sometimes they come home rich, sometimes not so rich, sometimes broke, and, occasionally, they don't come home. Put them behind a desk, and they would be miserable. At the moment, I don't know how else to explain it.

Please don't take what I said as being negative (except the part about the Bon Jovi song).

I fully understand it's a job and how fishing is indeed a lifestyle. It IS their life to do what they wish.

I'm just saying I don't think a food item like crab is worth human lives.

[Lennon Lives]

As far as stimulants, the only thing used on a regular basis is caffeine. Not just coffee, but they take a lot of the No-Doze type of caffeine tablets with them.

The job is too dangerous for street drugs, although a lot of fishermen play as hard as they work when they come home from the fishing grounds, and I have know more than a couple to od and die after a good season. I have worked on fishing boats, as well as on the oil spill cleanup after the Exxon Valdez disaster, and the hours are so long, it is so cold, and it's difficult enough to be safe without adding anything "speedy". In addition to that, the government has a "No Tolerance" policy, and if the boat is boarded and searched and some illegal substance is found, the skipper loses his boat, permits, etc. and so they are strict about that stuff coming on board.

Thanks for your comments, kaiwik. Like I said, I was not trying to cast aspersions on these men. I am totally in awe of their physical prowess. I've never thought about the possibility of the boat being searched for illegal drugs by the CG. I’m sure the boat owners would be a bit upset if their boat were confiscated. Also the safety factor never occurred to me. Makes sense.

Another question for you (or others) to help me with. After the crabbing season ends, how do they (Alaska Fish and Game?) prevent boats from continuing to fish? IIRC there are something like 150+ boats spread out over the Bering Sea. I would think policing this would be nearly impossible. Is it totally on the honor system?

[kaiwik]

Lennon Lives and Seven I was not offended, simply trying to explain the men who fish for crab in the Bering Sea. It's a crazy job, but they are the modern day cowboys. Perhaps that is why they used Bon Jovi's song. "I'm a cowboy" (the fishermen) "On a steel horse I ride" (the boats) "I'm wanted, dead or alive." (even if we lose them, we want to bring them home)

(Incidentally, the man who was washed off the f/v Sultan, his body was found and returned to his family.)

Please allow me to reiterate that the people who leave the Lower 48 for Alaska are not the average American citizen. The crabbers, and actually all the fishermen, are much as I would imagine those pioneers and cowboys were during the Wild West time in history. This is the last frontier. Men come from around the world to crab in the Bering Sea. My husband is an Alaska Native, but I know many crabbers who come up from the States, and every one of them has that extra something in their personality which thrives on the hard work and long hours. The risks, I believe, lend an adrenaline kick which helps them get through the season. When the salmon season ends in late August (mid September for my husband, he fishes with a skipper who beats the water for every salmon he can get into the seine for as long as the fish are still bright enough for the canneries to buy them) the crabbers begin pumping themselves up for red (king) crabbing. My husband (let's call him Moses, because that's his name, and it's shorter than typing 'my husband') and his crabbing brother, Pat the Animal, get together and begin psyching each other up. They talk about how much they are going to catch, what a great trip it's going to be, etc. They begin doing boat work and stocking the boat with enough groceries and the other necessities of life to last a couple of months before September is over, and they take off the first week of October. Depending on the weather it takes them 3-5 days to get to Dutch Harbor, (from Kodiak) where the gear is stored. They mend pots, check lines and buoys, load up the gear, steam out to the fishing grounds and wait for the opening announcements.

Then they crab. The Deadliest Catch was filmed during extremely calm weather. Generally there are severe winter storms and the men have to break ice around the clock as well as do the rest of the work. The season is longer, because you just can't fight the storms and win.

Also, as was seen on the last episode, this season was the end of an era. Fish and Game stopped the halibut derbies several years ago, and allotted IFQ's for each boat according to their averaged catch for the last few years (I think it was five years.) While it has saved lives and boats, it has also driven the smaller boats and crew out of business, and the big boats have bought up as many halibut IFQ's as quickly as they could, so now they are able to fish halibut at the skipper's discretion throughout the season. The prices (for halibut) are higher in the Spring, but April is a notoriously stormy month, and Moses went out for a week long trip which turned into a twentysix day trip, due to having to sit out the winds at anchor. Now F&G are doing the same with crab. It's so sad, partly because it will be the end of the smaller boats, and as was said on the show, even with an alotted catch they are still going to go out as early as possible and get their crab as quickly as they are able. The fleet will simply be smaller.

Zero Tolerance has been in effect for at least fifteen years, and they mean business. Cocaine is big in Alaska, and I hate it. I know guys who used to take an ounce out with them. They either didn't come back, or made stupid mistakes and are now home doing jobs like cleaning the sewage systems on the Coast Guard Base. (hey Jimmy!) I make it my business to get to know the skipper and crew Moses is fishing with, and I have no problem not letting him go out on a party boat. I am a bitch about it, but I want my man to come home. Both the Coast Guard and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game randomly board and search boats, so besides the fact that it's stupid to do drugs while fishing, the skippers are pretty harsh about the crew not bringing drugs on board.

Not so much on the crabbing boats, although there are party boats in the Bering Sea as well, but the Kodiak fleet (I am speaking about what I know, and I do know the Kodiak fleet) has had a problem with cocaine on the boats in the fairly recent past, skippers using as well, and men have died needlessly because of it. Men I have known have been lost even though they weren't partying, because the skipper was, and the skipper made bad decisions. Thus the Zero Tolerance policy. When the job is over and they are on their way home from the Bering Sea the guys will have a couple of shots, a few beers, maybe a little smoke, but celebrating is generally reserved for when they hit port. Then watch out! In the bars, the bells ring constantly, and the men are out for a good time!!!

Why do they do it? Why risk life and limb for....crab? Because they are Bering Sea Crabbers. Even if you include the boat and gear work, and travel time, when was the last time you made $20,000+ cash for three to five days work? The status of being a crabber, and the lure of big money are irresistible to a certain sort of man. Just as the gold rush brought thousands here, in terrible conditions, and many died, so crab lures the same type of man to the Bering Sea. It's either in you, or it's not.

As for enforcing the closures, the Coast Guard and Fish & Game are a large presence while crabbing is happening, and there are huge fines and penalties (pot seizures) for both begininng too early and not quitting when the closure is announced. The openings and closings are to the minute (for example "The season will close at 23:59) and while it is a given that some jerks will continue to drop and haul gear before and after the season, inevitably word gets around, and they are more closely watched in the future. In every fishery they participate in.

By necessity so much was left out of the series. One of the reasons they didn't focus on the greenhorns during opies as deeply as they did during red crab is in large part because they skippers generally take the red crew with them for opies. If a guy doesn't work out during reds, he won't last during opies. I believe that the Discovery Channel wanted to give time to the two tragedies, which did take a lot of air time. Having known Gary Edwards, I am pleased that they did. He was a hell of a man, and is sorely missed.

Have I missed any questions? I have a chest cold and the Thera-Flu is making me a little woozy. I love talking about Alaska in general and Kodiak in particular, so feel free to ask away, either on the SDMB or email me. The following is a bit of poetry which might shed some light on what kind of men these are. We fishermen's wives love our men, and we stand by them, but not without trepadition.

Thank you to all who have expressed their admiration for these men. I wish you could all come up here, sit at the B&B or Tony's, and listen to these men talk after the season closes. They are awesome individuals.

**********************************
There's a race of men that don't fit in,
A race that can't stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will.
They range the field and they rove the flood,
And they clime the mountain's crest;
Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood,
And they don't know how to rest.

Robert Service
from " The Men That Don't Fit In "

[John Carter of Mars]

My sister's husband fished and crabbed out of Alaska for many years. He's on the downside of 55 now, and only fishes a little, and that out of Oregon. I think Sis started nagging for him to slow down after he turned 55. It's a tough, young man's game.

But he did have those runs, when he'd come back with several thousand dollars for a few day's work.

[Oslo Ostragoth]

Please don't take what I said as being negative (except the part about the Bon Jovi song).

I fully understand it's a job and how fishing is indeed a lifestyle. It IS their life to do what they wish.

I'm just saying I don't think a food item like crab is worth human lives.
I am not attacking here, but:

Is a ton of coal that keeps your family from freezing in winter worth a human life? A diamond that graces your finger? A ton of iron ore that makes the car that gets you to and from work and puts food on the table for your family and pays the mortgage that keeps them from living on the streets? A bushel of corn that feeds the steer that becomes the hamburger that you eat? (Hey, I am from a farm family, and farmers get killed in accidents every year.)

My point is that there are a lot of dangerous jobs out there, and the market forces do their magic. Foodstuffs that exact a high price in human lives tend not to dominate the diet, but some commodities can bear the brunt of such a cost.

Aww, hell, on preview, this post reads like gibberish. Please be gentle with me.

[Oslo Ostragoth]

I don't recall if this has been specifically mentioned yet, but kaiwik, I want to thank you for your first-person, knowledgeable, and beautifully expressed thoughts in this thread.

You may all now wipe the mist from your eyes.

[Seven]

I am not attacking here, but:

Is a ton of coal that keeps your family from freezing in winter worth a human life? A diamond that graces your finger? A ton of iron ore that makes the car that gets you to and from work and puts food on the table for your family and pays the mortgage that keeps them from living on the streets? A bushel of corn that feeds the steer that becomes the hamburger that you eat? (Hey, I am from a farm family, and farmers get killed in accidents every year.)

My point is that there are a lot of dangerous jobs out there, and the market forces do their magic. Foodstuffs that exact a high price in human lives tend not to dominate the diet, but some commodities can bear the brunt of such a cost.

Aww, hell, on preview, this post reads like gibberish. Please be gentle with me.

The coal and iron and needed items. I look at those things differently I guess. As for diamonds, no. There is a family boycott on diamonds because of the mines.

I'm just a code monkey. The worse thing that might happen to me on the job is a sore wrist from typing all day or I might drop a server on my foot. But I do have to drive the highways everyday. I might buy it driving home from work.

I guess it's just a different view on what risks are worth the payoff. Is 20-30k in a handful of days a good wager when the flip side is leaving my family with a dead father/husband? To me it isn't. But I've never been driven by money. I'd rather have less cash if that means a better life (less stress, more free time, more time with the family, etc)

That said, 20-30k in a week and careful spending one could slack the rest of the year. Hmmmm? Where do I sign up? heh heh.

[Lennon Lives]

As for enforcing the closures, the Coast Guard and Fish & Game are a large presence while crabbing is happening, and there are huge fines and penalties (pot seizures) for both begininng too early and not quitting when the closure is announced. The openings and closings are to the minute (for example "The season will close at 23:59) and while it is a given that some jerks will continue to drop and haul gear before and after the season, inevitably word gets around, and they are more closely watched in the future. In every fishery they participate in.



kaiwik, thanks for your post. Your insights have helped me understand these guys and what drives them. Your input is appreciated.

Another question regarding the close of season. At the close of season (e.g. 23:59) do all the pots have to be out of the water or if they have not pulled the entire string of pots just dump the crabs pulled after that time back into the ocean?

Thanks again and I hope you’re feeling better.

LL

[kaiwik]

Well put, Oslo Ostergoth and thank you for the compliment. I am rather passionate when it comes to these men of the sea, they are so brave, work so hard and selflessly, and are some of the highest quality human beings I have ever had the pleasure to be in the company of. A fisherman's wife and family are always taken care of, when their husband/father/sons are out on the grounds, there is always some one around town to lend a hand if it's needed.

Lennon Lives, when ADF&G announce the closure time, they give it far enough in advance for the boats to pick the gear one more time. After picking each pot the door is then tied open and left unbaited, so any creature which wanders in is able to wander out. After delivering their catch, the boats go back out, load the pots on board, take them to wherever they store their gear (my husband's skipper stores his in Dutch Harbor) where they offload the pots and mend any gear which needs it, and then they head home.

In regards to your question as to where to sign up, buy a plane ticket to Dutch Harbor and walk the dock, that is how one gets on a crab boat if they aren't already established with a boat! :D It is highly competitive employment, crabbers stay on the boats they are with for years, and barring any personal emergency a particular crewman may be experiencing, there aren't a lot of openings for seasoned fishermen, let alone greenhorns. The salmon season has begun kicking though, and while that entails a longer amount of time (June through August-early September) you can make about as much money, providing you are on a boat like the one my husband is on. Ronald, the skipper, highlines regularly, which means precious little time not fishing!

I must add that, until you have pulled a personal subsistence pot full of king crab, rushed home, cooked it up and gorged on the thick, sweet legs, you do not know king crab! No other crab will ever meet gustatorial satisfaction of such a meal!

[MikeG]

Well put, [B]
I must add that, until you have pulled a personal subsistence pot full of king crab, rushed home, cooked it up and gorged on the thick, sweet legs, you do not know king crab! No other crab will ever meet gustatorial satisfaction of such a meal!


Another fan of the show here. I absolutely love crab and will second the " never complain about the cost again" sentiment.

Please tell me about subsistence pots. Are they pots for personal use with ( I assume) less restrictions? Now that's some fishing I could get into!

[longhair75]

friend kaiwik,

i would like to add my thanks for your insight. i have really been enjoying the show.

[Oslo Ostragoth]

I must add that, until you have pulled a personal subsistence pot full of king crab, rushed home, cooked it up and gorged on the thick, sweet legs, you do not know king crab! No other crab will ever meet gustatorial satisfaction of such a meal!
OK, kaisik, you owe me $5 for the keyboard I just shorted out with drool.

:D

[My personal favorite food orgy was when four of us shared 4 3-pound lobsters shipped live from Maine....]

p.s. One time on the Texas coast near Corpus Christi, a bunch of us caught and cooked a butt-load of blue crabs. There ain't nothin' better than fish/seafood cooked within an hour or so being caught....

[Oslo Ostragoth]

err, kaiwik. :o

[kaiwik]

Lennon Lives, I would also like to add that we have roots which tie us to this community, cultural roots, and the cost of living here is obscene. For us, at least, it isn't about risking his life so we can have luxury items, trips, what-have-you. In fact, he left me this time with a truck that needs a new flywheel, and a broken water heater! Believe me, the day when he tells me he is done with the Bering Sea will be a happy day indeed. :) Meanwhile, bills need paying, kids are spendy, and he is.....a fisherman. And I am proud of him.

Subsistence pots are indeed for personal use. One applies for a subsistence license, (they're free for residents) and then it's just getting the pots baited and into the water. I believe the limit now is two or three pots per household, with X amount of crab allowed per person per household. I am not current on the limits, but we have three species here, red, tanner, and dungeness. Tanner and red crab hang out in the same areas, and are often caught in the same (tanner) pot. Dungies live in a different sort of ocean bottom, and are caught in smaller pots. Tanners are what opies and bairdies wish they were, btw! :D

longhair75, and everyone else, thank you all for your interest and kind words. If I am not mistaken, next weeks episode was filmed, at least in part, in Kodiak. Maybe you will get a view of my hometown!

Thank you, Lennon Lives but no, I am not close to feeling better yet. I've moved up to nyquil, and I am going to go take a hot shower and have a cup of cocoa with a liberal splash of Malibu before I go to bed...stupid Kodiak Crud! (yes, that is a medical diagnosis here on the Rock!)

[kaiwik]

Tonight the last episode airs, and the Kodiak Daily Mirror ran a short article regarding the show, I thought there might be one or two folks here who might be interested in reading it.

http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/

Enjoy!

[bump]

p.s. One time on the Texas coast near Corpus Christi, a bunch of us caught and cooked a butt-load of blue crabs. There ain't nothin' better than fish/seafood cooked within an hour or so being caught....

After watching a couple of episodes over the weekend, it's firmly convinced me to stick with the blue crabs.

At least with them, the only real risk is that you'll miss catching a fish while pulling the crab lines up. (we usually throw a couple over the gunwales with chicken necks on them).

[Oslo Ostragoth]

Tonight the last episode airs, and the Kodiak Daily Mirror ran a short article regarding the show, I thought there might be one or two folks here who might be interested in reading it.

http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/

Enjoy!
Apparently, some Lower 48 couch potatoes want to be Bering Sea crab fishermen.

The Discovery Channel series “Deadliest Catch” has generated about a dozen phone calls to the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce, said Norm Wooten, the Chamber’s director.
LOL (I'm sure that the idea of $10K for 5 days work is mighty appealing.)

I guess tonight's show was the finale? So will Life As You Know It change?

I can understand that the crabbers prefer the balls-out, get all you can approach. But, holy cow! 6 fisherman died in a single season? It's amazing the current system lasted as long as it did....

[Oslo Ostragoth]

LOL (I'm sure that the idea of $10K for 5 days work is mighty appealing.)....
p.s. This article (http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/6599095p-6483140c.html) might convince them to stay home, though.