Before complaining about the market price of Alaska king crab, check out this gripping documentary series, revealing the mortal perils and intense discomfort that fishing crews face to catch the delicacy; those perils include 40-foot waves, 700-pound crab pots that can easily crush a careless crewman, and freezing temperatures around the clock.
It's a bad start to the crab season as skippers Keith and Phil await medical test results, while repairs to the rest of the boats mean they're all in debt.(S05,E01)
A severe storm whips up massive 20ft waves, so most of the boats head for home. But one boat sends out a mayday. Can the coastguard reach it in time?(S05,E02)
The typhoon has sunk one of the boats. But as the weather clears the fleet can't dwell on the tragedy and heads back out on the treacherous seas.(S05,E03)
It's the 2008 King Crab season in Dutch Harbour, so get prepared for more high drama on the treacherous and deadly Bering Sea.(S05,E04)
After 40 hard days at sea the pressure is on and tempers boil over on deck. And the superstitious Captain Keith is upset to have missed a herd of walruses.(S05,E05)
A new deadline is set - an upcoming drop in the price of king crab has the skippers rushing to finish their season. But crew battles and a fierce arctic storm block the w...
The King Crab Season comes down to the wire, as the struggling skippers battle to top off their quotas. Who will land a bumper haul in this end of season sprint?(S05,E07)
It's the start of the 2009 Crab Season, and things are looking up for our spectacular skippers. But will their dreams been shattered by a colossal rogue wave?(S05,E08)
When the fleet arrives on the Opi grounds a skipper regrets sending his men out in savage weather to save the boat - there are no second chances on the Bering Sea.(S05,E09)
Three weeks in, the miserable conditions already have the crabbers turning on each other. Plus deadly ice stands between one skipper and the safety of harbour.(S05,E10)
After battling freezing spray, colossal waves and sub-zero temperatures, it's a race to harbour to offload their haul. But the immense arctic ice pack stands in their way...
Mid-season and frozen crabs, frozen gear and a frozen harbour chill the hearts of the crew. Plus, the Northwestern battles a deadly storm.(S05,E12)
When the fleet gets word of great fishing by the ice pack, the chase is on. But will hellish hours and missing pots push these men over the edge?(S05,E13)
Weeks into the opilio season, delirium sets in - and deadly mistakes are made. But for one fisherman it is a tragedy on land that causes heartbreak at sea.(S05,E14)
The opilio season is almost over, but a storm front has the skippers on edge. The boats race to plug their tanks with crab, but can they make it back unscathed?(S05,E15)
The 2009 crab season is almost over, and a savage storm causes multiple maydays. Can the Coast Guard save four men before their boat is pounded against the rocks?(S05,E16)