Bering Sea Gold

Narrator: NOW ON "BERING SEA GOLD"...

Ken: AS THE SEASON'S WRAPPING UP HERE, THE WEATHER IS TURNING.

SO, THESE LAST FEW WEEKS WE GOT

ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET GOLD IN THE BOX.

ANY MORE BREAKDOWNS, WE'RE JUST GONNA CALL IT.

A LOT OF GOLD IN THE BERING SEA.

JUST GOT TO GET ENOUGH TIME ON THAT GOOD GOLD

WHERE YOU CAN CLEAN UP.

Shawn: JUST TO KEEP THE DREDGES I HAVE GOING IS A SMALL FORTUNE.

SO, EVERY OPERATION HAS TO MAKE MONEY.

EVERY OUNCE COUNTS.

I'VE DONE THIS LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW

THAT YOU JUST KEEP RUNNING.

YOU RUN AS MANY HOURS OUT OF THE DAY THAT YOU CAN.

Kris: I'M CONCERNED WORKING WITH MY DAD

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN TRUST HIM 100%.

AT LEAST WHEN I HAD MY BROTHER THERE,

I KNEW THAT BETWEEN THE BOTH OF THEM,

I WAS GONNA PROBABLY BE OKAY.

NOW I'M NOT SO SURE.

LOOKS GREAT.

LOTS OF CHUNKY GOLD EVERYWHERE.

I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN RID OF ANDY A LONG TIME AGO

IF I'D HAVE KNOWN THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN.

ROCKING 'N' ROLLING OUT HERE.

OH, MY

I GOT TO GET IN THE WATER RIGHT AWAY.

STUPID.

-BAH, IT'S SO STRESSFUL. -GOT TO FIND IT.

ABOUT TO GO HAVE SOME FUN ON THE BERING SEA.

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator: THE FIRST HINTS OF WINTER WIND SIGNAL

THE LOOMING END OF THE SUMMER MINING SEASON.

AND FOR THE FLEET, THE MONTHS OF GRUELING LABOR

ARE TAKING THEIR TOLL,

AS PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FATIGUE SET IN.

BUT AS BRUTAL AS IT MAY BECOME...

Shawn: YEAH.

Narrator: ...THE QUEST FOR GOLD IS THE ANTHEM

AT THE HEART OF EVERY CAPTAIN.

Ken: WHOO.

AND IF THE JOB IS HARD, NOBODY CARES.

WORK HARDER.

FALL SHORT, GET BACK UP.

IT ALWAYS SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL SOMEBODY DOES IT.

AND WHILE YOU MAY SEE A MINER STRUGGLE,

YOU WILL NEVER SEE ONE QUIT.

80 MILES EAST OF NOME...

AT THE BLUFF.

HOW'S IT GOING?

CAPTAIN SHAWN POMRENKE IS LOOKING TO REEL

IN HIS 1,200-OUNCE SEASON GOAL

TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF HIS MEGA DREDGE

THROUGH THE WINTER...

Shawn: THE MEGA DREDGE,

YOU CAN FIT A THOUSAND OF THOSE SLUICE BOXES IN.

SO I'M GETTING EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

Narrator: ...AND COUNTER KEN KERR

AND HIS $6-MILLION BERING SEA BEAST,

THE MYRTLE IRENE.

THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS RIGHT NOW.

Narrator: LAST WEEK...

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THIS GOLD'S RUNNING.

MAYBE THEY ALL COME TOGETHER RIGHT HERE.

...SHAWN SET UP ON A SPOT

WHERE THREE OLD-TIME BLUFF BEACH STRIKES INTERSECT...

Man: LOOK AT THAT, ROCKS SITTING ON A THRONE OF GOLD.

Narrator: ...AND HIT HIS RICHEST PAY STREAK OF THE SEASON.

HOORAH. THAT WAS A GOOD RUN.

YEAH. GOOD JOB, GUYS.

-ONE, TWO, THREE. -GOLD.

BE DOING SOME SHOPPING HERE REAL SOON.

Narrator: SHAWN MAY HAVE FOUND THE MEANS

TO SATISFY HIS 825-TON BEHEMOTH'S CONSTRUCTION BUDGET.

Shawn: DONE THIS LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW

THAT YOU JUST KEEP RUNNING.

Narrator: AND HE HAS A PLAN TO DO JUST THAT.

Shawn: 18-HOUR DAYS, 20-HOUR DAYS,

BEING AWAY FROM OUR FAMILY AND OUR KIDS,

SO WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT WORTH IT.

Narrator: RUN CONTINUOUS SHIFTS AROUND THE CLOCK

WITH EVERY DIVER AVAILABLE

AND SUCK UP EVERY OUNCE OF GOLD POSSIBLE.

HOW'S IT GOING DOWN THERE, CAM?

BUT THERE'S A HITCH IN MR. GOLD'S PLAN.

10-4.

JUNIOR DIVER/TENDER CAM STILES

CAN'T FIND THE GOLD, AND HE'S RUNNING ON EMPTY...

NOW I HAVE TO GO DIVE.

...LEAVING IT TO THE CAPTAIN TO RELOCATE THE PAY STREAK

AND KEEP THE SEASON ON TRACK.

IT'S VERY STRESSFUL AND NERVE-RACKING,

BUT THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.

YOU DEAL WITH IT, AND WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GONNA DO?

ARE YOU GONNA CRY OVER SPILLED MILK?

TIME TO GO HAVE SOME FUN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BERING SEA.

NO, YOU'RE GONNA TRY TO FIGURE OUT A DIFFERENT WAY

TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND GO DOWN AND MAKE MONEY.

Narrator: 80 MILES WEST...

...IN NOME HARBOR...

Ken: THE END OF THE SEASON IS WRAPPING UP HERE,

AND THE WEATHER IS TURNING, GONNA GET COLD,

ICE IN THE HARBOR IS COMING.

SO, THESE LAST FEW WEEKS, COUPLE WEEKS WE GOT

ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR US

TO MAKE A DITCH EFFORT TO GET OUR GOLD IN THE BOX.

THAT'S ALL YOU CAN DO.

Narrator: ...CAPTAIN KEN KERR IS GETTING HIS BERING SEA BEAST,

THE 600-TON MYRTLE IRENE, BACK INTO ACTION.

SECURITY, SECURITY, MYRTLE IRENELEAVING

NOME INNER HARBOR FOR THE OUTER HARBOR.

Man #2: ROGER THAT. CLEAR.

Narrator: COSTING 8 GRAND PER DAY

JUST TO PAY FOR FUEL AND CREW,

THE MIGHTY MYRTLE IS NOWHERE NEAR

THE 2,000-OUNCE GOAL KEN SET FOR THE SUMMER.

HE'LL NEED TO MINE 700 OUNCES OF GOLD

JUST TO BREAK EVEN ON THE SEASON.

Ken: HOPEFULLY WE GET SOME GOOD WEATHER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS

AND WE CAN STAY DIGGING.

ANY MORE BREAKDOWNS, WE'RE JUST GONNA CALL IT.

Narrator: LAST WEEK...

Ken: COMPLETELY DEAD.

Narrator: ...THE MYRTLEWAS SIDELINED...

NO SHAKER RUNNING, NO GOLD.

...WHEN THE SHAKER'S GEAR WHEELS BUSTED.

Ken: WE GOT CHUNKS OF GEAR MISSING.

Narrator: AND IT LOOKED LIKE THE SEASON MIGHT BE OVER.

Ken: ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER.

I'LL TURN IT INTO THE WAVES A LITTLE BIT.

GO AHEAD AND JUST PUT HER DOWN HERE.

ROGER THAT.

Narrator: AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT,

THE CAPTAIN'S FABRICATOR IN THE LOWER 48

WAS ABLE TO RUSH A NEW SET OF GEARS TO NOME.

AND AFTER A WEEK OFF THE GROUNDS...

WE'RE 30 FEET OFF WHERE OUR LAST HOLE WAS OUT HERE,

SO I'M GONNA DO A COUPLE TESTS.

Narrator: ...AND WITH WINTER CLOSING IN,

THIS IS KEN'S LAST CHANCE

TO FULFILL THE MYRTLE'SMASSIVE PROMISE.

Ken: ALL RIGHT, BROTHER.

WE'RE IN SOME HARD DIGGING HERE.

SEE WHAT THIS STUFF LOOKS LIKE.

THE PLAN TO PROVE THE MYRTLE'S METTLE IS THE SAME...

Ken: THIS THING'S CAPABLE OF DOING UP TO 10 OUNCES AN HOUR

WHEN EVERYTHING'S WORKING RIGHT.

WE'VE GOT TO PROVE IT CAN DO IT.

Narrator: ...UTILIZE THE DREDGE'S GAME-CHANGING ABILITY

TO MOVE MORE MATERIAL FASTER THAN ANY OTHER DREDGE IN NOME

AND STUFF THE SLUICE WITH GOLD.

LOOKS LIKE WE'RE IN SAND ON THIS SIDE.

THE CAPTAIN CAN'T JUST BE MOVING DIRT.

CRAP RIGHT THERE.

HE NEEDS TO BE MOVING PAY DIRT.

BIG OLD LOAD OF SAND.

THIS SPOT'S NOT LOOKING TOO GOOD.

GONNA DO A LITTLE TEST PAN HERE.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE WHAT WE GET.

LET'S SEE HOW BAD IT IS.

I LIKE NOTHING LESS THAN 50 COLORS, 50 SPECKS.

I LIKE 100.

100 SPECKS IS DOING REALLY GOOD, BUT NOTHING LESS THAN 50.

YOU SEE ANYTHING?

THAT SUCKS.

PRETTY CLOSE TO OUR SPOT,

SO IT'S ALL FAIRLY GOOD AROUND HERE.

WE'LL JUST SEE HERE IN A MINUTE.

WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.

30 FEET, THAT'S ALL IT TAKES SOMETIMES TO GET OFF A SPOT.

LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT.

TELL CLAY TO GET A PAN, TOO.

IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD HERE.

WE MIGHT GET A --

FIND A SPOT OVER IN FRONT I THINK WHERE WE HIT.

LET THEM GET A SAMPLE OF THAT, TOO.

YEAH, WE GOT TO PULL THE SPUDS AND MOVE.

THERE'S NOTHING HERE.

ROGER THAT. PULLING THE SPUDS.

HANG ON.

WHERE YOU AT, GOLD?

Narrator: COMING UP...

OH

THE FUEL LINE'S GETTING WRAPPED.

I GOT TO GET IN THE WATER RIGHT AWAY.

Brad: WITH ANDY BEING GONE, IT'S REALLY HURTING US.

Kris: LOTS OF CHUNKY GOLD EVERYWHERE.

GOOD, THAT'S ALL WE CARE ABOUT.

Narrator: 80 MILES EAST OF NOME...

AT THE BLUFF.

Kris: WHOA.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

YEAH, OKAY.

GOODBYE.

ANDY'S NOT COMING BACK. ANDY WENT TO THE DOCTOR'S.

THEY FOUND A CYST AND IT NEEDS TO BE OPERATED ON.

SO, HE NEEDS TO LEAVE NOME

AND HE'S DONE FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON.

WOW, WHAT BAD TIMING ON THIS DEAL.

Kris: I KNOW. IT'S ALWAYS BAD TIMING.